Claire Foy - Anne Boleyn's Speech and Execution Wolf Hall 

"Apportez l'épée": bring out the sword.

I felt her fear and pain, it was so realistic. Claire Foy is one of the best actresses I've ever seen.

The thing that bothered me about her death is that she was charged for things that the King has also done many many times.

This scene really did disturb me and I have seen countless scenes of executions and played gory games for a long time. The actress did a heck of a job, her mummering "Christ have mercy, Jesus receive my soul" was very chilling.

Claire foy = 2 times queen of england, this woman is a legend

So incredibly well done. No tacky or dramatic music, with the sound of the wind and the shaky breathing... This is probably closest to the actual execution back in 1536. As I imagine, anyways. Wonderful actress!

The executioner was being kind tbh. Not letting her hear his footsteps and made it quick so that she doesnt suffer

The famous Swordsman of Calais. One of the most famous executions in history - yet no one knows who he was. He did Anne the privilege of not holding up her head afterwards, as was customary. He then collected the balance of his pay and disappeared back into France and history. What a powerfully composed scene this is.

I think she spoke so well of Henry at the end for Elizabeth’s sake.

this executioner was actually so kind, even though he was killing her. he took off his shoes so she couldn't hear him and distracted her by saying something on her right so she wasn't just waiting for the cut.

Six: The Musical has sent me on a very strange search for different adaptations of Anne’s execution. I will say that seeing Tom Holland made me drop my phone in surprise. Thank you Tom.

Having stood where she was executed, I felt her fear in this scene, beautifully filmed. Cold, shivering dread.

According to the video's description it says that Anne refused to go to a nunnery, but this was never an option to her, the king wanted her dead, so they killed her.

This really sends chills down my spine. Claire Foy is incredibly on point portraying the shaky yet dignified Anne in this scene. Her nervous speech and fear is so real. This is a top notched performance from Claire Foy.

The guy with an eye patch was so disrespectful :(

That was a masterpiece of an execution, performed in a most kind and gracious way I‘ve ever seen. First of all executioner was not attired in a common way, instead he blended into nobility as if he did not wanted to pose a threat at all. Later, at 1:58 he even bows to the sentenced Queen as she pays him a look, just before he hands the blindfold to the queen‘s maid. Then he slips off his shoes in order to move silently, so the Queen could not hear his steps nor perceive his position. At 2:40 you could almost see empathy and compassion on the executioner’s face as he stands next to the Queen. He even gives the Queen a moment to do her hair for the last time, waiting with a sword resting on his shoulder. Then the executioner gracefully steps to the left side of the Queen as if he was dancing. After a moment he distracts the Queen with „apportez l épée“ in order to make an open spot for a clear cut, quickly steps to the Queen‘s right and ends her misery with a swift coupe de grâce (thats the best term to describe taking a life, in such a manner that the Master swordsman of Calais did it, showing as much of kindness and grace, as he possibly could). After execution is done, the executioner simply leaves the scene, saving dignity of the late Queen by not lifting her severed head in front of the crowd.

How the crowd gasped when the executioner got his sword out, and Anne jumped because she was blindfolded. How utterly terrifying.

I find it incredibly fantastic and ironic that Claire Foy, who once played Anne Boleyn later played Queen Elizabeth II the namesake of whom was the daughter of Anne Boleyn

I'm an historian. Anne's is portrayed here according to the novel, Cromwell had an agenda, thus her personality is too harsh in the series, but again, this series is fiction, so no complaints there. Anne never pursued Henry, she even retreated to Hever Castle to avoid Henry's persistent advances. Her father Thomas Boleyn tried to dissuade the king to marry his daughter. Read comtemporary sources and you will not judge her so severely. She was a pawn and could ultimately not refuse the king. As for the adultery charges, they are ludicrous, the only thing she was guilty of was not being able to bare him a son. Le temps viendra, je, Anne Boleyn. Rest in Peace!

It is a very sad scene, but I take some solace that all this time later Queen Anne is remembered by history. She wasn't perfect, she was ruthless and proud, and merciless towards her enemies like Wolsey or Fisher, but she was also a woman of great learning and incredible drive to change England - for good or ill. In our pity for her, we mustn't paint her as just a victim, and remember that she was playing the game right along with the likes of Henry and Cromwell. And I think that makes me respect her more.

That was ever so well done. The speech, shaking in fear as it gets real when the blindfold goes on... the expertise shown by the executioner. Just so so real, brilliant stuff. What a performance by Clair Foy.

I think I would've dropped dead of a heart attack almost immediately after stepping on the scaffold knowing what was to come. These people had balls of steel.

