Bridget of York

English nun; (1480-1517)

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

Bridget of York
Born10 November 1480
Eltham Palace, London, England
Diedbef. December 1507 (aged 26 or 27)
Dartford Priory, Kent, England
HouseYork
FatherEdward IV of England
MotherElizabeth 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When Richard III died and Henry Tudor became King, the act that labeled Edward IV’s children as bastards was repealed.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.