20 Surprising Secrets That May Make You Question Everything You Know About Anne Boleyn

It’s fair to say that Anne Boleyn is one of the most recognizable names from the Tudor period. And given who else was around back then, that’s some mean feat! But did you know that there was quite a bit of secrecy surrounding her life? Well, we’ve taken a look at 20 fascinating facts you might not have heard at school.

20. Anne’s great-grandfather was a hatter

To say that Anne Boleyn’s forebears had a low status is an understatement. No one would’ve thought that a member of that clan would’ve married into royalty. They got their start in Norfolk, England, and great-great-grandfather Geoffrey was known for taking chances. Yes, he often made headway onto land belonging to the local lord, stole water and crossed field lines with his plough.

But here’s the thing – despite facing numerous court dates for those transgressions, Anne’s old relative accumulated a bit of money. Thanks to that, he gave his son, also called Geoffrey, the opportunity to become a hatter. So Anne’s great-grandfather enjoyed quite the rise. He was even named the Lord Mayor of London in the late 1450s!

19. A list of suitors

There’s no doubt that Anne is most famous for her marriage to Henry VIII. Then again, did you know that she nearly tied the knot with two different men prior to that? One match involved her cousin James Butler. It was a betrothal influenced by politics, but the wedding didn’t happen in the end.

Then Anne got engaged to a man named Henry Percy in secret too. His dad was the Earl of Northumberland, which was a significant position during that period in England’s history. Anyway, this Henry wasn’t a single guy at that time – and he was set to marry another woman! So the concealed plan was eventually rumbled, ending the engagement.