Elizabeth had a depiction of her mother as Queen during her coronation procession, she favored her Boleyn relatives at court, and she wore a jewelled ring with her initial “E” in diamonds, that turned out to be a secret locket ring with a portrait of herself facing a portrait of Anne! I'd say she respected and honored her, even if her personal memories might have been hazy.

I always felt that, when Queen, Elizabeth must have wished her mother was there. Not just to see Elizabeth in triumph, but as a confident and source of comfort and support. Many monarchs still had their mothers when they ascended to the throne, and Elizabeth must, at times, have felt a sense of loss and loneliness.

However, all the little things that Elizabeth did to remember her mother are touching, intimate tributes to a women that was so violently taken from her. For me, Elizabeth knew the risks of publically declaring anything about her mother (unlike Mary I, who attempted to resurrect her mother's legal marriage to Henry), Elizabeth created small tributes to Anne, one's that were personally important.

It must have been hard for Elizabeth since she did not really know her mother. They did not have the luxury of years together, laughing and talking. However, everything that Anne did to help cement Elizabeth's legacy must have allowed Elizabeth some insight and real affection for Anne.

Elizabeth kept Boleyn relatives close to her. A sense of family and support that was so necessary in Tudor times, especially when a friend could be an enemy indeed. In some small ways, Elizabeth secured a Boleyn inheritance for her relatives, if not for herself.

Also Anne was shown in one of the coronation tableaus.

spearson said:

I was just wondering if there is any evidence that Elizabeth 1 ever missed her mother? I know she was very young when Anne died did she ever mention her?

Elizabeth did mention her mother on a number of occasions. One of the first times (that we know of) comes during the reign of Mary I, when Anne Boleyn’s reputation was further attacked. We know that Elizabeth was aware of this, and naturally very touchy on the subject, for the Venetian ambassador reported that she was rather open about her view that her mother would never have cohabited (namely slept with) her father had the pair not been lawfully married. This can be seen as a direct challenge to Mary’s decision to have her own parents’ marriage declared valid in her first parliament, meaning Anne’s union with Henry VIII was one again dismissed as invalid. We are also told by the same ambassador, that Elizabeth was rather proud about how much she looked like Henry – and her proud claims meant she was snubbing those at court who gossiped that she was the result of one of Anne’s supposed liaisons.

We also know that during her reign, Elizabeth asked her archbishop of Canterbury (Parker), to find a papal bull that had allowed her parents to marry. Cleary she believed, however erroneously, that there existed paperwork that proved the Church’s acceptance of her parents’ marriage. Parker discovered this in 1572, but Elizabeth never used the information to establish Anne’s position as legitimate queen through legislation. Perhaps this was just done to confirm her existing private belief that she was born in wedlock.

Saying that, we do know that Elizabeth referred to her mother as ‘queen’ in letters to foreign dignitaries. This is evident in letters to rulers, asking for them to suppress the publication of materials in their lands that attacked her parents’ marriage and thus her own legitimacy. Anne is often referred to as her father’s ‘consort’ and ‘queen’.

I think Elizabeth's feelings toward Anne had to be very ambivalent at times.  It was obviously in Elizabeth's best interest to promote the concepts that her mother's marriage to Henry VIII was legally binding and that Anne was a moral, chaste lady.  Both concepts benefit Elizabeth's claims to the English throne. 

Beyond good politics, though, I'm sure Elizabeth felt her mother's loss at times throughout her life.  Generally, youngsters bereaved of their parents at a young age are pretty resilient to the loss.  It's doubtful Elizabeth had conscious memories of Anne.  I'm sure she missed her in the sense she wondered what she was like and wished Anne present for many of Elizabeth's more triumphant moments.  I'd guess there were times Elizabeth loved and hated Anne.  Perhaps, at times, she even blamed herself for Anne's downfall (i.e., not being born male.)   

On the other hand, given all we know about the characters of both women, I imagine Elizabeth and Anne might not have gotten along very well.  Both were willful, high-strung women.

One thing's for sure.  Anne would have made a fantastic Queen Mother.

La Belle Creole said:

I think Elizabeth's feelings toward Anne had to be very ambivalent at times.  It was obviously in Elizabeth's best interest to promote the concepts that her mother's marriage to Henry VIII was legally binding and that Anne was a moral, chaste lady.  Both concepts benefit Elizabeth's claims to the English throne. 

Beyond good politics, though, I'm sure Elizabeth felt her mother's loss at times throughout her life.  Generally, youngsters bereaved of their parents at a young age are pretty resilient to the loss.  It's doubtful Elizabeth had conscious memories of Anne.  I'm sure she missed her in the sense she wondered what she was like and wished Anne present for many of Elizabeth's more triumphant moments.  I'd guess there were times Elizabeth loved and hated Anne.  Perhaps, at times, she even blamed herself for Anne's downfall (i.e., not being born male.)   

On the other hand, given all we know about the characters of both women, I imagine Elizabeth and Anne might not have gotten along very well.  Both were willful, high-strung women.

One thing's for sure.  Anne would have made a fantastic Queen Mother.

La Belle Creole said:

I think Elizabeth's feelings toward Anne had to be very ambivalent at times.  It was obviously in Elizabeth's best interest to promote the concepts that her mother's marriage to Henry VIII was legally binding and that Anne was a moral, chaste lady.  Both concepts benefit Elizabeth's claims to the English throne. 

Beyond good politics, though, I'm sure Elizabeth felt her mother's loss at times throughout her life.  Generally, youngsters bereaved of their parents at a young age are pretty resilient to the loss.  It's doubtful Elizabeth had conscious memories of Anne.  I'm sure she missed her in the sense she wondered what she was like and wished Anne present for many of Elizabeth's more triumphant moments.  I'd guess there were times Elizabeth loved and hated Anne.  Perhaps, at times, she even blamed herself for Anne's downfall (i.e., not being born male.)   

On the other hand, given all we know about the characters of both women, I imagine Elizabeth and Anne might not have gotten along very well.  Both were willful, high-strung women.

One thing's for sure.  Anne would have made a fantastic Queen Mother.

 

I'd like to believe that Elizabeth remembered something of her famous mother, although she was just 3 years old. I mean – what if she had a blurred memory of a woman with dark hair, or a particular lullaby, or the feeling of Anne's hands? I think it's worth considering after all, Anne Boleyn (though looking quite different compared to the common young ladies at court) clearly wasn't insipid. Elizabeth could have had flashbacks of Anne in different parts of her life. At Towern, for an example. Knowing that her mother had been there – and certainly feeling the fatal atmosphere – must have brought some kind of memory.