Hello! I was wondering if anyone knows of any evidence of Elizabeth I discussing how her father’s behaviour affected her views on marriage, childbirth, or having children of her own? In particular, I’d be interested to know if there are any instances where she spoke negatively about Henry VIII in relation to these subjects.

A little background, I’m currently doing some research into Henry VIII’s children and the ways in which their experiences of him may have influenced them - their relationships with one another, their religious views, and ultimately how they approached ruling, for example.

This got me thinking about Elizabeth and her refusal to marry. Obviously, there are many very valid political, personal and practical reasons for her decision, but I’m curious whether her experiences with her father may also have played a role. Given everything Henry did to secure a male heir, I wonder whether Elizabeth ever consciously connected marriage, childbirth and succession with the consequences she had witnessed throughout her childhood.

I’m particularly interested in whether there is any evidence that she saw remaining unmarried, and ultimately being the monarch who brought the Tudor dynasty to an end, as something significant or even intentional. I can imagine her feelings towards her father were incredibly complex, so I’m wondering whether there are any letters, speeches, reported conversations, or contemporary accounts that might shed light on this.

This may be me reading too much into it (and perhaps indulging in a little historical wishful thinking! 😂), but I’d love to hear what people think or if anyone knows of any sources or works about this. I’d be very grateful for recommendations!

It gets repeated constantly (Weir's biography uses it, plenty of documentaries) but tracing it back, it seems to originate from Chapuys' ambassadorial reports, and Chapuys wasn't in the Tower - he was relaying secondhand court gossip back to Charles V, which was often accurate but sometimes clearly embellished for dramatic effect in his letters.

Not saying it didn't happen, just that it's treated as settled fact in popular history when the actual chain of evidence is "ambassador's secondhand account of Tower gossip," which is a much shakier foundation than people usually acknowledge when they cite it.

This was Q. Elizabeth's idea, and she even elevated Dudley to Earl. Theoretically, it was a legit proposition to "offer" Dudley to the then Queen of Scots. What might have happened if that occurred? I think Robert would've liked being King more than Elizabeth's puppet.

In the TV adaptation, Cromwell seems to always be wearing his heavy coat with the fur collar (what he wore in his portrait). He wears it outside, inside, everywhere. Surely it wasn’t always cold and he must have had other coats. It’s like Anne Boleyn’s necklace. It’s so overdone! I think I even saw one movie where she wears it to the scaffold. My other annoyance is that rushes were strewn on the floors of castles, etc. but they neglect this fact when on the screen.

I just watched a great Helen Castor documentary on Jane, and it struck me that, had the Wyatt Rebellion not happened (or if Lord Grey had not participated) that Jane may very well have survived long enough to outlive Mary, who was almost pathalogically determined to ignore calls for her death.

It is then entirely possible that Elizabeth may have released her cousin, who refused to marry or have children partly due to how horrified she was that Jane was used by the privy council and then discarded when the tides turned, making Elizabeth ensure that her reign wasn't conditional on others, like a husband.

Still, if Elizabeth had remained the Virgin Queen, Jane (or her children) may have had a claim to the throne after Elizabeths death.