Historically, Henry FitzRoy - Henry VIII's sole acknowledged bastard, and later duke of Richmond and Somerset - died shortly before the birth of Edward VI.
It has been suggested that the somewhat vague wording of Henry VIII's ability to nominate his own heir with the Second Succession Act was down to the idea that - short of legitimate male heirs - he may at some point choose to nominate Henry FitzRoy. However, FitzRoy's death in July 1536 meant this never had to be put to the test, and all those later designated Henry's heir were born legitimate (even if, as in Elizabeth's case, at times declared illegitimate).
What if young FitzRoy - allegedly a strapping young lad and much healthier than Edward VI ever was - survived his bout of consumption and was able to consummate his marriage to Mary Howard and start a family? They would likely be known as the Richmonds, and be a bastard cadet branch of the Tudor dynasty. The question is whether Henry would ever consider legitimizing them; given he died as head of his own Church and had no need of papal dispensation, in theory there is nothing stopping him from doing so.
Let us say that Edward VI dies of consumption in July 1553 as normal; he is survived by his Catholic elder sister Mary, his Protestant younger sister Elizabeth... and his Protestant elder brother, Henry.
What happens next? How do you feel Henry FitzRoy would have been treated in future Succession Acts? Would the dying Edward have named him in the 'Devise for the Succession' and would Mary or Elizabeth have acknowledged it?
I realize there are several plausible scenarios here, but let's assume that generally everything else runs the historical course, with FitzRoy being the only major aberration. He was of course a duke and would have had some influence at court, and he was married to one of the Howards, but he was nonetheless a bastard and had three legitimate half-siblings before him in the line of succession, as well as several cousins (the Stewarts, the Brandons).
With FitzRoy alive, well and with a growing family of his own in 1553, how do you foresee things playing out? Would he have been legitimized at any point, and if so, would it have mattered? Would the Richmonds have meant the Union of the Crowns being pushed back further?
It has been suggested that the somewhat vague wording of Henry VIII's ability to nominate his own heir with the Second Succession Act was down to the idea that - short of legitimate male heirs - he may at some point choose to nominate Henry FitzRoy. However, FitzRoy's death in July 1536 meant this never had to be put to the test, and all those later designated Henry's heir were born legitimate (even if, as in Elizabeth's case, at times declared illegitimate).
What if young FitzRoy - allegedly a strapping young lad and much healthier than Edward VI ever was - survived his bout of consumption and was able to consummate his marriage to Mary Howard and start a family? They would likely be known as the Richmonds, and be a bastard cadet branch of the Tudor dynasty. The question is whether Henry would ever consider legitimizing them; given he died as head of his own Church and had no need of papal dispensation, in theory there is nothing stopping him from doing so.
Let us say that Edward VI dies of consumption in July 1553 as normal; he is survived by his Catholic elder sister Mary, his Protestant younger sister Elizabeth... and his Protestant elder brother, Henry.
What happens next? How do you feel Henry FitzRoy would have been treated in future Succession Acts? Would the dying Edward have named him in the 'Devise for the Succession' and would Mary or Elizabeth have acknowledged it?
I realize there are several plausible scenarios here, but let's assume that generally everything else runs the historical course, with FitzRoy being the only major aberration. He was of course a duke and would have had some influence at court, and he was married to one of the Howards, but he was nonetheless a bastard and had three legitimate half-siblings before him in the line of succession, as well as several cousins (the Stewarts, the Brandons).
With FitzRoy alive, well and with a growing family of his own in 1553, how do you foresee things playing out? Would he have been legitimized at any point, and if so, would it have mattered? Would the Richmonds have meant the Union of the Crowns being pushed back further?