Claire Ridgway holds Anne Boleyn's books of hours at Hever Castle 

Oh dear Claire, I'm lost for words. This is absolutely thrilling. You are literally holding History!

That's so amazing, not only are you in the place Anne lived but you're holding something that was hers and she held, only thing separating you and Anne is time. I'm super jealous 😭 But thank you for showing us! 😍

What a wonderful moment for you Claire. If anyone deserves to have a good look at actual items connected to Ann it's you. I love the scarf you are wearing too.

Fabulous! So happy for you. Definitely a once in a lifetime experience. Thank you for sharing such a special time with us. And thank you to Owen for sharing so much fascinating information.

Absolutely smashing that you were able to arrange such an interview. So, the 1410 book was already an antique book by the time Anne received it. Perhaps it was a family heirloom. In my minds-eye I picture you and Natalie Dormer standing there together. If you ever get a chance to ask your friend, Owen, could you please ask if there are any plans in the works to digitize Anne's Book of Hours. I am sure many people would like to see her books for themselves.

Thank you Claire! Would you be willing to share some of the revelations/insights/dreams you may have had when you were deeply tuned in to her while you were visiting or while researching...I assume you have had many intimate moments as you are so close to her...thanks again for your loving presentations.

This is just amazing! The perfect way to end your series on the Fall of Anne Boleyn. What a wonderful surprise. Thank you sooo much! I teared up myself seeing you holding those books! I am officially insanely jealous. Visiting Hever Castle is definitely on my bucket list. When I was in London, I walked in the same doors that Diana Spencer did on her wedding day at St. Paul's. I know the feeling of walking in the footsteps of an admired & amazing person in history. There are no words to describe it. We actually walked down the aisle that she did. Thank you again for all you do. You are a wonderful person in your own right. Love you so much! ❤🌹👸🏰

Wow 😳 And she makes sure to turn/touch each and EVERY page too...😆 Atta girl Claire! 👍🏻

What a wonderful video! I'm so beyond excited and happy for you that you got to have this experience! Was tearing up a little myself haha

What a beautiful window into history! Thanks so much, Claire:))

....and yes! It is very emotional to be able to have these with Ann B’s DNA!

Thank you so much for this special treat. How wonderful! I can't believe the books are still in such good condition. I feel your tears.

This is a marvelous video. Thank you for this thrilling experience. Cannot imagine how you felt holding a part of Anne in your hands and so natural to feel such emotion. Hever Castle is so beautiful and serene.

I can't express how much I enjoyed this...and the music!! Incredible. Please do a series of you travelling to all the relevant castles and chatting with the curators, please!!! There is a house belonging to Anne of Cleaves close by Hever. Thank you.

Have you had that cry yet? I smiled through the entire video. I'm happy for you having the experience.

Very Cool

I fell in love with Anne at the age of 11, and 40 years later, nothing has changed. To visit Hever is a dream; to actually hold something she touched, something so deeply personal, would have no doubt left me in a flood of tears. I commend you on your restraint. These are not just historical items to me, they are sacred.

Aww clarie you really do deserve to hold annas book of hours .i really feel for you 😁👑xxi want to cry for you bless yaxx

Thrilling. So happy you got this privilege

Fascinating! Incredible to be able to see these. So awe inspiring. Thank you for this!!!!

Amazing - you brighten my day with tid bits of wonderful history . Thank you for all you do ! I listen every day.

This is the coolest thing and I am sitting with a brick in my stomach..I HAVE TO GO THERE!!! My dream is to go there and visit where she has been and lived and touch the things she touched. I'm stuck in the US and I'm 37 and I haven't been able to go yet..one day I pray that I can make a tour before I die. You are so lucky and for now I have to live through you and what you post. A beautiful video you and Andrew made!

Thank you Claire what a wonderful experience.

How amazing you got to hold that in your hands! You certainly deserve that honor after all you have done to help us learn more about her and her life ❤️

Extraordinary moment!! You do NOT disappoint, Claire!!!!

