Why didn’t Mary and Elizabeth move their mothers’ graves?
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Full question was "When they got to be queen, why didn't Elizabeth and Mary do anything to upgrade their mothers' resting places (i.e., move their bodies to Westminster Abbey)? In the 1900s, Queen Mary, wife of George V, provided Katharine's grave with a beautiful acknowledgement of Katharine's queenship; why didn't Katharine's own daughter do that for her? Same for Elizabeth?"
I think that Elizabeth was aware that she had many challenges to her throne and that mentioning Anne Boleyn, who was still unpopular with many, would be dangerous, never mind moving her grave. Anne Boleyn was still seen as a traitor who deserved to be buried like one.
As far as Catherine was concerned, she was buried in Peterborough Abbey (now Cathedral) as Princess Dowager, not Queen. Yes, her grave was "upgraded" by Mary of Teck who marked it as the grave of a Queen of England. The cathedral hold a special service annually in her memory.
I'm not sure why Mary did not move her mother's grave, perhaps she felt it was best to leave her mother in peace.
In Mary’s will she requested that her mother’s body be brought from Peterborough to be buried with her in Westminster Abbey. Elizabeth did not do so probably for political reasons.
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Mary left instructions in her will for her mother to be reburied beside her in Westminster Abbey, but Elizabeth ignored this (as she did the other bequests in the will). But now you mention it, it does seem odd that Mary didn’t move her mother’s grave during her reign.
As for Elizabeth not moving her mother’s grave, it was most likely a case of letting sleeping dogs lie; the same advice Elizabeth took when she inquired if she should take steps to legitimise herself once she became queen.
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Thats a question I have always asked because both girls loved their mothers a great deal especially mary. Elizabeth kept a ring with a hidden picture in it of her mother Anne. She wore the ring all the time and the picture was discovered after her death.
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I agree with Briony why Elizabeth would not move Anne’s grave. You would have thought that Mary would have moved Katherine’s though. If you look at her reign…she married a Spaniard (the people were not happy), she burned heretics (in her reign more heretics were burned than in Henry’s and Elizabeth combined-the people were not happy), she had two phantom pregnancies (the people were upset). Since Katherine was such a beloved Queen, wouldn’t it have been good politically to honor her and give the nation a chance to bond with her.
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There was also a question of money. Both Mary and Elizabeth started their reigns in debt and it did not get better. Phillip did much to empty Mary’s treasures with demands for men and money to fight in the Low Countries. Elizabeth had to recover from Mary’s excesses in war money for Phillip and religious excesses. It was not just a political decision but one of finances; neither could really afford to move their mothers’ graves and do them justice. Having said that, I do admire Mary of Teck for upgrading Katherine’s resting place and believe the same should be done for Anne Boelyn and even Lady Jane Grey. They all played important roles in the history of England and should be acknowledged with the truth at their resting places. Even today, too many believe the myths of Anne when in reality she was not guilty of the charges against her but most probably brought down by her enemies playing on the KIngs’ desire for Jane Seymour, Anne’s inability to give Henry a son, and the superstitions of the day. Lady Jane Grey deserves recognition as an innocent victim of abusive parents and in laws who were hungry to become the power behind the throne. She simply did not know how to say no and avoid being punished and in her fear accepted the crown rather than face the wrath of her parents and father in law. Such sad ladies.
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The Grand Duchess Reply:
April 8th, 2011 at 9:02 pm
And Queen Jane Gilford and prince consort Dudley Gilford deserved to be buried with honor as fitting their station.
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Shoshana Reply:
April 10th, 2011 at 7:44 pm
Considering Guildford’s father was one of the main instigators in usurping Mary’s crown in favor of Jane and thus putting her into the position that ultimately cost her head, I’m not sure that Dudly Guildford deserves more than what he now has. In fact, from Jane’s attitude toward him while in the Tower (refusing to meet with him one last time), I would say she was not a happy bride and would have rather never married him nor even known him.
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Anne would haven’t killed either Catharine and Mary, Catharine died from cancer of the Heart, and Mary died of cancer of the uterus.
As for Elizabeth she may never have known where her mother was buried because she would have buried her next to her father and move the Harlot Jane Seymore, to a place near Wolf Hall where she belonged.
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Shoshana Reply:
April 10th, 2011 at 7:50 pm
I am sure that Elizabeth knew where her mother was buried. It would have taken very little for her to find out; it was probably very common knowledge and would have required a simple question to one of many friends who would not have revealed the conversation if that is what she desired. As for burying Anne next to Henry, I doubt that even if she had moved her mother to a more royal tomb, it would have been next to Henry. After all, although she loved her father, she also knew it was by his decision that Anne was executed. Henry could have easily banished Anne or kept her in prison rather than execute her but to remarry Anne had to die. Jane Seymour was not a harlot; only a woman without power who, whether it was what she wanted or not, must go along with the king’s desire. It was not only for her family to recieve the benefits of having a Queen in the family but also because one just did not go against Henry’s wishes. I have often wondered what would have happened to the Seymours if Jane had refused to marry him. Frankly, in her place, even if he had been a hideously deformed monster, I would have said, “Honey, you are mine! Let’s get married!” Why? I like my head where it is and I’m sure Jane did too.
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