TLIAD: The Rose Less Bloomed

[Kynan]

Introduction: 1495-1503

“…On the 14th of September, 1495, the youngest Princess of England, Elizabeth Tudor, was thought to be lost. Hot with fever, her royal parents were prepared for the worst, and the young girl was made as comfortable in her final hours. But, as if by some miracle, her fever broke during the night, and she was saved. Buoyed, her parents gifted the nurse who was credited with saving her $100 as a reward, and a promised income of $100 a year from that point forward.

Followed the following year by a younger sister, named Mary for the Virgin Mother, Elizabeth Tudor gradually regained strength, and in 1497, she was formally betrothed to Francis of Angouleme, a French Prince, and at that time, 2nd in line for the French Throne and reigning Count of Angouleme. A promise was made that she would be sent to France in 1505, when she was 14, and her betrothed was 11, and that they would wait a year until they were formally married.

The stage was set for a glorious future for the Princess Elizabeth. Her eldest sister was betrothed to the King of Scotland and her eldest brother to the Princess of Spain, Catherine of Aragon. Her brother Henry, the closest in age to her, proved to be an able companion, and it was said that the two were never seen without the other. In fact, the Duke of York was extraordinarily protective of his sister, possibly due to her near death at such a young age.

But it all came crashing down in June of 1500, with the death of her brother Edmund. Then, it was if a cloud of death followed the Tudor family. The death of an infant third son could be lived through (although his funeral was expensive, and his family’s grief strong), but the death of the heir was something entirely different. It was in April of 1502 that Elizabeth lost her eldest brother, and her world changed completely her mother was gone herself with 12 months, giving birth to a short-lived Princess Katherine. Her sister Margaret was pulled away to Scotland months later. Her last surviving brother, Henry, was proclaimed Prince of Wales and betrothed to their sister-in-law. Everything changed. Except her future. She was meant for France…”

 

[Kynan]

Henry VII of England (b.1457) m. Elizabeth of York (b.1466: d.1503) (a)

1a) Arthur Tudor, Prince of Wales (b.1486: d.1502) m. Catherine of Aragon (b.1485)

2a) Margaret Tudor (b.1489)

3a) Henry Tudor, Prince of Wales (b.1491) b. Catherine of Aragon (b.1485)

4a) Elizabeth Tudor (b.1492)

5a) Mary Tudor (b.1496)

6a) Edmund Tudor, Duke of Somerset (b.1498: d.1500)

7a) Katherine Tudor (b.1503: d.1503)​

 

[desmirelle]

Uh, methinks thou hast confused the ages of marriage. Men: 14; Women: 12, you seem to have it the wrong way 'round.

 

[Kynan]

A Staggered Series of Engagements: 1503-1515

“…The initial years in mourning for the Princess Elizabeth’s mother were ones of much sadness. Like her brother Henry, the middle daughter of the royal family had found much joy in her mother’s presence. However, it was not completely gloomy for the English Princess over the next few years. In hopes to cut costs down for her sister-in-law, Elizabeth would, for a year, invite Catherine of Aragon to her household away from court, and gifted her dresses to ensure she was well dressed for court. In fact, the Princess may have been the most positive presence in Catherine’s life during this time, despite the fact the two were forced to separate their households in 1507. Prior to that year, Elizabeth had been vital in establishing any sort of relationship between Catherine and Henry, passing love letters, about 10 in total, between the isolated Prince and his supposed betrothed.

Elizabeth Tudor would see her sister betrothed in 1507 as well, to the heir to Spain, Charles of Burgundy. Of course, her own betrothal to the Count of Angouleme had been postponed at this time, although she herself chose to use the title in her letters. However, the betrothal was not solid. As early as 1506, when initial preparations were made for the English Princess to leave for France, the French King suggested a further gap of 5 years, claiming Francis of Angouleme was frail, and too immature to undertake marriage.

