Episode 258 was on Anne Neville, a Wars of the Roses icon, who was a co-heiress who is remembered as the wife of Richard III. Before that, she was married to the Lancastrian heir Edward of Westminster.
Listen below, or read the Very Rough Transcript.
A Very Rough Transcript on Episode 260: Anne Neville
 Hello, friends, and welcome to the Renaissance English History Podcast, a part of the Agora Podcast Network and the original Tudor History Podcast. My name is Heather, and I’m a storyteller who makes history accessible because I believe it’s a pathway to understanding who we are, our place in the universe.
And being much more deeply connected to our own humanity. This is episode, I think it’s 257, and we are going to talk about Anne Neville. Again, a little bit outside our time of, uh, the 16th century, but I did do that episode on Margaret of Anjou a couple of weeks ago, people seem to enjoy that. And I think Anne Neville deserves an episode.
dedicated to her as well. So we are going to talk about her. Before we get started, though, just a quick thank you to the newest patrons and members of this podcast and the YouTube channel. Members and patrons get extra episodes, author chats, I have a drawing every month for a gift card to my merch shop.
all kinds of fun stuff. Depending on what level you’re at, you get a free extra mini audio course every month. Last month was on the divorce between Catherine of Aragon and Henry VIII, uh, the timeline, looking at all of the different aspects of that divorce.
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And thank you so much to the newest members, England 9 9 0 4. Joined on YouTube. And on Patreon, welcome to Maya, Dawn, and Ava. I am so, so very glad you’re here, and we will make sure you get your welcome goodies out ASAP. All right, let’s get into it with Anne Neville. Anne Neville is a pivotal yet often overlooked figure in English history.
I think she’s interesting because She was married both to the Lancastrian heir and to a Yorkist king, which is, you know, an interesting, thing to, to say about yourself.
She was born into one of the most powerful noble families of the 15th century, and then she lived through and survived basically the Wars of the Roses, the series of dynastic conflicts that tore England apart. By the age of 28, she had been married twice, first to Edward of Westminster, the Lancastrian Prince of Wales, and then to Richard, Duke of Gloucester, who would become King Richard III.
Through these marriages, she held the titles of both Princess of Wales and Queen of England. So we’re going to talk about the events and nuances of Anne Neville’s life. We’ll explore her role and influence during one of England’s most turbulent periods, and discuss the varying perceptions of her as either a victim of circumstance or a shrewd manipulator exercising agency in a male dominated world.
So Anne was born June 11, 1456 at Warwick Castle, a symbol of her family’s immense wealth and influence. She was the younger daughter of Richard Neville, The 16th Earl of Warwick, famously known as the Kingmaker for his decisive role in the power struggles of the time. And her mother was Anne Beauchamp, the Countess of Warwick in her own right.
The union of the Neville and Beauchamp families. amalgamated two of the most prominent noble lineages in England, each with substantial royal connections and vast estates. Anne’s childhood was one of privilege and luxury. She was raised in the splendor of Warwick Castle and Middleham Castle in Yorkshire, and she very much enjoyed the benefits of her family status.
The Neville’s holdings were extensive, and their political clout was unmatched among the nobility. Her father was basically like the second or third most important person in England.
And then her father was actually appointed Captain of Calais, which was England’s crucial foothold on the continent. It was the one part that remained in English hands. It had been conquered in the mid 14th century as part of the Hundred Years War. And it still remained English all the way up until Mary the first, another hundred years later.
So Anne probably actually spent much of her early years in Calais when her father was the captain of Calais. And he had two daughters, her sister, Isabel, and then her. And he was still actually quite eager to have a son. So he unusually made sure that his wife traveled with him as much as possible.
So Anne and her family would have been in Calais, which might’ve been a little bit unique for the time to have been traveling around that much with their father. And it would have given her an interesting exposure to everything that was happening at the time. So being in Calais, she was exposed to French culture and language.
Both of which were considered essential for the nobility, and she also could have enhanced her education and her social graces. She and her elder sister were co heiresses to their parents vast wealth and titles, at least until a son was born. At this point, they were still hoping that they might have a son.
