Anne of Cleves

Henry VIII's infamous verdict on Anne of Cleves, 'I like her not!', set the stage for a marriage destined for failure. Promised a handsome prince, Anne found herself wed to an aging king, while Henry complained of a 'Flander's mare.' Despite a farcical attempt at consummation, Anne's shrewdness ensured she not only survived her short marriage but secured a significant divorce settlement, outliving all of Henry VIII's other wives. This biography reveals the true intelligence and practicality of Anne of Cleves, a woman often misjudged as a comical figure, who navigated a dangerous court to keep her head when others, like Thomas Cromwell, lost theirs.