This was seen by some in the English court as betrayal, and for the last few years of his life, Henry VII of England opened his daughter up to betrothals, and at one point, she wrote to a friend under the title “Duchess of the Savoie”, suggesting that a potential match to Charles of Savoy was strongly underway. Another source mentioned Ferdinand II of Aragon, unlikely as that match would have been, and another still heavily implies that the Count of Foix “would find a match in a lady of England”, most likely the Princess Elizabeth. Regardless of what was being done, all plans fell through in 1509, when her father died, and her brother rose to the throne.

Elizabeth’s betrothal to Francis of Angouleme was reinstated for the time being, although there was still talk of a match with the Duke of Savoy. Elizabeth herself, 17 at her father’s death, mourned appropriately. It’s likely that the lifting of the oppressive atmosphere of Henry VII’s court was a blessing, and Elizabeth did in fact flourish under the early years of her brother’s reign.

The betrothal between Elizabeth of England and Francis of Angouleme seems to have unofficially ended years earlier, but officially, Francis revoked the betrothal publicly in early 1511, suggesting that he had never consented to such a match, and thus any talk was invalid. It was a similar argument made for Henry VIII’s secret renunciation of his betrothal to Catherine of Aragon, but to do so publicly was humiliating for Elizabeth, who had recently sent the Count of Angouleme a full size portrait of herself, in preparation for what was meant to be their proper marriage, months away.

With that lost, Catherine of Aragon stepped in to suggest a renewal of Elizabeth’s betrothal to the Duke of Savoy, hoping to prevent the Duke from marrying a French ally. Elizabeth was also suggested, somewhat absurdly, as a match for either John of Portugal, heir to the Portuguese throne, or Charles of Burgundy, her sister’s betrothed. Considering she was 8 years both boy’s elder, it was never a serious suggestion, but it does suggest a level of ambition for the young woman not seen in her sister.

Elizabeth’s role in the war her brother took against France was twofold. Firstly, her hand was promised to the Duke of Savoy, for after a successful war, if he were to join their cause. Secondly, she would act as a confidant to Catherine of Aragon during her Regency while Henry VIII of England was away. Granted, that second one was a minor step, but it is very likely she was a stress reliever for the Queen of England, and it was Elizabeth, rather than any other, who first sent word that Catherine had given birth to England’s heir, Henry Tudor, Duke of Cornwall and Prince of Wales.

Elizabeth would act as the young boy’s godmother, with her sister, the Princess Mary. Mary does not seem to have clicked as easily with the Queen of England, and her relationship with Elizabeth seems somewhat cold. This might just have been jealousy, Mary was often left out early in her brother’s reign, due to her youth in comparison to Elizabeth. It may also have been a competitive streak between the two. Elizabeth was considered quite comely, but Mary was rated as a beauty, and some suggest that the two competed for similar men during their time at their brother’s court, in particular Charles Brandon. Despite their flirtations, however, both were spoken for during their youths.

The loss of the Scots during the Anglo-Scottish War, ongoing with the Anglo-French War, meant King James IV of Scotland was forced to treat with the English Queen. During these negotiations, Elizabeth and Mary, for the first time in a decade, saw their eldest sister, pregnant with her son, Alexander Stewart. Margaret Tudor had agreed to travel to the meetings, arriving towards the end of the month and a half long series of negotiations, mostly centred around terminology and titles. The meetings between Elizabeth and Margaret are described in the verse The Meeting of the Princess and the Queen, a short poem that may have originally been an early sonnet, suggests the Queen of Scotland may have been bitter over Scotland’s loss.

