# Lady Rochford — The Fifth Queen character guide

> Lady Rochford in The Fifth Queen by Ford Madox Ford.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** the Lady Rochford, Rochford, old Rochford

**First appearance:** 0000-part-i-the-coming

## Snapshot

A white-haired, flustered lady-in-waiting whose limp protests and panicked deference to Cromwell's name expose how fear rules the Queen's chambers.

## Who they are

Lady Rochford presides over seven ladies and seven dresses, wringing her hands when a gown cannot be found and recoiling in terror the moment Privy Seal is mentioned. Her woebegone, flaccid face turns drawn and she seems about to kneel at Katharine's feet, while she weakly excuses Cicely Elliott's dangerous talk as distraughtness. She embodies the court's nervous accommodation to power: a woman who would help Katharine if she dared, but whose first instinct is always to placate the man who could destroy them all.

## In the story

### [VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_fifth_queen_se/chapters/vi)

Mentioned as the ruler over the ladies in Lady Mary's household, described as kind and courteous.

### [VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_fifth_queen_se/chapters/vii)

Mistress of the maids, timid and helpless; panics at the mention of Cromwell and tries to appease Katharine.

### [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_fifth_queen_se/chapters/iv)

Mentioned as one of the ladies who sent the knight to Katharine.

### [V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_fifth_queen_se/chapters/v)

Present in the gallery, winding wool, but remains timid and silent.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_fifth_queen_se/characters/lady_rochford
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_fifth_queen_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_fifth_queen_se/characters