Anne Neville - Queen Consort of England

Queen Consort of England

On 9 April 1483, Edward IV died. Richard was named Lord Protector for his 12-year-old nephew Edward V. However, on 25 June 1483, Edward and his siblings were declared illegitimate, and Richard ascended the throne as King Richard III. Anne was crowned on 6 July 1483 by Thomas Bourchier, Archbishop of Canterbury, and her son was created Prince of Wales. She was accompanied by less than half the knights that her predecessor had, which might have reflected the reluctance of many to embrace the new regime.

She was on good terms with her mother-in-law, Cecily Neville, Duchess of York, with whom she discussed religious works, such as the writings of Mechtilde of Hackeborn.

Edward of Middleham died suddenly on 9 April 1484, at Sheriff Hutton, while his parents were absent. He was then 10 years old.

After the death of his son and heir, rumours arose that Richard planned to divorce Anne and marry his niece, Elizabeth of York. There is little evidence for this, however, and none at all for the later rumour that he had poisoned Anne.

After the death of her son, Anne effectively adopted Edward, Earl of Warwick, the nine-year-old son of George of Clarence and her sister Isabel, who were both dead. The boy was thus nephew of both Richard and Anne. Richard made the boy his heir presumptive, probably in deference to Anne's wishes. Edward of Warwick was described as "simple-minded", and after Anne died, Richard promptly named another nephew — John de la Pole, Earl of Lincoln — as his heir presumptive.