Posted by
Sarah
Thank you to
for sharing this photo with me. This locket ring belonged to Queen Elizabeth I – the daughter of Henry Tudor and Anne Boleyn. Historian’s believe that one of the images is Elizabeth herself and the other is that of Anne Boleyn, her mother. If you look closely at the image of Anne Boleyn you can tell it is a woman who is wearing the French Hood and French style of dress as Anne did, and also the necklaces are very similar to the necklaces Anne was painted wearing in one of her portraits. Elizabeth used to wear this ring upon her finger and was said to never take it off.
When showed me this image I have to admit that I cried. Despite everything that happened to Anne, her rise and fall, her disgrace, the lies spread about her, the disgrace – Elizabeth STILL wore her mother’s image closer to her. Now, Elizabeth never publically recoignised her mother or paid tribute to her – but is that not understandable? She was first and foremost the daughter of Henry Tudor, one of the biggest, largest Kings in all of English history. She had an image and a reputation to live up to. She was also a woman ruling England, something not looked highly upon. She had to hold herself as a strong, intelligent, powerful woman and the best way to do that was to remind the people that she was Henry Tudor’s daughter. That she held his qualities and strength. Any public reference to her mother would have completely destroyed that image. How would it look to stand up and rule England reminding people that her mother was an alleged adulteress and committer of treason against the King? (Even though these allegations were FALSE, people of the time did not believe that.)
But despite having to put on a certain persona, despite having to appear as Henry Tudor’s daughter – Elizabeth STILL paid silent homage to her mother. I think that is utterly incredible and even thinking about it now brings tears to my eyes. Anne lived on in her daughter’s heart.
