What was William Congreve’s relationship with actress Anne Bracegirdle?

William Congreve and the actress Anne Bracegirdle shared a well-known, close friendship throughout their lives. Bracegirdle frequently performed the leading roles in Congreve’s plays, most notably as Millamant in The Way of the World.12

While it was widely believed during her lifetime that the two were married, and Congreve did leave her a legacy in his will, the exact nature of their intimacy remains undetermined. Their relationship was characterized by a deep professional and personal bond, but historical evidence does not confirm a deeper romantic or marital connection.21