Anna of Kleve, the Princess in the Portrait Audiobook By Alison Weir cover art

Anna of Kleve, the Princess in the Portrait

Preview
Try for $0.00
Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Anna of Kleve, the Princess in the Portrait

By: Alison Weir
Narrated by: Rosalyn Landor
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $25.79

Buy for $25.79

Confirm purchase
Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use, License, and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.
Cancel

About this listen

The surprising and dramatic life of the least known of King Henry VIII's wives is illuminated in the fourth volume in the Six Tudor Queens series - for fans of Philippa Gregory, Hilary Mantel, and The Crown.

Newly widowed and the father of an infant son, Henry VIII realizes he must marry again to ensure the royal succession. Forty-six, overweight, and suffering from gout, Henry is soundly rejected by some of Europe's most eligible princesses. Anna of Kleve, from a small German duchy, is 24 and has a secret she is desperate to keep hidden. Henry requests her portrait from his court painter, who portrays her from the most flattering perspective. Henry is entranced by the lovely image, only to be bitterly surprised when Anna arrives in England and he sees her in the flesh. Some think her attractive, but Henry knows he can never love her. What follows is the fascinating story of an awkward royal union that had somehow to be terminated.

Even as Henry begins to warm to his new wife and share her bed, his attention is captivated by one of her maids of honor. Will he accuse Anna of adultery as he did Queen Anne Boleyn and send her to the scaffold? Or will he divorce her and send her home in disgrace?

Alison Weir takes a fresh and astonishing look at this remarkable royal marriage by describing it from the point of view of Queen Anna, a young woman with hopes and dreams of her own, alone and fearing for her life in a royal court that rejected her almost from the day she set foot on England's shore.

©2019 Alison Weir (P)2019 Recorded Books
Biographical Fiction Genre Fiction Sagas Tudor Fiction
adbl_web_global_use_to_activate_T1_webcro805_stickypopup

Featured Article: The top 100 series of all time


The feeling of discovering that your favorite new listen is actually the start of a series is euphoric. That you can immediately hit play and re-enter a beloved new world, or love story, or era from history is a gift to the devoted listener. But how to pick just 100 of these unique and immersive listening journeys? We defined a series as having a minimum of three books, and—after some debate—we decided the titles had to be anchored in fiction. From YA to horror to historical fiction, from fresh voices to seminal tales, hours of discovery await.

Compelling Historical Fiction • Well-researched Details • Masterful Voice Acting • Engaging Love Story • Fresh Perspective
Highly rated for:
All stars
Most relevant  
I actually thought I wouldn't much like this book because some of the story is entirely fictional. There's no evidence that Anna of Cleves had children before her marriage to Henry VIII, That being said, it was a very interesting story. I knew almost nothing on Anna so I learned a lot. Definitely recommend it.

Much Better Read and Expected

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

I'm thoroughly enjoying Alison's series on the Tudor queens. I confess I disliked some of the fictionalized storylines about Anna being compromised so young...I can honestly far easier believe Henry being spiteful and petulant as to concoct excuses about why he did not consummate his marriage than believe that story. However, I truly enjoyed getting to know Anna a little more. As always, Rosalyn is an incredible narrator. Highly recommended!

ANOTHER GREAT BOOK

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

Interesting take on the most unknown Queen of Henry VIII. I sincerely enjoyed the fictionalized portions of the book....the Otto love story. I actually cried at the end having felt such despair for her and Otto. Rosalyn Landor did one of her BEST narrations. She is amazing. I highly recommend this book for lovers of history ...since most of it is based on actual historical events and for those who just like a good romance. I thought it was terrific.

Wonderful story

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

This author gave so much personality to Anna of Kleves. she's such a little known wife in contrast to the other dramatic wives, it was nice to pretend like she was this kind and steadfast. My only criticism remains that all the make characters sound just alike, played by the same woman. But, worth it!

A must for any Tudor fan

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

I love these books. The narration makes one feel you are in the room where it is happeneing

Tudor Queens

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

Love history stories read this way! Wonderfully written by Alison Weir and having Rosalyn Landor bring this story to life with her soothing voice and animating each character breathlessly.

Wonderfully read by Rosalyn Landor ❤️

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

Anna of Kleeve's has a history that you would not expect. I really like this fictional version of her story.

Great Storyline

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

In my opinion, Weir is the best novelist when it comes to the Tudor period. There was so much I didn't know about Anna of Kleve, but Weir brought her to live. Infamous for Henry's distaste for her looks and his words 'I like her not,' Anna was a beautiful soul with a rich past and a wonderful personality. She because good friends with the King after her marriage was annulled and they were also said to be lovers.

I have enjoyed all of Weirs Tudor books, and this one is no exception. Absolutely excellent in every way.

-Wendi

Absolutely Amazing

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

This is just good fun, with a smattering of history and a lot of fun drama that fills in the blanks. There's not a lot of known facts about Anna's early life, nor her private moments with the king, so there has to be invention and speculation on the author's part. But the author's note at the end gives the reader an idea of what is likely to be more factual.

Were it not for being a story of a real person, and based on history, I don't think this would hold up as a good read. But given that Anna of Kleve was one of Henry VIII's wives, it is interesting and entertaining, as well.

Rosalyn Landor is, in my opinion, the best female Audible reader. She is the only female reader who can do a satisfactory man's voice, and she has an amazing talent for making all the voices, male and female, distinctive and different. I wish she could read more of Audible's books. A very talented reader, and I greatly appreciate what she adds to everything she reads.

Rosalyn Landor makes it worthwhile!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

For those who have read her works, no rating will be necessary.... she is absolutely superb; I can barely imagine the amount of research required for a fact-based fiction novel.
I have been reading Ms Weir’s work for so long that her visual images have become my mental pictures of events portrayed in her novels (Except for the high infant mortality rates, no vaccines or antibiotics, no one ever bathing, no deodorants, no indoor plumbing, and clothing that couldn’t be cleaned- velvet was just brushed off and reworn, ad infinitum)
If you are wondering, I strongly suggest you read the stories in order, perhaps starting with her book about Henry VIII himself.
I promise: you WILL become an addict, like so many of us!

Alison Weir at her best... A must read/listen

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

See more reviews