On September 7, 1533, Elizabeth Tudor was born at Greenwich Palace, the daughter of King Henry VIII and his second wife, Anne Boleyn. Her arrival was a moment of both celebration and disappointment. For her mother, it was a triumph: Anne had secured her position as queen by giving birth to a legitimate royal heir. For her father, however, Elizabeth’s birth was a bitter blow.
When the child was revealed to be a girl, Henry’s initial joy quickly cooled. While Elizabeth was baptized with full royal ceremony at the Church of the Observant Friars, the king’s disappointment was obvious. He had expected a prince, not a princess.
Though Elizabeth was acknowledged as legitimate at birth, her position was precarious. Henry reassured himself that a son would surely follow soon—but the tension over her gender cast a shadow from her very first days. Elizabeth’s sex became the defining factor of her early life and the root of much of the trauma she would later endure.
Birth of Elizabeth Tudor – September 7, 1533
On September 7, 1533, Elizabeth Tudor was born at Greenwich Palace, the daughter of King Henry VIII and his second wife, Anne Boleyn. Her arrival was a moment of both celebration and disappointment. For her mother, it was a triumph: Anne had secured her position as queen by giving birth to a legitimate royal heir. For her father, however, Elizabeth’s birth was a bitter blow.
When the child was revealed to be a girl, Henry’s initial joy quickly cooled. While Elizabeth was baptized with full royal ceremony at the Church of the Observant Friars, the king’s disappointment was obvious. He had expected a prince, not a princess.
Though Elizabeth was acknowledged as legitimate at birth, her position was precarious. Henry reassured himself that a son would surely follow soon—but the tension over her gender cast a shadow from her very first days. Elizabeth’s sex became the defining factor of her early life and the root of much of the trauma she would later endure.
Image: Study for The Royal Nursery, 1538: Interior of a large chamber with a fireplace and bed; Henry VIII pats infant Prince Edward in a walker as Princesses Elizabeth and Mary, along with courtiers, look on. c.1871, gouache on brown paper mounted on linen
Image: Anne Boleyn saying a final farewell to her daughter Elizabeth, in an imagined scene painted much later by Gustaaf Wappers, 1838, © Shunck Collection, GH63.08
Henry VIII showed little interest in his daughter after Anne’s death. By all accounts, he rarely saw Elizabeth during her childhood. To Elizabeth, this abandonment was a second trauma: she was not only the daughter of an executed queen but also the child of a father who had turned cold and distant.
This event haunted Elizabeth’s entire life. She grew up aware of her mother’s fate, and her own precarious position. Later, when Elizabeth became queen, she avoided speaking of Anne publicly but honored her privately, keeping a portrait of her mother in her personal collection. The shadow of the axe at the Tower remained with her always.
May 1536 – Anne Boleyn Execution
Henry VIII, disappointed by Anne’s failure to produce a surviving male heir and captivated by Jane Seymour, turned against her. In May 1536, Anne was arrested and accused of adultery, treason, and even incest with her own brother—charges most historians believe were fabricated to remove her from power.
On May 19, 1536, Anne Boleyn was executed by sword within the Tower of London. Elizabeth, too young to understand the details, was suddenly declared illegitimate. She lost not only her mother but also her status, title, and security. Her nursery was stripped of attendants, and she was branded “the Lady Elizabeth” instead of “Princess.”
May 1536 – Anne Boleyn Execution
Henry VIII, disappointed by Anne’s failure to produce a surviving male heir and captivated by Jane Seymour, turned against her. In May 1536, Anne was arrested and accused of adultery, treason, and even incest with her own brother—charges most historians believe were fabricated to remove her from power.
On May 19, 1536, Anne Boleyn was executed by sword within the Tower of London. Elizabeth, too young to understand the details, was suddenly declared illegitimate. She lost not only her mother but also her status, title, and security. Her nursery was stripped of attendants, and she was branded “the Lady Elizabeth” instead of “Princess.”
Henry VIII showed little interest in his daughter after Anne’s death. By all accounts, he rarely saw Elizabeth during her childhood. To Elizabeth, this abandonment was a second trauma: she was not only the daughter of an executed queen but also the child of a father who had turned cold and distant.
This event haunted Elizabeth’s entire life. She grew up aware of her mother’s fate, and her own precarious position. Later, when Elizabeth became queen, she avoided speaking of Anne publicly but honored her privately, keeping a portrait of her mother in her personal collection. The shadow of the axe at the Tower remained with her always.
Kat Ashley – 1537
After the death of Anne Boleyn and Elizabeth’s loss of status, the young princess might easily have grown up overlooked or poorly educated. Instead, she was blessed with a devoted guardian and teacher: Katherine “Kat” Champernowne Ashley, who became Elizabeth’s governess around 1537.
Kat Ashley was more than a caretaker—she was mentor, confidante, and surrogate mother. She recognized Elizabeth’s extraordinary intelligence early and ensured she received a rigorous education, one far exceeding what was typical for women of the time. Under Kat’s guidance, Elizabeth mastered Latin, Greek, French, Italian, and later some Spanish. She also became skilled in rhetoric, music, and theology.
Kat nurtured not just Elizabeth’s mind but her sense of resilience. In the unstable world of Henry VIII’s court—where queens came and went, and children were declared legitimate or illegitimate by the king’s whim—Kat gave Elizabeth stability, loyalty, and affection.
Early Trauma
Elizabeth’s early life was shaped by trauma, beginning with the execution of her mother, an event that left her motherless and instilled a lifelong awareness of the fragility of favor at court. Henry VIII’s volatile temperament, sudden displays of anger, and repeated marital changes further contributed to an unstable environment, forcing Elizabeth to navigate a world where alliances shifted quickly and survival often depended on careful observation and discretion.
Scholars of trauma emphasize the enduring effects of such experiences. Judith Herman (Trauma and Recovery, 1992) argues that early exposure to loss, betrayal, and fear can profoundly shape emotional and social development, while Bessel van der Kolk (The Body Keeps the Score, 2014) highlights how trauma can be embedded in both mind and body, influencing behavior, perception, and interpersonal relationships. Elizabeth’s childhood reflects both these aspects: she developed acute vigilance, emotional restraint, and a strategic awareness of her surroundings.
Elizabeth’s education and support network helped mitigate some of the psychological impact. Her governess Kat Ashley provided guidance and emotional nurturing, fostering both Elizabeth’s intellect and moral grounding. Tutors like Roger Ascham emphasized rigorous education, allowing her to cultivate a sense of personal competence and confidence even amidst political instability.