Anne of York

Anne of York was born to King Edward IV of England and Elizabeth Woodville at the Palace of Westminster. She was the fifth daughter and seventh child in a family that included ten siblings. Anne’s early years were marked by a proposed marriage to Philip of Austria and a subsequent annulment of that plan following her father’s death and the political turmoil that ensued. After the usurpation of the throne by her uncle Richard III, Anne and her siblings were declared illegitimate. They sought asylum in Westminster Abbey until their safety could be guaranteed. Her brother Edward V and his sibling Richard were taken to the Tower of London and later disappeared.

Following Richard III’s death and the ascension of Henry VII, Anne’s illegitimacy was revoked. She became a valuable diplomatic asset but her planned marriage to a Scottish prince was disrupted by his father’s death. Anne eventually married Thomas Howard, with whom she had a troubled marriage and no surviving children. She died at the age of 36 after suffering from poor health for an extended period. Her initial burial was at Thetford Priory, Norfolk, but she was later moved to the Church of St Michael the Archangel, Framlingham.