And this brought both opportunities and immense pressure. The absence of a male heir meant that the continuation of the Neville legacy rested on their shoulders. Their marriages were not just family matters, but affairs of state with the potential to forge powerful alliances and ignite rivalries. The sisters were raised from a young age to fulfill these expectations, understanding that their personal choices would have far reaching implications for their family’s standing and influence.
Anne and Isabel Neville were highly coveted in the matrimonial market of the nobility. Isabel and Anne were co heiresses to one of the largest estates in England. Not just the lands and the wealth, but also the prestige associated with the Neville and the Beauchamp names. Because there wasn’t a son.
It meant that the family’s titles and properties would pass through marriage. And so this meant that their marriages were going to be incredibly important. Early on, the sisters were linked with the royal family and other influential nobles. Richard, Duke of Gloucester, who would later become Richard III, and also Francis, Lord Lovell, were wards in their father’s household at Middleham Castle.
This arrangement was common among the nobility to foster loyalty and strengthen alliances. The shared upbringing allowed Anne to form a close connection with Richard, with whom she would spend considerable time during their early formative years. So as people started to question the rule of Henry VI during the mid 15th century, initially, everybody, including the Duke of York, were loyal to Henry and said that, it’s that thing where they just blame the advisors, they don’t blame the king, they blame the people around him, and the Earl of Warwick, Richard Neville, was no exception to this. Initially, he supported Henry VI, but then he became disillusioned with Henry’s ineffective rule, and that led him to shift his allegiance. He aligned himself with Richard Plantagenet, the Duke of York, and Warwick became deeply involved in the early conflicts of the Wars of the Roses.
His military prowess and his strategic skills earned him significant influence, culminating in the successful installation of York’s son Edward IV as King in 1461. And that was how he became known as the king maker, but. Then his relationship with Edward began to deteriorate because of political disagreements.
The most significant rift occurred when Edward secretly married Elizabeth Woodville, undermining Warwick’s plans to secure a French princess as queen and forge a stronger alliance with France. This unexpected marriage not only thwarted Warwick’s diplomatic efforts, but it also elevated the Woodville family.
Warwick viewed them as social upstarts, he wasn’t a fan of the Woodville family, and he also thought that this was going to cost him his own influence, So as the Woodvilles were raised, he thought that he was going to wind up falling in and lose his own influence.
So he was frustrated and he felt marginalized, and he initiated a series of rebellions against Edward IV. In 1469, he orchestrated the marriage of his elder daughter, Isabel Neville, to George Duke of Clarence, who was Edward’s brother, without the king’s consent. This was a huge deal.
Noble people can’t marry without the King’s consent. And this union was a direct challenge to Edward’s authority and an attempt by Warwick to position the Duke of Clarence as a potential rival for the throne. The rebellion ultimately failed, forcing Warwick and his family into exile in France in 1470.
Now, what Anne thought about all of this, who knows, but it all came back to her when Warwick tried to regain power and formed an unlikely alliance with his former enemy, Margaret Vonjue, the wife of Henry VI.
To cement this new partnership, Warwick arranged the betrothal of his younger daughter, Anne, to Margaret’s son, Edward of Westminster, the Lancastrian Prince of Wales.
So as far as what Anne was doing during all of this time, the women were generally left behind while the men went and fought, but because of the way her father had these very high positions and would have wanted to have been closer to Edward and, be at court, There would have been a lot of backing and forthing.
So first they were in Calais, then they went back to Warwick Castle, then they went to court, and then they were back in France to see Margaret of Anjou. So she actually did a lot of travel during her early life, especially compared to what most women were doing at the time. In Calais, she spent most of her early life at Middleham Castle, and that was where she had most of her formal education. So interestingly, we actually have a pretty good idea of what Anne Neville’s life and education and kind of daily life would have been because of a 1493 book called The Orders and Rules of Princess Cecil. And this book actually records the routine of Anne’s great aunt, Cecily Neville, who was Edward IV’s mother and the widow of the Duke of York.
And this is basically a book that outlines what Cecily Neville’s daily life would have been. Her routines, what she did every day. For example, it tells us that she rose at seven and she heard Mass and then she attended chapel and then she took her dinner at about 11 a. m. And while she had her dinner, she listened to religious texts that were read to her and focused on the lives of female saints.