England’s losses in France may have brought her joy then, for her brother found the King of Aragon a faithless ally, Burgundy little better, and Savoy even worse. He stormed France and lost it all, returning to London under bitter terms. One of his sisters would soon be in France, as the King’s bride. And as the eldest, and the one who’s betrothed was a smaller noble (and one Henry was feeling particularly bitter over), Elizabeth would be the one. And so, in 1515, after some delays to have a decent trousseau created, the Princess of England arrived to France, and became it’s Queen…”

 

[Kynan]

Henry VII of England (b.1457: d.1509) m. Elizabeth of York (b.1466: d.1503) (a)

1a) Arthur Tudor, Prince of Wales (b.1486: d.1502) m. Catherine of Aragon (b.1485)

2a) Margaret Tudor (b.1489) m. James IV of Scotland (b.1472)

1a) James Stewart, Duke of Rothesay (b.1507: d.1508)

2a) Stillborn Daughter (c.1508)

3a) Arthur Stewart, Duke of Rothesay (b.1509: d.1510)

4a) James Stewart, Duke of Rothesay (b.1512)

5a) Stillborn Daughter (c.1512)

6a) Alexander Stewart, Duke of Ross (b.1514: d.1515)​

3a) Henry VIII of England (b.1491) m. Catherine of Aragon (b.1485) (a)

1a) Stillborn Daughter (c.1510)

2a) Henry Tudor, Duke of Cornwall (b.1511: d.1511)

3a) Henry Tudor, Prince of Wales (b.1513)

4a) Edward Tudor, Duke of York (b.1515: d.1515)​

4a) Elizabeth Tudor (b.1492) m. Louis XII of France (b.1462) (b)

5a) Mary Tudor (b.1496) b. Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor (b.1500)

6a) Edmund Tudor, Duke of Somerset (b.1498: d.1500)

7a) Katherine Tudor (b.1503: d.1503)​

 

[Kynan]

A Queen without Passion: 1515-1517

“…Elizabeth Tudor reigned two years in France, gave her husband a child, and return to England at the death of her elderly husband. But first, she was married to that man, in a wedding attended by her childhood betrothed and his wife, her husband’s elder daughter. It obviously hurt, and Elizabeth seems to have kept herself distant from Claude, Duchess of Brittany during her tenure as Queen of France, which did little for her relationship with the King.

Louis XII of France had married Elizabeth to end the Anglo-French War, but that didn’t mean he felt much of anything towards her. Her own apathy didn’t help, and upon hearing multiple accounts of the beauty of her younger sister, it’s possible he felt he may have married the wrong Tudor Princess. But what was done was done, and if Elizabeth wasn’t exactly kind to his elder daughter, she had nothing but kindness for the Princess Renee, who she even suggested as a bride for her nephew in England.

Elizabeth would gift her sister Mary a series of gold and silver plates upon her own wedding in 1516, with a letter hoping she would enjoy marriage to Charles of Burgundy as much as Elizabeth enjoyed her life as Queen of France. This seems to have been much less ironic than it may have been intended, for in May of that year, the Queen of France was able to tell the court she was pregnant for the first time, possibly bring forth France’s heir.

Writing to the Queen of England, she seems to have continued her apathy of the whole situation, focuses heavily on English gossip, and welcoming any English noblewomen she could into her household, including the Boleyn sisters, Mary and Anne Boleyn, daughters of the ambassador who played a large part in her present situation. However, there seems to have been no ill will towards the two, and her attitude even softened some to Claude of Brittany, although she actively seems to have shunned the Count of Angouleme multiple times, particularly during her pregnancy.

The of the Princess Joan of France in November was met with a much more muted series of celebrations than had been planned. While there had been celebratory notes prepared for five scenarios (boy, girl, twin boys, twin girls, one of each), many noted that half the planned jousts were cancelled, and King Louis himself chose not to attend parties n the child’s honour.

Regardless, hope was made for the future, and with one healthy child, another would follow. But it never did, for two months later, the King fell ill. Elizabeth chose not to nurse her husband back to health, leaving him in the hands of a series of doctors, who made a strong cold into a fever, then pneumonia, then finally, death. Elizabeth was now Queen Dowager, and Henry VIII of England sent word that she was to come back to England when her period of mourning had passed.

