Anne Dudley, Countess of Warwick
Anne was born around 1548, the eldest child of Francis Russell, 2nd Earl of Bedford and his first wife Margaret St. John.
Little is known of Anne’s childhood, but it is likely she spent her early years at the Russell family home in Buckinghamshire.
Anne entered Princess Elizabeth’s household whilst still a child, and before the Princess acceded to the throne as queen.
Although she is frequently named as a maid of honor and a lady of the Bed Chamber, Anne was an unpaid attendant to the queen – and not one of her official staff members.
Elizabeth and Anne were also 4th cousins once removed, and traced their joint ancestry back to Margaret Beauchamp.
In 1565, aged about 16, Anne was married to Ambrose Dudley, Earl of Warwick.
The match was arranged by her father and Ambrose’s brother, Lord Robert Dudley.
The Dudley family had a long and close association with the Royal family – almost too close for comfort in the turbulent Tudor times.
John Dudley, 1st Duke of Northumberland, had attempted to place his daughter in law Lady Jane Grey, on the throne following the death of Edward VI in July 1553.
This little scheme saw him end up in the Tower with five of his sons, including Ambrose, who, unlike his father, escaped ex3cution.
After eighteen months in the Tower, Ambrose was pardoned, released and soon back in royal favour.
Their wedding took place on 11th November 1565, in the Royal chapel at the Palace of Whitehall, with the Queen in attendance.
The wedding was described as an extraordinary court event, complete with banquets and tournaments.
Anne was some 20 years younger than her husband and as his third wife, she was his last shot at producing an heir.
However, no children were born to the couple.
The marriage nevertheless, turned out to be happy.
With no children appearing, Anne could take up virtual residence at court, without the interruptions of pregnancies.
This near constant attendance at court served her and her family well.
Anne could manage quite a bit of business from the center of the kingdom.
She maintained her own couriers, especially useful for staying up to date on foreign affairs.
Like other courtiers, Anne gave valuable New Year’s Day gifts to Elizabeth I, including a silver table and a perfuming pan.
In 1588 Anne gave the queen a pair of gold earrings and a gold flower shaped like a star.
She also gave the queen a spoon with a coral handle set with a diamond, and a fork set with rubies.
The fork, an item rarely noted in Elizabethan inventories, may have been used for fruit or ginger syrup desserts known as sucket.
Anne’s husband Ambrose Dudley suffered for decades from the effects of a leg injury sustained in military service in 1563.
At the end of January 1590 his leg was amputated.
As a consequence of this, he died on 21st February 1590.
Ambrose left Anne a number of properties and £7,000 worth of debt – which adds up to about £15 million at today’s values!
Anne continued to live at court where she remained a close confident of the Queen Elizabeth.
Anne was one of Elizabeth’s favourite ladies – more beloved and in greater favour than any other woman in the kingdom.
Anne was with Elizabeth, when she died at Richmond Palace on 24th March 1603.
Following the Queen’s death Anne returned to the Dudley ancestral home at North Hall, Northaw, Hertfordshire.
She died there on 9th February 1604, having previously requested that she be interred with her ancestors in the Bedford Chapel in the parish church of St Michael, Chenies, Buckinghamshire.
? Anne Russell Countess of Warwick c.1565/1569
Artist – Master of the Countess of Warwick.
