Anne Churchill, Countess Of Sunderland

Anne Churchill, later known as Anne Spencer, Countess of Sunderland, was born on 27 February 1683 and died on 15 April 1716. She was an English noblewoman and court official who served as Lady of the Bedchamber to Queen Anne. Her familial connections included being a daughter of a duke, the younger sister of a duchess, and the mother of a duke, although her highest title was that of countess by marriage.

Early Life:

Anne Churchill was the third daughter of John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, and Sarah Jenyns. Her godmother was Princess Anne of Denmark, the future Queen Anne of Great Britain. She was also a goddaughter of Anne Digby, Countess of Sunderland, who later became her mother-in-law. Due to her father’s elevation to a sovereign prince by Holy Roman Emperor Joseph I, Anne was granted the title of princess of the Holy Roman Empire and later held the title of princess of the Principality of Mindelheim. During her childhood, Lady Sunderland looked after Anne and her sister Henrietta when their mother Sarah was occupied with court duties, and she was present at a notable family milestone when Anne had her first tooth.

Marriage:

Following the marriage of her eldest sister Henrietta to the Duke of Marlborough in 1698, Sarah Jenyns sought to arrange a marriage for Anne with Charles Spencer, a young widower. Charles was the son of the Countess of Sunderland, a friend of Sarah. The proposed alliance was politically advantageous, as Charles was a rising figure in Whig politics, but it faced personal opposition. Sarah was hesitant due to Charles’s facial scar from smallpox, and her husband also disapproved of the match. The courtship lasted nearly two years. Sarah was eventually persuaded by her husband and her daughter’s godmother, Princess Anne, to approve the match. Anne Churchill married Charles Spencer on 2 January 1700. Queen Anne gifted her a wedding present of 5,000 pounds.

Children:

Anne and Charles Spencer had six children:

- Robert Spencer (2 December 1700 – 12 September 1701)

- Robert Spencer, 4th Earl of Sunderland (24 October 1701 – 27 November 1729)

- Lady Anne Spencer (1702 – 19 February 1769), married William Bateman, 1st Viscount Bateman

- Charles Spencer, 3rd Duke of Marlborough (22 November 1706 – 20 October 1758)

- Hon. John Spencer (13 May 1708 – 19 June 1746), father of John Spencer, 1st Earl Spencer, and ancestor of Diana, Princess of Wales

- Lady Diana Spencer (1710 – 27 September 1735), married John Russell, 4th Duke of Bedford

Countess of Sunderland:

On 28 September 1702, following her father-in-law Robert Spencer’s death, Anne became the Countess of Sunderland. Her husband inherited the title Earl of Sunderland. After her older sister Henrietta Godolphin, 2nd Duchess of Marlborough, died, her son Charles inherited the title of Duke of Marlborough.

Death:

Anne Churchill died at the age of 33 on 15 April 1716. She was buried in Brington, Northamptonshire, on 24 April of that year.