Did Anne Boleyn have much of a relationship with Elizabeth I?

In this instalment of her series "Questions about Anne Boleyn", Claire Ridgway, author of "The Fall of Anne Boleyn: A Countdown" and founder of The Anne Boleyn Files website, answers the question "Did Anne Boleyn have much of a relationship with Elizabeth?"

Claire considers whether Anne Boleyn was disappointed with her daughter's birth, whether there is evidence that she didn't bond with Elizabeth, and how she was involved with the princess's early life and upbringing. Claire also looks at the prevailing myth that Elizabeth I distanced herself from her mother's memory - just how true is that?

Book recommendation: "The Life and Death of Anne Boleyn" by Eric Ives.

[amyrat]

In my mind Anne was disappointed that she didn't give Henry a son but quickly fell in love with Elizabeth. It was clear that she wanted Elizabeth to know how much she loved her little girl.

[Figgatella]

It sounds like Elizabeth held Anne in very high esteem and seemed to love her mother and what she idolized her to be even though she was unable to spend time with her. I believe she loved her more than her father, the king and one of the reasons she never married. She knew if she did she would give up her power of the monarchy and her power as a woman. Smart lady!

[annettefournier]

Well now, the joke is on Henry. Elizabeth was the greatest Tudor Prince regardless of gender.🙋

[Ebyangel]

The astrologers were not wrong. She became more of a successful king than any other king before her. Them seeing her as a prince before birth probably meant they saw her being powerful

[lethasatterfield]

What great revenge (in a way) for Anne Boleyn! Her daughter was one of the most remarkable women in history. Henry the VIII was an a-hole.

[ianslass]

I often forget that Elizabeth was Anne's daughter. And my heart goes out to Elizabeth and Anne, as I am so close to my 92 year old Mom, and take care of her now...I can't imagine never having known her.

[venacollier]

I am sure she was heartbroken leaving her little Elizabeth alone.

[anthyavila]

Everyone always talks about how Elizabeth publicly lauded her father, and bragged about her resemblance to him, and that she never said anything much about her mother. But they also forget that Elizabeth survived against all odds and learned how to play the game. She's a real life Game of Thrones esque chessmaster. Of course she'd publicly identify with her father--her legitimacy had been questioned, she's always securing her position. But the fact that she somehow managed to secure mementos of her mother and kept them close showed she did hold her mother dear, despite not spending much time with her.

[buddasquirrel]

My favorite Claire quote 'That has absolutely no basis in fact.' Thank you for the video. So much propaganda. Rubbish and poppycock!

[MinIanLC]

“I may have the body of a weak and feeble woman, but I have the heart and stomach of a King and a King of England too!”

[VeracityLH]

Excellent answers to questions not often posed. While Anne was not able to directly affect Elizabeth's character (either during her lifetime or due to her early death) I think the people Anne placed around her daughter did help mold that character - certainly Kat Ashley did - so Anne had great indirect influence on who her daughter became. I knew people like Lady Bryan, John Shelton, and Kat Ashley were all related to the Boleyns but did not know about Thomas Parry; that explains a lot about why Elizabeth was so determined to keep him near her as well as her beloved Kat. There is always something new to learn.

I am so glad you pointed out how often Elizabeth honored her mother through things such as the use of her falcon badge. Most of us know how to honored many of her Boleyn relatives by keeping them near her. I have wondered how often in quiet moments or during meetings with her Council Elizabeth quietly gazed at her mother's portrait in that ring. Who else could it have been but Anne? I envy your time in front of that incredible piece of history!

I have often thought that the things Elizabeth did not do, like move her mother to another resting place or reinstate the validity of her parents' marriage, were very careful calculations. As you point out, Elizabeth DID often honor Anne throughout her reign and in very open ways. But in the ways that would most offend those on the fence about her or would give her enemies well-honed weapons to use against her, Elizabeth kept her peace and let the past be the past. This was not a slight against her mother so much as careful consideration of her position and, in a way, her mother's legacy. Without a brother, Elizabeth was England's heir and Anne's. Maintaining her position on the throne was the greatest honor she could have done to her mother's memory - so that Anne's blood was indeed well spent.

Cheers.

[Annie.C.]

This is such a moving video, Claire, not least for your love of Queen Anne. It's wonderful that Anne's legacy was this great monarch even though it's a tragedy that Anne never saw her daughter's success. Heart-breaking that the two of them had so little time together but there must have a been a great love between them. I've always felt that Elizabeth's tiny locket ring spoke volumes in its intimacy. How amazing for you to have seen this ring, deservedly so, I might add, for your dedication. Thank you again for all that you do.

[harrietlyall]

Shakespeare’s play “Henry VIII” presents Anne Boleyn in a very favourable light, referring to her as a “goodly lady”, which would have reinforced a positive image of Anne in the minds of the public. Also if you read Shakespeare’s play “Othello” between the lines, Desdemona could be seen as an oblique reference to Anne Boleyn, I.e. falsely accused of adultery and brutally made away with.

[nancythecat]

Breaks my heart that her mother was treacherously killed, but she would have made her mother so proud.

[hayleymsiebert]

She was able to bring a healthy baby into the world which was a blessing in those times due to the death rate. So it was a good sign. But our dear liz is the prince who was promised! <3

[Ladybug-ufuh]

Sounds like Ann dressed Elizabeth like a little dolly. That's what mama's do with their beloved little girls; there isn't anything that is too good for their child. She must've been over the moon about the baby. After all, she was still and infant/toddler when Ann was executed. Henry was definitely a hard hearted man. Thank you for the insightful lesson about Anne and her baby.

[rhonda]

I have always been fascinated by Anne and Elizabeth. ..both very strong women. ..good to have more information ☺

[poutygorilla]

Elizabeth was my personal sorrow for Anne. Having promises made for her care nd not really knowing what would become of her was dreadful.

[summerdesjardins]

Elizabeth started life with so many negatives, yet became one of the most powerful of all English monarchs. She deserved that. Thanks for this wonderfully informative video.

[SR-ufpt]

I like how this clears up a few myths, like the idea that Henry was so disappointed in Elizabeth being a girl that his love for Anne Boleyn started to fade. Yes, Henry was disappointed, and so was Anne, since they did want a boy and virtually everyone had predicted that the baby would be a boy, but he wasn't wild with fury, nor did he shun the child and her mother as many a big and small screen depiction has claimed. Elizabeth was a girl, but she was happy and healthy and pretty, and looked like her father. Henry was fond of baby Elizabeth, actually, as he was, generally, of babies and small children -- he could sometimes be seen carrying Elizabeth around and playing with her. And he was still confident that Anne would produce sons. It took two years and at least two miscarriages for him to change his mind.