WOW!! What an opportunity to see these! I'm surprised the Cromwell name came up as the Cromwell family is also connected to my Dad's family!

What a special Honour for us to be with you today 19th May 2019 At Queen Anne's home Hever Castle and to see her treasured books and her hand writing thank you so much Claire and everyone who helped you to share this day with us xx

I'd never realised vellum books were not written on both sides by the original scribes.

Wow those books are in amazing condition for being almost 500 years old. To hold a book that Anne Boleyn held..

Thank you, beyond words, for taking us along on your field trip. Know that it was an experience which I’d never thought that I’d have, but had the chance to enjoy through you.

Wonderful video. So informative. I hope you kept the gloves.

Claire, thank you so much for sharing with us this deeply moving experience.

The current queen should posthumously pardon Queen Ann.

Did Anne Boleyn write a will? Would Elizabeth have recd these? Thank you, these books are inspirational and beautiful. ❤️

Fascinating! Thank you for this special treat!

Interesting and informative, but I do have one or two gentle criticisms. As a conservationist of manuscripts, I was a bit dissapointed that little information was provided, for the general viewer regarding the production, by hand, of these wonderful books Production was through and arranged by a stationer, commissioning scribes, illuminators, binders and so on.As the real joy of such books has to be the illuminated pages, it was, to me, a shame that little use, in this video was made of the excellent macro or close up camera lenses that are now available, to show the viewer the work in detail - a sadly missed opportunity. In fact when we were offered some close up work of the books, the illuminated pages were whipped through at an alarming rate, too fast for any genuine appreciation by the viewer, in my opinion.That being said, this is still an interesting video, and one where these beautiful Book of Hours are placed in their historical context

How utterly amazing that these, and so few other, items escaped the purge of all things Anne after her death.

I’m very grateful for this special video. Anne has been a favourite historical person of mine since I was 9 years old. My Father found Henry VIII a fascination and bought me books about his reign. All these years later, I still admire Anne more than ever. May she be in heavenly peace. What a thrill for you Claire.

Claire, you are the ultimate Anne Boleyn fangirl! I'm surprised you didn't grab one of the books, whip out a fountain pen and write, "Claire Ridgway was here on [day and month], 2019, and I am blown away! Coolest thing EVAH!!!" I tease you, but as I have mentioned before, I spent some quality time at Anne's daughter's resting place at Westminster Abbey and QEI is lucky I didn't take a selfie with her! In earnest seriousness, thank you SO much for this wonderful video. It is exceptional, and very heartfelt. I'm thinking hard about going on next year's Anne Boleyn tour--what a amazing opportunity that would be!

What a huge thrill to be able to achieve a lifelong dream. You are so fortunate, and I am so happy for you :)

Hever is my favourite place on earth, when I’m there I don’t want to be anywhere else. I was doing fine until it was mentioned how Anne would have been thinking of her mother and how maybe she thought of her home at Hever and how she might have wished to be able to return there when she was imprisoned in the Tower, now I’m an emotional mess. Those two Book of Hours are beautiful, and it’s always so heartwarming and poignant to see them. I’m so happy you got to touch and hold them. We don’t know what Anne looks like, we don’t know her date of birth, but knowing her actual DNA is on those books, that something physical still remains bearing her mark, which no one can refute - not to mention the castle itself - is something so incredibly profound and amazing.

Oh Claire...how wonderful...at Heber & holding Anne's books....I would have been walking round..biting my lip..with an oh wow..daft grin on my face all day!! 😀...So happy for you that you got your dream...What a wonderful end for all your viewers to the Anne Boleyn videos...thankyou so much xx

Oh my goodness! I have chills! How amazing it must have been to be in her family home. Do they have boxes of tissues around, or do you have to bring your own? Has it been modernized, or is it frozen in time? So many questions! I'm terrified to fly so I will never get to see them personally. But they could never mean as much to me as they do to you. I'm so excited that you were able to breathe the air and see her things and walk where she walked. I bet that was #1 on your bucket list!💖💖💖

Thank you Claire for including this video of your visit to Hever castle. A real treat that I certainly had no idea these books existed.

