Now at St. John’s College Oxford (workshop of Barthel Bruyn the Elder in Cologne)
After the death of Jane Seymour, Henry VIII’s third wife, he was in deep mourning. Yet, one heir wasn’t enough. After a painting of a woman by Hans Holbien, a German painter, got shown to the king, Henry decided he had to have her. However, the unexpected happened when this woman was shipped over from Germany to marry him.
Henry VIII’s fourth wife was Anna von Jülich-Kleve-Berg, a German girl born in Düsseldorf to the House of La Marck. She was born on September 22, 1515, the second daughter of John III of the House of La Marck, Duke of Jülich jure uxoris, Cleves, Berg jure uxoris, Count of Mark, also known as de la Marck and Ravensberg jure uxoris, often referred to as Duke of Cleves, and Maria Duchess of Jülich-Berg.
Anna grew up in Cleves, a small state in modern-day Germany inside the Holy Roman Empire. Besides where she lived, we know little about Anna’s childhood. We know that she was close to her mother, who oversaw her education by preparing her to succeed as a German noblewoman, which was a very different upbringing to most women in the Tudor Court. Anna learned how to read and write in German, as well as practical household management skills such as cooking and needlework.
Anna was engaged to Francis, the Duke of Lorraine, at 11. However, at 23 years old, nothing had come of the match and Henry was looking for a new wife.
When choosing his new bride, Henry was not prepared to rely on his ambassadors’ word alone. Instead, he sent his court painter, Hans Holbein, to create portraits of Anna and her sister, Amelia.
The portrait of Anna that Hans Holbein sent to Henry was this one on the right, which is now held at the Louvre. Anna was dressed in popular fashions of Cleves, wearing rich red and gold fabrics with a headdress as well as jewels around her neck.
This portrait made up Henry’s mind. After a couple of weeks, the match was approved and Anna’s and Henry’s marriage contract was signed.
Anna left Cleves in the autumn of 1539 and reached Calais, the closest French port to England, on December 11, 1539. While she waited to cross the Channel, Anna asked through her interpreter, since Henry and Anna did not speak the same language, to learn one of Henry’s favorite card games.
On December 27, Anna was accompanied north to Rochester. She would stay there a few days before her journey to London, where she was told she would finally meet the King.
On January 1, 1540, Henry would start to prepare to meet his new Queen. He was dressed in a marbled, colored, cloak, almost disguising himself. Yet meetings in disguise were tradition, based on French customs of chivalry. Henry believed that Anne would have either recognized Henry, or been drawn to him instinctively – a love at first sight story. However, Anne did not recognize him, some historians even going as far as saying she ignored him, which was a great insult to Henry.
After first meeting Anna, Henry was disappointed and told Thomas Cromwell, an English statesman and lawyer, that he did not want to marry Anna. Henry had hoped that her previous engagement to Francis, the Duke of Lorraine, might prevent the two from marrying, but Anna’s advisors insisted that she was free to marry. As to not lose the important alliance with Cleves, Henry had no choice but to marry Anna.
Anna, 24, and Henry, 48, married at Greenwich Palace on January 6, 1540 and Anna would go on to be formally known as ‘Anne’ while in England.
The wedding was celebrated with pageantry and splendour in public, but behind closed doors, the relationship was a disaster.
The morning after the wedding, Henry told Thomas that they were unable to consummate as he ‘liked her before, but now I like her much worse.’
Even though Anne was unable to understand Henry, she sensed that their marriage was already rocky. Anne would try asking Thomas for advice in the months of her marriage to Henry, but Thomas was frightened of upsetting Henry and refused to entertain her.
To keep the King happy, Thomas wanted to break off the marriage as quickly as possible. In July 1540, Henry, Thomas, and other witnesses, testified that the marriage, on Henry’s side, was non-consensual and unconsummated. Anne was not invited to testify for herself.
The marriage between Anne and Henry would be annulled on July 9, 1540. Unlike divorce, annulment declares that the marriage is invalid. Anne would be told about the annulment three days before it was approved. On the outside she received the news calmly, yet people like Karl Harst, a diplomat who accompanied Anne, say that she was truly frightened, not only for her position as Queen, but for her life. Anne had heard what happened to the previous wives before her: how Catherine of Aragon was exiled and discarded and how Anne Boleyn was executed. People would also comfort Anne, reassuring her that Henry had meant no harm.
However, once the news sunk in, Anne stayed calm. As to not end up like Catherine of Aragon, Anne kept her private thoughts and feelings to herself, wisely accepting the annulment without a fight.
Grateful for Anne’s cooperation, and to avoid conflict with her family in Cleves, Henry presented her with a generous settlement. Henry told Anne that if she stayed in England, she would be granted the title of “the King’s Sister.” If she accepted this title, she would be bestowed with vast amounts of property, Henry’s Richmond Palace and the childhood home of Anne Boleyn. She would also receive an annual income of £500, in today’s currency £403,567.50 pounds or $542,648.25 U.S. dollars.
