It was quite a trial for an old lady, holding the country's hopes together, addressing the nation (or posterity) at Tillbury, and the hopes and the fears of the Armada battles. Historically, the Earl of Leicester died soon afterwards, so in our alternate history we have the added synchronicity of the Queen, exhausted by the ordeal, also passing away.
There is no acknowledged heir. Arabella has been presented at court, and foreigners might consider her heir, but she has been banished back home for insisting on the precedence that an heir should have, Elizabeth famously never wanting to settle this issue if she could avoid it.
There is a strong party who think that James VI, being foreign-born (and King of the Scots!) should not be in the line of succession. At the same time, Elizabeth was always careful to avoid giving any deliberate hint that she considered him out of the question, for example in not protesting the appropriation of Arabella's title, or its lands, and though Burghley chased up her jewellery on occasion, it was clearly seen as something at his level, rather than between monarchs.
Essex is in the ascendant. He is rumoured to be with the Queen til the early hours, returning they say when the birds begin to sing. He has also been standing up for Arabella at court, and of course he hates Ralegh whom he views as a common-blood upstart.
When Elizabeth dies, Arabella is with her grandmother in Derbyshire. Her step-grandfather Shrewsbury is Earl Marshal and still alive, and reasonably strong.
If we posit that Elizabeth collapses exhausted and passes away overnight, in the early hours, there is no time to make any arrangements.
Does Essex move to secure the throne for Arabella, with a view to marrying her?
What do Burghley and Walsingham do?
Would James VI be in a position to invade to demand what he sees as his right?
England is on a high, after the Armada - does this come crashing down, or does it give extra resistance to the idea that there will be no Scottish monarch?
Best Regards
Grey Wolf
There is no acknowledged heir. Arabella has been presented at court, and foreigners might consider her heir, but she has been banished back home for insisting on the precedence that an heir should have, Elizabeth famously never wanting to settle this issue if she could avoid it.
There is a strong party who think that James VI, being foreign-born (and King of the Scots!) should not be in the line of succession. At the same time, Elizabeth was always careful to avoid giving any deliberate hint that she considered him out of the question, for example in not protesting the appropriation of Arabella's title, or its lands, and though Burghley chased up her jewellery on occasion, it was clearly seen as something at his level, rather than between monarchs.
Essex is in the ascendant. He is rumoured to be with the Queen til the early hours, returning they say when the birds begin to sing. He has also been standing up for Arabella at court, and of course he hates Ralegh whom he views as a common-blood upstart.
When Elizabeth dies, Arabella is with her grandmother in Derbyshire. Her step-grandfather Shrewsbury is Earl Marshal and still alive, and reasonably strong.
If we posit that Elizabeth collapses exhausted and passes away overnight, in the early hours, there is no time to make any arrangements.
Does Essex move to secure the throne for Arabella, with a view to marrying her?
What do Burghley and Walsingham do?
Would James VI be in a position to invade to demand what he sees as his right?
England is on a high, after the Armada - does this come crashing down, or does it give extra resistance to the idea that there will be no Scottish monarch?
Best Regards
Grey Wolf