It also lists the books that Cecily read, and Cecily herself had a book of hours. Probably Anne and her mother would have kept one as well.
After dinner, Cecily would have had meetings with members of her household, people who wanted to speak with her. Then she rested and returned to her prayers and supper at about 5 p. m.
Of course, when this was written, Cecily was a widow and was older. So Anne’s life wouldn’t have been exactly like what Cecily was doing with her days.
But it does give us a really good idea of what the days would have been like for the members of her family. And Anne, of course, would have lived a similar life to Cecily. So her life at Middleham Castle was spent with the women, and she had her sister, Isabel. There was one other woman who made appearances quite often, and that was Anne’s half sister, Margaret Neville.
Margaret was the illegitimate son of Warwick. Warwick acknowledged her. She was born around 1450 to an unknown mistress. And so she was accepted by the family. Now what Anne’s mother thought about that, history does not record, but she was welcomed into the family.
There was actually evidence that Anne and Margaret had quite a warm relationship. Later, when her husband was crowned Richard III, and there was a coronation ceremony, Anne gave precedence to Margaret over other noble born women
so it seems like Margaret was welcomed into the family, at least by the sisters, and that they had a close relationship.
Anne does make another public appearance in 1465. She attended with her family the enthronement of her uncle George Neville when he became Archbishop of York, and there was a feast that followed. Apparently Warwick acted as the high steward and sat in high estate. And Anne sat close to her sister next to Richard.
This is when Richard, Duke of Gloucester, was in their household.
Anne was only nine when this happened, so the fact that she was included in these ceremonies also speaks to her level of maturity and how well she would have been behaving and, you know, that they trusted her to come to this very important event and sit with all of the nobility. There were several duchesses there, lots of nobles were there, and they trusted her to come and, be part of this event.
I think it’s interesting. It shows that she was a part of their family. Children didn’t often come to these kinds of things. So I think it shows a little bit of a unique upbringing that Anne had maybe shaped by some of this early travel she had to, and being adaptable, having to go from place to place.
So now we’re going to fast forward to 1470 when Warwick and his family are in exile in France, and Warwick allies himself with Margaret of Anjou. Anne and the Lancastrian Prince of Wales, Edward of Westminster, who was born in 1453, are married.
Anne was only 14 years old. And now suddenly she is the princess of Wales. They were married in December 1470 in Bayou after they actually needed a papal dispensation because they were close relatives.
The Lancastrian court was very suspicious of this. Of course, nobody really trusted that Warwick was truly on the Lancastrian side. Nobody knew what Warwick’s loyalties really were. And Margaret of Anjou certainly did not trust Warwick fully, nor his family. So Anne needed to support her husband as she would have been taught to have done.
And also just kind of fall in with the different loyalties around her. There must have been quite a swirl happening as she tried to become part of this new family with her husband, supporting her husband’s claim to the throne. while also having been raised with Richard, Duke of Gloucester and the Yorkists, her father had been a leading Yorkist.
So it must have been a little bit confusing for her, one can imagine. So in April 1471, Anne returns to England with Edward and Margaret of Anjou,
Edward IV had regained control and the Lancastrians were preparing for a decisive confrontation to reclaim the throne.
But then they suffered a series of unfortunate events and crushing defeats. On April 14th, 1471, Anne’s father, Warwick, was killed at the Battle of Barnet, which would have been devastating to Anne both personally and politically. His death dismantled the power structure that had supported the Lancastrian resurgence.
And then less than a month later on May 4th, the Lancastrian forces faced Edward IVs army at the Battle of Tewkesbury. This battle has gone down in history as one of the most brutal. The lancastrians were decisively defeated
and then many of the individuals were killed right after as well, even despite the fact that they were taking sanctuary in a church. So Anne’s husband, Edward, Prince of Wales, was one of those killed. He is the only heir apparent of England to ever die in battle, and his death marked the end of the legitimate Lancastrian male line.
Margaret of Anjou was captured. And many Lancastrian nobles were executed or imprisoned in the span of just a couple of weeks and lost her father and her husband, leaving her a widowed teenager in a hostile environment. At this point, she was incredibly vulnerable. Her family’s power had been eradicated.
