Anne of Denmark

Anne was the daughter of King Frederick II of Denmark and Norway and Sophia of Mecklenburg-Güstrow. She was born in 1574 at Skanderborg Castle, Denmark. The dates of her birth and death are variously recorded, those above being the ones engraved on her coffin. In August 1589, she was married, by proxy, to James, the young king of Scotland, and their actual wedding ceremony took place in Oslo, Norway, on November 23 of that year. Anne was brought to Scotland and crowned queen on May 17, 1590, at Holyrood Abbey.

Although she was brought up a Lutheran, she converted to Catholicism shortly after marrying James, which was unpopular among the people of Scotland (and later of England). Her extravagant expenditure, including expansion of her London residence at Somerset House (which she renamed 'Denmark House'), also posed problems for her husband.

Following her husband's accession to the English throne in 1603, she was crowned with him on July 25 at Westminster Abbey. By this time, she was the mother of three living children (Henry, Elizabeth and Charles), but also suffered several miscarriages and still births, and had another four children who died in infancy. As King James had definite homosexual tendencies and spent more of his time with male favourites than he did with his wife, the marriage was probably not a very happy one; but Anne's participation in life at court is well recorded. Their second son succeeded James as King Charles I.

Anne of Denmark died at Hampton Court Palace and was buried in Westminster Abbey.

See also: Robert Abercromby

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