Madge Shelton is one of the many intriguing and often overlooked figures of Henry VIII’s court. She was known for her beauty, for her brief entanglement with the king, and her story gives us a glimpse into a world of Tudor court politics. Of course, alliances were fragile, reputations could shift as quickly as Henry’s affections.
Transcript of Episode 271: Madge Shelton
Today we’re going to talk about Madge’s life, her involvement with Henry VIII, what became of her after her cousin Anne Boleyn’s fall from grace.
Madge was born, Margaret, her real name, but she’s known as Madge. Margaret Shelton was born into the influential Shelton family. She was closely tied to the Boleyns. Her parents, Sir John Shelton and Anne Boleyn Shelton, She secured a prominent position at court largely due to their kinship with Anne Boleyn, the king’s wife.
Anne Boleyn Shelton was actually Anne’s aunt and she was with her in the Tower during her final days. She was Thomas Boleyn‘s sister. So that’s how she was related to Anne. The Shelton’s were an established Norfolk family with estates and a history of service to the crown. The exact date of Madge’s birth remains uncertain.
Madge Shelton’s Early Life and Court Introduction
Estimates place it around 1500, but this date raises questions because it suggests she would have been in her mid-30s during her relationship with Henry VIII, which is an age considered somewhat older for a woman debuting in court. And also she went on to have children after that, which we’ll talk about that.
So again, she would have been a bit older for that if indeed she was in her mid-30’s. Some historians do suggest she may have been born closer to 1510, making her presence as a young and eligible lady much more plausible. So who knows exactly when she was born, but sometime between 1500 and 1510.
Madge’s introduction to court life came during Anne Boleyn’s rise to power. As a lady-in-waiting, she was part of the inner circle of Anne’s household. She was known as Pretty Madge, and she quickly gained attention for her beauty, with her dimples and her gentle demeanor becoming her trademarks. Report of her charm and her grace circulated widely even after her departure from court.
In fact, later on, when courtiers were talking about a prospective wife for Henry VIII, they compared that woman’s beauty to Madge Shelton. So she was remembered as being quite a beautiful woman. The Sheltons were entrusted with key responsibilities, including overseeing the household of Princess Mary, Henry’s daughter by Katherine of Aragon.
This placed Madge and her family in a politically sensitive role, of course navigating the tensions between Henry’s estranged daughter and his new queen. For Madge, this setting provided a rare opportunity to show her wit, her intelligence, and her poise, qualities that would distinguish her beyond her looks.
Madge Shelton’s Relationship with Henry VIII
Her connection to Henry VIII began in early 1535. Eustace Chapuys, the sharp-eyed imperial ambassador, noted in his correspondence that the king’s attentions had shifted to a new favorite, Anne Boleyn’s cousin. This relationship, whether consummated or not, lasted roughly six months.
Now there’s speculation, and it’s often shown in the TV shows, that Anne herself encouraged this dalliance, believing that a family member could help to divert Henry’s wandering eye away from other women.
The notion of Anne effectively sacrificing her cousin’s reputation might seem cold, but it shows the calculated pragmatism that was often required in this high stakes environment. Still, the arrangement must have been fraught with tension for Madge, who was also at the same time betrothed to Henry Norris, one of the king’s closest advisors.
The engagement between Madge and Norris stalled during this period, likely due to his reluctance to pursue a marriage with someone who had drawn the king’s favor. Madge’s flirtation with another courtier, Sir Francis Weston, only added to the complexity. Anne would reprimand both men for their behavior with Madge, and that reprimand would be later twisted into evidence against her during her trial in 1536.
As a lady-in-waiting, Madge Shelton’s daily life would have been both demanding and privileged. Ladies-in-waiting served as companions, confidants, and attendants to the Queen. Performing tasks ranging from assisting with dressing to participating in court entertainment. They were also expected to uphold the Queen’s image of refinement and elegance, making their conduct a reflection of their mistress.
Madge’s position gave her access to the most powerful figures at court, but it also placed her under constant scrutiny. Her interactions flirtatious or formal, would have been noted by courtiers eager to advance their own agendas. For beyond her duties, Madge likely engaged in the intellectual and cultural pursuits of the court, including poetry, music, and dance, and these activities not only entertained the court, but also served as subtle displays of wit and sophistication.
Madge’s brief affair with Henry unfolded within a culture steeped in the traditions of courtly love. And of course, Henry himself loved the idea of love and romance and courtly love, this chivalric code that idealized unattainable love and devotion often blurred the lines between flirtation and serious entanglement.
For women like Madge, these interactions were not just romantic but also political. Being the object of the king’s affections could elevate a family’s status or, conversely, place them in jeopardy. In Madge’s case, her association with the king brought both attention and risk. Her family’s fortunes were tied to Anne Boleyn, whose position was becoming increasingly precarious.
Henry’s flirtations with other women, including eventually Jane Seymour, signaled a shift in his affections that would have profound consequences for Anne and her circle. Madge’s betrothal to Henry Norris adds another layer of intrigue to her story. Norris was the Groom of the stool, one of the most trusted and intimate positions in Henry’s court.