With this in mind, Anne accepted. She would write a letter to Henry accepting the annulment. The letter read:
Pleaseth your most excellent majesty to understand that, whereas, at sundry times heretofore, I have been informed and perceived by certain lords and others your grace’s council, of the doubts and questions which have been moved and found in our marriage; and how hath petition thereupon been made to your highness by your nobles and commons, that the same might be examined and determined by the holy clergy of this realm; to testify to your highness by my writing, that which I have before promised by my word and will, that is to say, that the matter should be examined and determined by the said clergy; it may please your majesty to know that, though this case must needs be most hard and sorrowful unto me, for the great love which I bear to your most noble person, yet, having more regard to God and his truth than to any worldly affection, as it beseemed me, at the beginning, to submit me to such examination and determination of the said clergy, whom I have and do accept for judges competent in that behalf. So now being ascertained how the same clergy hath therein given their judgment and sentence, I acknowledge myself hereby to accept and approve the same, wholly and entirely putting myself, for my state and condition, to your highness’ goodness and pleasure; most humbly beseeching your majesty that, though it be determined that the pretended matrimony between us is void and of none effect, whereby I neither can nor will repute myself for your grace’s wife, considering this sentence (whereunto I stand) and your majesty’s clean and pure living with me, yet it will please you to take me for one of your humble servants, and so determine of me, as I may sometimes have the fruition of your most noble presence; which as I shall esteem for a great benefit, so, my lords and others of your majesty’s council, now being with me, have put me in comfort thereof; and that your highness will take me for your sister; for the which I most humbly thank you accordingly.
Thus, most gracious prince, I beseech our Lord God to send your majesty long life and good health, to God’s glory, your own honor, and the wealth of this noble realm.
From Richmond, the 11th day of July, the 32nd year of your majesty’s most noble reign.
Your majesty’s most humble sister and servant,
Anne the daughter of Cleves.
Anne’s settlement offered a new kind of freedom. She spent time across her different properties, enjoying fashion, sports, and wine. She also learned to dance and to speak English.
Anne stayed on good terms with the King and became close with his daughters Mary and Elizabeth. In January 1541, Henry even invited Anne to Hampton Court Palace for Christmas. Anne paid homage to the new Queen Katherine Howard, her former lady-in-waiting, and the two danced together when Henry went to bed.
After Katherine’s downfall, there were rumours that Anne and Henry may re-marry. Anne had stayed single since the annulment and would remain so for the rest of her life. Throughout Henry’s final marriage to Catherine Parr, Anne continued to be welcome at court and exchanged letters and gifts with the King and his family.
After Henry passed in January 1547, Anne was no longer “the King’s Sister.” She moved away from court circles, and exchanged her estates for smaller properties, settling into a quieter life.
When Mary I assumed the throne in 1553, Anne attended her coronation with Princess Elizabeth. Anne’s name would appear during Mary’s reign. Making a rare move into politics, she unsuccessfully suggested that Mary I should marry Ferdinand of Austria, who had close ties to her family in Cleves. However, Mary chose to marry Philip of Spain. This decision helped spark the Wyatt rebellion,a Protestant plot to depose the Queen and place her half-sister on the throne. As Mary’s advisors worked to uncover the plotters, rumours cast suspicion on Anne, particularly as a close friend to Elizabeth.
However there was little evidence against Anne. Though some historians suggest this incident soured Anne’s relationship with the Queen, the two women stayed outwardly on good terms and Anne continued to live her life in relative peace and privacy.
Anne would pass on July 16, 1557. She suffered poor health for many years and died at the age of 41. Anne is the only one of Henry’s wives to be buried in Westminster Abbey, the traditional resting place of all of England’s kings and queens.
Sources:
Anderson, M. T., et al. Fatal Throne: The Wives of Henry VIII Tell All. EMBER, 2020.
“Anne of Cleves.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 24 Feb. 2026, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne_of_Cleves.
Anne of Cleves: The Great Survivor | Hampton Court Palace | Historic Royal Palaces, www.hrp.org.uk/hampton-court-palace/history-and-stories/anne-of-cleves/. Accessed 27 Feb. 2026.
“Calais.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 20 Feb. 2026, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calais.
“Six Facts You May Not Know about Henry VIII’s Wife – Anne of Cleves.” Hachette Australia, www.hachette.com.au/news/six-facts-you-may-not-know-about-henry-viiis-wife-anne-of-cleves. Accessed 27 Feb. 2026.
The Six Wives of Henry VIII. Meet the Wives. Anne of Cleves | PBS, www.thirteen.org/wnet/sixwives/meet/ac_handbook_main.html. Accessed 27 Feb. 2026.
“Thomas Cromwell.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 18 Feb. 2026, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Cromwell.