Madge Shelton facts for kids

Margaret Shelton was a lady who lived a long time ago, during the time of King Henry VIII. She was once thought to have had a special relationship with the King. She likely passed away before the year 1555.

Who Was Margaret Shelton?

Margaret Shelton was the daughter of Sir John Shelton and his wife, Anne. Her mother, Anne, was the sister of Thomas Boleyn, 1st Earl of Wiltshire. This meant that Margaret's aunt was the father of Anne Boleyn, who became King Henry VIII's second wife. So, Margaret and her sister, Mary Shelton, were first cousins to Queen Anne Boleyn. Margaret was the youngest of Sir John Shelton's daughters.

Her Family Connections

Margaret was a lady-in-waiting to her cousin, Queen Anne Boleyn. This means she was an important helper and companion to the Queen. She was there when Queen Anne made her first public appearance as queen on Easter Eve, April 12, 1533. Being part of the Queen's household was a very important role in those days.

A Lady at King Henry's Court

One of the Shelton sisters was believed to have had a close connection with King Henry for about six months, starting in February 1535. This information came from the Imperial ambassador, Eustace Chapuys, who mentioned "Mistress Shelton."

Was She the King's Special Friend?

For a long time, some historians, like Antonia Fraser, thought this special friend was Margaret Shelton. Chapuys, the ambassador, was often at the English court. He was a good source of information about what was happening. Another person, Hugh Latimer, also mentioned "Madge Shelton" as being with Queen Anne when she had a miscarriage. "Madge" was a common nickname for Margaret.

However, newer studies suggest it might have been Margaret's sister, Mary, who had this special relationship with the King. Some even rumored that Mary might become King Henry's fourth wife. The confusion might have come from how names were written back then. The letter "y" could look like a "g" in old writing, so "Mary Shelton" might have been misread as "Marg Shelton."

Her Engagement and Friends

When Queen Anne Boleyn was arrested, she was watched by four ladies chosen by the King's chief minister, Thomas Cromwell. These ladies were told to report everything the Queen did. Anne told one of them, Mrs. Coffin, that she had told Francis Weston to stop flirting with Madge Shelton. Margaret was engaged to Henry Norris at the time.

Queen Anne wondered why Henry Norris had not married Margaret yet. Weston replied that Norris came to Anne's room more for her than for Margaret. Both Henry Norris, Margaret Shelton's fiancé, and Francis Weston, who was accused of flirting with her, faced serious charges and lost their lives. They were accused of being too close to Queen Anne Boleyn.

Margaret in Books and TV Shows

Margaret Shelton is a character in the 1985 book Anne Boleyn by Jean Bruller (who wrote as Vercors). In this book, Margaret Shelton tells the story. She is shown as Anne Boleyn's closest and most loyal friend. She shares Anne's ideas for making England strong and independent. The book says Margaret lived to share these ideas with Anne's daughter, who would become Queen Elizabeth I.

Madge Shelton also appears in the TV show The Tudors. She is played by Laura Jane Laughlin. In the show, Queen Anne herself suggests Madge to King Henry, hoping to have some control over his relationships. However, this plan does not work out.

See also

• List of English royal mistresses