by Anne Somerset $24.63; Alfred A. Knopf; 621 pages
Was she or wasn't she a lesbian? This is the publicist's hook to the gay media for this hefty biography of Queen Anne of England ( 17th century ), last of the Stuarts to reign and the first married queen to rule.
The author has penned many scholarly works, including Ladies in Waiting and Elizabeth I. Somerset presents a balanced perspective on the controversial female friendships of Queen Anne, especially that with Sarah Churchill, the Duchess of Marlborough, and Abigail Masham, cousin to Churchill and through whose influence received a post in the queen's household. In the end, there is no definitive answer as to what transpired in these friendships but the exploration of the issue is fascinating to follow. It is the subject of two chapters of the bio, which also covers the queen's family history and the politics of the times ( by far the greater emphasis in the book ).
Anne ascended to the throne in 1702 at age 37 and reigned for 12 years. Married to Prince George of Denmark, she had 18 pregnancies, with only one child that lived and he ( William ) only to the age of 11. She was monarch during two major events in her country's history—the union of England and Scotland, and the War of Spanish Succession.
But to the juicy parts. Anne had known Sarah Churchill since childhood. Sarah had red-gold hair and an "alert intelligence and lacerating wit," according to Somerset. She was outspoken and unable to see things from another's point of view. Eventually, this would get her into trouble with Anne. But initially, the queen was drawn to these qualities, perhaps because she was in so many ways Anne's opposite. Anne was shy. Anne named Sarah Lady of the Bedchamber, a respected position that involved tending to the queen's needs. She also gave her many gifts.
Much of the suggestion that the two were lovers arose from effusive letters, especially those Anne wrote to Sarah. An early letter from Anne referred to "poor me ( who you say you love )." Sarah, years later, reminded Anne of the "passion and tenderness" she had "once had" for Anne. The difficulty is, it is uncertain if lesbianism existed in the England of the 17th century, or even the extent to which it was recognized that women could sexually desire each other. Women did have "romantic friendships," assumed to be platonic. All of this muddies the water in terms of whether the two were lovers.
According to a manuscript in the British Library based on Sarah's recollections and quoted by Somerset, "They were shut up together for many hours daily. … [The Princess] used to say She desired to possess her wholly and could hardly bear that [Sarah] should ever escape … into any other company." Is this evidence of a lover's jealousy or simply an intense platonic tie? We cannot be sure.
Eventually, Sarah fell out of favor with the queen. When Abigail Masham became Anne's favorite, displacing Sarah, Sarah fueled rumors that Abigail and Anne were lovers. Sarah wrote a memoir in which she slammed the queen. As Somerset points out, if Sarah had personally witnessed physical affection between the queen and her lady in waiting, that would be one thing. But she seldom saw them together. "She seems to have progressed with remarkable speed," Somerset states, "from being unaware that the Queen and Abigail were friends, to being convinced that the two women were bound together by an abnormal passion."
To further complicate the picture, Anne was known to love her husband, who was faithful to her. Plus, as Somerset states, Anne was worn out by childbearing and often in pain. She was also prudish and possessed a strong sense of Christian morality—all of which casts doubt on those who like to think Anne was a lesbian.
Somerset characterizes Abigail as " … a somewhat shadowy figure." The portrait in the National Portrait Gallery thought to be of her "… does indeed depict a fairly plain woman." She was reported to possess skills as a servant that were appealing to the queen. Her personality was described as either sincere, bold, and courageous; or mean, vulgar, and of unequal temper, depending on whose viewpoint you took.
Anglophiles and those interested in powerful women of history will find this bio rich in court intrigue and politics of the time. For those readers with a bent for sexual misadventures, there is less concrete substance here, difficult as it is to document such things at this great a remove. But form your own conclusions. The author presents plenty of details to ponder.
