Elizabeth Tudor

A rare portrait of a teenage Elizabeth, attributed to William Scrots. It was painted for her father in c. 1546.

## Biography

### Birth

7 September 1533, Palace of Placentia, Greenwich, England

## Noble Titles

### Primary Title

Lady Elizabeth Tudor, Princess of England

### Tenure

7 September 1533 - Present

**Elizabeth Tudor** (*7 September 1533 –* *Present*) was the only surviving daughter of Henry VIII by Anne Boleyn, his second wife, who was executed when Elizabeth was two years old. Anne's marriage to Henry was annulled, and Elizabeth declared illegitimate. Henry VIII restored her to the line of succession when she was ten, via the Third Succession Act of 1543, an act of legislative significance that quietly redefined her place within the realm's unfolding narrative. These moments of transformation, shaped by political maneuvering and changing circumstances, quietly propelled Elizabeth's trajectory toward a foggy destiny.

With her steadfastness in the face of religious upheaval and personal challenges, Elizabeth's story stands as a testament to the intricate interplay of faith, resilience, and destiny.

## Early life

Elizabeth, born on September 7, 1533, at Greenwich Palace, was named after her grandmothers, Elizabeth of York and Lady Elizabeth Howard. She was the second surviving child of Henry VIII and his second wife, Anne Boleyn. At birth, Elizabeth held the position of heir presumptive to the English throne. Her half-sister Mary lost her legitimacy due to Henry's annulment of his marriage to Mary's mother, Catherine of Aragon. This decision was driven by the aim of securing Tudor succession with a male heir. Elizabeth's baptism took place on September 10, 1533, with notable figures as her godparents.

Tragedy struck when her mother was executed when Elizabeth was just over two years old. This event led to Elizabeth's being declared illegitimate and excluded from the royal succession, until she was eventually restored to it in 1543. Despite these challenges, Elizabeth's life remained intertwined with the political dynamics of the Tudor court.

Elizabeth's earliest governess, Margaret Bryan, described her as remarkably gentle and responsive in nature. Catherine Champernowne, later known as Catherine "Kat" Ashley through marriage, began serving as Elizabeth's governess in 1537 and maintained their bond until her passing in 1565. Champernowne's tutelage enriched Elizabeth's linguistic prowess, spanning four languages: French, Dutch, Italian, and Spanish. By 1544, under the guidance of William Grindal, Elizabeth's linguistic repertoire expanded further to encompass English, Latin, Italian, French, and Greek.

Remarkably, at a mere 12 years old, Elizabeth demonstrated her linguistic dexterity by translating her stepmother Catherine Parr's religious work "Prayers or Meditations" into Italian, Latin, and French, gifting it to her father as a New Year's present. This proficiency continued to flourish into her teenage years and beyond, as Elizabeth delved into translations of classical works by authors such as Cicero, Boethius, Plutarch, and Tacitus. Elizabeth's passion for languages and literature, evident from an early age, remained a defining aspect of her lifelong pursuit of knowledge.