Let's say that at some point of her life (most likely relatively early) , Elizabeth Tudor, - a daughter of late king Henry VIII, decided that there is something about Catholic Faith, and converts to it by choice. I think that the most likely time for it is during early reign of her half-sister. Perhaps Mary's own devotion, combined with her own far from happy early life would have been enough?

How Queen Mary would react to news about her hals-sister and heir apparent conversion? What english protestants will do in this situation? What with Scotland in this scenerio? How Spain and France will react? Is there a way for Papacy to accept Elizabeth as rightful future queen? Is there a way to legalize Elizabeth as non-bastard in this situation?

I'm especially curious about your opinion:
@VVD0D95, @Tudorfan
 
AIUI, Mary was very distrustful of Elizabeth even when Elizabeth was pretending to be a genuine Catholic during her reign, so I doubt that it would make much of a difference unless she was Catholic pre-Mary’s reign. And even then, she might still be a figurehead, given that Elizabeth likely wouldn’t be as devout about it as Mary was.

What with Scotland in this scenerio? How Spain and France will react? Is there a way for Papacy to accept Elizabeth as rightful future queen? Is there a way to legalize Elizabeth as non-bastard in this situation?
No about the Papacy. Acknowledging Elizabeth as rightful Queen of England would be equivalent to supporting bigamy, given the circumstances of her parents’ marriage. Not to mention that it would likely piss off France and Scotland because of Mary, Queen of Scots (engaged to the Dauphin). As for Spain? Unsure. Philip might try to get Elizabeth as Wife #3, as he did OTL.

Elizabeth was never legitimized again, even in OTL after she began ruling (as opposed to Mary, who had herself legitimized again), so she really doesn’t need to be legitimized to succeed her sister. She definitely wouldn’t be legitimized by the Catholic Church, though, or at all during Mary’s reign, since Elizabeth being legitimate would make Mary illegitimate and vice versa.

IMO, an easier way to get a genuinely Catholic Elizabeth would be to have a Catholic woman be Henry’s wife around the time that Elizabeth’s education begins, which increases the likelihood of her having Catholic or Catholic-sympathizing tutors oversee Elizabeth’s education. AIUI, Katharine Parr was personally responsible for appointing some of Elizabeth’s educators, and she herself had a profound impact on Elizabeth.

Maybe have Jane Seymour, Anne of Cleves (who was raised Catholic) or Katheryn Howard remain as Henry’s queen, or have one of the matches that were proposed during the search for the fourth wife be picked instead of Anne of Cleves – like Christina of Denmark. Anne of Cleves or Katheryn Howard are probably your best options, however–Elizabeth was very close with Anne of Cleves and got along well with Katheryn Howard, so them being involved in her upbringing and education during a longer tenure as Henry’s wife isn’t a stretch of the imagination at all. Not to mention that Elizabeth was also kin to the Howards, even outside of Katheryn Howard’s status as her stepmother.
 
No about the Papacy. Acknowledging Elizabeth as rightful Queen of England would be equivalent to supporting bigamy, given the circumstances of her parents’ marriage. Not to mention that it would likely piss off France and Scotland because of Mary, Queen of Scots (engaged to the Dauphin). As for Spain? Unsure. Philip might try to get Elizabeth as Wife #3, as he did OTL.
Whether a bastard could rule in England was a matter for English civil law, not for canon law. As you allude to in your mention of Philip, Catholics both in Europe and in England accepted Elizabeth as the rightful monarch, only turning against her when she started persecuting Catholicism. Notably, Regnans in Excelsis, the papal bull excommunicating Elizabeth, absolved her subjects of their oaths of loyalty to her on the grounds that she was a heretic, not that she was illegitimate.
 
There are people who seem to be persuaded by faith even though there is no obvious worldly advantage. Such examples however are rare. A conversion would mean accepting to herself being a bastard and that her parents were adulterers
 
I'd say it all depends on whom she marries - if Elizabeth does marry Philip, she'll have a much easier time. After all, having his wife be blasphemed by the Catholic Church isn't something he'll stand for.
 
WI Catherine of Aragon catches a fever and dies in the Summer on 1533 ie while Anne Boleyn is pregnant with Elizabeth? Henry VIII has already married Anne, but there is now time to hold another quick Service in his private chapel, but with several important men present to witness. H&A are now married by any reckoning, and when Elizabeth is born she is unquestionably legitimate. So no problem now about her turning Catholic if she wishes.
 
WI Catherine of Aragon catches a fever and dies in the Summer on 1533 ie while Anne Boleyn is pregnant with Elizabeth? Henry VIII has already married Anne, but there is now time to hold another quick Service in his private chapel, but with several important men present to witness. H&A are now married by any reckoning, and when Elizabeth is born she is unquestionably legitimate. So no problem now about her turning Catholic if she wishes.
AFAIK this would work in Scotland but not in England, as English law cares about the parents' marital status at the time of conception, not birth. Eliabeth would still be illegitimate if Catherine were alive when she was conceived.
 
