Anne Neville - One of England's forgotten Queens and key player in the wars of the roses

A stained glass memorial of Queen Anne Neville at Cardiff Castle

Anne Neville was born June 11th, 1456 at Warwick Castle to Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick and Anne Beauchamp, 16th Countess of Warwick. Her father was known as ‘Warwick the Kingmaker.’ She had an older sister Isabel Neville. Anne’s paternal great-grandmother was Joan Beaufort and their maternal great-grandmother was Constance of York (daughter of Edmund of Langley). Edmund of Langley was the son of John of Gaunt, making them descendants of Edward III. Their lineage also included the Montagu, Monthermer, Clare and Despenser families.

There is no record of Countess Anne being pregnant between the birth of Isabel and Anne. When Anne was born, she was cleaned and kept warm. Her limbs were gently massaged with salt. This along with honey was thought to reduce excess humours. She was baptized at the Collegiate Church of St. Mary’s in Warwick. Countess Anne did not attend the baptism. She was required to remain in her chamber for forty days of recovery.

The month Anne was born a ‘blazing star’ appeared in the sky. According to the cultural beliefs of the time, children’s fate was indicated by the stars. Anne’s birthday barely missed June 10th, the day no new projects should be started. John Rous called Anne ‘the most noble lady and princess born of royal blood of divers realms lineally descending from princes, kings, emperors, and many glorious saints.’

Countess Anne would have taken responsibility for her daughter's education from infancy to early childhood but their day-to-day care would be in the hands of a governess. She would have required her daughters to be trained in herbalism. Aristocratic women were expected to oversee the care of their servants. Anne would have been taught how to use a book of hours when learning about the four humours.

Practical skills would have been sewing and embroidery. These skills were to prevent well-born women from sitting idly. She would have known some Latin as well as French. Being of high status, French was necessary as it was the language of the aristocracy. She would have known proper table manners and how to conduct herself appropriately. All children would have been raised to respect their parents. Devout women commissioned and received extravagant books of hours.

Anne and Isabel spent most of their childhood at Middleham Castle in North Yorkshire, the seat of the Neville family. George of Clarence and Richard of Gloucester also spent their youth at Middleham. Anne would later marry Richard of Gloucester as he became Richard III of England upon the death of his brother, Edward IV. Edward IV had two sons, but Richard had them in the Tower of London. By summer 1483, they were presumed dead.

Anne and Isabel would have spent their formative years in the care of servants either at Warwick Castle, Calais or one of the Neville residences in Yorkshire. As they moved closer to adulthood, they would accompany their mother when ladies of the household gave birth. They would have attended daily Mass with their family. Although Anne was a child at just six years old, she was considered a valuable bride, as was her sister. Anne was taught by her mother to not speak or smile too much.

In 1461 Warwick helped remove the Lancastrian Henry IV and install Yorkist Edward IV. Warwick had betrothed his daughter Anne to Margaret of Anjou’s son, Edward of Westminster, Prince of Wales. This made Anne princess of Wales. Anne’s father Warwick died in the Battle of Barnet, a battle within the Wars of the Roses in April 1471. The following month during the battle of Tewksbury, Edward was killed. He is buried in Yorkshire.

When Anne’s teenage husband was killed in Barnet it was reported that ‘there was the prince slain with many others.’ Later accounts suggested he was killed in cold blood. Sources do not say what Anne thought about being such a young widow.

There was an understanding that Richard of Gloucester would marry Anne. According to Waurin’s Chronicle, Richard was the husband originally selected for Anne. It was thought that he would use her for her familial wealth. He signed away most of his rights to the family land and wealth in order to marry her. One story suggests that George hid Anne in a cook shop to keep her away from Richard. The Croyland Chronicle told a similar story. Anne and her sister had an impressive lineage and their wealth as co-heiresses would be substantial.

A papal dispensation was issued on April 22nd, 1472. This was necessary because of the close relationship between Anne and Richard. Richard’s mother Cecily was Isabel’s godmother. There is no record of Anne or Richard’s godparents.

Anne and Richard married in the spring/summer of 1472. Their wedding was shortly after the dispensation was issued. It is thought that the ceremony took place in the church of St. Deny’s, which was built in the 1470s.

From Anne and Richard’s marriage to spring 1483 they lived mainly in the north. Between 1473 and 1476 Anne gave birth to a boy. He was born and raised at Middleham. The dates for Edward of Middleham’s birth are based on circumstantial evidence. His age can be estimated from financial accounts.