She chose to leave in July, proving to the world she hadn’t become pregnant in the 10 whole says she’d have been able to share her husband’s bed before his illness, Taking her daughter with her, she signed over most of her widow’s portion, although not her incomes from the crown itself, to ensure that Princess Joan would stay with her. She would also offer to take the Princess Renee, but her offer was declined, and finally, she was back in England, with her daughter, a foreign Princess, in tow.

 

[Kynan]

A Union in Grace: 1517-1520

“…The return of the 25 year old Elizabeth Tudor could not have been better timed. Her infant niece, Mary Tudor, was of an age with the Princess Joan, and the two would bond immediately. Elizabeth herself was reunited with her favourite brother, and the sister-in-law she’d been close to. But the Queen Dowager of France was shocked to find Catherine had grown much older in the short time they’d been apart. Those two years had not been good ones for the Queen of England, and Elizabeth was shocked that Henry had allowed his wife to treat herself this way.

Elizabeth had known of Catherine’s more pious tendencies, and had managed to keep them in check prior to leaving for France. She’d been there for the early stages of her 1515 pregnancy, and when that had ended in a miscarriage, she’d warned Catherine that she should eat and sleep comfortably. It seems she may have heeded her warning with the Princess Mary, but now, not pregnant, she tortured herself to get into heaven. But her friend and sister-in-law would not allow it.

Henry VIII of England was not one to agree with many people, but Elizabeth was one he regularly did agree with, and so, all of Catherine’s hair dresses were burned, to her horror. Some claim that this was a power move by Elizabeth, testing the waters before she made other, more radical moves. But she had the holy powers on her side, and she brought Catherine a petition, signed by over 100 pastors and priests, telling her that she was not supposed to wear a head underdress. In compensation, Elizabeth agreed to wear uncomfortable shoes with her, as penance for their sins, whatever they might be. But the Queen Dowager of France was nothing if not pragmatic, and so, she continued to act as a guiding force for Catherine, particularly when she became pregnant for a sixth time by the end of the year.

More often than not, the topic of Elizabeth Tudor’s remarriage entered her brother’s mind, and in 1518, he made moves for a renewal of the marriage contract between herself and the Duke of Savoy, which she promptly denied. In one of their few public battles of will, he demanded she marry for England, and she claimed to marry such a man, a man who had failed England, would be a fool’s marriage, and she was not a fool. The matter ended in a stalemate, and later in that year the Duke married the eldest Princess of Portugal by proxy, and soon after, Elizabeth found herself in the running to become a future Queen of Portugal, as Manuel I of Portugal managed to marry his son’s betrothed, and he suddenly needed a wife.

Now, Elizabeth seems to have actually been the initial choice for John of Portugal, given her proven track record of healthy children, and connection to the current Holy Roman Empress, Mary Tudor. But, the Queen Dowager of France was not interested in the 16 year old John of Portugal. He was an enigma, and she most likely wouldn’t be able to bring the Princess Joan with her to yet another court. And so, in a move that caused the biggest rift between herself and the King of England, she went and married 17 year old Henry Stafford, son to the Duke of Buckingham and one of her admirers.

The two eloped in late 1518, and by 1519, the Queen of France, as she now and forever would sign herself, was pregnant with their first child. Of course, her brother was furious. Buckingham was not favourite of his, and now his sister was married to his son. Granted, Henry Stafford himself had done nothing of note to Henry, and he genuinely seemed to have some level of care towards his new wife, but that be damned. Henry sent the two to the country, although Elizabeth kept in contact with her sister-in-law, alternating between advice for her pregnancy, and pleas to turn her brother around.

