Documentary – The Queens That Changed the World – Episode 2 – Queen Anne

Below are notes I took while watching the Channel 4 documentary ‘The Queens That Changed the World’, episode 2, which was on Queen Anne. The first episode was on Elizabeth I and you can see my notes here. Future episodes will be on Queen Victoria, Hatshepsut, Eleanor of Aquitaine and Boudica, all of which I will add to this blog as I watch the episodes.

Across centuries and around the world women ruled kingdoms and built empires.

Discover real stories of 6 iconic queens.

History’s most important female monarchs.

Find out how they overcome prejudices of their times, and challenges facing reigns.

How they changed their world and ours.

1 May 1707 Queen Anne making way to nearly finished St Paul’s Cathedral to give thanks for creation of new country – Great Britain.

Dr Tracy Borman Anne saw it as one of her greatest achievements.

Permanent union of England and Scotland.

Legacy of Anne’s reign is all around us and still coming to terms with consequences of union of Scotland and England.

Anne one of England’s least celebrated queens, seems to be left out almost like she didn’t exist.

Often seen as dowdy and dull, pushed around, boring, and ineffectual.

Anne deserves moment in the sun.

October 1687 Anne aged 22 as James II and Mary of Modena expecting a child.

Anne hated stepmother Mary who was only a few years older than her.

Just 2 years after mother died Anne gained new stepmother.

James II is Catholic; dangerous and big no-no – people were severely anti-Catholic but tolerated James’s Catholicism as it would be short-term.

James converted when protestant Charles II was king and Charles took safeguards to protect his nieces, Anne and Mary, to be raised as protestants.

Anne follower of Church of England, some might say indoctrinated.

Hampton Court Palace in the Chapel Royal Anne spent 4 years transforming chapel to demonstrate devotion to protestant faith using Sir Christopher Wren.

Statement about Anne’s religion with altar screen with oversized cornices and column with massive organ with gold pipes.

Anne second in line to throne after sister Mary but with Mary of Modena pregnant and if she has a son, he will push Mary and Anne down line of succession.

England in danger of turning Catholic.

Anne takes action and writes to her sister, Mary, not sure that Mary of Modena is really pregnant, perhaps wearing a false belly.

Anne wants to convince sister Mary that something must be done to keep England protestant.

Knows Mary will tell husband William of Orange who was most devout protestant in Europe.

Said Mary of Modena looked too healthy to be pregnant and that she wouldn’t undress in front of her at all.

Asks Mary of Modena if she can touch her belly.

Morally upstanding but can play dirty when she wants to.

June 1688 Anne in Bath taking the waters and learns that Mary of Modena gave birth to baby boy James Francis Edward Stuart who will be raised catholic.

Doesn’t stop rumours.

Anne says half-brother is imposter or changeling and was switched at birth as real boy died at birth.

25 November 1688 Anne flees London for her life as rumours kickstarted series of events that in 6 months sees world changed forever.

Anne’s claim that boy was changeling helped start revolution.

Adds fuel to fire for William of Orange that boy could be illegitimate, paved way for he and sister Mary to take power.

William of Orange sets out for England with invasion fleet to remove James II from throne.

Anne needs to join him in revolution – technically treason.

Quite a thing for a daughter to oppose father especially in male-dominated society – shows her religious devotion and ambition.

Scheming pays off and James II flees to France.

Parliament invites Mary II and William III to take throne – Glorious Revolution.

Flies in image of Anne as weak and hesitant woman; she is clearly an operator.

July 1689 Anne gave birth to son christened at Hampton Court Palace in Chapel Royal in front of Mary II and William III.

William III declared baby was William Henry, Duke of Gloucester.

Needs to be issue for dynasty to continue – Mary II has no children despite a 12-year marriage so baby William seen as heir.

Anne has provided an heir to Stuart crown.

July 1700 Anne, husband George and son William at Windsor Castle to celebrate William’s 11th birthday.

January 1700 Anne had miscarried.

