Final answer:
Chancellor Thomas Cromwell supported King Henry VIII's decision to establish the Church of England, separating from the Roman Catholic Church. This was part of Henry's effort to secure a male heir by annulling his marriage without papal approval. This led to major religious reforms and the alignment of the Church of England with Protestant practices.
Step-by-step explanation:
Protestants within King Henry VIII's political circle, notably Chancellor Thomas Cromwell, encouraged the monarch to break away from the Roman Catholic Church. Henry VIII sought to annul his marriage to Catherine of Aragon in order to marry Anne Boleyn and seek a male heir, which the Pope refused.
This led to the establishment of the Church of England with the Act in Restraint of Appeals and the Act of Submission of the Clergy, with Henry appointing himself as the head, a move that Thomas Cromwell ardently supported.
The Church of England maintained many Catholic doctrines initially, but under Henry's son, Edward VI, reforms were implemented to align the church more with Protestant practices. These included the use of the English-language Book of Common Prayer and new church service structures, moving away from traditional Catholic rituals.