AFAIK this would work in Scotland but not in England, as English law cares about the parents' marital status at the time of conception, not birth. Eliabeth would still be illegitimate if Catherine were alive when she was conceived.
No, it's birth that matters, AIUI. 'Born in wedlock' is the phrase, not 'conceived in wedlock'. Otherwise half of Tudor England would be considered illegitimate, including Arthur, Prince of Wales, who was born eight months after his parents' marriage, IIRC.
 
No, it's birth that matters, AIUI. 'Born in wedlock' is the phrase, not 'conceived in wedlock'. Otherwise half of Tudor England would be considered illegitimate, including Arthur, Prince of Wales, who was born eight months after his parents' marriage, IIRC.
Right, that's me remembering my source wrong.
 
AFAIK this would work in Scotland but not in England, as English law cares about the parents' marital status at the time of conception, not birth. Eliabeth would still be illegitimate if Catherine were alive when she was conceived.
No, it's birth that matters, AIUI. 'Born in wedlock' is the phrase, not 'conceived in wedlock'. Otherwise half of Tudor England would be considered illegitimate, including Arthur, Prince of Wales, who was born eight months after his parents' marriage, IIRC.
Right, that's me remembering my source wrong.
Yeah; as long as COA dies pre-Elizabeth I birth, she's legitimate. Even if it's only 24 hours before.
 
Elizabeth would still be a bastard and would still be queen despite this.
Likely, she would still refuse to marry and would make Mary Queen of Scots her heiress (after François II's death).
 
Likely, she would still refuse to marry and would make Mary Queen of Scots her heiress (after François II's death).
If MQS is still heir heir presumptive, do you think Catholic Elizabeth I will support her cousin during rebellion?

Do you think it's possible for Catholic Elizabeth to still support Rebels in Netherlands?
 
Do you think it's possible for Catholic Elizabeth to still support Rebels in Netherlands?
Sure; if His Most Catholic Majesty the King of France could support the Protestants in the Thirty Years' War, I'm sure Elizabeth could do the same in the Netherlands. Particularly if Mary still has an unpopular match with the King of Spain ITTL, Elizabeth might switch to an anti-Spanish foreign policy as a way of differentiating her government from her elder sister's. And, if France falls into religious infighting as IOTL, the English might come to regard Spain less as a valuable ally against the French, and more as a big threat in its own right.
 
If Elizabeth converted and proceeded with the necessary rituals, Queen Mary would find her a nice, catholic noble to wed. One that no one would support if the little bastard of h8 & anne b tried to claim the throne. Mary would name her own successor and there may very well be a civil war when Mary dies.
 
If Elizabeth converted and proceeded with the necessary rituals, Queen Mary would find her a nice, catholic noble to wed. One that no one would support if the little bastard of h8 & anne b tried to claim the throne. Mary would name her own successor and there may very well be a civil war when Mary dies.
If Elizabeth’s conversione was sincere she would accept the match proposed for her aka Philip II’s cousin Emmanuel Philibert of Savoy and would REMAIN the INDISPUTABLE heiress of Mary I. No way who Mary would be allowed to try to remove Elizabeth from the succession once she had married.

Still the best way for getting a catholic Elizabeth is either a different fourth wedding for Henry VIII or Catherine Howard remaining Queen (and that would remove both the Henrician Church becoming increasingly Protestant under Edward VI and Elizabeth’s major reason for refuting to marry)
 
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If Elizabeth’s conversione was sincere she would accept the match proposed for her aka Philip II’s cousin Emmanuel Philibert of Savoy and would REMAIN the INDISPUTABLE heiress of Mary I. No way who Mary would be allowed to try to remove Elizabeth from the succession once she had married.

Still the best way for getting a catholic Elizabeth is either a different fourth wedding for Henry VIII or Catherine Howard remaining Queen (and that would remove both the Henrician Church becoming increasingly Protestant under Edward VI and Elizabeth’s major reason for refuting to marry)
and this fact would have brought both Savoy and England into the Imperial orbit of the Habsburgs (mainly Felipe II) in one fell swoop (it would have greatly facilitated the fight against France and future rebels in the low countries as well as amplifying control over 'Italy, perhaps here we really see Cardinal De la Pole becoming pope (or continuing to successfully introduce the Counter-Reformation in England, which Otl almost succeeded but failed due to short time and fi a Protestant succession ) therefore we probably see the Valois-Habsburg rivalry transferred to the islands (with Mary of Scots being married to the dauphin Otl)
 
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