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A rare opportunity is presenting itself for the public to view the final letter penned by Mary Queen of Scots, composed only hours before her execution. After enduring 19 years of imprisonment by her cousin, Queen Elizabeth I, Mary wrote this poignant letter from her cell. Addressed to her brother-in-law, King Henry III of France, she revealed the somber news that she was scheduled “to be executed like a criminal at eight in the morning.” This significant historical document will be exhibited at Perth Museum for a period of three months.
This exhibition marks the first extended public display of the letter in over a generation. When it was last shown in 2017 at the National Library of Scotland’s George IV Bridge location in Edinburgh, long queues formed outside, despite it being available for just a single day. Mary Queen of Scots was executed on February 8, 1587, accused of conspiring against Elizabeth. The letter itself spans four pages and is written in her native French, originating from her prison cell at Fotheringhay Castle in Northamptonshire. Throughout the letter, Mary asserts her rightful claim to the English throne and expresses her perception of being persecuted for her Catholic faith. She famously declares, “I scorn death and vow that I meet it innocent of any crime.” Additionally, she requests that her servants’ wages be settled posthumously, signing off with “Your very loving and most true sister, Mary R.”
The letter is typically stored securely at the National Library of Scotland, with Chris Cassells, head of archives and manuscript collections, highlighting its unique value. He described the experience of seeing the letter “in the flesh” as profoundly moving, offering a direct glimpse into Mary’s final moments and her self-perception during those last hours. Mary Stuart, crowned Queen of Scots as an infant of just nine months following the death of her father James V in 1542, spent her early years in France where she married the Dauphin Francis. Widowed by eighteen, she returned to Scotland to rule at a time when her Catholicism aroused suspicion and tension.
Preservation demands are stringent given the letter’s fragile nature. Cassells noted the “sincerity of religious conviction” unmistakable in the document, which boasts Mary’s own handwriting, signature, and formatting—a tangible link to history. The manuscript is encased in a custom mount designed for its protection. Conservator Shona Hunter emphasized the delicate balance required between public access and preservation, mentioning the need to limit light exposure, particularly from bright or ultraviolet sources, which could otherwise inflict irreversible damage. The letter’s exhibition at Perth Museum, opening on January 23, has been heralded by Ashleigh Hibbins, head of audiences at the museum, as a “huge coup,” especially given Mary’s notable connections to the Perthshire region. Hibbins recalled Mary’s imprisonment at Loch Leven Castle, where she famously abdicated the throne in favor of her infant son, James VI.
James VI, who was raised apart from his mother and embraced Protestantism, later ascended to the English throne as James I in 1603 following Elizabeth I’s death, uniting England and Scotland under one crown. The strained relationship between Mary and James is evident in her letter, where she comments on her son: “As for my son, I commend him to you in so far as he deserves, for I cannot answer for him.” Hibbins believes the dramatic history surrounding Mary’s life and demise will draw considerable interest from visitors. She expressed enthusiasm about the letter’s display being the first in decades, and likely its debut north of Edinburgh, calling the event “a bit of a homecoming.”
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
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