Anne
Boleyn’s Coronation Procession
31st
May 1533
At 5pm Anne Boleyn left the Tower of London and
progressed through the streets of London towards Westminster Hall. She was
supposed to leave the tower at 2pm but there were some delays in organising
such a huge event and so many people.
First in the massive procession came twelve servants
of the French ambassador, Jean de Dinteville, wearing blue velvet with yellow
and blue sleeves. They had white plumes in their hats and they rode horses
which had cloth of blue with white crosses. Next came the gentlemen of the
Royal Household, walking two astride. Then came nine judges wearing scarlet
gowns. Following them came the Knights of the Bath which had been newly created
the previous night. Next came members of the government, church and other men
of noble status including the Archbishop of York, the Archbishop of Canterbury,
the Venetian Ambassador, the French Ambassador, the Mayor of London, other
bishops, earls and marquesses. Also in this group were William Howard who was
the acting Deputy Marshal and Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk who was the
acting Constable of England.
Following these noble men came Anne Boleyn herself.
Anne wore a dress in the French fashion which was made of white cloth of gold
and her hair was down and flowing over her shoulders. Upon her head she wore a
coif and circlet which was set with very precious stones. She rode in a litter
which was decorated also in white cloth of gold and pulled by two palfreys
which were also covered in white demask. Covering the litter was a canopy of
cloth of gold.
Behind Anne’s litter where was Lord Borough, Anne’s
chamberlain and her master of horses, William Coffin. After these two men came
Anne’s ladies, twelve which were dressed in crimson velvet (one of those ladies
may have been Anne’s sister Mary!) Following these ladies were two carriages
decorated in red cloth of gold which carried the Dowager Duchess of Norfolk and
the Marchioness of Dorset and perhaps even Anne Boleyn’s mother. Then
came many more of Anne’s ladies riding horseback.
It should be noted that several important people did
not attend the coronation pageant including the Duchess of Norflk and Sir
Thomas More. King Henry VIII’s younger sister Mary Tudor (wife of Charles
Brandon, Duke of Suffolk) also did not attend but it should be noted that she
was extremely ill at the time and close to death.
There is some debate as to the reaction of the
crowds to Anne Boleyn and her huge and impressive coronation procession. Some
reports state that the crowds were hostile or at least silent, refusing to take
off their caps. Another reports states that the people saw Henry and Anne’s HA
motif and read it as “HA HA” and laughed at the future Queen. Yet other versions
of the event state that the whole affair was
magnificent with enormous crowds. Unfortunately we do not know the true
thoughts and reactions of the people watching, but whatever it was surely the
procession must have been quite spectacular!
On the way of the procession there were several pageants
which included one of Apollo and the nine muses on Mount Parnassus which was
designed by Hans Holebin himself. Another pageant was of a large stump in which
white and red roses spilled. A white falcon (the bird on Anne Boleyn had taken
on her badge) came down from heaven and landed on the stump. Then came an angel
which wore armour came down and gave the falcon a crown. A third pageant was of
St Anne surrounded by her children and at this poetry was read which spoke of
England’s hope that the child Anne was carrying would be a son. Another pageant
had angels giving crowns to Anne and a woman stating that when Anne Boleyn gave
birth to a son there will be a golden world. There was also a fountain which
followed with wine and children which read Anne poetry.
When Anne Boleyn finally arrived at Westminster Hall
she was welcomed by King Henry VII and then had some light refreshments before
thanking everything and retiring to her chambers.
I can only imagine how Anne must have been feeling
at this time. Seven long years of courtship, frustrating and waiting was
finally coming to fruition. Not only had she married Henry VIII and had been
recognised by God and law as his official wife, but now she was about to be
crowned Queen and take her place by her husband, King Henry VIII’s side as
Queen of England.
Yet in addition to this major event in Anne’s life
it should also be noted that she was at this point in time six months pregnant.
The strain of the procession and the coronation the next day must have been
utterly exhausting for Anne, yet she held herself with great poise and dignity.
After all in her mind and life she believed that she was carrying the future
heir to the Tudor dynasty.
The Coronation Process of Anne Boleyn
Ives,
E 2009, The Life and Death of Anne
Boleyn, Blackwell Publishing, Oxford.
Ridgway, C 2012, ‘31st May 1533 – Anne Boleyn’s
Coronation Procession’, viewed 31st May 2012, Available from
internet < http://www.theanneboleynfiles.com/19003/31st-may-1533-anne-boleyns-coronation-procession/>.
Weir, A 1991, The
Six Wives of Henry VIII, Grove Press, New York.
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