Anne Boleyn's Bold "B" Necklace

Anne Boleyn's Bold "B" Necklace

Anne Boleyn was one of the boldest of Henry VIII's wives. This is one of the original Statement Necklaces. What happened to it?

There is speculation that Anne was influenced by Henry's chief mistress, Francois de Foix, Countess of Chateaubriant. Both Francois and Anne were Ladies in Waiting to Queen Claude of France. When she returned to Henry VIII's court, her bold style of jewelry made her a stand out among all of the finery of brocades and silks that were being paraded at court.

Well, we know what happened in between the first siting of this necklace and Anne's days in the Tower of London. 

it is rumored that Anne's sister, Mary, who was Henry's former mistress, was given the "B" necklace when she visited Anne in the Tower of London. Mary was to safeguard the necklace to give to her niece and Anne's daughter, the future Queen Elizabeth I (1533-1603).

So where is the necklace today? To take this story further, it is thought and hoped that the 3 pearls that dangled off the B in the necklace were put into the Imperial State Crown. In addition to Queen Elizabeth I, Queen Elizabeth II wore the Imperial State Crown to her inauguration in 1953.

I think I will go with that theory.

Comments

Judi McCormick

Very Interesting theory. It is logical as they were always changing jewels to go into newer pieces.

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