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.
Forms of address[]
As an earl's daughter, she was entitled to the courtesy style of "Lady" preceding her first name. She also retained it during her marriage ("Lady Anne Darcy" as opposed to "Mrs Darcy".)