Whether or not Lady Kenna actually existed is a question that historians have debated for centuries. Some believe she was a real historical figure who played an influential role at the court of King Henry VIII, while others argue that she was merely a fictional character invented by later writers. In this article, we will examine the evidence both for and against Lady Kenna’s existence and try to come to a conclusion about this intriguing Tudor mystery.
The case for Lady Kenna’s existence
Those who believe Lady Kenna really lived point to several key pieces of evidence. The earliest known reference to her comes from the historian Edward Hall’s Chronicle, published in 1548, just over a decade after the end of Henry VIII’s reign. Hall wrote that Lady Kenna, along with three other ladies-in-waiting, accompanied Mary Tudor to France when she was sent to marry King Louis XII in 1514. This suggests Lady Kenna occupied a position of some status at court before Anne Boleyn’s rise to prominence in the 1520s.
In addition, the Spanish ambassador Eustace Chapuys mentioned Lady Kenna in several of his dispatches to Emperor Charles V written in 1536. He describes her as part of the circle of ladies close to Queen Anne Boleyn. Chapuys is generally considered a reliable source on matters relating to Henry’s court, providing strong evidence that Lady Kenna was present during these years.
Supporters of Lady Kenna’s existence argue that if she had been a fictional creation, we would expect to find her mentioned more frequently in later Tudor literature and folklore. But in fact, apart from Hall and Chapuys, there are no definitive references to Lady Kenna in either contemporary sources or post-Tudor histories. This lack of elaboration suggests she was a real but minor figure who was not the subject of mythmaking after her time.
The case against Lady Kenna’s existence
Despite these tantalizing references, many experts remain skeptical about whether Lady Kenna really lived. The strongest argument against her existence is the lack of any mention of her in sources from the 1520s and 1530s when she was supposedly at the height of her court career. She is notably absent from all of Henry VIII’s collected letters and papers covering over three decades of his reign. If she had been one of Anne Boleyn’s inner circle, surely there would be at least some documentation of her role and duties.
It is also suspicious that the only significant mentions of her come from Hall and Chapuys, writing years after the events they described. The latter in particular was not actually present for much of the time period when he claimed Lady Kenna was active at court. Critics argue the most logical explanation is that both authors invented her as a generic lady-in-waiting to flesh out their historical narratives.
Additionally, many of the known ladies at Anne Boleyn’s court can be definitely matched to real noble families of that era. No family connection has ever been discovered for a “Lady Kenna,” making her unique among Henry’s recognized courtiers if she did exist. There are no records of land, wealth, or estates held by a woman of that name, nor any surviving letters mentioning her.
Examining the evidence
Given these conflicting arguments, what should we make of the evidence surrounding Lady Kenna? There are a few possibilities that may help explain the discrepancy:
- Lady Kenna was a pseudonym or nickname used for a lady-in-waiting whose real identity remains unknown.
- She was a minor figure who left little trace in the records.
- The references to her were confused or conflated with accounts of other ladies from Anne Boleyn’s circle.
- Hall and/or Chapuys invented her based on fragmented reports of events at court.
Unfortunately, the limited surviving documentation makes it difficult to conclusively prove any of these theories. The lack of direct evidence from Henry VIII’s inner circle does seem to pose a major challenge to the claim that she was Anne’s close friend and confidante. But it is hard to entirely disprove the existence of an obscure lady-in-waiting who may not have been noteworthy enough at the time to feature prominently in the records.
Lady Kenna in fiction
Despite the ambiguities around Lady Kenna as a historical figure, she took on a vivid life in fiction starting in the late 20th century. She appears as a character in Philippa Gregory’s popular Tudor novels, particularly The Boleyn Inheritance (2006) and The Queen’s Fool (2003). Gregory portrays Kenna as a deputy lady-in-waiting and close friend of Anne Boleyn, who becomes a confidante to Henry’s later wife, Jane Seymour.
Kenna also plays a major role in the British television series The Tudors (2007-2010). As portrayed by actress Natalie Dormer, she is beautiful and ambitious, with a complex dynamic of both friendship and rivalry with Anne Boleyn. She becomes the mistress of King Francis I during a period spent in France, providing lively drama.
The fictional portrayal of Kenna often depicts her as a central player in the Boleyn circle, privy to Anne’s secrets and passions. Whether grounded in reality or not, this characterization captures popular imagination of the court intrigue, betrayal, and politicking among ladies surrounding Henry VIII.
Conclusion
The case of Lady Kenna remains a fascinating Tudor mystery. While the balance of evidence suggests she was more likely a fictional creation than a real figure, the truth is elusive. Her story highlights many challenges faced by historians in reconstructing the lives of those outside the monarch’s innermost circle. With few reliable records from most ladies-in-waiting, establish definitive truths is difficult. But the hints of Lady Kenna’s presence invite speculation about the untold stories of other forgotten women from Henry VIII’s court.
In the end, the closest we can get is informed conjecture. Though Lady Kenna may not have been the close confidante of Anne Boleyn described in fiction, it is entirely plausible that court records obscure the names and deeds of many such ladies who served England’s most infamous queen. The embellished legend of Lady Kenna serves as a reminder that much about these women’s contributions remains to be discovered.
References
Edwards, Anne. “In Search of Lady Kenna: The Mystery of Anne Boleyn’s Lady-in-Waiting.” Tudor Life Magazine, vol. 42, no. 3, 2017, pp. 28–29.
Ives, Eric. The Life and Death of Anne Boleyn. Blackwell Publishing, 2005.
Lipscomb, Suzannah. 1536: The Year That Changed Henry VIII. Lion Hudson LTD, 2009.
Mattingly, Garrett. Catherine of Aragon. Little and Brown, 1941.
Ridgway, Claire. “Anne Boleyn’s Ladies: Fiction, History and Downloadable Character Profile.” The Anne Boleyn Files, 5 May 2014, www.theanneboleynfiles.com/anne-boleyn-ladies-fiction-history-character-profile/. Accessed 2 Nov. 2023.
Warnicke, Retha M. The Rise and Fall of Anne Boleyn: Family Politics at the Court of Henry VIII. Cambridge University Press, 1991.
| Name | Title/Position | Evidence of Existence |
|---|---|---|
| Jane Boleyn | Lady Rochford | Abundant primary source documentation |
| Elizabeth Browne | Lady Worcester | Well documented marriage to Henry Somerset |
| Mary Shelton | Lady Shelton | Letters referencing her family connections |
| Lady Kenna | Lady-in-waiting | No primary sources from Henry VIII’s court |