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Name: Anne of Cleves
Lifetime: September 13, 1515 – July 16, 1557
What She Is Known For: Anne of Cleves was the fateful fourth wife of Henry VIII. Unlike most of his other wives, Anne survived her marriage to the tyrant king and lived longer than any of his other wives.
Why We Love Her: Anne was born in present-day Germany to a Reformist family and Thomas Cromwell, looking for a Protestant ally, sent a painter to take Anne’s portrait with the hopes of securing a marriage between Anne and Henry. With the marriage set to take place, Anne travelled from her home to London, where she would meet the man who had already buried three wives. She had no formal education and could only read and write in German, making her gentle, docile and virtuous. The pair formally met on their wedding day, January 6, 1540.
Henry, however, was not taken with Anne and he accused Cromwell and Master Holbein the younger of making her more attractive in the portrait than she was in real life. For five months, the marriage went unconsummated and finally, Henry had had enough and sent Anne away. She was petitioned for an annulment on the grounds of non-consummation and her previous betrothal to the Duke of Lorraine.
With Henry’s track record with wives, Anne had every reason to fear that she would be killed or shut up in a nunnery. However, the once-upon-a-time couple remained on good terms for the rest of his life, she was always invited to attend court and she was given precedence over every woman in the kingdom – except for his new wife and daughters. She was also referred to as the “King’s beloved sister.”
Not only did she remain close to the king, but she also formed friendships with his daughters, Lady Mary and Lady Elizabeth. When Mary ascended the throne, however, she began to suspect Anne of having too close of a relationship with Elizabeth and refused her at court.
Anne lived longer than any of Henry’s other wives and when she died, she was the only wife of Henry to be buried in Westminster Abbey.
Fun Fact: While the couple formally met on their wedding day, Henry was a fan of spectacle so he disguised himself and some of his men and paid a visit to his bride in Dover. He boldly kissed her and Anne didn’t know what to do because she was not expecting someone to do that.
It is not known whether Anne realized it was the king in disguise, but either way, Henry was not inspired by the woman he was supposed to marry. Because of this, their marriage was his most short-lived, lasting only six months.
