Act Of Union Gallery

Queen Anne, c18th century. Artist: Michael Vandergucht

Queen Anne, c18th century. Anne (1665-1714) was the daughter of James II, deposed by William of Orange in the Glorious Revolution of 1688. The last Stuart monarch, she came to the throne after the death of William in 1702, and became the first monarch of the Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland after the signing of the Act of Union in 1707. Her reign saw a decline of the power of the crown in favour of that of ministers as well as the development of a two party system of politics. Her inability to produce an heir precipitated a succession crisis, with parliament passing legislation to hand the crown to the House of Hanover in order to prevent the Catholic Old Pretender, James Francis Edward Stuart, from claiming the throne

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Queen Anne (1665-1714) handing over the white staff to the Earl of Shrewsbury, c1714

Queen Anne (1665-1714) handing over the white staff to the Earl of Shrewsbury, c1714. Anne, Queen of Great Britain and Ireland from 1702 to 1714, was the second daughter of James II and the sister of Mary II. The Act of Union between England and Scotland was passed during Anne's reign, making her the last monarch to hold the separate titles of Queen of England and Queen of Scotland. From Cassell's Illustrated History of England

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