The Ditchley Portrait: Appeasing Elizabeth I? 

Hello, I wanted so much to express to you how much your work means to me. I'm 58yrs old. I grew up a 'nerdy' schoolgirl in California, reading history books in the library. I devoured anything Tudor. As an artist, I was constantly drawing, painting and even sewing period tudor costumes. I didn't get a smart phone until 2 years ago and found your channel. Imagine my joy! I've been thrilled, educated and thoroughly entertained ever since. Please accept my gratitude at all your hard work and talent for providing your work. Well done you, and cheers!

The entanglements of the ladies and gentlemen of the court are always fascinating to me. The things they thought they could get away with right under their monarchs' noses!

I doubt that Anne was at Sir Henry’s side during the Ditchley visit, and I would not be surprised if it had been communicated to Lee beforehand that while the Queen was prepared to tolerate *him*, she would not countenance *her*. Remember that she was already a notorious woman before meeting Lee-and had already “done time”! I think Elizabeth loathed the idea that her court might be perceived as a stew, a place for bed hopping-although she had to understand that necessarily functioned as a marriage market.

My personal interpretation of the Latin on this portrait would be something like this: (We) asked, though we did not expect (her forgiveness), For she could, but did not get revenge, (The painted over part on the left lower corner most likely said something about kindness or forgiveness, For she knows that the more she gives the more she has (forgiveness, kindness, loyalty, etc). Yes, it would make much more sense for the lower left hand corner to have Latin on it too, it was probably thoughtlessly painted over by a restorer sometime in the last 500 years, which so sadly happens with great regularity. It's possible that a very superstitious painter intentionally covered up text that appears on the "left hand side" as well (even though they didn't paint over the top left, so no idea). As far as groveling goes this portrait is top notch, it is very beautiful.

Fascinating as always. I suspect that he was asking for forgiveness, rather than celebrating Elizabeth’s forgiveness. Though the fact that she was willing to visit sounds like she was in a forgiving mood.

This is very interesting, thank you for the video. I am surprised that she was willing to have such a public life conducting herself this way. In a French court no one would even look twice, but these behaviors for a woman at court are truly scandalous in England. She must have been well liked by the queen and others to ignore her behaviors.

I'm so impressed by your ability to find these fascinating old stories! THey rival anything in the tabloids today! Thanks so much for your research!

This was a lovely video. The portrait was interesting, but Anne was a hit for me. My writer brain was awakened by the web her life was. Thank you.

I have always been intrigued by hands in portraits. The position of fingers, especially for women seem to express something on their own. Fascinating discussion in this video, thank you.

Very fascinating video. Elizabeth I standing on a map in the painting. Her gowns were exquisite

Anne Vavasour really does stand out as one of those very fun, dramatic figures in history that you’d think had been an invention if she was in a piece of historical fiction.

My vote is that Sir Henry was still in the process of begging for forgiveness, rather than celebrating any tentative permissions. I find it odd that Anne's pregnancy by Edward De Vere wasn't "discovered" until after their son was born in the Maidens' Chamber. Her portrait indicates a slender woman. There must have been some sort of collective agreement amongst the women of the Court to keep Anne's pregnancy hidden from the Queen... ? Many tangled webs were woven, to be sure. Thanks for another fascinating video! 😊

Another great video - I had just seen this portrait at the MET - Tudor Exhibit - which was stunning!! I wished I had the information presented here before I saw the work. It certainly struck me as a wonderful piece of propaganda - in addition to your thoughts on the other aspects conveyed. Would love more presentations of Tudor art and how they influence thought in the era. Thanks!

This is a superior presentation which demonstrates ‘cause and effect’ historical interpretation from the point of genealogical relationships. It solves a long standing genealogical question regarding an ambiguity ties to my Lee family of Virginia and a 6 generation ( all living into their 90’s ) of grandmothers where the last broke the naming tradition in 1900 by naming him Harry, “As there are just to many Henry’s’ to now keep track of!” And yes, the need of forgiveness seems an appropriate theme. Here in the USA we continue to honor the Lee family motto ‘ Be mindful of the future ‘ I now hav a better understanding of the roots and reasons from which it was adapted. Thank You Sir Anthony Lee : Henry continues to be a name that has served this branch of the family honorably.

I love videos about women in history. Thank you for this. Anne must have had that “certain something” to make her so sought after by men, whom she managed quite well, all things considered. I also noted the portrait of Elizabeth I appeared to show her having wings. Great P.R.! Have a nice weekend. See you next week. ❤

As alway it was a delight to listen to you. As a fellow historian I appreciate the effort and research you put into all your videos. Thank you so much!

Your description of jousting is sarcastic and hilarious, I love your videos!

There is so much i like about your work.Your steady and measured pace of narration, your nuanced expression and subtle modulation, and your personal thoughts scattered throughout, all help me digest and enjoy your well-crafted writing. Thank you!

