One of the most deliciously scandalous stories about Anne of Cleves claims that after her failed marriage to Henry VIII, she hung Hans Holbein’s famous portrait of herself in her castle—just to mock the king who had rejected her. It’s a tale that feels perfectly suited to Tudor drama: quiet revenge, sharp wit, and a woman getting the last laugh. But like many good stories from history, it isn’t true. There is no evidence that Anne of Cleves ever displayed Holbein’s portrait as an insult to Henry VIII. In fact, contemporary records show no mention of her owning or exhibiting the painting at all. The idea that she used it…

Henry VIII famously dismissed Anne of Cleves as a “Flanders mare.” Their marriage, arranged for political gain, was a disaster from the start—and it was never even consummated. For most women who failed to please Henry, that alone could be a death sentence. Anne, however, understood something far more important than romance: survival. Brought to England from Germany in 1540, Anne was judged harshly by a king who felt deceived by flattering portraits and political necessity. Henry recoiled from the match, and the tension was immediate. But instead of resisting or clinging to the crown, Anne did something radical—she agreed to an annulment without protest. That single decision saved her…