Capturing A Queen: The Image of Anne Boleyn

What did Anne Boleyn really look like - and why does it still matter? 

Capturing a Queen: The Image of Anne Boleyn dives into one of the most compelling and controversial questions in Tudor history. Drawing on original research by Dr Owen Emmerson and groundbreaking scientific analysis of Hever Castle's most famous portrait of Anne, this book reveals striking new insights into an image that has fascinated scholars, and the public, for centuries. 

From the few surviving contemporary representations of Anne Boleyn, to the flood of posthumous portraits, medals, miniatures, and modern imaginative recreations, Emmerson and Kate McCaffrey chart how Anne's image was constructed, contested, and continually reshaped. 

More than just a search for a face, this book explores why Anne Boleyn's image still captivates us today. Published to accompany the 2026 exhibition Capturing a Queen: The Image of Anne Boleyn, it offers a bold and revealing new way of seeing one of England's most enigmatic queens.