A rare, intricately carved wooden chair, potentially used by Anne Boleyn during her time in the French courts between 1510 and 1520, has been acquired and is now on display at Hever Castle. The chair was purchased by antiques dealer Paul Fitzsimmons from an online American auction in 2022, and its carvings—featuring dolphins, a Tudor rose, and the initials "AB" intertwined with a cordelière emblem of Queen Claude—suggest a strong link to the Tudor queen's early life.
This discovery matters because it shifts focus from the enduring speculation about Anne Boleyn's physical appearance to her formative years and the sophisticated courtly environment that shaped her. The chair serves as a tangible artifact from a poorly documented period of her life, offering historians new material evidence of her presence in the French Renaissance court and her connection to significant political events, such as the 1518 Treaty of Eternal Peace. Its exhibition contributes to a broader reassessment of Boleyn's legacy, emphasizing her intellect and charisma over her beauty.