The marriage of King Henry VIII of England and his fourth wife, Anna of Cleves, had never been consummated, according to both the principals. And Henry had never been content with his latest wife. On June 24, less than six months after their wedding, she was commanded to leave court – although her lodgings at Richmond Palace were as luxurious as she might want. Henry appears to have borne her no malice, and even when their marriage was annulled on July 12, she received Richmond Palace as her own possession in the settlement.
The Palace would remain Anna’s residence until her health began to fail, and it would be serially occupied by her step-daughters, the Queens Mary and Elizabeth, during their reigns, with Elizabeth using it as her primary residence.