She had no male protectors, and she was at the mercy of the victorious Yorkists as the widow of the Lancastrian heir. The emotional toll of such profound losses as a teenager must have been just absolutely immense. She was now a political pawn whose fate would be determined by the forces that had destroyed her family.
And then there was a whole debate about her inheritance. Her brother in law, George Duke of Clarence, who was married to Isabel, sought to control Anne’s share of the Neville inheritance. He wanted to consolidate the entire estate under his authority, and so he took custody of Anne, limiting her freedom.
There were allegations that he went so far as to disguise her as a kitchen maid to prevent any potential suitors from finding her. Meanwhile, the third son of York, of course, there were the three sons of York, Edward, George, and Richard. Um, Richard is trying to find Anne so that he can marry her. A popular account suggests that Richard discovered Anne working in a London cookshop disguised as a servant, though this is probably more apocryphal than fact.
But it is clear that Richard eventually secured her release and brought her to the sanctuary of St. Martin’s La Grande in London, and he provided Anne with protection and showed that he was serious in wanting to marry her. So why did he want to marry her? Well, they had grown up together.
I’m sure there was some affection there between the two of them and she was really wealthy. So there was, there was that whole thing. I’m sure the affection grew in direct proportion to the wealth that Anne had. The struggle over Anne’s inheritance escalated into a familial and legal battle between the two royal brothers, and Edward was compelled to intervene to mediate the dispute.
After protracted negotiations, a compromise was reached. Richard would marry Anne. but would concede some of his claims to the Neville Estates, allowing George, Duke of Clarence to retain a significant portion. This agreement not only resolved the immediate conflict, but also paved the way for Anne to step back into the political arena as a duchess rather than a pawn.
So they were married sometime in the spring of 1472. Again, they needed another papal dispensation because of their close kinship. They were first cousins once removed, and because of Anne’s previous marriage to Edward of Westminster, and that created an affinity that Canon Law recognized. Initially, there were complications in obtaining the proper dispensation, but the couple proceeded with the marriage.
In 1474, two years later, Parliament passed an act that effectively divided the Neville inheritance between Anne and her sister Isabel. As a widow, Anne had certain legal rights and demonstrated agency by choosing to remarry rather than enter a convent or remain under her brother in law’s control., her decision restored her social standing and secured her financial future.
Anne and Richard established their household at Middleham Castle, which would have been familiar to both of them from their childhoods. Anne gave birth to their son, Edward of Middleham. The dates vary. Some people say 1473, some people say 1476.
Either way, by 1476, there was a son, Edward of Middleham, which strengthened their familial line and bolstered Richard’s position in the North. Anne’s mother, Anne Beauchamp, had joined them at Middleham, potentially playing a role in managing the household and participating in family affairs. This period marked a time of relative stability and contentment for Anne, away from the political mess that had dominated her earlier life.
As the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, Richard and Anne became influential figures in northern England. Richard was appointed the King’s Lieutenant in the North, and together they governed the region, earning popularity among the local gentry and commoners alike. They were known for their patronage of religious institutions and their involvement in regional events, which helped to solidify their authority even when Richard was king, whatever you think about Richard III, he was quite popular in the North. Then in December of 1476, Anne’s sister, Isabel, passed away. This had implications not just for Anne emotionally losing her sister, but then caring for the surviving children. Just a couple of years later in 1478, George, Duke of Clarence was executed for treason against Edward the fourth. His titles and properties were forfeited. And his children were declared legally illegitimate, which is a weird label, but there you go. Richard and Anne assumed responsibility for their nephew, Edward Earl of Warwick, and their niece Margaret, offering them protection and a place in their household. So now Anne was managing these estates that were growing because of the death of Isabel and George, Duke of Clarence.
So their assets were growing and her responsibilities were growing. And she was combining administrative duties, her family responsibilities, her and Richard were growing as powerful players in the North. They were really seen as a power couple at this point, and were really growing their base of popularity in the North. This would set the stage for the dramatic events that would soon unfold. In
1483, Edward IV died, that left the throne to his 12 year old son, Edward V. As the late king’s brother, Richard was appointed Lord Protector, entrusted with safeguarding his nephew and governing the realm during the young king’s minority. However, tensions quickly surfaced between Richard and the Woodville family, the relatives of Edward’s mother, Elizabeth Woodville.