Having just read more about these folks, it appears that the Lee-Vavasour/Finch liaison was not necessarily disapproved by ERI. Also, Finch was a sea captain, so he might have been away a lot. I seem to remember a story in which a woman's sea captain husband disappeared for a time and was thought lost at sea. Thinking him dead, she remarried only to have him return! If I understand, Anne went to court a single girl, got involved with Edward de Vere, who was separated from his wife, had the child, was punished along with de Vere, and then was released. De Vere did not support the child initially but did give land and money to Anne. Anne then became Lee's mistress and married Finch sometime before 1590. From what I read, she married John Richardson sometime before 1618, the year she was charged with bigamy. By the time of the visit of the queen to Ditchley, Lee was 59. He died in 1611. So, I wonder, did she marry Richardson after Henry Lee died, between 1611 and 1618, thinking her husband was lost at sea? That makes the most sense to me, based on the dates and her likely devotion to Henry. I wonder what the motivation to marry Richardson was.

I vote that she kept out of Elizabeth’s way. I would!

I just saw the tudor portiats last month as it was on display in the met in nyc. It's amazing to see them in person and to see the actual size of the paintings

I had the joy and privilege of seeing this painting a few weeks ago at the Met in NYC. "The Tudors: Art and Majesty in Renaissance England" is going on to the Cleveland Museum of Art, which is wonderful in and of itself, from February 26 to May 14, then on to Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco from June 24 until September 24. GO SEE IT IF YOU CAN!!!!!!!!!!

Would love to hear about more obscure landed gentry ladies and religious figures.. Love this channel.

Shake my head. What a fortunate girl, indeed. I'm surprised she kept her head as well as she did.

I’m still at the beginning of this video so perhaps you mention it, but this is currently being exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum of Art as part of an excellent exhibit on The Tudors in NYC! Thought I would share for viewers who are stateside!

I loooove your portrait readings! So happy to see this one!

Thank you for another great video! I love Queen Elizabeth but gosh she was tempestuous.

Fascinating story. The gown must have weighed a tonne. Gratitude to you lovely lady 🇦🇺

Regardless of the motivation behind the portrait, I imagine Elizabeth would have been pleased to see it.

Listening to you is just so wonderful. After a busy work day you are just bliss for my brain when it’s trying to unwind

I just watched a video by History Hit about Elizabeth's portraits. I am enjoying your in depth explanation. Thank you.

I think he was asking for forgiveness, by painting such a powerful portrait of Elizabeth. How could she fail to be impressed! Thank you for your interesting talk.

Wow! Hi Kat . Thank you for sharing your personal experience with dyslexia. Your delivery of your video’s are always of a high quality. I admire your work . Regards South Australia.

The Ditchy Portrait has to be the most evocative of all of the portraits of Elizabeth. In his (awful to me) book, Shakespeare's Lost Kingdon, Charles Beauclerk, a descendant of Edward de Vere, claims that this portrait betrays the birth of the son of Elizabeth and the Earl of Oxford. On the other hand, one of the serious Shakespeare scholars, offers that the portrait celebrates the advances in mapmaking which allowed Elizabeth to have a full picture of her lands.

I love art history, the symbolism, and what caused the art to be created. Thank you once again for an entertaining and informative piece of history.

Groovy Friday afternoon learning with Dr Kat . Thank you I missed out on a lot of education in some ways xxx

I’m unsure as to the motivation behind this commission so I’m gonna say that I think he really liked her outfit and was like « babes we need to get a pic of this dress »

Always interesting to learn about the symbolism in the portraits. Thank you#

Thank you so much for feeding my immense thirst for historical knowledge. ❤

Very interesting story. Anne was quite a character.

As someone who's been fascinated with the Tudor dynasty since middle school, I still always learn something watching your videos. Thank you

Great video, yours are always a delight and I love listening to you. Thanks for all the meticulous research and effort you put into these presentations, it's lovely to see your channel grow from the low hundreds when I first found you. On and upwards Dr Kat!

Another interesting “lesson” about Tudor times. Thanks for all the work you put into these videos. 🙂

Wonderful video thanks so much. It's a beautiful portrait and I was delighted to learn the history behind it.

I have a love/notlove relationship with Elizabeth I. I admire her sheer survival, given the history of her mother, her relationship with her half sister, etc, etc, etc. Her decision to remain unmarried is understandable, baffling and vexing all at once. As much as she's known, she's unknowable. I love listening to the smallest stories of her, even when I gnash my teeth at them. Ah, Gloriana.

Continued thanks for another interesting episode, I do find it fascinating when a piece of art is explained & interpreted within the context of its time, also I’ve used your discount code to subscribe to history hit tv - whilst there is lots of interesting content your programmes are just as well researched, varied and professionally delivered in my opinion. Happy subscriber x

Love binge watching Dr. Kat!!

Very interesting! Thank you for your honesty in sharing your dyslexia and your tricks for working through the challenges.

It looks tight, itchy and gorgeous!🌹🍃

GOOD MORNING

Hello and thanks for this video. I have always loved this painting. It was nice to have a discussion about the symbolism and social goings on around it.

Wonderful thought-provoking subject!

This is one of my favorite Elizabethan romances!

Fascinating, as always.

Love your videos. I love your delivery, intonation and sense of humour. I've always enjoyed history, but you make it even more interesting. Thank you!

Not often I manage to pop in on a live stream. I love your work!

