14th December 2017
Today in 1558, Mary I was buried at Westminster. Her short rule had started with such hope, but had ended sadly. Her time as queen had seen the Catholic Church restored to England, but also the persecution of Protestants. Now, her Protestant half-sister Elizabeth was queen. The funeral was lavish to reflect Mary's position, now Elizabeth's own. While the relationship between the sisters had been complicated and fraught, Mary’s death made it easy for Elizabeth to be gracious. Unfortunately for Mary, this graciousness did not extend to her wishes for her mother’s grave to be moved to Westminster and to be buried alongside her.
But Elizabeth did allow a Catholic to preach at Mary's funeral – the Bishop of Winchester, John White. He was zealous in his beliefs and also very fond of Mary, and his sermon praised her with only brief mention of the new queen. He chose to preach verses that implied the dead Mary surpassed the living Elizabeth – he was placed under house arrest as punishment.
This would not be the last lavish funeral Elizabeth arranged for her family members. In life, her heirs were a threat to her position. Elizabeth would not allow them to marry, fearing for any children they might produce. Those who decided to make decisions about their own lives, such as Katherine and Mary Grey, were punished. Both married men of their choosing and both were imprisoned – as were their husbands. It was only in death that Elizabeth felt safe from them, and able to recognise them as her kinswomen.
Of course, our cousin the queen gives Katherine a magnificent funeral. How she does love a funeral, especially family! Katherine is buried in the village church at Yoxford, far from her home, far from the resting place of her mother, far from her husband’s family chapel; but Elizabeth orders the court into mourning and manages to paint an expression of grief on her false face. Seventy-seven official mourners attend from court, along with a herald and court servants, Katherine’s arms are displayed in the chapel on banners, pencils and banner-rolls. Everything that can exalt a Tudor princess is done for her. Katherine in death is recognised and honoured, as in life she was persecuted and ignored.
from The Last Tudor