Elizabeth Woodville's French mother, Jacquette of Luxembourg, had come to England as the wife of John, Duke of Bedford, son of King Henry IV. As his childless widow she had married the obscure knight, Richard Woodville, and Elizabeth was born around 1437.
Elizabeth became a maid of honour to Margaret of Anjou, the Queen of Henry VI. A marriage was arranged with Sir John Grey of Groby, from which two sons were born. However, Sir John Grey, a Lancastrian, fell at the second battle of St. Albans in February 1461. Elizabeth apparently then came to King Edward IV's notice when she petitioned him to have her husband's lands restored.
Edward IV was intrigued by her cool appearance and blonde beauty, but she refused to become his mistress as, she said, she "was too base to be his wife yet too good to be his harlot". And so the king married her in secret; but after some months he gave her a state entry into London and a magnificent coronation as his queen.
She was disliked by many and most dangerously by the king's brother, the Duke of Gloucester. Favours bestowed upon her father, brothers and sisters caused even more offence. Although her family had
been Lancastrians, her father was made Earl Rivers and Lord High Constable of England. Her sisters made brilliant marriages and her own eldest son, Thomas Grey, became Marquess of Dorset.

When the Earl of Warwick restored Henry VI, she took sanctuary with her children in Westminster where she gave birth to Edward (V), Prince of Wales. The restoration of her husband resulted in the birth of still more children, so that by the king she had ten altogether.
After the king's death, and fearing the Duke of Gloucester, she again went into sanctuary. She had to allow her son Edward to be taken to the Tower in preparation for his coronation as King Edward V. As
long as she kept her two royal sons apart, she considered that they both were safe. However, she was pursuaded by Cardinal Bourchier to allow the younger son, Richard, Duke of York, also to be taken to the Tower, and she never saw either again.
In his pursuit to legitimise himself as king, the Duke of Gloucester had Elizabeth and Edward IV's marriage declared invalid by Parliament, alleging that Edward IV had contracted to marry Lady
Eleanor Butler, and with this action he had Edward IV's children declared illegitimate. The two sons disappeared mysteriously and the Duke of Gloucester became Richard III.
After the defeat of Richard III by Henry VII, Elizabeth was restored as Queen Dowager. However, all her lands were taken from her and she retired to Bermondsey Abbey where she died in poverty.

Source: Leo van de Pas