Edward IV of England

WI: Richard dies at least a year of two before Edward does. Would Edward then appoint his brother in law Anthony Woodville as Lord Protector of his son? Would the Duke of Buckingham still revolt later on and would Henry Tudor still invade?
 
WI: Richard dies at least a year of two before Edward does. Would Edward then appoint his brother in law Anthony Woodville as Lord Protector of his son? Would the Duke of Buckingham still revolt later on and would Henry Tudor still invade?

Anthony Woodville is a good bet for protector IMO, largely because he has absolutely no ability to claim the throne. Edward IV thuroughly misjudged Richard, but in general he was a smart man, and would certainly have thought through who would be lord protector in the event of Richard's early death.

Buckingham's rebellion was in large part a product of the insecurity of Richard III's reign, so with a well liked and universally acknowledged king there is a good chance that he doesn't rebel.

Henry Toudor will probably find an excuse to invade at some point, but the chances of him being successful, already far from certain with Richard III, are not good unless Edward V proves to be incredibly incompetent.
 
We actually do not know what Edward IV intended - the codicil to his will (if it existed - and we only really have the word of largely biased observers for it) does not survive.
A King's will had no legal bearing on the succession or how the realm was governed in a minority.
Given the age of Edward V it might not even have been necessary to name a regent - they intented to crown him straight away.
Most recent precedent would have lead Edward's council to consider a division as happened when Henry VI succeeded as an infant and initially it looked like that was what Edward's council was favouring until Richard's Coup d'Etat.
Anthony Earl Rivers was close to the young King, and was well regarded it is not unlikely that he would have remained governor to the King.
The biggest problems for the young Edward V - were his uncle Richard (but if we remove him) that still leaves Hastings who was not on the best of terms with the young King's enormously influential half brother Thomas Grey who would have also been a major player and Buckingham would angle for more influence (Edward IV had deprived him of anything that was not ceremonial).
If Edward V survives to reign (with his father's council ruling until he is of an age to govern) then forget Henry Tudor (he simply wasn't important enough for anyone to worry about - and domestically he has little support) - if Edward's council pursue his father's intended match for him, Anne of Brittany, then Tudor will probably be used as a stick to threaten the English with by the French but it isn't that strong a threat.
It would of course be interesting to see what matches are made for his surviving sister's who are of age - Edward IV had had very high ambitions for all of his children.
 
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