In a particularly heart-wrenching letter to her brother, she demands to know why he is to know love, but she wasn’t. The matter was made worse by her advice to Catherine being helpful, with the birth of a second Princess of England, named Isabella, in a joint tribute to Isabella I of Castile, Elizabeth of York, and the currently exiled Elizabeth Tudor. However, he stood firm, and his sister in Scotland, still Queen, acted as the Princess’ godmother, with her Kingly husband as godfather. The news actually matched that of Mary Tudor in Madrid, where she gave birth to her second son, a boy named John. Her eldest son, Philip, was a year old at that time.

With the birth of Catherine Stafford in 1519 was an even more muted affair than her sister’s birth had been, although her godmother was the Queen of England. However, it was a betrothal between the Prince of Wales and the Princess Louise of France that brought Elizabeth back to court, to act as a link between England and France, as their former Queen. For the occasion, the King raised her husband to Marquis of Richmond, with the implicit acknowledgement that he was his father’s heir to the Dukedom of Buckingham. However, the King would not seem to truly forgive her until 1520, when he gifted her two things. A silver cross, and a seat next to the Queen during feasts. Her husband, however, would stay down with his father…”

 

[Kynan]

A Child Every Year: 1520-1530

“…Henry Stafford would claim that Elizabeth Tudor have him a child every year for ten years, which was a bit of an exaggeration. But 8 children in 10 years is no joke, 9 if you count the 1519 child, and the Marquis of Richmond was often left staggered by the sheer number of children they produced during this time. That being said, not all of them made it through infancy, and by 1530 the couple had 7 surviving children: Catherine Stafford (b.1519), Thomas Stafford (b.1522), Mary Stafford (b.1524), Anne Stafford (b.1527), William Stafford (b.1528) and Susan Stafford (b.1530). They had lost their eldest son Henry to Sweating Sickness, and two daughters to childhood illness.

Elizabeth Tudor’s position in comparison to her husband would remain murky until 1525, when her father-in-law finally died. Since 1521, the Duke of Buckingham had been exiled from court, although few knew the reasons as to why. Some suggested the man had conspired against the King, others suggested he had not accepted the marriage between his son and the former Queen of France, for whatever reason. Regardless, this meant Elizabeth and Henry were much closer in rank, and while she would forever use the title ‘Queen of France’, she would now sit with her husband during major feasts and events, rather than with her brother. This was not a hard rule, but for the most part, they were a unit.

The Princess Joan of France became a major prize for the English nobility, and in 1526, Elizabeth Tudor formally betrothed her eldest daughter to the Earl of Surrey, the eldest son of the Duke of Norfolk. Not necessarily the greatest match for a Princess of France, but at this point in her life, the former Queen of France is more of the mind that domestic matches are better for children than foreign ones, and since her daughter is in her care and not that of the King of France, she can marry her where she likes. Besides, Norfolk was the one to bring her to France, and his nieces were in her household during her tenure as Queen.

Elizabeth’s elder sister, Margaret, had had less luck with her position as Queen of Scotland. Her husband had taken defeat badly, and had launched an attack on England in 1520, only to be repulsed fairly easily. Another attack in 1521 had failed easily, and in 1523, the groundwork seemed set for all-out war. But then he’d died, and suddenly, Scotland was not ruled by a King obsessed with a war he’d lost before, but a Regent Queen, worried about her current and final pregnancy, a short lived daughter, named Margaret, who would last from April to May. At 34, Margaret Tudor finally had the power, and little idea of what to do with it. All of it rested on her son, James V of Scotland.

In contrast, Mary Tudor (the elder) had found life dull but pleasant. The Holy Roman Empress had, by 1525, born 5 children, 3 of which had survived infancy: Philip of Austria, Prince of Asturias (b.1517), John of Austria, Archduke of Austria (b.1518) and Maria of Austria, Archduchess of Austria (b.1522). With these children, the future of the Hapsburg Dynasty was assured, and, as an added bonus, her son was betrothed to her niece, who happened to be her namesake. Despite this, Mary Tudor found herself unsatisfied with her life, and since her husband was regularly away, she had two options: act out or turn to god. And so the beautiful Mary Tudor did what she felt was instinctually right. She took a priest as a lover.

