Queen Anne of Cleves – Fourth Wife of King Henry VIII

Queen Anne of Cleves, the fourth wife of King Henry VIII, is a rather mysterious character in the annals of English history.  Their marriage lasted for a very short period of time and ended in a mutually agreed upon annulment.  The reason their marriage failed is not specifically known but it is commonly accepted that Henry was not impressed by her physical virtues.  Even after their marriage ended, however, Queen Anne of Cleves enjoyed a comfortable life style and was still a frequent visitor to Henry’s court.

Queen Anne of Cleves was born in Dusseldorf in 1515 and was the second daughter of John III, Duke of Julich, Cleves, Berg and Count of Mark and Ravensberg.  Anne grew up during the Reformation and her family was religious moderates except for her mother, the Duchess Maria, who was a strict catholic.  At 12 Anne had been betrothed to the son of the Duke of Lorraine, Francis, who was only 10 himself. The betrothal was cancelled in 1535 when it was considered “unofficial” which freed her to be wed to other royalty.

Queen Anne of Cleves’ family was allied with Henry VIII after the Truce of Nice, which made her a prime candidate for marriage to the King of England.  The strongest proponent of this marriage was the King’s own chancellor, Thomas Cromwell, who later grew to regret his support.  Being unable to visit Anne himself, the King had portraits commissioned by renowned painter Hans Holbein the Younger, who’s work still survives in museums.  As a testament to the painter’s talent Henry was very interested in Queen Anne of Cleves and was in full negotiations with her by 1539.

Despite being influenced so strongly by the portrait, Henry was also attracted to a woman who was sophisticated and well educated.  Queen Anne of Cleves, however, did not quite fit these requirements but the King was assured that she was a good match.  Anne was not without her virtues, she could both read and write, though only in German.  She was also skilled in needlework and had a love of card games.  It was her personality that made her such a good fit as consort to the King.  Queen Anne of Cleves was considered docile, virtuous and gentle as well as possessing of a pleasing countenance and assured nature.

Henry, being eager to see his new wife, met her at Rochester.  This event was not quite a fairy tale romance as Henry was greatly disappointed with Queen Anne of Cleves, saying that she was not nearly as beautiful as the portrait had made her seem.  Henry urged his chancellor, Cromwell, to find a loophole that would allow him to avoid marriage but the vital alliance with Germany was at stake.  Queen Anne of Cleves of wed to the King Henry VIII on January 6, 1540 at the royal Palace of Placentia in London.

That first night as husband and wife did not go so well for Queen Anne of Cleves.  Confiding in his chancellor, Henry expressed much displeasure and admitted to the fact they had not even consummated their marriage.  Its hard to say, for sure, what displeased Henry so much.  Queen Anne of Cleves was, by no means, truly fowl of appearance but Henry was often rather vocal about how unattractive he found her.  Henry was not alone in this lack of chemistry as Anne was reported to be rather repulsed by Henry as well.  Anne left the English court by the 24th of June and by the 6th of July she was informed that the King was reconsidering the marriage.

Queen Anne of Cleves agreed to an annulment, a rather good offer considering Henry’s reputation with wives, and the marriage was officially ended on the 9th of July in 1540.  Anne was not left out in the cold, however, and received quite a generous settlement.  Henry had given her a large income and several properties including Richmond Palace and Hever Castle.  Despite the failure of their marriage Queen Anne of Cleves became good friends with King Henry VIII and was a frequent sight at his court.  She was given the title of The King’s Beloved Sister and was given precedence over all the women in England save for Henry’s wife and daughters.  Even though their marriage only lasted a few months, Queen Anne of Cleves is considered one of the more fortunate wives of Henry VIII.