DNA Testing Mary Tudor, Queen of France and the Princes in the Tower

DNA testing could identify the remains of the "Princes in the Tower," as mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) linked to the princes has been discovered through a descendant, and a sample of Mary Tudor, Queen of France's hair exists for potential comparison. 

When I visited Bury St Edmunds to see the tomb of Mary Tudor, Queen of France, I also visited the nearby Moyse's Hall museum, to see the locket containing a lock of Mary Tudor's hair, (pictured above) which was taken when her coffin was moved to its present location. (It was reported that when Mary's coffin was opened her hair was some two feet long and a ‘reddish-gold’ colour.)

Several other locks of hair were taken, including this one, by historian Horace Walpole, Earl of Orford, and Lady Margaret Bentinck, Duchess of Portland:

As well as DNA from cells, it is also possible to extract mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) from the cushion of cytoplasm which surrounds our cells. Importantly, mtDNA is inherited unchanged down the maternal line, passed from mothers to both sons and daughters, but sons cannot pass along their mothers' mtDNA to their children because mtDNA is transmitted through the female egg.

This means Mary Tudor, Queen of France, (and her brother King Henry VIII) will have shared mtDNA with the princes through their mother, Elizabeth of York and grandmother, Elizabeth Woodville - yet I wonder if we will ever have access to the supposed remains of the princes in Westminster Abbey.

Tony Riches

Courage, passion and adventure in the turbulent world of the Tudor court - the story of King Henry VIII's youngest sister:  Mary - Tudor Princess

Book Launch Spotlight: The Race for Elizabeth I's Throne: Rival Tudor Cousins, by Beverley Adams

Available from Amazon UK 

and pre-order from Amazon US

As the childless Elizabeth I lay on her deathbed, discussions over who would succeed her as ruler of England raged on amongst her advisors. 

The succession to Elizabeth’s throne was hotly debated throughout her reign (1558-1603) and despite having no direct heir, the queen refused to name her successor over safety concerns, being convinced a plot would be raised to oust her in favour of the heir. 

There were many contenders to the crown, but Elizabeth’s main rival was Mary, Queen of Scots but her Catholic faith and ill-advised marriage to fellow claimant Lord Darnley, against Elizabeth’s wishes, damaged her claim. 

Her claim was ended when the English queen had her Scottish counterpart executed in 1587. Other claims came from the Grey sisters Katherine and Mary, and later Margaret Clifford and Arbella Stuart. But the crown finally came to King James VI of Scotland, son of Mary and Darnley, in what was a smooth transition.

His accession marked the end of the Tudor dynasty and the start of the Stuart era in England.

# # #

About the Author

Beverley Adams was born and raised in Preston, Lancashire. She gained her MA in English in 2018 and her first book, The Rebel Suffragette: The Life of Edith Rigby, was published in September 2021. She has since released other titles including The World’s First Computer Programmer: The Life of Ada Lovelace and The Forgotten Tudor Royal: Margaret Douglas Grandmother to James VI & I. She is passionate about bringing the lives of inspirational women back to life. Her interests include history, in particular the Tudors, reading and travel. Find out more at beverley's website https://beverleysreads.wordpress.com/ and find her on Twitter @WriterBeverleyA and Bluesky @writerbeverleya.bsky.social

The Cardinal, the gripping new novel about the man behind the Tudor crown, by Alison Weir

Available from Amazon UK and Amazon US

It begins with young Tom Wolsey, the bright and brilliant son of a Suffolk tradesman, sent to study at Oxford at just eleven years old. It ends with a disgraced cardinal, cast from the King's side and estranged from the woman he loves.

The years in between tell the story of a scholar and a lover, a father and a priest. From the court of Henry VIII, Tom builds a powerful empire of church and state. At home in London, away from prying eyes, he finds joy in a secret second life.

But when King Henry, his cherished friend, demands the ultimate sacrifice, what will Wolsey choose?

