Eleanor Clifford, Countess of Cumberland - Henry VIII's Lost Niece

Henry VIII had three royal nieces, and yet where Margaret Douglas and Frances Brandon are well known figures of the time, his third niece, Eleanor Clifford, Countess of Cumberland is all but unknown, despite her royal blood and the importance of her place in the line of succession. Despite her proximity to the crown, and the difficulty this often placed on people, Eleanor led a mostly happy and successful life, and yet her story is one all but overlooked, so who actually was she, who did she marry, did she have any formal role at court, well today I will explore all of this and more!