90) Elizabeth Woodville

Elizabeth Woodville (c. 1437 - 1492). Queen consort of England as wife of King Edward IV. She was the mother of Elizabeth of York and the grandmother of Henry VIII. She was said to be "the most beautiful woman in the Island of Britain" with "heavy-lidded eyes like those of a dragon".

There is some conjecture as to whether her hair was blonde or red. The following image, held by the Ashmolean Museum, shows her with gingerish blonde hair. A 1912 catalogue of portraits describes the hair colour in the painting as "reddish".

(Elizabeth Woodville -

The Ashmolean Museum of Art and Archaeology)

This next image is also held up as evidence that her hair tended to the red. It shows her along with King Edward IV and their son Prince Edward, eventually King Edward V. The child Edward is depicted with blond hair, whereas Elizabeth is illustrated with a different tone. Suggesting perhaps a darker, redder shade.

(Anthony Woodville presents a book to

Edward IV, Elizabeth and Prince Edward -

 Lambeth Palace MS 265)