The Rise of a Queen: Anne Boleyn, 1526-1533

Delivery Mode

Solely online via six pre-recorded lectures and one live Zoom discussion. Participants will receive links to each lecture over the course of the week and will be able to access the recordings for two months following the completion of the event. Each lecture will also be accompanied by discussion/reflection questions.

If you have any questions about this event, please contact drowenemmerson@gmail.com or natalie@onthetudortrail.com.

Session 1 – “Declare I Dare Not”

Monday 6 October, 2025

The question of when Anne Boleyn first caught Henry VIII’s eye has been hotly debated for centuries. In this lecture, we’ll look at some of the main schools of thought and scrutinise the available evidence. We’ll also delve into the nature of Anne and Henry’s relationship and examine an underexplored yet highly compelling interpretation.

Session 2 – “My heart shall be dedicated to you alone”

Tuesday 7 October, 2025

Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII’s surviving love letters offer a rare and intimate window into one of history’s most infamous courtships. In this session, we’ll explore the context in which these letters were written, dissect their content, and consider what they reveal about the emotional landscape of their relationship. We’ll also examine how these letters were preserved and how they likely came to be housed in the archives of the Vatican.

Session 3 – The Courting Years

Wednesday 8 October, 2025

This lecture will explore Anne and Henry’s relationship in the years 1529-1532. What evidence do we have of their feelings for one another? What were their common pursuits and how did they spend their time? Who at court supported the couple? We’ll consider these questions and more in this illustrated presentation.

Session 4 – The King’s Great Matter

Thursday 9 October, 2025

Anne’s rise to the throne required the removal of the sitting consort, Queen Katherine of Aragon. In this lecture, we’ll explore the legal, political, and personal complexities of Henry VIII’s attempt to annul his marriage to his first wife. This session will unpack the motivations and consequences of “The King’s Great Matter” and will ask what role did Anne play in this momentous episode? How did she influence - or fall victim to - the broader machinations of church and state?

Session 5 – Falcon on the Rise

Friday 10 October, 2025

In September 1532, Anne Boleyn reached the pinnacle of her career to date when she was granted the Marquessate of Pembroke. The very next month she travelled with the king to Calais to meet Francis I, and upon their return to England, they wed in a secret ceremony. In this lecture, we’ll explore the political backdrop to these dramatic events and delve deep into the sources.

Session 6 – Anna Regina: Marriage, Annulment & Coronation

Saturday 11 October, 2025

This session follows Anne’s final steps to queenship. We’ll examine the stages of her marriage to Henry, including their secret and public ceremonies, and discuss the controversies surrounding the annulment of his first marriage. We’ll then turn to Anne’s lavish coronation in June 1533, exploring its symbolism, spectacle, and significance. This lecture explores how Anne’s status was both solidified and imperilled from the very moment the crown touched her head.

Session 7 – Live Zoom Q & A

Join Dr Owen Emmerson and Natalie Grueninger for a live Zoom Q&A. Submit your questions in advance or use the chat function during the session.

When?

Sunday 12 October at 9pm London time

A recording of the live session will be published at the conclusion of the event.

About the Presenters

Natalie Grueninger is an independent researcher who specialises in the life, reign and times of Queen Anne Boleyn. She’s authored and co-authored seven books, including the ‘In the Footsteps’ series. Her latest book, ‘The Final Year of Anne Boleyn’, was published in November 2022 and was recently released in paperback. Natalie has written for a number of history magazines, including Inside History and Tudor Places, and runs the website www.onthetudortrail.com. She’s the creator and host of the popular ‘Talking Tudors’ podcast and the founder of Women’s History Circle, dedicated to amplifying women’s voices and promoting the work of women creatives with a passion for history. Natalie is deeply interested in the lives of medieval and Tudor women and in the networks which they built and used, especially those with other women. She’s an avid bibliophile and a lifelong learner. When not at her desk, she can often be found indulging in her insatiable passion for travel.

Dr Owen Emmerson is a social and cultural historian, author, and consultant. He is part of the curatorial team at Hever Castle, Anne Boleyn's childhood home. In 2024, he worked as one of the historical consultants for the BBC adaptation of Dame Hilary Mantel's Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light. Emmerson was part of the research teams that identified the Book of Hours captured in Hans Holbein the Younger's portrait of Thomas Cromwell in 2023 and a miniature portrait of Queen Mary I as Princess by Suzannah Horenbout in 2024. He is the co-author of five books and has contributed to numerous television documentaries, such as The Boleyns: A Scandalous Family (2021, BBC2) and Holbein's The Ambassadors (2025, Arte).