The Woodvilles were seen by many nobles as ambitious and overly influential, Fearing they might dominate the young king and sideline other noble families, Richard acted swiftly. He arrested key members of the Woodville clan, including Earl Rivers, the young king’s maternal uncle, to prevent them from consolidating power.
Then he found a controversial claim that Edward’s marriage to Elizabeth Woodville was invalid because of a prior betrothal to another woman. This assertion rendered all of Edward’s children illegitimate under the laws of succession. So then Parliament, persuaded by this claim, declared Edward V ineligible for the throne, and the following day Richard was proclaimed Richard III.
Anne Neville, became Queen Consort. On July 6, 1483, they were crowned together in an elaborate joint ceremony at Westminster Abbey, the first of its kind since 1308. The coronation was a grand affair intended to legitimize Richard’s rule and demonstrate the stability of the new regime. The public reception was mixed.
Some welcomed the continuity of leadership, they were happy to not have a child king again, they had had a child king with Henry VI and they saw how that turned out. Others had doubts about the circumstances that led to the Ascension. Nevertheless, Anne’s presence alongside Richard underscored the unity and legitimacy that they sought to project during a time of uncertainty.
As Queen Consort, Anne embraced her work. She engaged in charitable works and patronage, and she extended support to Queen’s College, Cambridge, which had been founded by Margaret of Anjou and Elizabeth Woodville. She went on a royal progress with Richard, traveling throughout the kingdom to present a viable and accessible monarchy to the people.
Her tenure as Queen was brief and happened during a very tumultuous time. There aren’t a lot of records about her specific initiatives or influence, especially when compared to some of her predecessors.
So it makes it difficult to fully assess her impact. But the available evidence suggests that she did fulfill her duties and embodied the expected qualities of piety and nobility even as she was trying to navigate this world filled with political tension and rebellion. In April of 1484, Anne and Richard’s only child, Edward of Middleham, died suddenly.
He was between six, seven, and ten. Again, there’s that debate over when exactly he was born. The exact cause of his death remains uncertain, but he likely succumbed to an illness. Probably while at Middleham Castle. This loss was devastating to both parents. Contemporary accounts describe them as being engulfed in profound grief, with reports saying that they were almost out of their minds with sorrow.
Now, Edward’s death also had severe political implications. He was the sole legitimate heir to the throne. And his passing plunged the monarchy into a succession crisis. Richard II now did not have a direct heir. He saw himself now having a weakened claim to the throne, the rival factions were now emboldened in sowing seeds of descent.
Consideration was given to naming Richard’s nephew, John de la Pole, the Earl of Lincoln, as the heir presumptive, but this did little to stabilize the monarchy. For Anne, the loss of her son compounded the emotional strain of previous family tragedies. Her health began to deteriorate and the court became a breeding ground for rumors and intrigue.
Speculation arose that the Queen’s failing health might prompt the King to seek a new marriage to secure an heir, adding to her distress. The death of their son not only shattered their personal lives, but also undermined the security of their reign, leaving them vulnerable during an already volatile period in English politics.
In the early months of 1485, Anne’s health began to deteriorate noticeably. Contemporary accounts suggest that she might have been suffering from tuberculosis or possibly cancer, illnesses that would have been fatal during the medieval period. Her condition worsened to the point where royal physicians reportedly advised Richard to avoid close contact with her, perhaps to prevent the spread of disease or protect the king’s own health.
As Anne grew weaker, rumors began to circulate within the court and among the public. Whispers spread that Richard wanted to annul their marriage, or that he had even poisoned Anne to make way for a new union. The most scandalous speculation centered on the possibility of Richard marrying his niece, Elizabeth of York, the eldest daughter of his late brother, Edward IV.
Such a marriage would have been considered controversial and was fraught with political and moral implications. I mean, she was his niece. So even back then, that would have been not acceptable. The only upside for Richard was the same upside that had Henry Tudor marrying Elizabeth of York. It would have strengthened his claim by uniting two royal bloodlines.
Aware of the damaging nature of the rumors, Richard took steps to quell them. He publicly denied any intention to marry Elizabeth and he expressed his grief over Anne’s illness. Despite these efforts, the gossip persisted, adding to the strain of an already very tense situation.