She had been pregnant 17 times, but William was only surviving child.

William is all Anne’s hopes and dreams – tender relationship between them; portrait shows them holding hands.

Day of celebrations ending in fireworks display and William says he’s feeling unwell and 6 days later he dies; Anne went into deep depression as a result.

Catatonic almost, unable to function.

Once William dies Anne would never again have a reported pregnancy – possibly a conscious decision with her unable to face any more loss.

Less than 2 years later she would be queen.

23 April 1702 William III died 6 weeks ago, and Mary II died 8 years before, so Anne crowned queen.

Anne travels to Westminster Abbey and only 3rd woman to be crowned Queen of England in own right – some see them as placeholders between kings.

Women inferior to men, essentially property of men.

Anne’s coronation look carefully chosen to assert her power as Anne doesn’t look like strong leader; she was seriously overweight ‘bacon-faced’ or ‘fussock’.

Monarch would usually walk or ride to abbey in procession, but Anne had bad case of gout and couldn’t walk so was carried on sedan chair.

Gout associated with men and eating and drinking to excess.

She looks to the past, mirroring what Elizabeth I wore to her coronation – she was almost legendary queen so solidified Anne’s reign.

Comparison doesn’t seem to have worked – politician remarked “nature seems to be inverted when a poor infirm woman becomes one of the rulers of the world”.

Appearance reflected capabilities.

Physically disabled and larger so idea that she wasn’t capable as queen.

Belief nowadays that Anne had lupus rather than gout which comes with fatigue, muscle and joint pain, headaches, swelling.

From start of reign Anne shows she is confident in ability to rule.

She goes into queenship knowing house of Stuart dies with her – it’s not about dynasty.

Her legacy will be state she leaves nation in.

Anne came to throne married – neither Mary I nor Elizabeth I were married when they succeeded to throne.

Anne married to Prince George of Denmark almost 19 years by this time and in portrait Anne seated taking up more of portrait than he is.

George is there to support Anne and shows her as being in charge as George turns to face Anne so even though her sitting position suggests subservience, he is looking to her.

Loving relationship between them but he has no political role.

She acts as if she has no husband – George was prince consort not king consort.

Asserts female power and authority and Anne’s actions would have impact for centuries.

When Queen Victoria comes to throne Prince Albert is also prince consort, same with Elizabeth II and Prince Philip.

Anne surrounded herself with female advisers.

Elizabeth I’s leading advisers were all men, as were Victoria’s.

Anne’s relationships with women were scandalous for centuries to come.

Hampton Court Palace baroque makeover completed during Anne’s reign.

Long corridor links up state room – the further down the corridor the closer you got to the queen.

Controlled by Sarah Churchill who Anne met aged 8 who lost maternal figures. Aged 3 she was sent to live with grandmother who died a year later, then sent to live with aunt who died a year later.

She was then brought back to live with mother who died 2 years later.

Lifelong drive to seek connection with female figures.

Sarah (aged 13) enters Anne’s life (aged 8) at pivotal moment when Anne vulnerable.

Sarah Churchill outgoing where Anne shy.

When Anne becomes queen Sarah is given key roles including Mistress of the Robes, Groom of the Stool, Keeper of the Privy Purse, and Ranger of Windsor Park, as well as senior lady in waiting.

Unusual for one person to hold all of those jobs and for a woman to hold all of them unprecedented.

Anne wanted to stay close to Sarah asking her not to treat her any different even though she was queen now.

Anne wrote as Mrs Morley and Sarah as Mrs Freeman.

Lesbian overtones to their relationship but well-documented that Anne had affectionate relationship with husband.

Anne portrayed as either devoted wife or lesbian icon, but possibly bisexual.

Challenges outdated ideas that royal family patriarchal, conservative.

June 1704 Anne meets cabinet at Hampton Court Palace; Anne painted on ceiling in central room.

Hampton Court is perfect point to meet politicians coming from London when Anne at Windsor.

Classical gods imbuing Anne with historic validity and power of past in painting.