Their engagement was overshadowed by her relationship with the king. Norris hesitation to proceed with the marriage may have stemmed from his awareness of the political implications. Tragically, Norris became one of the men implicated in Anne Boleyn’s alleged adultery. Arrested and executed in 1536, he maintained his innocence until the end.
This left Madge in a really dangerous position. Her engagement dissolved and her family’s standing at court severely diminished. Now, a lot of the TV shows, like The Tudors, show that Madge testified against Anne, that there was some anger there, maybe Madge was upset at the way Anne handled the relationship that she’d had with Henry, and she actually testified against her own cousin.
That isn’t based on any historical record. Historical records don’t indicate her involvement in the legal proceedings at all. But it is worth noting that, like I said, her mother, Lady Anne Shelton, played a very significant role during this period. She was with those who may have provided testimony or information during the investigation, and she was with Anne during her final week in the Tower.
So Lady Anne was one of those attendants that was selected by Cromwell, likely to monitor Anne and report on her statements when she was in prison. Anne had reportedly expressed distress over being attended by individuals that she didn’t favor herself, referring to this as a great unkindness. But then, as her execution approached, there’s some evidence that some of her attendants were replaced with people that she chose herself, giving her some comfort in her final days.
The specific replacements and the identities of the people who were chosen remains limited, but Lady Anne Shelton was one of those women appointed by Cromwell rather than being chosen herself.
So whether or not Madge was involved in the testimony against Anne, how much her family was involved in testifying against her is not part of the record, but it is interesting that her aunt was one of those women that Cromwell had chosen to be one of her attendants, and it wasn’t one of the ones that Anne had chosen herself.
In the summer of 1536, there’s so much drama happening, I don’t even know where to start. Of course, you’ve got the execution of Anne Boleyn, and then later that summer, you’ve got the illicit affair between Margaret Douglas and Thomas Howard that had them wind up in the Tower, both of them.
The Devonshire Manuscript and Madge’s Later Life
But there’s something really interesting that came to light during this time too, which is the Devonshire manuscript and I want to talk about that. It’s an extraordinary manuscript giving us a window into the inner workings of Henry’s court, and Madge Shelton was part of it.
So it’s a manuscript that was compiled during the 1530s and 40s. It’s a collection of poems that was passed around by courtiers as a collaborative project. It includes works by well-known figures like Thomas Wyatt and Henry Howard, as well as several anonymous contributors. What makes it so special is how it blends courtly love, personal commentary, and political intrigue into one document.
I only recently found out about the Devonshire Manuscript, and at some point I might do a whole episode or a YouTube video on it. But it’s really cool because Madge did have a role in this. One memorable line attributed to her reads: “Undesired service requires no hire”. It’s a sharp, pointed observation, likely a comment on the unbalanced dynamics of courtly relationships.
Madge’s involvement wasn’t just about writing. She may also have helped to circulate messages and poems, facilitating communication between other contributors. For example, she’s believed to have played a part in the exchange of love poems between Margaret Douglas and Thomas Howard. the relationship that caused this major scandal in court.
The Devonshire manuscript also shows how women at court carved out intellectual spaces for themselves despite the restrictions of the time. Madge was actively shaping the cultural dialogue of her era. Her wit and her intelligence shined through giving us a glimpse of a woman who was more than just a pretty face.
After her brief time in the spotlight, Madge Shelton’s life took a quieter turn. She married Thomas Woodhouse, a gentleman from Norfolk, and together they had several children. Tragically, Thomas died in 1547 at the battle of Pinkie in Scotland. That was part of the rough wooing, forcing Edward, the young Edward, to marry Mary, Queen of Scots, and that left Madge a widow.
The battle was a decisive English victory, but it came at a great personal cost to families like the Sheltons. Following her husband’s death, Madge likely returned to Norfolk to manage her household and raise her children. Madge also may have overseen the education of her children, given how intelligent she was.
Her experience at court and her connections would have been invaluable in positioning her family for future success. The Devonshire manuscript in particular is a lasting kind of testament to her wit, her intellect. It’s pages capture not just the cultural life of the Tudor elite, but also the personal struggles and ambitions of those who contributed to it.
One lingering question about Madge’s life is whether it was truly her or her sister Mary who was romantically involved with Henry VIII. Some historical sources point to Mary as the possible mistress because of ambiguities in records that abbreviate Marge, commonly used for Margaret, that could be mistaken for Mary, Marg versus Mary.
Mary Shelton was also an active figure at court. She was also part of the Devonshire Manuscript, and she was connected to figures like Thomas Clere. There’s no definitive evidence to resolve the question, the overlap in their courtly presence and activities has left historians debating their roles for centuries.
But it seems like most people think it was probably Madge just because of how pretty she was, how the king would have noticed her, and also the drama involved with the breakup of her engagement. So it was probably Madge and not Mary, but it’s important to note that is something that historians debate.
So there you have it, a little bit about Madge Shelton.
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).
