If an Anne Boleyn portrait is really Elizabeth I, there's a good reason

By Mallory Yu,

Ailsa Chang, Jordan-Marie Smith, Sarah Handel

Published January 15, 2026 at 4:30 PM EST

NPR's Ailsa Chang talks with Tudor historian Owen Emmerson about his theory that the face in a famous portrait of Anne Boleyn is actually that of her daughter, Elizabeth I.

Mallory Yu

See stories by Mallory Yu

Ailsa Chang

Ailsa Chang is an award-winning journalist who hosts All Things Considered along with Ari Shapiro, Audie Cornish, and Mary Louise Kelly. She landed in public radio after practicing law for a few years.

See stories by Ailsa Chang

Jordan-Marie Smith

Jordan-Marie Smith is a producer with NPR's All Things Considered.

Sarah Handel

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