Alison Weir's riveting new Tudor novel reveals the two lives of Cardinal Wolsey, a tale of power, passion and ambition.

'Alison Weir gives us her most compelling heroine yet... This is where the story of the Tudors begins' Teact Borman

'History has the best stories and they should all be told like this' Conn Igguden

# # #

About the Author

Alison Weir is the New York Times bestselling author of the novels Innocent Traitor and The Lady Elizabeth and several historical biographies, including Mistress of the Monarchy, Queen Isabella, Henry VIII, Eleanor of Aquitaine, The Life of Elizabeth I, and The Six Wives of Henry VIII. She lives in Surrey, England with her husband. Find out more at Alison's website http://www.alisonweir.org.uk/ and find her on Facebook and Twitter  @AlisonWeirBooks 

Historical Fiction Spotlight: Mistress of Dartington Hall (Daughters of Devon Book 3) by Rosemary Griggs

Available from Amazon UK and Amazon US

1587. England is at war with Spain. The people of Devon wait in terror for King Philip of Spain’s mighty armada to unleash untold devastation on their land.

Roberda, daughter of a French Huguenot leader, has been managing the Dartington estate in her estranged husband Gawen’s absence. She has gained the respect of the staff and tenants who now look to her to lead them through these dark times.

Gawen’s unexpected return from Ireland, where he has been serving Queen Elizabeth, throws her world into turmoil. He joins the men of the west country, including his cousin, Sir Walter Raleigh, and his friend Sir Francis Drake, as they prepare to repel a Spanish invasion. 

Amidst musters and alarms, determined and resourceful Roberda rallies the women of Dartington. But, after their earlier differences, can she trust Gawen? Or should she heed the advice of her faithful French maid, Clotilde?

Later Roberda will have to fight if she is to remain Mistress of Dartington Hall, and secure her children’s inheritance. Can she ever truly find fulfilment for herself?

# # #

About the Author

Author and speaker Rosemary Griggs has been researching Devon's sixteenth-century history for years. She has discovered a cast of fascinating characters and an intriguing network of families whose influence stretched far beyond the West Country. She loves telling the stories of the forgotten women of history — the women beyond the royal court; wives, sisters, daughters and mothers who played their part during those tumultuous Tudor years: the Daughters of Devon. Her novel A Woman of Noble Wit tells the story of Katherine Champernowne, Sir Walter Raleigh’s mother, and features many of the county’s well-loved places. The Dartington Bride, published March 2024, is the extraordinary tale of Lady Gabrielle Roberda Montgomery who travelled from France to Elizabethan England to marry into the prominent and well-connected Champernowne family. Rosemary creates and wears sixteenth-century clothing, a passion which complements her love for bringing the past to life through a unique blend of theatre, history and re-enactment. Her appearances and talks for museums and community groups all over the West Country draw on her extensive research into sixteenth-century Devon, Tudor life and Tudor dress, particularly Elizabethan. Out of costume, Rosemary leads heritage tours of the gardens at Dartington Hall, a fourteenth-century manor house and now a a historic visitor destination, events venue and thriving community of businesses, colleges and more. You can find out more on Rosemary’s website:  https://rosemarygriggs.co.uk/ and follow her on Bluesky and Twitter @RAGriggsauthor

Book Launch Spotlight: The Cardinal’s Daughter, by Alison Weir

Available from Amazon UK and Amazon US

In this powerful Tudor short story, Sunday Times bestselling novelist Alison Weir reimagines the life of the secret love child 

of Cardinal Wolsey.

Few can claim to be a cardinal's daughter, but I can . . .

Dorothy Clausey grows up in the splendid shadow of Worcester Cathedral, raised by loving parents she believes to be her own. But soon after her eighteenth birthday, Dorothy learns the shocking truth. 

She is the secret daughter of the great Cardinal Wolsey - King Henry's chief minister and the most powerful subject in the realm.