According to a Tudor chronicler, Edward was nine years old when he died. He had still been in the care of women rather than being educated in a more masculine environment. This suggests he was still a young child.

Anne does not appear to have gotten pregnant again. It is possible that tuberculosis, which is likely what killed her, contributed to infertility. It has been suggested that she suffered from tuberculosis endometritis. After Isabel died and George was executed Anne took in their children. Anne and her mother were stricken with grief.

Upon the death of Edward IV, Richard was made Lord Protector of who was to be the new king, Edward V. Elizabeth Woodville objected to this. She thought Richard was dangerous with that much power. Edward V never made it as king, as he and his brother Richard were confined to the Tower by their uncle. Richard had made them illegitimate.

Anne and Richard’s joint coronation was July 6th, 1483. During their coronation they walked barefoot on red cloth from Westminster Hall to the Abbey. This had been the first joint coronation in 175 years. The last was the coronation of Isabella of France and Edward II in 1308. Margaret Beaufort was present, carrying Anne’s train.

Anne’s train was more than 27 yards of shimmering white damask cloth of gold, bordered with ermine. She wore her waist length hair down symbolizing a bride going to her wedding. It would usually be pinned under a cap and veil. The crowning ceremony concluded with a procession to Westminster Hall before withdrawing to their chambers.

At 4:00 Anne rejoined Richard in Westminster for a feast that lasted into the night. She was served by Margaret Beaufort and the Duchess of Norfolk. Anne’s influence over Richard before he became king is unknown due to a lack of written records.

By the middle of May Edward V was moved from the Bishop of London’s palace to the Tower of London. A new date was set for his coronation. It had been rescheduled to June 22nd. Anne mourned the loss of her cousin Edward IV and assumed she would be attending Edward V’s coronation. The last recorded sighting of twelve-year-old Edward and nine-year-old Richard was made in The Great Chronicle on June 16th, 1483.

Edward V and his brother had grown up apart and were virtually strangers. They would be seen playing together from time to time. By summer 1483 they stopped being seen and were presumed dead. Richard ascended to the throne with the disappearance of Edward V. Whether Richard killed them himself or had them killed is up for debate. If they were even killed at all is also a matter of debate. Over 500 years later and the public is still fascinated by ‘The Princes in the Tower.’

Anne died on March 16th, 1485. She had died during an eclipse. There were rumours that Richard had poisoned her so he could remarry. She was buried on the south side of the Abbey’s High Altar in front of the priests. She had no grave marker, likely because Richard would die at the Battle of Bosworth in August of that year.

Besides destroying Anne’s lungs, tuberculosis would have gradually degraded most of Anne’s internal systems. It is also possible that her immune system declined due to the death of her son. Her appetite failed and the flesh melted from her bones. She suffered from fevers as well as difficulty breathing and weight loss. All the queen’s doctors could do was give her opiates to ease her pain. The fact that she died during an eclipse was a bad omen for her widower.

Her funeral was organized by the Lord Chamberlain, Francis Lovell. He and Anne had been childhood friends at Middleham. It was followed by interment. Her burial place was meant to speed her soul from purgatory to heaven. It is thought that Richard intended to move Anne’s body to York Minster. He had not yet established the perpetual chantry he proposed at York. He did not live long enough to bring his ideas to fruition.

In 1960 a brass plate and coat of arms designed by J. Sebastian Comper was erected on the wall of the south ambulatory. It is inscribed:

ANNE NEVILL 1456-1485 QUEEN OF ENGLAND YOUNGER DAUGHTER OF RICHARD EARL OF WARWICK CALLED THE KINGMAKER WIFE TO THE LAST PLANTAGENET KING RICHARD III.

Followed by: "In person she was seemly, amiable and beauteous...And according to the interpretation of her name Anne full gracious" REQUIESCAT IN PACE.

Anne and Richard were king and queen for just about two years. Anne died in early 1485 and Richard was defeated by Henry Tudor at the Battle of Bosworth in August of that year. Richard’s remains were missing for hundreds of years. His remains were found on August 24th, 2012 under a modern-day parking lot in Leicester, England. He had been buried at Greyfriars Church, which was demolished during Henry VIII’s dissolution of the monasteries.

Resources:

1. Hickey, Julia A. Kingmaker’s Women: Anne Beauchamp and her daughters, Isabel and Anne Neville.

2. https://www.historyextra.com/period/medieval/anne-neville-white-queen-consort-life-facts-husbands-marriages-death-burial/

3. https://www.westminster-abbey.org/abbey-commemorations/royals/anne-neville-wife-of-richard-iii