Anne Woodville of Kent, due to her death in 1489. The marriage produced one son: In 1483, the Woodville family fortunes took a downward spiral with the death of King Edward IV in April. Anne's sister, Elizabeth, as the mother of the new young king Edward V, became the Queen Mother; however, in June 1483, her marriage to the late King was judged to have been invalid because Edward had allegedly been pre-contracted to Lady Eleanor Talbot. King Edward IV's younger brother Richard, Duke of Gloucester and Lord Protector, claimed the crown for himself on 22 June; this claim was supported by
Richard Woodville, 3rd Earl Rivers Anthony, however, he was not given any special favours under Edward. J. R. Lander states that he was employed in a minor capacity on "various embassies and commissions". When Richard III executed Richard's brother Anthony and seized the throne, Richard Woodville became Earl Rivers. The king confiscated Richard's lands but did not otherwise persecute him. Richard seems to have participated in some way in Buckingham's rebellion in 1483, as he was attainted in that year. However, he was later pardoned. It is not known whether or not he joined Henry Tudor in 1485, but after Henry's victory his estates were