# Queen Anne of Austria — The Three Musketeers character guide

> Queen Anne of Austria in The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Anne of Austria, Anne, Austria

**First appearance:** 0009-viii-concerning-a-court-intrigue

## Snapshot

France's lonely queen, whose friendship is a curse and whose secret affection for Buckingham gives Richelieu the leverage he needs to humiliate her.

## Who they are

Anne of Austria lives surrounded by spies, her confidantes exiled one by one, her marriage cold, her position perpetually threatened by divorce or disgrace. She refuses the cardinal's advances and pays for it, and her hidden feelings for Buckingham become the fault line along which the court's factions press. The diamond studs she gave away are the proof Richelieu needs, and her terror of exposure drives the novel's first great intrigue.

## Relationships

### [Duke of Buckingham](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_musketeers_se/characters/duke_of_buckingham)

_romantic_

The Duke of Buckingham is passionately in love with Queen Anne, who returns his affection but is constrained by duty.

### [Duke of Buckingham](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_musketeers_se/characters/duke_of_buckingham)

_romantic_

The Duke of Buckingham is passionately in love with Queen Anne, who returns his affection but is constrained by duty.

### [Duke of Buckingham](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_musketeers_se/characters/duke_of_buckingham)

_romantic_

The Duke of Buckingham is passionately in love with Queen Anne, who returns his affection but is constrained by duty.

## In the story

### [George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_musketeers_se/chapters/xii-george-villiers-duke-of-buckingham)

Meets Buckingham in secret, torn between her royal duty and her feelings for him; she gives him a casket as a pledge.

### [The Man of Meung](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_musketeers_se/chapters/xiv-the-man-of-meung)

Mentioned as the queen whose secret the Cardinal wants to keep hidden.

### [Men of the Robe and Men of the Sword](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_musketeers_se/chapters/xv-men-of-the-robe-and-men-of-the-sword)

Mentioned as the target of the king's prejudice, fueled by the cardinal, due to her friendship with Madame de Chevreuse.

### [In Which M. Séguier, Keeper of the Seals, Looks More Than Once for the Bell, in Order to Ring It, as He Did Before](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_musketeers_se/chapters/xvi-in-which-m-s-guier-keeper-of-the-seals-looks-more-than-once-for-the-bell-in-order-to-ring-it-as-he-did-before)

Sits among her women, deeply troubled and reflecting on her isolation; receives the king coldly and then submits to the chancellor's search with haughty dignity.

### [Bonacieux at Home](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_musketeers_se/chapters/xvii-bonacieux-at-home)

Appears in a flashback where she gives Madame Bonacieux a letter and a ring to fund the journey to London.

### [Lover and Husband](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_musketeers_se/chapters/xviii-lover-and-husband)

The queen whose secret mission is entrusted to d'Artagnan; Constance prays for her protection.

### [The Comtesse de Winter](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_musketeers_se/chapters/xxi-the-comtesse-de-winter)

Her portrait and diamond studs are central to the chapter; Buckingham's devotion to her is evident.

### [XXII: The Ballet of La Merlaison](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_musketeers_se/chapters/xxii-the-ballet-of-la-merlaison)

Appears cheerful at the ball, successfully displays all twelve diamond studs, thwarting the cardinal's scheme.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_musketeers_se/characters/queen_anne_of_austria
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_musketeers_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_musketeers_se/characters