This is the most realistic scene of Anne’s execution I’ve ever seen. And as the crowd begin to disperse there is the sound of thunder rumbling in the distance. This very cleverly echos the poem by Thomas Wyatt which he wrote at the time and starts ‘These bloody days have broken my heart’ and ends with the line: ‘Around the throne the thunder rolls’. Brilliant! And Claire Foy did an amazing job of showing Anne’s fear and nervousness.

Bro she plays elizabeth on The Crown

The guy who said put your arm down plays Anne’s father in the movie version with Nathalie Portman .

Oh my god was that Tom Holland

Bravery is about facing fear despite being scared to death and she portrayed it so well I almost felt her emotions. Brilliant actress.

the executioner was a minor role but he left such an impression. you really got the sense that this was a true professional. he had a shitty job, but he did it exceedingly well and he did it as mercifully as he could. loved the detail of him removing his shoes so she couldn't hear him coming, and then calling for the sword from her left side so she'd turn that way and not expect the blow. all historical, i believe.

the entire execution scene is so realistic that one feels the pain of the execution very intensely. the actress has been absolutely superb in showing fear and pain at last moment.

I really appreciate the care that the swordsman took to make sure that she didn’t know when it was coming. (Taking his shoes off, faking asking for his sword on the opposite side).

This show was excellent from start to finish. I love how they trust the intelligence of tv viewers by not dumbing down the historical events and stay accurate to the book.

Finally. One without obnoxious music.

The executioner was a memorable character.

“And to me was Henry ever a good, gentle, merciful prince and husband.....well, until recently anyway.”

Fun fact: Henry accused her of adultery BC she couldn't give him a son, her last words before the beheading was "I have a small neck" and before the executioner beheaded her he said "give me my sword" on the right side in French so it would be unexpected.

Great acting. Can't imagine how this must feel to hold a speech, getting prepared and knowing this will be your last seconds on this earth.

Wait...Claire Foy? You mean, Queen Elizabeth The Crown Seasons 1&2 Claire Foy? Dang, you got her playing the mother of her character's namesake!

The hyperventilation is such a realistic touch seldom seen in execution scenes. It adds so much.

Bro Claire Foy is the best actress to play as Queen Anne Boleyn, and I’m glad that she plays as Queen Elizabeth II in the Crown. Let me be honest, she didn’t deserved this way of death. Even though she died centuries ago. Edit: OMFG TOM HOLLAND!!!

I've never seen this before, but based on what I've seen, Claire Foy and Natalie Dormer are for me two really talented actresses who have portrayed Anne Boleyn very well for me. You could really feel their emotions through the screen. And being a fan of Anne they brought her to life for me right to the end. God Bless a woman who was falsely accused BC of events that she had no control over. P.S. thanks for the video 🙃

This is so chilling and disturbing, all the hallmarks of a great performance by an actor. P.S. it's my first time hearing Tom Holland in British accent

This is by far probably the closest on-screen depction of how the scene actually went down.

I don't know this movie at all (I'm French) but the actress' performance here is impressive. Wow... so realistic, "in the tune" with human fear when the ultimate time of dying comes too early in your life.

I live beside the Tower of London and sometimes when I’m walking past, I look down and think about poor Anne, and all the other innocent people Henry murdered.

God Rest Anne's soul. She was just a pawn of her family and a victim of that disgusting man. I seriously doubt Henry Vlll's soul was sent to the same place as her when he died. Also god bless the executioner. He was simply a master of his trade who made it as humane as he could for her.

Spider man you could have swung in on your web and saved her ! poor Anne she was innocent

She could probably still hear them say "we do not want men to handle her" 10-20 seconds after the decapitation. ....

She was brave until her last breath. She died for being faithful to her husband and by being wrongly accused by the doings of the king.

That Executioner is the epitome of the phrase “Professionals have standards”.

This series felt way more authentic than all other televised depictions of Henry the 8th and his family.

Claire Foy plays these kinds of roles so well.

Oh my God. This is brutal!!!!

