The Boleyn Prince

July 1536

Anne's churching ceremony took place one month after Prince Henry's birth.
As custom demanded she be accompanied by two married women, she reluctantly allowed George's waspish wife, Jane to be her second companion alongside her closest attendant and confident Lady Margaret Lee.
Older than Anne by five years, Margaret had grown up alongside Anne in Kent at Hever's neighbouring estate of Allington Castle, where the two had become firm friends. But whilst Anne's adolescence had led her to the Royal Courts of Burgundy and France, Margaret had remained in England where she secured a position in the Household of Queen Katharine.
Upon Anne's return to also serve the Spanish Queen, it was Margaret's friendship that she had called upon to provide her introductions to the favourites in the Queen's service rather than her sister Mary. It was Margaret who provided the snippets of useful information that allowed Anne to ingratiate herself easily amongst the more noble girls in the Queen's household and Margaret with whom she chose to dance when performing for the Queen.
As the King's intentions toward Anne had become more serious, it was Margaret who was the first to transfer her services from Queen Katharine to Anne, acting as her unofficial Lady in Waiting. Her loyalty had been rewarded. Margaret had carried Anne's train when she was ennobled Marchioness of Pembroke, Accompanied her as her chief attendant on the royal visit to France and had stood by Anne's side when she had married the King in secret.
Margaret was as dear as a sister to her, if not dearer. She had demonstrated a steadfast loyalty to Anne over the years that had not been forthcoming in Mary.

Anne made her offering to the blessed mother for her safe delivery and knelt at the foot of Thomas Crammer, the Archbishop of Canterbury who sprinkled her with Holy Water, who in turn, also gave thanks to God for sending the Queen a healthy son.

To mark her return to public life, the King threw a magnificent banquet in the great chamber in Anne's honour.
Clad in an elaborate cloth of gold and purple satin, the jewels of the Queens of England once again adorning her body, Anne revelled in her position seated next to the king as every courtier took pains to raise their glasses and flatter her. Once again, she was the centre of the court. Toasts were raised to her; songs were performed in her honour, courtiers tripped over themselves to pay homage to her. It was reminiscent of her time when she was on the rise, before her marriage.
Reverence for her had cooled after Elizabeth's birth, and with each lost pregnancy, emboldened enemies had emerged from the shadows.
That is all a thing of the past now she thought to herself proudly. She had missed their attention and delighted in their deference to her. Now she would bask in the spotlight of power for the rest of her life. Her enemies would retreat to the shadows, slinking away like wounded cats.

Although the King was still incapacitated by his jousting injury, he insisted Anne partake in the dancing after the feast.

"I thought you were going to get rid of that Seymour girl?" George murmured in her ear as they danced the Galliard before a still lame Henry, who sat watching from his Dais.

"I am," she confirmed, determine not to look at the pale-faced girl who sat at the end of the table, ostracised from courtiers who until recently had been warm and deferential to her. In a quieter voice, she added. "She will be gone before we leave Hampton Court."

At once, George knew what she meant. Even in the days of her greatest triumph, Anne was still point-scoring.

"What are you laughing at?"

"You!" He explained affectionately. "You won't let her go until she has witnessed your triumph."

"My triumph was witnessed when the Herald proclaimed the birth of my son,"

"Ah yes. But you don't just want her to witness it. You want to rub her face in it."

She would have retorted, but the dance came to a close. George could be extremely blunt when the fancy took him. Whilst it was an asset when dealing with their enemies, when it came to describing her own behaviour, it infuriated Anne. She knew her faults but she did not like others to know of them too.