Eleanor Talbot became a star shortly before the infamous Richard III became king. She wasn’t even alive. However, when she was alive, she had met Edward IV (eldest brother of Richard), and supposedly married him in secret.

Soon enough Edward went his way and married Elizabeth Woodville three year later. When Edward died in 1483, the crown naturally went to his twelve-year-old  son, who became Edward V—but only for a short time while it was discovered that the late king had been married to Eleanor while also married to Elizabeth. Supporters of Richard concluded that the marriage between Edward IV and Elizabeth Woodville had been bigamous thus making their children illegitimate and out of the succession.  Richard soon became king with much controversy that hasn’t gone away.

I’m in the process of rereading John Ashtown-Hill’s Eleanor The Secret Queen: The Woman Who Put Richard III on the Throne while reading Chris Skidmore’s Richard III: Brother, Protector, King, and it is quite the experience reading opposing views! These books are making me think very hard about Eleanor’s character. I have many ideas about Richard III but haven’t formed any clear picture of Eleanor yet. 

There are those who believe that Eleanor gave birth to a child that Edward IV had fathered. If this shaky claim is true, the baby either died young or was quickly taken out  of sight. If she had had a child, then that child and his or her posterity would have kept Eleanor’s memory alive and stood up for her.  When women don’t have living and direct descendants they tend to disappear more than the men who don’t have any heirs. It’s sad but true.

I believe that there are many people who, like Eleanor, want to be found. They want to show up in our history books with their stories truthfully told.