Figure of Anne is almost direct copy of earlier portrait of her painted with son William and moment where she felt proud of her achievements.

Also painted with dagger to show woman wielding weapons and power, not someone to be pushed aside or walked over.

Anne head of state in constitutional monarchy and she will set standard.

Anne’s reign in challenging time with new political framework after Glorious Revolution as monarch no longer all powerful with parliament in charge.

Relationship between monarch and parliament not fully defined.

Anne navigating new system in very early days and she is important as she created example of what constitutional monarchy could be – ruler and bound by parliament.

Didn’t conform to what people expected of her and people surprised by eloquence and dedication, hard-working ethics.

She attended more cabinet meetings than any other monarch before or since.

Not most glamorous or show-stopping queen but was dedicated to royal duty.

Infirmities meant she had to adopt unusual position and take more of back seat but becomes centre of power as objective observer at least in appearance.

Precursor by which later monarchs develop their style of leadership as symbol of authority.

23 July 1706 Queen Anne calls meeting to discuss union of England and Scotland – century old Stuart dream to unite Britain.

Creating legacy seems almost impossible, no small thing.

Political quagmire.

July 1706 most important meeting of Anne’s reign that would reverberate down centuries.

Since she came to throne Anne ambitious to create union between England and Scotland; she needed to achieve it as she had no direct heir.

James VI became James I 1603 and both countries had shared same monarch, and this was when ambition started to unite countries.

Joined in terms of monarch but not politically.

England and Scotland have different ideas of who should succeed Anne; Anne determined it should be protestant, but protestants don’t have strongest claim.

James Francis Edward Stuart alive and well and living in France, son of James II and Mary of Modena – he was child she spread rumours about that he was changeling.

It would mean Roman Catholic ruler in Scotland and could have led to century of violence.

Anne more determined to unify Scotland and England into single kingdom.

England unsure of neighbours in Scotland and Scotland unsure about England.

Even debating issue was sore point – who would choose people who would be part of committee to make the decision and Anne makes decision of council.

Presbyterian faith in Scotland and Church of England.

Anne’s leadership influenced by female traits like collaboration, connection, relationship.

Possible that feminine qualities helped to bring about unification.

Council agreed England and Scotland should unite with same monarch and parliament.

Hadn’t happened for 100 years but Anne managed to bring it about.

Why isn’t Anne more celebrated as a monarch given her successes?

19 August 1708 Queen Anne in carriage en route to St Paul’s Cathedral with favourite Sarah Churchill and this will shape how we view Anne’s reign.

Sarah begins to push harder and harder for positions for herself and family.

Sarah Churchill berates queen over jewels she’s wearing, thinks Anne has ignored her advice and is wearing jewellery chosen by Abigail Masham who gains Anne’s time and attention.

Sarah and Abigail become fierce rivals and things between Anne and Sarah become heated.

Sarah had been overstepping mark for a number of years and told queen to be quiet while in public – beyond the pale in terms of protocol so is stripped of positions and banished from court.

Clear that Anne was in charge, but Sarah doesn’t go without a fight.

Sexual slander used to bring down women and queens.

Sarah will set herself on fire to burn you down – she is liability.

Sarah starts smear campaign against Abigail, suggesting sexual relationship between queen and Abigail.

Within months a ballad written by Sarah Churchill’s friend is published “a dirty chambermaid O Abigail that was her name”.

Sarah would never be Anne’s favourite again, but Sarah has last laugh; she was jealous and after Anne died, she published memoir showing Anne as dull and stupid.

Still influences how we see Queen Anne now.

We need to change narrative about Anne as what we focus on is only part of the story.

Focus on achievements as queen – she got things done “one of the most effective rulers England has ever seen”.

Anne was glue which held things together and overcame illness and adversity.

Pivotal time in England’s history.

Semper Eadem “ever the same”.

Anne achieved what no Stuart achieved before her – the union of England and Scotland – and had she been male probably would have been remembered more.

England’s forgotten queen.