Anne Spencer, Countess of Sunderland (''née'' Digby; c. 164626 April 1715) was the wife of

Robert Spencer, 2nd Earl of Sunderland Robert Spencer, 2nd Earl of Sunderland, (5 September 164128 September 1702) was an English nobleman and politician of the Spencer family. An able and gifted statesman, his caustic temper and belief in absolute monarchy nevertheless made him nu ...

and the daughter of

George Digby, 2nd Earl of Bristol George Digby, 2nd Earl of Bristol, (bapt. 5 November 161220 March 1677) was an English politician who as Lord Digby (a courtesy title) sat in the House of Commons from 1640 until 1641, when he was raised to the House of Lords by a writ of ac ...

and Lady Anne Russell. Anne married Sunderland on 10 June 1665. The groom had previously broken off their long-standing engagement; according to Samuel Pepys he told his friends ''that he had reason enough'' and was ''resolved never to have her''. He soon had second thoughts and their mothers worked together to produce a reconciliation which resulted in an entirely successful marriage. She was a lady-in-waiting to Mary of Modena during the reign of James II, and was present at the birth of the

Prince of Wales Prince of Wales ( cy, Tywysog Cymru, ; la, Princeps Cambriae/Walliae) is a title traditionally given to the heir apparent to the English and later British throne. Prior to the conquest by Edward I in the 13th century, it was used by the rulers ...

, signalling to the king that his new child was a boy. She became a close friend of Sarah Churchill, later Duchess of Marlborough, and was disliked by Queen Anne, who was jealous of their friendship. Some have alleged that she had an affair with

Henry Sydney, 1st Earl of Romney Henry Sidney, 1st Earl of Romney (also spelt Sydney; March 1641 – 8 April 1704) was an English Whig politician, soldier and administrator. He is now best remembered as one of the Immortal Seven who drafted the Invitation to William of Oran ...

, her husband's uncle, but this is considered unlikely owing to her husband's obvious approval of their friendship.

John Evelyn John Evelyn (31 October 162027 February 1706) was an English writer, landowner, gardener, courtier and minor government official, who is now best known as a diarist. He was a founding Fellow of the Royal Society. John Evelyn's diary, or ...

indeed spoke well of her, and she seems to have been a woman of good character. Her devotion to her husband was never seriously questioned; his biographer considered that it was principally his happy marriage which sustained Sunderland through a long and unhappy life.Kenyon p. 328 She had at least five children by Sunderland, only one of whom outlived her: *Lord Robert Spencer (1666–1688) *Lady Anne Spencer (1667–1690), married

James Hamilton, 4th Duke of Hamilton Lieutenant General James Hamilton, 4th Duke of Hamilton and 1st Duke of Brandon (11 April 1658 – 15 November 1712) was a Scottish nobleman, soldier and politician. Hamilton was a major investor in the failed Darien Scheme, which cost many o ...

in 1687 *Lady Isabella (1668–1684) *Lady Elizabeth Spencer (1671–1704), married

Donough MacCarty, 4th Earl of Clancarty Donough MacCarthy, 4th Earl of Clancarty (1668–1734) fought for James II in the Williamite War at the Siege of Derry. He was attainted in 1691 after the defeat. MacCarthy went into exile to the Netherlands, where he lived for some time on t ...

in 1684 *

Charles Spencer, 3rd Earl of Sunderland Charles Spencer, 3rd Earl of Sunderland, KG, PC (23 April 167519 April 1722), known as Lord Spencer from 1688 to 1702, was an English statesman and nobleman from the Spencer family. He served as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland (1714–1717), Lord P ...

(1674–1722), who married Arabella, daughter of

Henry Cavendish, 2nd Duke of Newcastle Henry Cavendish, 2nd Duke of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, KG, PC (24 June 1630 – 26 July 1691), styled Lord Cavendish until 1676, and Viscount Mansfield from 1676, was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1660 to 1676, and then ...

in 1695, then

Anne Churchill Anne, alternatively spelled Ann, is a form of the Latin female given name Anna. This in turn is a representation of the Hebrew Hannah, which means 'favour' or 'grace'. Related names include Annie. Anne is sometimes used as a male name in the ...

, second daughter of

John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough General John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, 1st Prince of Mindelheim, 1st Count of Nellenburg, Prince of the Holy Roman Empire, (26 May 1650 – 16 June 1722 O.S.) was an English soldier and statesman whose career spanned the reign ...

and Sarah Churchill in 1700. From her own letters, it seems that she had two other children, who died young.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sunderland, Anne Spencer, Countess of 1640s births Date of birth unknown 1715 deaths English countesses English ladies-in-waiting Daughters of British earls Anne Spencer, Countess of Sunderland 17th-century English women 17th-century English people Court of James II of England Wives of knights