Blood Royale

A young girl, born into a royal house, used by treacherous courtiers and finally beheaded by a tyrannical Queen. It sounds like a tale too romantic, too bitter-sweet to be real but indeed the Lady Jane Greys’ life has been portrayed as such by writers and artists galore.

The Lady Jane Grey was daughter to Frances Brandon who was daughter to Mary Tudor (Henry VIII little sister). Born into a royal house which had traditional royal expectations she was brilliantly educated under a strict regime and heavy expectations. Jane often in her letters discribed a stormy relationship with her mother Frances who has been sensationalised as a child abuser, a tyrant and ever grasping for status. But was she? It has to be said that Jane, in her adolecense, could very well have been complaining to vent her unruly emotions in a time where children were expected to subject themselves to their parents every expectation of them. Jane had two younger sisters, the beautiful Katherine (who would share a tragic life) and Mary who was said to be a dwarf with a hunched back (also a sad tale of misery).

Jane was taken to court at a young age and her parents, like all noble parents at the time looked to Janes marrital future when Henry VIII had passed and his young son Edward was King. Edward and Jane were cousins and of the same age so it was not surprising that an idea was formed in someones mind of a futre marriage that would see Jane Queen of England.

Thomas Seymour was uncle to the King and the newly minted husband to the recently widowed Queen Catherine, formerly Catherine Parr the sixth wife of Henry VIII. Thomas was a man of great ambition who wished to see himself in his elder brothers position of Lord Protector of England…and the King. To make this postition possible Thomas concluded that he either had to get in favour with the young child King, or, his future Queen. Having been barred access from the King by his brother Thomas set up another way to get to the King. Through young Jane Grey, a perfect match for King Edward.

Thomas Seymour and Queen Catherine were given guardianship over Jane Grey who came to live with them as their ward. Here Jane was said to be her happiest living with the kindly Queen, her royal cousin, the Kings sister, Elizabeth and the dashingly handsome Thomas Seymour. Soon though happiness turned to utter tragedy with the beloved Queen Catherine dying after giving birth to a daughter, Mary. Thomas no longer has the female presence to ensure he was able to keep ward of this potential Queen and Jane unhappily trooped back home to her parents grieving the loss of a wonderful woman.