The shock of this betrayal was something heard across Europe. The details were such: while her husband attended business in Brussels, Mary Tudor had taken to bed Pablo Maria Victor Gonzales, a lowborn priest with a charismatic style. Perhaps too charismatic. Initially, little had been said about the Holy Roman Empress’ newest hanger-on. Gonzales was polite, lively, and passionate about his religion. He read the Bible, in Latin, to Mary and her ladies, and one night a week, privately heard his mistress’ confessions. It seems, however, these confessions were not that, and when a lady-in-waiting discovered the Empress and the Priest ‘praying’, what was done was done. Mary found herself separated from her children, and Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor had no choice. An annulment was sought.

The annulment of the Emperor and Empress was, of course, a massive deal. Mary Tudor was the mother of his heirs, sister to a powerful King and a popular consort. But she had broken the sacred vows of her marriage bed, and thus, had to be removed from her position. Initially, Charles seems to have made an attempt to keep the business discreet, but when the flood gates broke, all hell came loose. And the first to defend the Holy Roman Empress was her sister, the Queen of Scotland.

Yes, in Scotland, the Queen Regent began to push to bring her sister and her brother-in-law back together. Ignoring the ramifications of an affair, Margaret Tudor had lawyers and theologians review the case, to see if there was any way out of it for the Empress without ruining her. In contrast, Mary Tudor’s English family spoke harshly of her crimes, even as Henry VIII of England had his bastard son raised to the title Earl of Somerset. He saw to correlation, and having earnt the title ‘Defender of the Faith’, the King of England was not about to save his sister over his own reputation. And his sister Elizabeth stood by him.

Ultimately, the debate lasted a year, not due to clergy issues, but rather the legal issues surrounding the Empress’ dower and her widow’s portion. Ultimately, Mary Tudor was given two options: a nunnery or being sent back to England, to join a nunnery. She chose to remain in Madrid, and by 1528, Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor was a free man. His children retained their legal status, despite some questioning by his brother. Mary Tudor, meanwhile, would die in her nunnery a mere 2 years later. Some have suggested it was in childbirth to another priest’s child, but more likely, her health gave out due to the stress of it all, and she just lasted as long as she could.

Elizabeth Tudor, meanwhile, was the picture of a perfect English Duchess. With her brood of children, she proved to be a great wife, and a good companion for her sister-in-law. When, in 1528, the Princess Isabella succumbed to Sweating Sickness, Elizabeth would be the one to break the news to her brother and sister-in-law, despite her own mourning of her eldest son (Henry Stafford, born in 1521), who died with his cousin. In truth, this decade had been coloured by one fact: she was loyal to her brother…:”

 

[Kynan]

The Loss of Beloveds: 1530 – 1536

“…In the 1530’s, two major events happened in Elizabeth Tudor’s life that she considered important. Her eldest daughter, the Princess Joan of France, was married. And her close friend, the Queen of England, died. Neither of these events were has happy as they might have been, and ultimately, both would have major consequences for the Duchess of Buckingham.

In 1530, Margaret Tudor officially stepped down from her position of Regent in a daring way. She married her favourite, James Stewart (a cousin of her first husband) and announced a pregnancy. Granted, no one could say she’d not done her job as Regent, and James V of Scotland was definitely the right age to start ruling, but the fact her affair had been going on for some time was quite shocking, as was the fact she was pregnant at age 41. But Margaret had little time for such talk, and thus gave birth to a healthy baby girl, named her Margaret after herself and her grandmother, and promptly returned to court, bringing her son the first living sibling he’d had since that other Margaret Stewart.

