Anne Stuart Percy, Lady Warkworth

Anne Stuart Percy, Lady Warkworth (c.1745 – 20 January 1813), also known as "Lady Percy" (Countess Percy), was the first wife of Hugh Percy, later Duke of Northumberland (1742–1817). She is known for her association with the novelist Laurence Sterne, with whom she may have had an intimate relationship.

Biography Anne Crichton-Stuart was the third daughter of John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute, and his wife Mary. She married Percy on 2 July 1764, when she was still in their teens, two years before his father was raised to a dukedom and he gained the title "Earl Percy".

Before and during her marriage, there is evidence of Lady Warkworth's friendship with Laurence Sterne, and she is thought to be the woman to whom he refers in his diary as "Sheba". Servants were called to testify to Lady Percy's relationship with a Mr Bird of Coventry, whom she had met at Southampton while visiting her sister, Lady Augusta Corbett. Shortly afterwards, Percy married Frances Julia Burrell.