from wikipidea On the morning of Friday, 19 May, Anne was executed within the Tower precincts, not upon the site of the execution memorial, but rather, according to historian Eric Ives, on a scaffold erected on the north side of the White Tower, in front of what is now the Waterloo Barracks. She wore a red petticoat under a loose, dark grey gown of damask trimmed in fur and a mantle of ermine. Accompanied by two female attendants, Anne made her final walk from the Queen's House to the scaffold and she showed a "devilish spirit"and looked "as gay as if she was not going to die".] Anne climbed the scaffold and made a short speech to the crowd: "Good Christian people, I am come hither to die, for according to the law, and by the law I am judged to die, and therefore I will speak nothing against it. I am come hither to accuse no man, nor to speak anything of that, whereof I am accused and condemned to die, but I pray God save the king and send him long to reign over you, for a gentler nor a more merciful prince was there never: and to me he was ever a good, a gentle and sovereign lord. And if any person will meddle of my cause, I require them to judge the best. And thus I take my leave of the world and of you all, and I heartily desire you all to pray for me. O Lord have mercy on me, to God I commend my soul". Thomas Cranmer, who was the sole supporter of Anne in the council. The ermine mantle was removed and Anne lifted off her headdress, tucking her hair under a coif. After a brief farewell to her weeping ladies and a request for prayers, she kneeled down and one of her ladies tied a blindfold over her eyes.She knelt upright, in the French style of executions. Her final prayer consisted of her repeating continually, "Jesu receive my soul; O Lord God have pity on my soul." The execution consisted of a single @t was witnessed by Thomas Cromwell; Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk; the King's illegitimate son, Henry Fitzroy; the Lord Mayor of London, as well as aldermen, sheriffs, and representatives of the various craft guilds. Most of the King's Council were also present.Cranmer, who was at Lambeth Palace, was reported to have broken down in tears after telling Alexander Ales: "She who has been the Queen of England on earth will today become a Queen in heaven."When the charges were first brought against Anne, Cranmer had expressed his astonishment to Henry and his belief that "she should not be culpable." Still, Cranmer felt vulnerable because of his closeness to the queen, and so on the night before the execution, he declared Henry's marriage to Anne to have been void, like Catherine's before her. He made no serious attempt to save Anne's life, although some sources record that he had prepared her for death by hearing her last private confession of sins, in which she had stated her innocence before God.On the day of her death, a Scottish friend found Cranmer weeping uncontrollably in his London gardens, saying that he was sure that Anne had now gone to Heaven. She was then buried in an unmarked grave in the Chapel of St Peter ad Vincula. Her skeleton was identified during renovations of the chapel in 1876, in the reign of Queen Victoria, and Anne's grave is now identified on the marble floor.

Such a well-acted and poignant rendition of this sad thing. The contrast between the executioner’s deft and compassionate completion of his job vs. the observer’s crude and cruel comments were well imagined. Excellent.

RIP Anne Boleyn

Claire Foy was born to act a royal. I never thought I'd see her as Anne Boleyn, she's excellent as Anne and the late Queen Elizabeth II!

So much more accurate representation of what happened versus the other Boleyn girl

Watched the whole series because of this video. I had to watch for it online as it's no where to be found on legal means in my region (and luckily I can speak English :/). It was worth every second of it, so I have to thank who uploaded this to youtube, otherwise I'd had never found out about Wolf Hall.

Poor Anne, she was innocent. That Cromwell arranged all fake accusations but when 4 years later he became executed by same unrightful way then fate equalized the score. Tudor’s era is full of madness.

I know this is pretty morbid but how much of a pro is that executioner? I wish I could find a trade I could excel at on a similar level.

I have learned that the speech here is one of the more accurate from what what she probably actually said. She also did wear an eye covering. Other productions don't really show that. Claire's performance here is very strong and convincing. Emotional. Henry was a brute. A disgusting, lying sociopath who did things to have his way. He didn't truly LOVE anyone.

I would have had a heart attack before I even got up there TvT

The moment when the blindfold goes on.. I can't even imagine how terrifying that must've been. At least it was done with one quick swipe.

Next time I want to steal a cookie, I shall yell "Apporte l'épée" and step in the other direction.

I'm struck by how strongly Tom Holland resembles the supposed miniature of Cromwell's son Gregory by Hans Holbein here. Very well casted.

i really liked wolf hall. it felt so real and claire foy did an amazing job with anne. i think of any interpretation, hers was spot on in terms of being closest to what i imagine anne would have been like. the beauty of this scene was that the speech she gave didn't have the audio up close, it felt far away, like you were watching an event actually happening. wolf hall is def underrated.

Omg just got done watching this series broke my heart seeing this version of anne execution much more realistic and gritty unlike the others adaptions.

First time I saw a Claire Fou performance. Wow. Just wow.

I never saw this but it must be good because it has Claire Foy! Everything she's in rocks so now I have to go and find this

I must say the actress did a fantastic job...The tension was so real...

At some point in this episode, I remembered. or thought that I did, Cromwell's son asking him how she (Ann Boleyn) could remain so calm, or composed, and Cromwell tells him, because she still thinks she's going to be pardoned. Cromwell seems Machiavellian in this version of events, but the look on his face contrasts to the King's overjoy, when Henry embraces him in ecstasy after Cromwell arrives in the Kings chamber to tell him the execution is completed. Dramatic irony comes from us, outside the events depicted, knowing Cromwell's ultimate fate.

Claire Foy is an amazing actress. She performed the part of Boleyn extremely well. She looks a lot like the portraits painted of Anne, almost identical! Her acting is amazing! especially the part where she trembles as she says "Christ have mercy, Jesus receive my soul."

