Who was Madge Shelton and how was she related to Anne Boleyn?
Madge Shelton, also known as Margaret Shelton, was an English courtier and first cousin of Anne Boleyn. Her mother was the sister of Thomas Boleyn, 1st Earl of Wiltshire, making Anne Boleyn Madge's first cousin. She served as a lady-in-waiting in Anne's household and was present at Anne's first public appearance as queen on Easter Eve, the 12th of April 1533.
Was Madge Shelton a mistress of Henry VIII?
One of the Shelton sisters is believed to have been Henry VIII's mistress for six months beginning in February 1535, based on reports by the Imperial ambassador Eustace Chapuys. Biographer Antonia Fraser identified the mistress as Margaret (Madge), but more recent research suggests it was actually her sister Mary Shelton. The confusion likely arose from a sixteenth-century handwriting issue where the label "Marg Shelton" could be misread.
Who was Madge Shelton betrothed to?
Madge Shelton was betrothed to Henry Norris. Anne Boleyn reportedly questioned why Norris had not yet married Madge. Both Norris and Francis Weston, who was said to have flirted with Madge, were executed on charges of having been Anne Boleyn's lovers.
Who did Madge Shelton eventually marry?
Madge Shelton married Thomas Woodhouse, the son of Sir Roger Woodhouse and Elizabeth Radcliffe, daughter of Sir Robert Radcliffe of Hunstanton. Their son Roger Woodhouse, born around 1541, became the father of Sir Philip Wodehouse, 1st Baronet, and an ancestor of the later Earls of Kimberley.
How is Madge Shelton depicted in fiction and television?
Margaret Shelton is the narrator in Jean Bruller's 1985 novel Anne Boleyn, written in French under the pen name Vercors, where she is portrayed as Anne Boleyn's closest and most loyal companion. In the television series The Tudors, Madge Shelton is portrayed by Laura Jane Laughlin as a figure Anne puts forward in an attempt to manage Henry VIII's relationships.
What role did Madge Shelton play during the fall of Anne Boleyn?
Hugh Latimer identified Madge Shelton as the attendant present when Anne Boleyn miscarried within hours of Katherine of Aragon's death. She was described as the closest companion in waiting to Anne due to their family connection, though she was dismissed following Anne's arrest and fall from power.