Thus, the 1530’s came to a roaring start, and when James V of Scotland began to look for a wife, he look to one place: France. But that was not where he was betrothed. In fact, he had no betrothed. His mother had had a loose agreement with her brother to marry James to the Princess Isabella, but since she was out of the picture and Mary Tudor was already taken by the Prince of Asturias, James was in need of a bride. And he found one, even a French one, in the unlikeliest of places: England.

Yes, in 1532, despite having agreed that Joan of France might be raised by her mother, the King of France offered the suggestion that the King of Scotland not marry the Princess Madeleine, his eldest surviving daughter and currently the betrothed of Henry Tudor, Prince of Wales, or the Princess Margaret, his youngest daughter, but rather his sister-in-law, who was the right age, the right birth, and not someone who he especially cared for. Thus, James could get the best of both worlds. Hell, Francis even offered to dower her.

Now, this would seem like the chance of a lifetime for Elizabeth Tudor. Her daughter gets to be Queen, she could quite easily offer her next eldest daughter for the Duke of Norfolk’s son, and everyone is happy. But a big part of Elizabeth’s life plan, at this point, has had one goal: keep the family as close as possible. That’s why Joan didn’t make some grand foreign match years ago. But now, she’s being pressured not just by the Kings of Scotland and France, but by Henry as well. Joan is the closest thing he has to an available Princess of England, and since Catherine isn’t going to give him another daughter to marry to James, it’s up to Elizabeth to deliver.

A year passes in deliberations, and Henry VIII of England actively blocks the match between Joan and Norfolk’s son, even marrying his own bastard to Norfolk’s daughter to ensure support. Finally, she agrees to the demands, but makes her own to compensate. Her daughter Joan might marry James V of Scotland, but her daughter Catherine must marry the Earl of Surrey, and her son must marry Katherine Brandon, the only child of Charles Brandon by his third and current wife: Mary Grey, eldest sister to the Marquis of Dorset. Brandon himself, Earl of Suffolk, was sufficiently happy with his lot, despite his current situation with only a single child. And thus, all was settled, and in early 1533, James V of Scotland was married by proxy to Princess Joan of France.

In the meantime, the second marriage of Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor had taken place, to Beatrice of Portugal. Her sister, Isabella of Portugal, currently reigned as Duchess of Savoy, and Beatrice was, herself, a childless widow, to Boniface IV, Marquess of Montferrat. However, now Holy Roman Empress, she would give birth to five children, of which one, a son named Manuel, for her father, would survive infancy.

The death of Catherine of Aragon in 1536 proved a shock to the royal family. Not necessarily healthy, Catherine had at least been managing her ill health, and there seems to have been hope for recovery. But, the Queen was surely dead, and well mourned. The future, for many, seemed unclear, and now the King was alone. Well, not alone. His sister was by his side.

 

[Rheinbund]

She chose to leave in July, proving to the world she hadn’t become pregnant in the 10 whole says she’d have been able to share her husband’s bed before his illness, Taking her daughter with her, she signed over most of her widow’s portion, although not her incomes from the crown itself

Ok, maybe I did not understand, but did you say that Elizabeth went to England with her daughter (that is also the daughter of the king)?
Never France would have accepted it, I mean she's the princess of France. a "princess de sang" it means she's really important and I don't see them accept a foreigner take her and educate her in a foreign country especially England. Especially let her choose what people her daughter will marry, I mean french king didn't get many daughters and they would play a great role in french diplomacy by their wedding.

 

[desmirelle]

Ok, maybe I did not understand, but did you say that Elizabeth went to England with her daughter (that is also the daughter of the king)?
Never France would have accepted it, I mean she's the princess of France. a "princess de sang" it means she's really important and I don't see them accept a foreigner take her and educate her in a foreign country especially England. Especially let her choose what people her daughter will marry, I mean french king didn't get many daughters and they would play a great role in french diplomacy by their wedding.

THIS. Definitely. Princes and Princesses of the blood are property of the state and remain in country until marriage. Especially in France, boys are heirs, girls are treaty bait.