Is your heart broken for Sarah, Duchess Of York? If not, perhaps it should — at least according to the lady herself.
In an interview with a French magazine, Prince Andrew’s ex-wife has described herself as ‘the most persecuted woman in the history of the Royal Family’, citing the disobliging commentary during her toe-sucking heyday in the early 1990s.
She is right. Did she suffer more persecution than Anne Boleyn and Mary Tudor? Caroline of Brunswick was just one example.
Most likely, you can guess the answer. Britain’s history is littered with queens and princesses who were abominably treated by their parents, spouses, subjects and even their children. ‘Divorced, beheaded, died’ doesn’t begin to cover it.
In an interview with a French magazine, Prince Andrew’s ex-wife (pictured) has described herself as ‘the most persecuted woman in the history of the Royal Family’
Take the first woman to claim the throne of England, Henry I’s daughter Matilda, who should have succeeded her father in 1135. Henry required his barons to swear an oath that Matilda would take the throne. They ignored the oath and instead crowned Stephen, Henry’s barons.
Matilda became furious and raised an army. However, she was unable to get the crown. Instead, Matilda made a humiliating agreement with Stephen that her son Henry II (the future Henry II) would be allowed to succeed after he died.
Matilda’s treatment set the tone for century after century in which queens were mocked, despised, imprisoned and executed.
Isabella, known as the ‘She-Wolf of France’, married Edward II in 1308, aged just 12. He was a passionate lover who she struggled to accept for many years. Edward finally lost to the red-hot poker and Isabella became regent for Edward III.
What was her reward? Isabella became mad from grief and anger as soon as her son was born.
I don’t pretend to know what Beatrice and Eugenie were like as children, but they can’t have been that bad, can they?
In history’s most prominent persecuted woman were, however, the Tudor-mountain Henry VIII’s children and wives.
For me, the most tragic was Catherine of Aragon — a Spanish princess who came to England as a nervous teenager in 1501, married Henry’s brother Arthur, watched in horror as he dropped dead of the plague and went into a depression.
Catherine was crowned king by Henry in 1509. She married him and they had one child, Mary. Henry married Anne Boleyn. Poor Catherine was required to testify on Arthur’s relationship with her and she entered into an internal exile.
‘For me, the most tragic was Catherine of Aragon — a Spanish princess who came to England as a nervous teenager in 1501, married Henry’s brother Arthur, watched in horror as he dropped dead of the plague and went into a depression’, writes DOMINIC SANDBROOK
Henry insisted on Catherine seeing her daughter, even as Catherine was suffering from the effects of cancer. Anne and Henry wore yellow garish outfits to celebrate the death of Catherine.
Anne didn’t fare any better, though. People hated Anne and refused to celebrate her coronation. And when Henry tired of her three years later, he accused her not merely of plotting to poison him, but of incest with her own brother George — both of which were completely untrue.
Anne fell into the Tower after a total breakdown. Her mood swings ranged from violent, weeping fits to hysterical laughter. At first she was convinced that Henry was merely testing her, but when he paid £24 to bring over the finest executioner from Calais, she realised that he really did want her head after all.
Anne’s fate should have been a warning, but four more wives followed. The most obviously ill-treated was giddy Catherine Howard — another teenager — who made the dreadful mistake of carrying on with one of Henry’s courtiers.
So she was also put on the cutting block and dragged onto Tower Green in February 201542. Because she was terrified so much, her warders were forced to lift her up the stairs. Even then, her knees were shaking so hard that it was impossible for her to stand.
Surely not even the uncharitable readers of Sarah’s romance novels would wish such a fate upon her.
For now, though, the Duchess of York remains free to roam the land, tormenting readers with her terrible novels, writes DOMINIC SANDBROOK. Pictured: Glenda Jackson from the 1971 film Mary Queen Of Scots
Henry’s children fared little better. Mary, daughter of Catherine of Aragon, was publicly humiliated as a ‘bastard’, even though she wasn’t.
Her teenage years were spent as a glorified captive. Deep depression set in and her health was severely damaged.
With impressive resilience, Mary clung to her sanity and became the first woman to rule England, between 1553 and 1558 — although she went on to burn Protestant martyrs.
Elizabeth was then imprisoned by her sister Elizabeth for supporting different Protestant plots.
Although things improved after Tudors left, they didn’t improve as much. Indeed, if there’s one woman in our recent history who really was persecuted, it was George IV’s wife Caroline of Brunswick, whose Hanoverian husband goaded her to her death in 1821.
George was secretly and illegally married to Maria Fitzherbert in Ireland. He hated Caroline right from the beginning. He was horrified to meet her as the Prince of Wales in 1795 before they got married.
He only managed to consummate the union on their wedding night, he told friends, after making a tremendous ‘effort to conquer my aversion and overcome the disgust of her person’.
It was soon over. While Caroline was barred from visiting their child Charlotte, George made a public, ungallant, sigh.
However, there was another twist. He was determined to prevent Caroline from becoming queen when George became King in 1820.
The House of Lords was able to introduce a bill that would have her charged with adultery as well as stripping her of her title. He hired boxers who would stop her entry to Westminster Abbey after she threatened to go to the coronation in July 1821.
Caroline stood there, crying. The sentries held bayonets in her throat as the chamberlains banged the doors against her face. All this was in public with cheering crowds!
Caroline was taken a huge dose of laudanum that night to calm her nerves. She became worsened and died three weeks later.
This is how we judge Sarah’s persecution. Are there people who have raised armies against Sarah? Is she separated from her family? Are there any accusations of witchcraft against her? Was the queen able to hire a French executioner?
You have time. The Duchess is free to wander the country, but for now she will continue to torture readers with her horrible novels.
I’m not sure if I can see her at the Tower of London but I could change my mind. But as it is, I think she’s done rather well out of her royal association, don’t you?