Re those who don't think he would be legitimised, he was a DOUBLE duke in an age when there were VERY FEW dukes at all.
Best Regards
Grey Wolf
And I can't remember who said it, but at the time he was created "duke", it was murmured that the only dukes in England, were the king's uncle (Norfolk), the king's friend (Brandon) and the king's bastard (Fitzroy)
I'm sorry but the notion of Fitzroy being legitimised and being inserted into the line of succession just seems absurd.
Henry's international reputation marriage wise was already a shambles. Both Christina (if I had two heads, one should be at the king of England's disposal) and Marie de Guise (I'm a big (i.e. tall) woman but I have very little neck), were aware of this.
So, unless Fitzroy surviving gets rid of Anne Boleyn's execution (since him dying was one of things she was accused of at her trial - poisoning the duke of Richmond), Henry's marital career will be in tatters, shopping for a new wife when (if) Jane dies would be the same nightmare as OTL.
Although, on The Tudors, Cromwell says that the French king offers Marie de Bourbon as a new wife for Henry after Jane dies. Maybe she would be an interesting Anne of Cleves-replacement.
Both of these comments are thought to be inventions made well after the fact.
Anne was not charged with having poisoned Fitzroy. Fitzroy survived Anne by a year. Henry convinced himself after the fact that Anne was planning to do this, but there's no evidence she thought of it, and it wasn't mentioned at her trial.
She only survived Jane by a few months; I doubt the negotiations would have been finalized soon enough.
Re those who don't think he would be legitimised, he was a DOUBLE duke in an age when there were VERY FEW dukes at all.
Best Regards
Grey Wolf
No. England doesn't, and didn't, go for aunt-nephew marriages.If Fitzroy still dies on schedule, but either leaves his wife pregnant with, or a surviving son - and said son is still unwed when Elizabeth ascends the throne, might she marry him - an Englishman, and a Tudor- over a French or Spanish prince.
A lot of ifs, but my ideas.
No. England doesn't, and didn't, go for aunt-nephew marriages.
No. England doesn't, and didn't, go for aunt-nephew marriages.