Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley - Marriage To The Queen of Scots

Marriage To The Queen of Scots

On 3 February 1565 Darnley left London and by 12 February he was in Edinburgh. On 17 February he presented himself to Mary at Wemyss Castle in Fife. James Melville of Halhill reported that ‘Her Majesty took well with him, and said that he was the lustiest and best proportioned long man that she had seen.' After a brief visit to his father at Dunkeld, Darnley returned with Mary and the court to Holyrood on 24 February. The next day he heard John Knox preach, and he danced a galliard with Mary at night. From then on he was constantly in Mary's company.

Darnley was related to his future wife in at least four ways:

• they shared a grandmother in English princess Margaret Tudor, daughter of King Henry VII of England and the elder sister of Henry VIII (Mary descending from Margaret's marriage to James IV of Scotland, Darnley from Margaret's marriage to Archibald Douglas, 6th Earl of Angus), putting both Mary and Darnley high in the line of succession for the English throne;
• Darnley was a descendant of a daughter of James II of Scotland and thus also in line for the throne of Scotland;
• both were descendants of Joan Beaufort, Queen of Scotland (Mary through Joan's marriage to James I of Scotland, Darnley through her marriage to Sir James Stewart, the Black Knight of Lorn;
• their family surname was due to a much more ancient connection to his and Mary's male-line ancestor, Alexander Stewart, 4th High Steward of Scotland.

As a preliminary to the marriage, Darnley was made Lord of Ardmanoch and Earl of Ross at Stirling Castle on 15 May 1565. An entourage of 15 men were made knights, including one of Mary's half brothers Sir Robert Stewart of Strathdon, Robert Drummond of Carnock, and James Stewart of Doune Castle.

In England, a concerned Privy Council debated the perils of the intended marriage on 4 June 1565. One of their resolutions was to relax the displeasure shown to Lady Catherine Grey, another rival to Mary Stuart for the English throne. Mary sent John Hay, Commendator of Balmerino, to speak to Elizabeth; Elizabeth demanded Darnley's return, and gave John Hay plainly to understand her small satisfaction.

On 22 July Darnley was made Duke of Albany in Holyrood Abbey and the banns of marriage were called in the parish of Canongate. A proclamation was made at the Cross of Edinburgh on 28 July that government would be in the joint names of the king and queen of Scots, thus giving Darnley equality with, and precedence over, Mary. This was confirmed in the circulation of a silver ryal in the names of Henry and Mary.

On 29 July 1565 the marriage took place by Roman Catholic rites in Mary's private chapel at Holyrood, after which Darnley left Mary to hear the nuptial mass alone. Lord Darnley’s religious beliefs were unstable as he was raised Roman Catholic but during his later years became influenced by Protestantism. This led to Darnley’s refusal of accompanying Mary on their wedding day in Mass, leaving her to hear the nuptial mass alone.