Meghan and Harry's Wedding takes Place on the Date Anne Boleyn was Beheaded in 1536

In all fairness, I doubt The Royals realized the gruesome anniversary.  After all, they've been trying to forget Anne Boleyn for at least 482 years.   According to biographies of Anne, The Palace refused to name a street after Henry's second queen because it might "set a bad example for" young ladies in 1970 something.


Anne Boleyn, Wiki Commons and Public Domain


Yet, Anne had more royal blood than Henry.  She was the beneficiary of a classic education, and was accomplished at languages, conversation, music, dance, and even theology.  Her protection of Lutherans and her interest in other religions earned her a chapter in Foxe's Book of Protestant Martyrs, where she was compared to the Biblical Deborah.  Anne, as far as we now, did remain a Catholic to the end of her life.


In 1543, one year after Henry's fifth queen and Anne's cousin, Katharine Howard, was also beheaded, a history of England listed an Anne Boleyn, but she was not the Queen, rather, the Queen' aunt.  Katharine died at 19, Anne at either 27 or 36; scholars are unsure of her year of birth, or even the month and day she was born.  I hope it wasn't May 19th.


Wallis Simpson must be laughing somewhere; two divorced women now sit close to the Throne. One columnist noted that this marriage could not have taken place in earlier years; the bride to be would have been offed.  In fact, here was an ugly allusion to Harry's bride in the recent PBS film, Charles III.


Not flattering.


During Princess Diana's divorce and her subsequent death, there was a lot of talk about Anne Boleyn.
It seems unruly royal brides did not have a happy ever after.


Over the years, I've written many thing about Anne, including a novel that is a work in progress.  I was lucky enough to write paper on her and to read it at the University of  Missouri, Columbia, MO.
Eric Ives' biography of her is excellent, as is Retha Warnicke's The Rise and Fall of Anne Boleyn.


Meghan has broken all barriers; for that, she should be celebrated.  I hope this marriage lasts and is happy.  Britain may finally forgive us for the American Revolution.

Public Domain