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Writer's pictureKali Hollands
Aug 45 min read

The Boleyn siblings – what was the relationship like between Anne and her brother George?

Portraits believed to depict George Boleyn and his sister Anne


In the Beauchamp Tower at the Tower of London, a mysterious carving of a falcon is engraved hastily from a prisoner’s hand into the wall.


What is the relevance of this?


This graffiti portrays the emblem of Anne Boleyn, and its artist is considered by many to be George Boleyn, Anne Boleyn’s brother, who was imprisoned in this very tower on 2nd May 1536. Both Anne and George were arrested and imprisoned for the same charges; treasonous adultery and incest. If this was George’s work, it could vividly demonstrate a loving tribute to his sister and just how close the siblings really were.


Anne and George both spent their childhood at Hever Castle in Kent, alongside their sister Mary and their parents; Elizabeth Howard and Thomas Boleyn. The Boleyns were a noble family; Elizabeth coming from the powerful Howard family and Thomas being a diplomat and ambassador for Henry VIII. This meant their children had a well-educated upbringing and were encouraged to pursue music, learning and dancing. Anne and George’s passion for the arts and intelligent, charismatic personalities meant they were close and similar in character. In 1513, Thomas sent his daughter Anne to the court of Margaret of Austria, followed by the French court of Queen Claude. Here, Anne learnt to fluently speak French and develop a taste for fine French fashions, dancing, music and literature.


Again, Anne and George share a love for similar aesthetics and interests; religious French texts and a modern, humanist way of thinking. Evidence of their shared passions and close relationship can be found in the British Library. Here, two religious texts by French humanist Jacques d’Etaples remain in beautiful bindings, translated by George and specially gifted to Anne. George’s dedication to his sister reads: “I have been so bold to send unto you, not jewels or gold, whereof you have plenty, not pearl or rich stones, whereof you have enough, but a rude translation of a well willer, a goodly matter meanly handled, most humbly desiring you with favour to weigh the weakness of my dull wit.” This shines a light on the loving relationship the two siblings had and George’s devotion to Anne.


The Pistellis and Gospelles and The Ecclesiaste are two other religious texts translated and gifted for Anne by George. In fact, one text contains his inscription: “Her moost lovyng and fryndely brother sendeth gretyng”, translated to: “To the right honourable lady, the Lady Marchioness of Pembroke, her most loving and friendly brother sends greetings.” It’s clear that George and Anne had a loving and close bond, as well as shared religious interests.


Anne Boleyn stood out amongst the English court when she returned from France. She emerged as a charming, intelligent and impressionable young woman, attracting the eye of many male courtiers and eventually, the king himself. By 1526, Henry VIII’s attraction to Anne rose significantly and by 1527, he sought ways to marry her. Interestingly, Anne refused to be just a mistress to the King which, perhaps an ambitious desire for royalty and power, led to her encouraging marriage between the two. Likewise, in temperance, George also gained a rise in power; highlighting the confident and ambitious nature of the siblings.


In 1529, George Boleyn was made a Knight of the Bath and 1532, Viscount Rochford; also assisting the king in his pursuit to divorce Katherine of Aragon and marry Anne. Henry VIII chose George in 1531 to present the royal supremacy argument before Convocation, the Church’s consultative body. This was due to George’s high intelligence and excellence at religious debate. We can clearly see again the similarities between the siblings; Anne also had a high interest in religious reform and excelled at debating new ideas. Additionally, George was also a special commissioner at Thomas More’s trial in 1535. It’s no doubt that Henry’s infatuation with Anne and her rise in power, allowed George to benefit from her position in court and further place the Boleyn name on the pedestal. George’s career advancements were created not by himself, but the influence of his sister and could highlight the love Anne had for her brother, by carving out his success.


In 1533, Anne Boleyn finally became Queen of England, after a long and tedious six years of debate between Henry VIII and the Roman Catholic Church. Anne and George’s high place in court, allowed them to be in the same circle of courtiers and suggests the siblings would have conversed and been in one another’s presence frequently. Anne’s short but influential period as queen allowed her to take an active role in governmental and religious reform, pushing for English-translated bibles to be distributed across the country. Furthermore, Anne supported Henry in his wish to dissolute the monasteries and create the Church of England. Both Anne and her brother George shared the same passion for the vernacular bible and religious texts to be easily read by everyone, once again proving their bond and shared interests. But their happiness and rise in status would not last.


The year 1536 saw the downfall of Anne Boleyn and the cracks to appear in her marriage to Henry VIII. Her continuous miscarriages and the stillborn birth of her only son caused Henry to lose his infatuation for her; she had failed to provide him with a male heir. Henry had already turned to a new mistress, Anne’s lady-in-waiting; Jane Seymour, and had begun to feed into the seeds of doubt his advisors had placed against her.


During this time, George had become one of the few people Anne could trust; he supported Anne to protect her and advise her from making rash comments in court. However, Anne was not the only sharp-tongued Boleyn to fall from the king’s favour. George had been heard, alongside Anne, laughing at Henry’s lack of virility and ability to copulate with a woman. Furthermore, he also mocked the king’s music and taste in fashion. These comments, alongside treason and an accusation of incest with Anne, saw George’s imprisonment, and eventually execution at the Tower of London. Anne was accused not only of adultery and incest with George but four other men: Mark Smeaton, Henry Norris, Francis Weston and William Brereton.


At Anne’s trial on 15th May 1536, she was accused of incest with George for 27 months. What was a loving and devoted representation of sibling hood and family, was viewed as something vulgar and cruel; Anne’s most trusted and favourite person was used against her. During both Anne and George’s trials, the siblings were noted to have remained very calm and composed, highlighting the strength of the two during such cruel times and again, their similarities in character. After a day or two after her arrest in the tower on 2nd May, Anne learned that George was also imprisoned here. She was overjoyed. In such horrific circumstances, Anne could be close with her brother once more. Master Kingston, constable of the tower, stated that Anne “Made very good countenance” after hearing this news, demonstrating the bond they shared.


One last time, the siblings could be together.



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