Francis Weston

Sir Francis Weston KB
Portrait believed to be of Sir Francis Weston, by unknown artist.
Born	c. 1511
Died	17 May 1536 (aged 24–25) Tower Hill, London
Cause of death	Decapitation
Resting place	Tower of London, London, United Kingdom 51°30′31″N 0°04′37″W / 51.508611°N 0.076944°W / 51.508611; -0.076944
Occupation	Gentleman of the Privy Chamber to Henry VIII
Spouse(s)	Anne Pickering
Children	Henry
Parent(s)	Sir Richard Weston Anne Sandys

Sir Francis Weston KB (1511 – 17 May 1536) was a gentleman of the Privy Chamber at the court of King Henry VIII of England. He became a friend of Henry VIII and was accused of high treason and adultery with Anne Boleyn, the king's second wife. Weston was condemned to death, together with George Boleyn, Viscount Rochford, Henry Norris, William Brereton and Mark Smeaton. They were all executed on 17 May 1536, two days before the Queen.

Francis was the only son of Sir Richard Weston of Ufton Court in Berkshire and Sutton Place near Mayford in Surrey and Anne, the daughter of Oliver Sandys of Shere at Dorking in Surrey. In 1526, aged only fifteen, he is listed as a page at court. Although he was twenty years younger than the King, he quickly became a minor member of the King's circle, listed as beating Henry at bowls, tennis, dice and other games. In 1532, he was made a Gentleman of the Privy Chamber, giving him frequent access to the King. Other honours followed, including becoming a Knight of the Bath at the coronation of Anne Boleyn in 1533.

In 1530, he married Anne Pickering, daughter to Sir Christopher Pickering of Killington, Cumberland and by her had a son named Henry, born in 1535. An oak marriage chest with carved heads of Francis and Anne is preserved in Saffron Walden museum, Essex.