Accounting for Anne: The Tudor Queen Who Could Have Been

by James Taffe

Discover the lost Tudor queen through her forgotten accounts in ACCOUNTING FOR The Tudor Queen Who Could Have Been

Anne of Cleves was the fourth – fourth in the succession of six unfortunate women who were married to Henry VIII. We remember the disastrous circumstances in which she came to England; the disgust of an ageing and ailing king; the distasteful remarks he made about about Anne’s appearance; the discretion he lacked in courting her maid, and the disappointment she must have felt when she was cast aside for Henry’s fifth. Marrying the king made Anne a queen, if only for six months. And, unsurprisingly, given its brevity, her queenship is often overlooked. Better known as Henry’s discarded bride, or the ‘Flanders Mare’, rarely is Anne seen as a queen.

Scrutinising every shilling in and out of her privy purse, James Taffe closely examines Anne's accounts to reconstruct her queenship and consider her missed potential as consort. Interpreting the almost indecipherable scrawlings of Anne's clerks, from the manoeuvrings of her council, to the fetching and feeding of her pet parrot, this book preserves the original manuscript text, transporting the reader into the archives and back to the sixteenth century. Demystifying the Tudor court, the day-to-day running of Anne’s household, both above-stairs and below-stairs, is also exposed, as the author continues his obsession with the lives of the men and women behind the throne.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Tudor Period

191 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2026

About the author

Dr James Taffe is a Tudor historian whose research focuses on royal servants in the households of Henry VIII and his queens. Born in Birmingham, England, he studied at Queen Mary, University of London and University of Birmingham before completing his PhD at Durham University in 2022. Courting Scandal: The Rise and Fall of Jane Boleyn, Lady Rochford, is his first publication.

Reviews

[Orsolya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Divorced, beheaded, died. Divorced, beheaded, survived. We all know the popular ditty that tells the fates of Henry VIII’s six wives although I have always had a bone to pick: Anne of Cleves, wife #4, may have been divorced but she also survived and survived much better than Katherine Parr (#6). She accepted her fate so well that she became a ‘sister’ of the realm and lived it up in a castle with servants as an independent woman of wealth. But to history, she is known as the rejected “Flanders Mare” that Henry discarded based on her looks (allegedly). There is so much more to Anne’s brief (six month) queendom and to her as a woman: cultured, classy, ‘fun’, giving… she deserves recognition. James Taffe attempts to rehabilitate Anne’s legacy by means of looking at her account/ledger book entries thereby letting her own expenses “speak of for themselves” to show the woman she was versus a direct biography in, “Accounting for Anne: The Tudor Queen Who Could Have Been”.

“Accounting for Anne” is small in volume but ambitious in stature as it eschews a standard biography or portrait and brings Anne to life using entries from her very own account books from her time entering England to her post-life as a ‘sister’ to Henry VIII. Taffe forgoes a chronological timeline of entries and instead offers a topical view (household staff, recreation, clothing, food, etc) to create a whole image of Anne and thereby diving into her psyche and who she was based on her spending. This might sound impossible or like a tedious task but Taffee is successful as even Tudor experts walk away with a new understanding of Anne which goes far beyond the existing stereotypes after reading "Accounting for Anne".

Taffe doesn’t only discuss the accounting entries but visually includes the entries which makes “Accounting for Anne”behave as a museum exhibit with readers viewing primary material which is usually strictly poised to historians. This makes “Accounting for Anne” quite unique and remarkable on the Tudor history shelves. Taffe notes in his Afterword, understanding that this format is atypical and more of a passion project than intended to bank profits as it may not invite the average history reader. This is partly accurate as those not seeing the value in such primary material or those seeking a narrative stream may be disappointed. However, those readers highly concerned with the subject or using “Accounting for Anne” as academic source material will feel the thrill of the pages.

“Accounting for Anne” manages to reveal some lesser-known topics that excite even familiar readers such as the history of Valentine’s Day during Tudor times (See? Hallmark did NOT create it!) and Anne’s personal relationships especially after her divorce and how she was treated by other courtiers.

“Accounting for Anne” concludes by effortlessly bringing Anne to life and fortifying her image as going beyond the sad, underwhelming manner in which history describes her. Taffe supplements the text with two appendices and an abstracted Bibliography.

"Accounting for Anne" is suggested for those invested in all material concerning Henry VIII's wives and especially in the REAL reveal of Anne of Cleves. Taffe's "Anne of Cleves" is a fast read but lasting in its impact.

[Kara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Follow the money!

James Taffe got his hands on Anne of Cleves account books - not just a digital transcript, but the physical books themselves, and he makes a point of studying the handwriting as much as the numbers. Most telling - Anne signs herself proudly 'Anne the Queen' in big, swooping letters in January, but by July, the signature is small and timid, the 'q' not even capitalized, as her hopes for a future go up in smoke.

A fascinating analysis of Anne's time as queen, showing via all the line items for proper props just how hard she tried to be a good queen.

[Paige Russell · Rating 3 out of 5]

"It’s not a biography; it’s a forensic look at her household. Go in with the right expectations and it’s actually kind of interesting."

This isn't your typical Anne Boleyn book. If you've read every other bio out there and want something totally different, this might hit the spot. It looks at her power through the lens of her finances and her "office" as Queen. It’s interesting to see how she wielded influence through patronage and spending, but it can get very repetitive. I liked learning about the logistics of the Tudor court, but I definitely found myself skimming the long lists of expenses and names of minor officials. It’s a "once-over" kind of book rather than a deep obsession.

[Erika · Rating 4 out of 5]

I very much enjoyed this book. I only have one criticism. I love the photo inclusion of the actual entry but I wish there was a word for word “translation” for what the entry says. I’ve spent so much time staring at the almost 500 year old quill and ink entries trying to decipher what it actually says.

[Helen Topor]

I found the details fascinating in that they provided insights into Anne of Cleves' daily life and the lives of some of her contemporaries. However, the structure was a bit confusing at times. A book for researchers interested in the area of James Taffe's study.

[Mary Katherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great Tudor offering by James. He is certainly an author to watch.