Scandalous Facts About Lady Arbella Stuart, The Queen Who Never Was

The Life Of Lady Arbella Stuart

Lady Arbella Stuart had a life full of secrets, ambition, and rebellion. The once-likely successor to Queen Elizabeth I, her rare pedigree was a curse, not a blessing—and led her right into scandal and an infamously tragic end.  


1. She Was Born With Royal Blood

Arbella Stuart was born in 1575 into a web of royal connections. Indeed, she was fourth in line to the English throne. Her impressive lineage included being the cousin of James VI of Scotland and the niece of Mary, Queen of ScotsBut her family tree also had twisted knots.

Painting of Lady Arabella Stuart in black dress

Robert Peake the elder, Wikimedia Commons

2. Her Birth Was Controversial

From the very beginning, Arbella was steeped in scandal. Her parents Charles, Earl of Lennox and Elizabeth Cavendish, were both well-pedigreed in their own right. So when they married in secret, Queen Elizabeth I was furious.

Exactly because they were so well-connected, their child would have strong claim to Elizabeth's throne, a dangerous thing in a Tudor England only just recovering from Protestant and Catholic clashes. Elizabeth lashed out in a terrifying way.

Queen Elizabeth I in orange dress and jewels

Unknown Author, Wikimedia Commons

3. She Was Born Into A Power Struggle

As punishment for the marriage, Elizabeth got a vicious revenge. She imprisoned both of Arbella's grandmothers for permitting the union, even though Arbella's maternal grandma Bess of Hardwick was one of the Queen's closest confidants. 

It wasn't a good start for Arbella, and she wasn't even born. When she was, her baptism didn't go much better.

Painting of Elizabeth Talbot, Countess Of Shrewsbury , Bess of Hardwick in black dress

Unknown Author, Wikimedia Commons

4. Spies Staked Out Her Baptism

Arbella’s baptism at Edensor was a grand affair reflecting her semi-royal status.The ceremony included lavish gifts of gold and silver, but it also included hints about just how dangerous the Crown considered her: Queen Elizabeth's spymaster, Sir Francis Walsingham, ordered some of his men to attend the baptism and report back.

But even they couldn't predict what happened next.

Lady Arabella Stuart (1575–1615), Later Duchess Of Somerset, As A Child

National Trust, Wikimedia Commons