On March 16th, 1485, Anne passed away. She was about 28 years old. Her death coincided with a solar eclipse, many people would have seen this as, you know, an omen and showing that even worse was going to come. Some people mourned her death. Others saw it with suspicion, thanks to the circulating rumors. At court, her death intensified the political instability, leaving Richard without a queen, without an heir, and mounting challenges to his kingship.
Ann was laid to rest with appropriate honors at Westminster Abbey, and she was interred on the south side of the High Altar, which was a location befitting a queen. But because of all of the chaotic events that happened in the next couple of months, there was never a tomb or monument erected to mark her grave. For centuries, her final resting place remained unmarked, leading to her memory fading from public consciousness.
It wasn’t until 1960 that the Richard III Society commissioned and installed a bronze tablet in Westminster Abbey. to commemorate her life and her status as queen.
Historical perceptions of Anne vary widely. Some sources portray her as a tragic victim of the ruthless politics of the Wars of the Roses, a woman used as a pawn in the ambitions of powerful men. Others suggest she was a more active participant navigating the treacherous landscape with resilience and agency.
Regardless of these interpretations, she is now recognized as one of the key figures in this most tumultuous period, her life intertwined with the rise and fall of kings.
In Shakespeare’s play Richard III, she’s depicted as a tragic figure, wooed by Richard over the corpse of her first husband, a dramatization that emphasizes her vulnerability and Richard’s manipulative nature. But then there’s modern historical novels like Philippa Gregory’s Kingmaker’s Daughter that offer more nuanced interpretations and show maybe that she had a bit more agency.
Anne’s journey started when she was born into nobility, and then she became Princess of Wales on the Lancastrian side, and then she became Queen of England on the Yorkist side, which really goes to show this kind of back and forthing that England was experiencing.
By 28, she had lost her father, lost her husband, both in battles. She then married another husband who would die five months after she died. Also in battle, she lost her son, she lost her sister, she experienced people arguing over her inheritance. It all must have been too much, honestly.
Yet she was still able to assert herself in different ways, such that we remember her. And I think she’s worth remembering.
I think we will close off with what the plaque in Westminster Abbey says. Uh, that was erected by the Richard III Society. It says Ann Neville, 1456 to 1485. Queen of England, younger daughter of Richard Earl Warwick called the King Maker wife of the last Plantagenet Richard iii.
In person. She was sly, amiable, and BEUs. And according to the interpretations of her name, Ann, full gracious
rest in peace. So if you would like to dig in more about Anne Neville, there’s a new book out called Anne Neville, Queen and Wife of Richard III by Rebecca Batley. I just had a galley copy of it. I think it’s coming out soon. I’ll add a link in the show notes. Um, it’s really easy to read, uh, super engaging.
Unfortunately, like all of the stories of women of this time, we don’t have a lot of records just about them. So you have to go off of what their husbands did and what their fathers did. And that’s unfortunate, but it is what it is. So yeah, if you want to dig in more to Ann, I recommend this book. I just finished it.
It’s really good. So Ann Neville by Rebecca Batley. All right, my friends, we will end it there. Thank you so much for listening. Thank you for spending this time with me. I will be back again next week. Remember, if you want to get ad free episodes, extra mini casts, extra content, author chats, all that kind of stuff, you can become a patron at patreon.com/EnglandCast, or just click join this channel if you are listening on YouTube. All right, my friends, have an amazing day. I will speak with you soon.
Heather Teysko is the creator, writer, and producer of The Renaissance English History Podcast,  the original Tudor history podcast, started in 2009. She's been writing about history online for over 25 years, since her first site on Colonial American history became number one in history on Yahoo in 1998. In 2019 she created Tudorcon, which is now a yearly event, in addition to writing books, and running TudorFair.com - a whimsical Tudor Merch shop.
She has been passionate about Tudor England since she first read Alison Weir's The Six Wives of Henry VIII 30 years ago, and subsequently moved to London after college to spend her time immersed in Tudor history (how exciting when she got to interview Alison for the first time!). In addition to history, she is passionate about travel, and has lived in 3 countries and 4 states (not counting her perpetual state of confusion), and her family (who help her host her YouTube channel occasionally).