For those who are interested: There's a beautiful new album "Music for Anne Boleyn - Court music from her rise and reign". It's fascinating.

Freezing and terrifying. This scene is haunting.

"Wolf Hall" was one of the best dramas Masterpiece Theatre has had. It truly made you feel, and think of what those days, and people (and laws) were like. Excellent performances all around.

Even though this one was still inaccurate it is the most accurate movie version. Like Claire Foy got her demeanor down to a T!!!! She was calm, exhausted, and her fear slipped through occasionally. This was fantastic. This is also the only version where she is blindfolded which the real Anne was. I also liked that they showed the swordsman taking off his shoes as to not let Anne know where he was. The fact that the swordsman said "Bring me my sword" in French and got her to look that way to get a clean shot at her neck was extremely accurate. Rest in Peace Anne. Hope Henry is burning in HELL

I just finished watching this mini series. Claire Foye absolutely nailed it as Anne Boleyn. She made you hate her in the beginning, yet here you can't help but feel sorry for her. As I was watching, I could feel her terror as if it were my own. Such remarkable acting. And just as a side note: Tom Holland may not have had much to say or do in this mini series, but he still had such a presence, especially in this scene. That look he gave the guy with the eye patch when he spoke disrespectfully was priceless.

Ann Boleyn's daughter Elisabeth the first would go on to be Queen and rule England for 45 years, so Ann had the last laugh.

Look at what one human being can do to another

I saw The Tudors years ago, just saw Wolf Hall a few days ago. I gotta say, Claire Foy did a better performance in this scene. Look up this same scene from The Tudors. Natalie Dormer did a great job in that series, but she was too stoic in her final scene. There was not enough (really almost none at all) emotion for someone about to be executed. Foy really portrayed her fear of death a lot better; made you shiver along with her, knowing what was about to happen.

Claire Foy is acting as Anne Boleyn here, but she also had the role of Elizabeth ll in The Crown. And Anne Boleyn’s daughter was Elizabeth l.

3:10 in reality her body was left there for days before her hand maids finally took some initiative to go retrieve it, since no funeral plans had been made

According to contemporary records the crowd kneeled down at the passing of a soul.

Poor girl. No one deserves such a punishment.

She did a great Anne Boleyn! Claire Foy is a great actress

gotta love the executioner. He knew just how to do it in pne quick slice. And the actress did such a fabtastic job at portraying her emotions.

This made me cry 😢

This is an official installment to the CCU (crown cinematic universe).

2:57 why is Spider-Man at Anne Boleyns execution??

Tom Holland! I recognised that frog hiding mouth anywhere lol.

I must be getting old or something as I can't bring myself to watch this scene.

That is the most graceful headsman I've ever seen.

Mark Rylance was also in The Other Boleyn Girl as Anne Boleyn’s father. Claire Foy can’t say anything else but a talented actress.

She looks so much like the portrait of Anne Boleyn

Omg I'm crying this video

It's interesting to watch this scene, and contrast it with a scene I just watched on RU-vid from the Spanish series "La Peste," in which a few men are condemned by the Inquisition to be burned at the stake. The contrast is striking. Here, great care seems to have been taken that Anne Boleyn not suffer unduly. The procedure followed by the swordsman is very accurate to how I've read the real Anne's execution went. He stepped to one side, called out "bring me the sword" to get her to turn her head, and then stepped swiftly back to her right to strike the blow before she could even realize it was coming. It makes a striking contrast to that scene from "La Peste," where everyone, from the Inquisitors to the mob seemed to take a truly fiendish delight in the anguish of the condemned, and to want to make them suffer as much as possible: jeering at them, assaulting them, throwing rotten fruit and chamber pots full of piss on them as they were led to the place of execution, then cheering and celebrating as they were led up to the stakes and tied there to suffer what has to be one of the absolute most excruciatingly painful methods of execution ever devised. That scene shows human beings at their very worst. Despite the awfulness of his task, you can't help but feel a grudging respect for the French executioner Henry VIII brought over from Calais to attend to Anne Boleyn (a courtesy he didn't repeat with Catherine Howard). When you read of the botched executions England's axe-wielding headsmen often carried out (especially the infamous Jack Ketch), where several strokes of the axe were sometimes needed, you can at least respect this swordsman's professionalism and competence, that at least gave the condemned a quick, painless exit.

Wow... this scene is pretty accurate from documented historic view. Unless the part that Anne shouldn't be shuttered or scared. She's actually calm & brave to the final swing.

She went out like a Queen, although petrified...

Now I need to read/watch this. I feel cold with dread.

I like the historically accurate bit that they included of her ladies insisting that only women have access to Ann's body.