Stuart Sisters: Queen Mary II and Queen Anne (episode 59)

Born in 1662 and 1665, Stuart Princesses Mary and Anne came into a turbulent world—especially turbulent for the royal family. Their grandfather, King Charles I, had been executed by Parliament in 1649. Their uncle, Charles II, had been invited to come back to England and restore the monarchy in 1660. Then there was the Great Plague of 1665 and the Great Fire of 1666. In 1671, when Mary was 9 and Anne was 6, their mother died. Over the years, the two girls had seen several baby siblings die as well. Their life may have been royal, but it had not been particularly carefree.

Worried about long-term Catholic rule, leading nobles invited William of Orange to pursue Mary’s claim to the throne. Mary became popular, and people looked to her as the “mother” of the nation. Naturally, people hoped she would quickly produce heirs to provide for the succession. But for the time being, the heir was Mary’s sister, Anne.  

Mary’s role in ruling the country changed in 1690 when William decided to lead the army against James’s attempt to retake his throne. Parliament passed the Regency Act in 1690 to clarify Mary’s right to exercise regal power. Mary’s administration was one of challenge, with war, naval mismanagement, plots against the King and Queen, and religious tensions. Mary’s style of rule was to seek William’s guidance, writing him regularly and seeking his advice and counsel. She attended council meetings. Initially, she spent most of the time listening, but as time went on she gained confidence and a voice. 

The sisters' relationship fractured as Anne relied more on her friend Sarah Churchill and ignored the wishes of the King and Queen. The quarrels between the sisters escalated, and Anne left court. The two sisters never saw each other again.

Anne became Queen after William's death in 1702.  Anne made much of her English background to distance herself from William and the specter of the French-supported Jacobites. She declared “I know my heart to be entirely English.” She also promised, “I can very sincerely assure you there is not anything you can expect or desire from me, which I shall not be ready to do for the happiness and prosperity of England.” This was exactly what the English people wanted to hear.

One of the most significant outcomes of Anne’s reign were the Acts of Union. Although England and Scotland had been ruled by the same monarch since the death of Elizabeth I in 1603, the two countries were not united into a single kingdom. From her first speech to Parliament, Anne took a firm stand on union, declaring it to be “very necessary.” The articles passed the Parliaments of both countries in early 1707, uniting England and Scotland into Great Britain with one Parliament. Anne attended a thanksgiving service in St. Paul’s Cathedral. Sir John Clerk wrote, “Nobody on this occasion appeared more sincerely devout and thankful than the Queen herself.”

In August of 1714, after suffering two violent strokes, Queen Anne died. With Anne’s death, the turbulent Stuart dynasty came to an end.

History shows us what's possible.