Born in Aden, Aden Protectorate to parents William "Mike" Henry and Annette (née Duvivier, of Belgian heritage),[2] where her father was an army officer, Henry had an unsettled childhood as her father regularly changed postings; he retired as a full colonel.

[1] By this time, The Guardian was committed to developing an online presence, and Henry was involved with related projects after ceasing to be deputy editor in 2006.

[11] With Eve Pollard and Deborah Orr, among others, she set up Women in Journalism in 1995,[12] and remained on its advisory board for the rest of her life.

[1] According to The Times obituary writer, Henry was "admired by colleagues for her courage, skill, enthusiasm and trustworthiness, she was a pioneering figure in the field of journalism and a trailblazing example for women in the profession.

[1] After experiencing double vision during a skiing holiday in late 2011, Henry was diagnosed with a cancerous sinus tumour behind her right eye.