June 1 – Anne Boleyn’s coronation

On this day in Tudor history, 1st June 1533, Whitsunday, Henry VIII's second wife, Anne Boleyn, was crowned queen at Westminster Abbey.

You can find out more about Anne Boleyn's coronation in the video below, but here are a few facts:

• Anne was 6 months pregnant.
• She wore ermine-trimmed purple velvet coronation robes.
• Her train was carried by her step-grandmother, the Dowager Duchess of Norfolk.
• Thomas Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury, crowned her.
• Anne was crowned with the crown of St Edward, which was usually reserved for crowning the reigning monarch.
• The king watched proceedings privately from behind a special screen.
• Her father helped escort her from the abbey to Westminster hall for the coronation banquet.
• The banquet consisted of around 80 dishes.
• Anne’s day stretched from around 8am until 6pm.

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