Lady Anne Darcy (née Fitzwilliam) is a character mentioned in Pride and Prejudice. She died before the events of the novel, and never appears, but she is mentioned by several characters.
Lady Anne was the daughter of the late Earl -- and is thus styled Lady Anne, not Mrs. Darcy. She had at least two siblings: Lady Catherine de Bourgh and the current Earl. She married Mr. Darcy and had two children: Fitzwilliam and Georgiana Darcy. She is presumably the namesake of her niece Anne de Bourgh. Lady Catherine claims it was her "favourite wish" that Anne and her son Fitzwilliam marry and combine their paternal families' fortunes.[1] Her brother is the father of two sons, including Colonel Fitzwilliam.
According to her son, Lady Anne taught him good principles but did not correct his temper. Since he was for many years their only child, she and her husband spoiled him, and they encouraged him to be "selfish and overbearing; to care for none beyond [his] own family circle; to think meanly of all the rest of the world; to wish at least to think meanly of their sense and worth compared with [his] own."[2]
She died at some point after Georgiana's birth, fifteen years before the start of the novel. Since she was not named her daughter's guardian or mentioned regarding her husband's will, it can be assumed she predeceased her husband.
How Anne is Addressed[]
- Lady Anne/Lady Anne Fitzwilliam/Lady Anne Darcy - she was addressed as such by those who were not her intimates. As her father was an Earl, she would be called "Lady Anne" as a courtesy title.
- Miss Fitzwilliam/Miss Anne Fitzwilliam - if her father did not receive or inherit his title until after she was born, Lady Anne might have begun her days as Miss Fitzwilliam or Miss Anne Fitzwilliam.
- Mrs. Darcy - if she had married before her father received or inherited his title, Lady Anne might have been known as Mrs. Darcy at the beginning part of her marriage, up until her father became an Earl.