When rumours swirl that the King will move against Wolsey for treason, Dorothy finds herself in a dangerous position. Heartbroken, she agrees to enter a convent for her own protection.

At Shaftesbury Abbey, Dorothy is torn between her new vocation and the unexpected desires stirring within her. But when the King begins dissolving monasteries, and the young novice nuns are given the choice to stay or leave, Dorothy must decide her true path . . .

# # #

About the Author

Alison Weir is the New York Times bestselling author of the novels Innocent Traitor and The Lady Elizabeth and several historical biographies, including Mistress of the Monarchy, Queen Isabella, Henry VIII, Eleanor of Aquitaine, The Life of Elizabeth I, and The Six Wives of Henry VIII. She lives in Surrey, England with her husband. Find out more at Alison's website http://www.alisonweir.org.uk/ and find her on Facebook and Twitter  @AlisonWeirBooks

Book Launch Spotlight: Shield of Mercia: An Epic Dark Ages Historical Adventure of War, Honour and Destiny (The Eagle of Mercia Chronicles Book 8) by MJ Porter

Available from Amazon UK and Amazon US

Mercia is triumphant. Her king is safe. But Wessex was never Mercia’s only enemy.

Tamworth, AD836

Following a brutally cold winter, King Wiglaf of Mercia is in the ascendancy. Even Wessex’s Archbishop of Canterbury extraordinarily ventures to Mercia to broker a religious accord. But, can the hard-won peace prevail?

Viking raiders threaten Wessex. These blood-thirsty warriors are fast, skilful and have no reticence about killing those who stand in their way. Their aim isn't to rule but to overwhelm, slaughter and take ill-gotten wealth.

King Wiglaf is no fool. As the Vikings push to overwhelm Wessex, Mercia’s lands look insecure. King Wiglaf needs the shields of Mercia's warriors to prevent the overwhelming advancement of their deadliest enemy yet.

To save Mercia, Icel must first prevail over the two men who mean to end his life; King Ecgberht of Wessex and his son, Æthelwulf of Kent and only then the marauding Viking army for whom boundaries have no meaning.

# # #

About the Author

MJ Porter is the author of many historical novels set predominantly in Seventh to Eleventh-Century England, and in Viking Age Denmark. Raised in the shadow of a building that was believed to house the bones of long-dead Kings of Mercia, meant that the author's writing destiny was set. MJ Porter has also written two twentieth-century mysteries. Find out more at https://www.mjporterauthor.com/ and folllow on Twitter @coloursofunison and Bluesky @mjporterauthor.bsky.social

Book Launch Spotlight: For Lord and Liege: A gripping historical adventure thriller set in Norman England (The Northumbria Trilogy Book 2) by Birgit Constant

Available from Amazon UK and Amazon US

A desperate heir. A dark secret. A deadly game.

England, 1086. Sixteen-year-old Roger is thrust into the role of heir after his brother’s death, yet his father refuses to see him as a worthy successor.

Determined to prove himself, Roger seeks solace in Gwennaol, a taciturn girl that might know a dark secret about his father.

But seeing her is against his father’s order, and the closer he draws to the truth, the deeper he is entangled in a deadly struggle where trust is dangerous and love can be fatal.

Packed with intrigue, danger and heart, For Lord and Liege delivers a compelling medieval adventure of ambition, loyalty and courage forged in blood.

# # #

About the Author

Birgit Constant has a PhD in medieval studies, has learned eleven languages and worked her way through translation, IT and Public Relations before ending up in the world of books. She writes historical fiction for language nerds and is particularly interested in hidden histories of less well-known people and places. Her works include the Northumbria Trilogy and a fictional biography about Marie de France, a 12th-century French writer. Subscribe to her newsletter Medieval Motes at www.birgitconstant.com for exclusive reading material, news from the Middle Ages, and information about her projects and books. You can also find Birgit Constant on Facebook and Bluesky