Mistresses of Some of England's Kings Quiz

Answer: William de Windsor

William Wycliffe was the father of John Wycliffe, the Lollard leader and translator of the Bible into English.
William of Wykeham was Bishop of Winchester late in the reign of Edward I.
Wynkyn de Worde was a printer and publisher who worked with William Caxton.

Answer: Nest

Angharad was Nest's daughter by her husband Gerald of Windsor.
Gwladys Verch Rhiwallon was Nest's mother, married to Rhys ap Tewdr Mawr, Nest's father.
Olwen is the heroine of the Welsh legend "Culhwch and Olwen".

Answer: Elizabeth Blount

Anne Boleyn was Henry's second wife. Her sister, Mary Boleyn, had previously been Henry's mistress. Catherine Carey was Mary's daughter by her husband, William Carey, although some people have speculated that Catherine may have been Henry's daughter.

Answer: Elizabeth Wydville

Elizabeth Shore, Elizabeth Wayte and Elizabeth Lucy were all acknowledged mistresses of Edward IV, and the latter two are thought to have borne him children. Elizabeth Wydville (or Woodville), whom he married on 1st May 1464 is usually considered to be his Queen.

However, after Edward's death, Bishop Stillington revealed that Edward had not been free to marry her as Bishop Stillington had previously married Edward to Lady Eleanor Butler. The marriage between Edward and Elizabeth was therefore void and the children illegitimate.

Answer: Princess Alys of France

Richard I didn't marry Alys but eventually married Berengaria of Navarre. They had no children. Isabella of Angouleme was the second wife of Henry's son John (Lackland), and Constance was the wife of Henry's son, Geoffrey.

Answer: He asked her to marry him before he became king but was refused

Hortense Mancini was a noble-born Italian, the niece of Cardinal Mazarin. In 1659, the future Charles II asked to marry her but Cardinal Mazarin refused. A year later Charles II was restored to his throne and Cardinal Mazarin was kicking himself! He tried to interest Charles again but the newly restored Charles wanted a political alliance and married Catherine. Braganza was in Portugal and Portugal and England have historically been allies.

Answer: His brother married a commoner

George was probably miffed that his bother Henry Duke of Cumberland had married Mrs Anne Horton in 1771 without his consent, despite this not being legally necessary then.

The Act said that no member of the royal family (strictly speaking descendants of George II, except the progeny of princesses who married abroad) could marry without the monarch's consent.

George believed that royalty should marry royalty but had had an affair in his youth with Hannah Lightfoot, a Quaker, who some people believe he married, although this is now discounted. He eventually married Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz and they were devoted to each other.

Answer: Lady Diana Cooper

Lady Diana Cooper, née Manners, daughter of the Duke of Rutland, had hopes of marrying the Prince of Wales (later Edward VIII) but eventually married Duff Cooper, a British diplomat, who was a descendant of William and Dorothea.
Adam Hart-Davis is a well-known broadcaster on British TV.
David Cameron succeeded Michael Howard as leader of the Conservative Party in 2005.
John Julius Norwich (2nd Viscount Norwich) is an author and the son of Lady Diana and Duff Cooper.

Answer: Nell Gwyn

Nell was actually popular with the London crowds, having previously been an orange girl and then an actress in the London theatres.
Louise de Kerouaille was the "Catholic whore" because she was French.
Barbara Villiers and Lucy Waters were both English and Protestant.

Answer: Mrs Alice Keppel

Lillie Langtry (the 'Jersey Lily') was painted by John Everett Millais and the portrait quickly became the pin-up of Late Victorian England. Bertie just couldn't resist!

Sarah Bernhardt was a famous actress. Jennie Jerome married Randolph Churchill and was the mother of Winston.