Bridget of York

Bridget of York (10 November 1480 – before December 1507) was the seventh daughter of Edward IV of England and his queen consort, Elizabeth Woodville.

After her father’s death and her uncle Richard III's usurpation of the throne, Bridget was declared illegitimate at just under three years old, along with her siblings. To protect her children, Queen Elizabeth moved them to Westminster Abbey, where they spent about a year in asylum. Following Richard III’s promise not to harm his brother’s family, Bridget’s elder sisters returned to court, while she and her sister Catherine likely stayed with their mother.

When Richard III died and Henry Tudor became King, the act that labeled Edward IV’s children as bastards was repealed. Henry VII married Bridget’s eldest sister, Elizabeth of York. Bridget was considered as a potential bride for a Scottish prince. It was decided that she would enter a nunnery, a choice that she favored.

Bridget settled at Dartford Priory in Kent, leaving only once to attend her mother’s funeral. After becoming a nun, she maintained contact with her sister, the queen, who provided for her minor expenses. Bridget died and was buried at Dartford Priory, which later became a royal residence after the English Reformation.

Category:1480 births
Category:1507 deaths
Category:House of York
Category:English princesses