What a unique and wonderful experience. So lucky to have gone and see what you have seen. Holding Anne's book of hours what a special treat. Thank you for sharing this with all of us.

Thank you for this beautiful treat today xxx

Congrats!💚💚💚

Thank you for sharing your visit and experience. Wonderful.

Such beautiful books!!

How wonderful for you. I was fine until Queen Anne’s DNA was mentioned. We never disappear. Ever. 😔

Thank you claire for the awesome video and letting me share this experience with you

What a wonderful experience. So happy for you.

Emotional, to be able to to touch these books and have time melt away. thank you for sharing.

You have earned that privilege!

Just before you said about how incredible it is to touch a book that Anne herself held and loved and touched I was thinking the same thing! Amazing! I also write in my books too and keep a diary and a journal. I feel like crying watching this. Dear Anne! And to die so tragically and unnecessarily when she could have had years and years with her own beloved daughter! What a heartless man Henry must have been to deprive a young woman who he once cherished with her life and to deprive his own child with her love and support.

This was totally beautiful. 😢

What an incredible moment!!! I probably would have failed to hold my composure 😆

So happy for you...touching Anne’s world especially during this time...

Very neat! Now your tatoo makes more sense! Thanks!

I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to be there!!!

Hi Claire - such a lovely video - you can really feel history all around you at Hever and for someone as passionate as you I can imagine it must have been thrilling. A well-deserved treat for you, considering how you're "re-habilitating" Anne's reputation. Thank you for all your videos!

I am not only happy for you, Claire, but also relishing the experience of holding Anne through you. There is no one who would appreciate for me as well as you!

I wonder where these books were for all of those hundreds of years, I wish we knew the half of it.

Beautiful books!

What an amazing experience. I have a great fascination with Anne Boleyn and to experience holding something that she has held and read many times is so special. And to explore where she stayed in so many times. That's amazing. ❤ I definitely need to visit!

Hi Claire! What a blessing you've been given! Just to see Anne's Book of Hours is magical but to hold it? I bet you're over the moon. Please tell us about the tour ~~ I'm sure folks would like to know how it all went. Cheers!

Dearest Claire I was so pleased to show my mother this and what Owen (Hever castle) gave to Josh Widicombe xxxxxx

Absolutely thrilled for you, Claire. This video is very special of a very special moment. I feel like I want to watch it again! Xx

Claire, what a treat! you have shared with us all! I am moved by Anne's Christian devotion which is demonstrated by her Books of Hours!! Ty, Claire.

You are living my dremas. Thanks for filming it.

Hey! Camera Person! Zoom in on the books while they're talking!

I was lucky enough to hold Katherine of Aragon''s prayer book in York minster four years ago. It was a privilege, but to hold Anne Boleyn's book of hours must be a dream come true, I am so happy for you Claire you certainly deserve it.

Omgosh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! As for crying...I had tears steaming down my face watching how elated you were. I would have loved to have this experience. So happy for you...

Wonderful!!! Thank you!

I'd love to go to Hever castle. Wow

I'm sure that Anne herself would have asked you to hold these tomes and reveal more of her to us.

This is remarkable! Nothing like a great history fix for a history junkie like me. 👍

Claire was born in the wrong era

Wow! What an incredible experience! I wish we could have seen her signature, but I guess we have to go visit. Thank you Claire for an incredible insight into Anne’s life.

WOW thank you!

Have you touched any items to do with Elizabeth i ?. Thank you for for all the effort you put in to your work.

