The Strange Relationship Between Queen Anne and Sarah Churchill

The platonic infatuation of Queen Anne for her closest confidante Sarah Churchill was of great political significance during their particularly deep friendship.
In 1673 Sarah Jenyns (or Jennings) (1660-1744) was appointed maid of honour to the new Duchess of York, Mary of Modena. Sarah had a charming personality and figure and exhibited a precociousness that made her popular at court. What she lacked in beauty she made up for in self-confidence. Soon after arriving at court, Sarah was introduced to Anne (1665-1714), the Duke of York's youngest daughter.
Anne was a heavy-set and plain looking girl 5 years younger. She was quiet and meek and did not display the same self-assurance of her new acquaintance. Anne was drawn to Sarah's vitality, lack of timidity and forthrightness. The girlish admiration would change and develop, as she entered adolescence, into a very strong attachment for the older girl.
The young women's friendship ripened through the years. And if at times, it seemed unbalanced it suited the two women; Anne always showing deference to the older and more out-going and out-spoken Sarah.
In 1677 Sarah married John Churchill (1650-1722) and in 1683 Anne married Prince George of Denmark (1653-1708). The marriages did not interfere with their growing affection for one another and upon setting up her own household, Anne made Sarah a lady of the bedchamber and two years later promoted her to Groom of the Stole. From the beginning Anne's affection for Sarah would have significant repercussions in matters of state. Many at court recognized the flourishing friendship and promoted its cultivation as the simplest way to keep Anne, as potential heir to the throne, from converting to the Catholic faith of her father, James II (r. 1685-1688).
Anne in her emotional insecurity clung to her friends and especially to Sarah Churchill. Through the years, the platonic but romantic love of Anne for Sarah grew. The older woman cared for the princess but the amorous aspect was not reciprocated. At times, Sarah would be exasperated by Anne's insecurity but never denied her friend the necessary direction and support.
In 1691 Anne insisted that there should be no preponderance of rank between herself and Sarah. Anne wrote: "...let me beg of you not to call me your highness at every word, but to be free with me as one friend ought to be with another; and you can never give me any greater proof of your friendship than in telling me your mind freely in all things, which I do beg you to do...". Anne suggested assumed names that would not distinguish either woman. Thus Anne became 'Mrs. Morley' and Sarah 'Mrs. Freeman', showing there was no distinction in rank between the two women.
In 1702 Anne ascended the throne. She did not forget her great friend. Sarah and her husband, soon to be the 1st Duke of Marlborough for his victories in the Netherlands, were honoured with influential positions at court. Sarah was made Mistress of Robes, Groom of the Stole, Keeper of the Privy Purse, and Ranger of Windsor Park. Despite these changes, letters continued to be exchanged between Mrs. Morley and Mrs. Freeman.
The always very forthright and at times brusque Sarah continued to exert her influence over Anne. Many of the Queen's political decisions and favour were established as a result of Sarah's determination and pressure. Sarah, ever forward and sure of her status as favourite, continued to nag and cajole the Queen in both personal and governmental matters.
Within a few years of taking the throne Anne began to tire of the constant bullying and the seemingly ungratefulness of her favourite. The Queen also began to resent the long amounts of time Sarah was spending away from the court to oversee the various building projects at the Marlborough ducal estate in Oxfordshire as well as that of Marlborough House in London.
The coolness between the two women grew causing a great rift in their relationship. In 1707 Sarah was infuriated to discover that Anne's affections had transferred to another, Abigail Hill, a mere chamberwoman who had ingratiated herself to the Queen.
The beginning of the denouement would come to pass in a most public and scandalous manner in 1708. Queen Anne, despite her husband's being on his deathbed, was obliged to preside at a procession honouring the Duke of Marlborough. Sarah reveled in the glory and honour accorded her husband but happened to notice that Anne was not wearing the jewels that as Mistress of Robes Sarah had laid out. Taking this as a personal affront Sarah confronted the Queen. The public argument escalated and voices were raised for all to hear. Afterwards, privately and with no concern for the Queen's grief for her dying husband, Sarah again angrily voiced her petty grievances to the Queen. Anne's response was cold and aloof and refusing to hear any more suggested that Sarah direct all further complaints via letter.
Finally in 1710, Anne had enough and stripped Sarah, Duchess of Marlborough of all her positions at court and asked for the return of her symbols of office and her letters (the latter, Sarah refused). They never spoke or wrote one another again. It seems that Mrs. Morley's wish for no distinction had its limits and would not withstand the continued imposition of the domineering Mrs. Freeman.
Anne died in 1714 and eventually Sarah would publish a book publicizing her relationship with the Queen portraying herself as a victim of royal whim.