I love these videos about portraits. This one has quite the backstory! 👍🏻❤😀

Well, Anne certainly lived an interesting life. A long one too - 90 years. I would love to know about her living arrangements after the bigamy trial. Did she live with John Richardson or John Finch or neither? After all she had another 32 years left to live and I don't imagine she spent them alone. Does she have any descendants?

Your videos are always well-researched and beautifully presented. Thank you!

This has been a web of circumstances I've been Sherlock Holms-ing for years. Thank you Dr. Kat from THIS Kat, for a new means of approaching this tangled tale.

Great portrait and intriguing story! Thank you 🙏🏼 Dr. Kat.

Thanks so much. Never boring !!!

I wonder if John Richardson commissioned that tombstone inscription for Anne?! Also, I am curious to know what became of the love child Anne had with DeVere (another intriguing character due to the rumors that he was the playwright and not Shakespeare).

Well, well, so Edward Vere, Earl of Oxford, was busy doing something besides writing Shakespeare's plays! 📚

Thank you so much. I had always wondered what the intention was behind this magnificent painting.

Thank you! That was so interesting.

Thank you so much - your keen observations and presentations always bring joy to my Fridays, even if I can't watch them until the following week. Job well done.

Absolutely fascinating! Thank you so much for sharing this with us all. Much love and appreciation from California.❤️🍀🌈🙏🏻😇❣️

I always enjoy your videos. Just the right length to take in the interesting information you supply. 🤩

Well done 🙂

I very much enjoyed this, as I live in Aylesbury and act as Sacristan/Verger at St Mary's here where Lady Elizabeth Lee's alabaster funerary monument is placed. Sadly we lost the two near life size effigies of their sons, Harry and John, both depicted as babies, one perhaps still-born, during the period after the first lock-down. Lady Elizabeth is depicted kneeling in piety, accompanied by her daughter (d.1583) also kneeling, who died some years before Elizabeth was buried here. Sorry for the background, but that is how I became interested in the subject. You may deliberately have missed out one key part of the story. In his 'Brief Lives', unpublished at the time of his death, John Aubrey, although writing perhaps half a century later, states, "Old Sir Harry Lee Knight of the Garter [1597, seven years after his retirement as Queen's champion], and was supposed brother of Queen Elizabeth. He ordered that all his family should be christened Harry's." Why not Anthony after his own father? Sir Harry's acknowledged father was Anthony Lee, of Quarrendon, and his mother Margaret Wyatt, daughter of Henry Wyatt one of King Henry's Privy Council. Margaret had been a lady -in-waiting to Anne Boleyn, one of whose father's many great manors lay in Aylesbury, in a square nearby to St Mary's now known as Kingsbury (since being confiscated by King Henry, along with much of the Boleyn family's fabulous landholding after the execution of that unfortunate lady). It is not inconceivable that Henry grew close to Margaret as a way to get in with Anne (and her family's fortune) and as she held out against his wooing. Margaret remained with Anne to the end, even accompanying her to the scaffold. So the name Henry could also logically have come from Margaret's father, but it is convenient, no? That the young Harry was farmed out to her brother the poet Sir Thomas, might have been also have been convenient, as their not entirely comfortable marriage got started? Sir Harry's survived in his Queen's good favour, and he remained her Master of the Royal Armories, and retained that post into the reign of James I, so perhaps being the Queen's brother ensured his survival? He certainly must have been good company to pull all this off, to host at a major visit by the Queen, to Ditchley, and supposedly refused a second, though King James did visit too. Certainly kindred spirits, they both knew the value of forgiveness, and the danger of casting stones in matters of legitimacy.

Loving this video! Always excited to see new ones from you♥️

Orcam is so useful thanks for info

Thank you Dr Kat! Always a pleasure 💜 🌞

As always, very interesting! Thank you!

A story I didn’t know! You always teach me cool things but with the Tudors it’s rarely completely new. How exciting! Flattery always got you places with Elizabeth and Henry seems to be doing a very good job of groveling here. Her hands. Her virgin goddess status. Her wealth. Her land. Her power. How saintlike she was in her mercy. All the buttons to push for an indulgent queen. Seems like Henry took some pages out of Robert Dudley’s book of “What to do when you majorly screw up in front of the Queen.” Thank you!!!

Great as always

This was fascinating. Thank you Dr. Kat.

Thanks

The portrait is beautiful

I love your videos! Thank you!😁

I always learn something new and interesting from your videos!

Wonderful!

Another great video Dr Kat!!!

Always interesting, thank you.

Always such a delight.

I always learn something new when I watch you. Thank you.

Love all your videos, and how well you deliver them. Thank you!

Another great video as always! 😊

Another great video Dr. K! I feel like I am transported back in time into some royal court, or battle, or other ancient event every time I listen to you!

Great video as always

Hello again, I hope you're having a wonderful day dr

Thank you for another fascinating video❤

Fascinating tale. Thank you as always

Another great video

Dr Kat, I love your thought provoking content! Keep it up, ma'am!

Thanks for the great video!

I loved this video.

Always fun to listen too. Thanks 😊

Another most excellent video!!!