Claire | March 7, 2019
In 1533, King Henry VIII married his sweetheart Anne Boleyn, the woman he’d been pursuing for at least six years, and then had his marriage to his wife of nearly 24 years annulled – yes, he did it that way round! Some fiction would lead us to believe that this was all Anne Boleyn’s fault. […]
Claire | November 14, 2018
This day in history, 14th November 1532, the Feast of St Erkenwald, might just have been Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn’s wedding day! Chronicler Edward Hall can usually be trusted and according to him “The king, after his return [from Calais] married privily the lady Anne Boleyn on Saint Erkenwald’s day, which marriage was kept […]
Claire | August 16, 2018
I’ve just come back from a two week holiday travelling through Spain and France to the UK, and while I was in the UK I was lucky enough to attend David Starkey’s talk “Henry VIII: The First Brexiteer” at the Festival Theatre at Hever Castle. It was a wonderful talk, both entertaining and educational, and […]
Claire | February 14, 2017
Today is Valentine’s Day, the traditional day of romance. You can read all about Valentine’s Day itself in an article I wrote for the Tudor Society – click here – but here at the Anne Boleyn Files I want to ask you for your thoughts on Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII. I want to ask […]
Claire | November 12, 2016
12th November was a busy day in Tudor history and I’ve picked out four key events for you to read more about: At midnight on 12th/13th November 1532, King Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, Marquis of Pembroke, set sail from Calais to head back to Dover. Chronicler Edward Hall writes: “On Tewesdaie at midnight he […]
Claire | October 11, 2016
On this day in history, 11 October 1532, at just before dawn, Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, Marquis of Pembroke, set sail from Dover in the King’s ship The Swallow. Their destination was Calais and the purpose of their trip was to gain King Francis I of France’s support for their relationship and their quest […]
Claire | June 12, 2016
On this day in history, Sunday 12th June 1530, Queen Catherine of Aragon got rather cross with her errant husband, Henry VIII, telling him to “quit the evil life he was leading and the bad example he was setting”. Here is an account of the confrontation from Eustace Chapuys, the imperial ambassador: “On this same […]
Claire | March 4, 2016
On Shrove Tuesday 1522, 4th March, Anne Boleyn took part in the pageant of “The Château Vert” at York Place, a property owned by Cardinal Thomas Wolsey. This was her first recorded public appearance at court since her return from France in late 1521. The pageant was part of the Shrovetide celebrations which began on […]
