On May 19, 2021, "Anne Boleyn" was a trending topic on Twitter. It was the anniversary of her execution and a brand new Channel 5 drama of the same name had also released a selection of new images from the series.
Scrolling through the timeline, it was clear that the short-lived royal was being remembered with sympathy. Well, she was murdered by her husband.
Time, distance and a modern understanding can change the way we view things. It's something we have seen happen with a lot of historical figures; those once celebrated are quite rightly tarnished by links to bigotry and racism, and the former outcasts instead become trailblazers, years ahead of their time.
It is this that makes Anne Boleyn – currently airing in three parts on Channel 5 – so special, placing the former Queen front and centre of her own story, and imagining what life would have been like for her in Tudor England. Through a contemporary lens, the trauma of miscarriage and the isolation of having an uncaring, cheating husband hits differently.
King Henry VIII's second wife has traditionally been depicted as a temptress, a calculating and attractive woman who lured a powerful man away from his first wife, taking her place in his bed and ultimately as Queen. As far as many were concerned, she was to blame for England's departure with Rome, and all that came with it.
There had even been whispers of witchcraft, helped along by a rumour that she had a sixth finger upon her right hand.
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History is written by people, mainly white men, and so bias (whether conscious or otherwise) is inevitable. As Mark Stanley, who plays the infamous king in the new drama, explained to us: it was the reason that he shunned the history books while researching the role, as even information on Henry himself is conflicting at best, propaganda at worst.
Consider that Anne Boleyn was a woman (and one said to be strong-willed and politically minded) and it stands to reason that the earlier history books would not have been kind.
Anne Boleyn is an attempt to rectify that. In terms of the storytelling, the path of the drama is well-trodden. As you'd expect of a true story period piece, all the main players are there – from Cromwell to Jane Seymour – and the mechanics of this small snippet of history tick along as taught.
But by using Anne to narrate, and placing Henry as secondary, we're encouraged to look at things from a different perspective. Channel 5's series paints the picture of a strong and determined woman, but one who is using every breath to fight for her own survival and the safety of her daughter.
Her position is precarious, and she knows that her husband's wandering eye (coupled with her inability to give him a son) could be her demise, while the men who whisper in his ear have it in for her too.
Yes, she may have been the most powerful woman in England – but she was still a woman living in a man's world. Following Anne and her female courtiers, the show explores the often suffocating and painfully unjust effects of the patriarchy. And that's something still hella relatable to a contemporary audience, even if the backdrop and many of the issues differ.
While this female-led storytelling is fresh and intuitive, Anne Boleyn's real strength is in its cast. Jodie Turner-Smith (Queen & Slim) is captivating as the titular lead, evoking the regality you'd expect from this role while still keeping an approachability and vulnerability that allowed for a build-up of empathy with the audience.
Mark Stanley (Game of Thrones) brings nuance to King Henry VIII, acknowledging the former monarch's clear dominance – if not from cunning, then from pure boorishness – while still dialling down to suit the narrative. Paapa Essiedu (I May Destroy You) should also be noted as a standout, embodying Anne's brother George Boleyn who too became a pawn in a very one-sided game of chess.
Whether you buy into this modern reframing or not, Anne Boleyn stands up as a haunting thriller. But this humble writer will continue to blow the trumpet for Queen Anne, feminist icon.
Anne Boleyn airs on Channel 5 across three nights, starting on June 1 at 9pm and concluding on June 3.
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TV Editor, Digital Spy Laura has been watching television for over 30 years and professionally writing about entertainment for almost 10 of those. Previously at LOOK and now heading up the TV desk at the UK's biggest TV and movies site Digital Spy, Laura has helped steer conversations around some of the most popular shows on the box. Laura has appeared on Channel 5 News and radio to talk viewing habits and TV recommendations. As well as putting her nerd-level Buffy knowledge to good use during an IRL meet with Sarah Michelle Gellar, Laura also once had afternoon tea with One Direction, has sat around the fire pit of the Love Island villa, spoken to Sir David Attenborough about the world's oceans and even interviewed Rylan from inside the Big Brother house (housemate status, forever pending).
