Queen Anne

Grew Up... royally but sadly. Anne’s youth was largely defined by the loss of her 17 children, who were either born stillborn or died in their infancy.

Living... in bad health, in England in the early 1700s.

Profession... Queen of England.

Interests... racing ducks, raising rabbits, and eating cake.

Relationship Status... capricious. Anne’s main lover is her advisor Sarah Churchill, the Duchess of Marlborough. The two have a close friendship and a secret sexual relationship as well. However, Anne can be fickle in her affections. With Sarah busy with matters of state, Anne soon turns her attention to her charming new lady-in-waiting Abigail Hill.

Challenge... ruling England. Given that the country is currently at war with France, it’s an important time for savvy political leadership. Unfortunately, Anne doesn’t have much of a mind for politics. When she’s told the war isn’t over yet she responds, “Oh. Oh, I did not know that.” Anne’s mostly content to listen to whatever her advisors tell her to do. That means her biggest challenge is figuring out which advisors to listen to.

Personality... ill, ill-tempered, and immature. Anne sometimes seems more like a child than a grown woman. She’s given to flights of fancy and temper tantrums, many of which can only be controlled by Sarah. Anne doesn’t understand much about life beyond her palace, and she’s not particularly interested in learning about it. Instead, she prefers to surround herself with fun and fanciful things, many of which serve as a way to help her process the trauma of her lost children. Much of Anne’s life is shaped by chronic pain and gout, which often leaves her unable to walk. As she complains, “I’m tired. It hurts. Everything hurts. Everyone leaves me, and dies.” Anne can either be whimsical or vindictive depending on what mood she’s in. Though she has the power of a queen, Anne’s emotions and actions are easily manipulated by others.