Anne Boleyn and Elizabeth I: the Mother and Daughter Who Changed History

Tracy Borman will examine one of the most extraordinary mother and daughter stories of all time – Anne Boleyn, the most famous of Henry VIII’s wives and her daughter, Elizabeth, the ‘Virgin Queen’.

Anne Boleyn is a subject of enduring fascination. For the most part, she is considered in the context of her relationship with Tudor England’s much-married monarch. Dramatic though this story is, of even greater interest – and significance – is the relationship between Anne and her daughter the future Elizabeth I.

Elizabeth was less than three years old when her mother was executed. Given that she could have held precious few memories of Anne, it is often assumed that her mother exerted little influence over her. But this is both inaccurate and misleading. Elizabeth knew that she had to be discreet about Anne, but there is compelling evidence that her mother exerted profound influence on her character, beliefs, and reign. Even during Henry’s lifetime, Elizabeth dared to express her sympathy for her late mother by secretly wearing Anne’s famous ‘A’ pendant when she sat for a painting with her father and siblings.

Using evidence from original documents and artefacts, Borman will tell the story of Anne Boleyn’s relationship with, and influence over her daughter Elizabeth. In so doing, she sheds new light on two of the most famous and influential women in history.

SPONSORED BY MACKINNON