What if Ann was there looking at Clare reading her Bible. How befitting that would have been 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

Claire, I don't have adequate words to tell you how much I appreciate your videos on Queen Anne, and all that you've done to give us the "real" Anne Boleyn. This has been a very moving series and a wonderful tribute to her life. Your final video has ended the "Countdown" on a high and glorious note, and I know there are hundreds (or thousands!) of us who will always be grateful to you. Well done . . . thank you!

What an amzing experience for u to be able to hold Anne's Book of Hours truly amazing!! Thank u again Claire for such an informative video on Anne Boleyn.

I believe it no coincidence the beautiful floral motifs are later worn in her daughter's gowns. Perhaps a very young Elizabeth knew her mother's book well. Amazing experience. 💖

I 100% understand your visceral and emotional reaction to those two Books of Hours. When I saw Lady Margaret Beaufort's Book of Hours - I burst into tears - to see something that she had touched and carried around! So thrilling for you - its what any historian - professional like yourself or amateur like myself often only dreams of. Its the same feeling I got the first time I saw, in real life, a Holbein portrait. I had to go have a cup of tea and a slice of cake to to recover! :-)

Claire thank you so much for this lovely video. I'm trying to imagine what it would have been like for Anne to get those books as gifts, and what she thought while she was reading them. It really bothers me that Elizabeth Seymour accepted and kept one of those books for herself instead of trying to get it to Elizabeth, the rightful inheritor. Cranmer would have helped with that transfer I feel sure. And I also feel sure that Elizabeth would have loved to have had it.

These books need to be reproduced; for the general public. It would of been nice to see her writing and full signature. Have these books been professionally stabilized and preserved? Tell us more about the binding the cover and how they were made. A DNA sample from her hair brush and she could be cloned interviewed and mental state evaluated. Some ideas for more books. Fascinating; beyond brilliant.

Hello Claire how fabulous. I can't wait to visit Hever myself. Thanks once again for the delightful videos

How lucky you were to realise your dream and hold her own book of hours. The best way to honour her memory, going to Hever Castle and celebrating her life rather than only commemorating her execution. One day hopefully, I will go there myself.

I'm amazed at how clean the pages are , considering how old they are .Truley a wonderful experience.

How wonderful, Claire! You are so very deserving of such an honor! Thank you so much for sharing this with all of us! Are you, by chance related to Anne?

There’s nothing more thrilling to me, than touching history. I love to touch old building, books and wonder what stories they could tell. I collect old cookbooks and always search for the ones that the user wrote notes. It makes them so special. I can’t wait to visit the U.K. again and this time I’ll make sure to get to Hever Castle. ⭐️

I am intrigued by the comment about Elizabeth Seymour's portrait, "the one that everyone thinks is of Catherine Howard"....I have ALWAYS thought that the portrait of "Catherine Howard" looks an awful lot like Jane Seymour's accepted picture ! The same lack of chin. Also, that the portrait seems to depict a much older person than Catherine was believed to have been (and not a very ATTRACTIVE person at that ! Certainly not in the way that Catherine has been described). I always assumed that the artist was less skilled than everyone says. Many of the Tudor period women look like sisters.

Thank you so very much for sharing Anne with us newbies. What a wonderful experience, Claire! xo

What a lovely video I honestly didn't know that one of the books had a lot of inscriptions from other people in. Made me feel emotional watching u Claire what a lovely but emotional video xx

Why oh why is there a current obsession with playing music over the dialogue. It's so distracting and annoying. It isnt necessary . Another interesting video slightly ruined by intrusive music.

What a special opportunity for you to be able to hold Anne Boleyn's Book of Hours, I do envy you. Could you tell me what the pages were made of?

This had to be quite a experience for you! Omg, I would be shaking touching the book that was owned by Anne or really any of the Boleyns. I would be emotional. That had to of been incredible. I always wanted to know but I constantly forget to ask, was there any dresses of Anne that was preserved from those times or any fabric or jewelry? I just always wondered if the royal family had any dresses in their archives from that time period, including Queen Elizabeth I.