Anne Boleyn’s Last 18 Days – Inevitability, Power and the Machinery of 1536
Anne Boleyn’s Last 18 Days
Inevitability, Power and the Machinery of 1536
A 5-Day Live Anniversary Intensive
plus bonus Q&A zoom
Commemorating the 490th Anniversary of Anne Boleyn's Execution
Opening Context Session: 15 May
Main Event Dates: 16-19 May 2026
End of Event Q&A: 20 May
Early Bird Price standard ticket: $89 (approximately £65.20, AUD 125.80, €75.00) if you register before 27 February 2026. Full price after that $109.
or
Early Bird Bundle Upgrade ticket: $119 (approximately £87.20, AUD 168.30, €100.20) if you register before 27 February 2026. Full price after that $139.
REGISTER NOW
In May 1536, Anne Boleyn was arrested, tried and executed in just eighteen days.
In May 2026, we mark the 490th anniversary of her death.
But anniversaries invite more than remembrance.
They invite re-examination.
Were those eighteen days the beginning of Anne Boleyn's fall, or simply the final stage of a decision already made?
This anniversary intensive examines Anne's final weeks not through romantic narrative or modern myth, but through the structures of royal power, law and political necessity that shaped May 1536.
This is not a broad overview of Anne Boleyn's life. It is a focused, primary-source grounded deep dive into the dramatic events of 1536.
The Structure
Core Intensive
Each day includes:
- A structured pre-recorded lecture
- A live Zoom Q&A session (45–60 minutes)
- Downloadable transcripts and reference sheets
15 May – Opening Context Session - Before the Fall: The Pressure of Early 1536
We begin not in May, but in January.
- Catherine of Aragon's death, Anne's miscarriage and the political consequences
- Henry's dynastic fears
- Cromwell's shifting position
- The emergence of the Seymours
- Foreign policy pressures
- Was Anne already politically isolated?
Talk, plus Welcome Live Zoom to prepare us for the events that follow.
16 May – The Arrest (2 May 1536)
Shock — or formality?
- The May Day joust, Smeaton and Norris
- Anne's arrest and confrontation with council members
- Who knew what, and when
- Henry's behaviour
- Immediate political implications
- Was the outcome already determined?
Live Q&A zoom on the context of 1536.
17 May – Constructing Treason
The Legal Machinery at Work
- The indictments
- The men arrested
- The role of juries
- George Boleyn
- The Jane Boleyn myth
- Investigation — or orchestration?
Live Q&A on Anne Boleyn's arrest.
18 May – Inside the Tower
Behaviour, Hope and Reality
- Kingston's reports
- The trials
- The annulment
- The French swordsman
- The men's executions
- Did Anne believe she might be spared?
Live Q&A on the legal machinery.
19 May – Execution and Aftermath
Those bloody days...
- Anne's scaffold speech and execution
- Henry VIII's movements
- Jane Seymour
- Aftermath in England and Europe
Reflective zoom - On the anniversary itself, we gather for:
- Primary source readings
- Reflection
- Open discussion
- Closing the anniversary thoughtfully together
20 May – Live Only
Closing Q&A on the imprisonment and executions of Anne Boleyn and the five men, and any other 1536-themed questions.
Why Mark the 490th Anniversary of Anne Boleyn's Execution?
Anniversaries matter. They allow us to pause, and to look again.
Nearly five centuries after her tragic end, Anne Boleyn remains one of the most discussed and mythologised figures of Tudor history. And although it may seem sentimental to mark her death, it's actually a chance to revisit those dark days and to examine how power functioned in 1536, and ask whether Anne ever truly stood a realistic chance once the machinery of removal began to move.
This intensive offers the opportunity to mark the anniversary in depth, with evidence, structure and serious discussion.
What Your Standard Ticket Includes
- 5 structured lectures
- 6 live Zoom sessions
- Downloadable transcripts
- 1536 timeline PDF
- Recommended reading list
- Private Facebook group
Bundle Upgrade - The Anne Boleyn Anniversary Collection - The Complete Immersion Experience
For those who would like to explore not only Anne's final eighteen days but the broader arc of her queenship and legacy, an optional Anniversary Collection upgrade is available.
This includes:
- Everything in the live intensive
- Replay access to the Anne Boleyn: The Woman Who Changed England - 10 unique talks from 8 top Tudor historians (value: $50)
- Audio edition of The Fall of Anne Boleyn: A Countdown book by Claire Ridgway (value: $16.55)
- 21-page PDF booklet of resources including 1536 primary source links and extracts, and a broader, further reading list
This collection allows you to situate May 1536 within the full scope of Anne's life, influence and historical significance.
And the upgrade is only $30 more. Simply choose the Anne Boleyn Bundle Upgrade from the drop-down in the checkout section below.
If you want the complete experience, the Anniversary Collection offers the most comprehensive way to immerse yourself in Anne's story this anniversary.
Places are limited to maintain meaningful live discussion and interaction.
Who This Intensive Is For
This is for you if:
- You want depth rather than just drama
- You are interested in Tudor political and legal structures
- You want to engage seriously with primary sources
- You want to mark the anniversary thoughtfully with an Anne Boleyn historian and others fascinated by this queen
- You are ready to ask whether Anne ever had a realistic chance
Anne Boleyn's story is often told as tragedy, but tragedy implies chance. In this event, we ask "Was her fall tragic, or inevitable?"
About Your Host
I'm Claire Ridgway, historian, author and Fellow of the Royal Historical Society.
I have been researching Anne Boleyn since 2009 and have written extensively on her life, fall and legacy, including The Fall of Anne Boleyn: A Countdown, The Boleyns of Hever Castle (with Dr Owen Emmerson), and George Boleyn: Tudor Poet, Courtier and Diplomat with Clare Cherry.
Through my books, online events and YouTube channel, I specialise in examining Tudor history through primary sources and structured analysis, challenging myth while remaining grounded in evidence.
Anne Boleyn's story has shaped much of my work, and May 1536 remains one of the most legally and politically fascinating moments of the Tudor period.
This intensive brings together years of research, close reading of sources, and reflection on how Tudor monarchy truly functioned.
Reserve Your Place Now
Step into the darker side of Tudor England, and discover the truth behind the legends.
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BUNDLE UPGRADE (adds replay + audiobook + PDFs): $139.00 (approximately £101.80, AUD 196.50, €117.10)
Another fabulous event! It's been such a pleasure. Can't wait for the next one!
