The Red Queen

MAY 1483

Only four weeks after that hurried conversation I write to Jasper with extraordinary news.

Richard, Duke of Gloucester, the king’s own brother, swearing absolute fealty to his nephew Prince Edward, has brought the boy to London and housed him in the king’s rooms in the Tower with full honor for his coronation which is to be next month. There was some squabble with the young prince’s guardians and Anthony Rivers, his uncles, and Richard Grey, his half brother, are held by the duke. Elizabeth, the queen, has taken to sanctuary with the rest of her children, swearing that Richard is a false friend and an enemy to her and her own, demanding that her royal son be released to her.

The city is in uproar, not knowing who to believe or whom to trust. Most think that the queen is trying to steal the royal treasure (she has taken as much as she can carry) to defend her own power and family. Her brother is gone with the fleet and has stolen the rest of the treasure of the realm, and is likely to make war on London from the river. Overnight she is an enemy to the kingdom, and even to her own son, since everything is in train for the young prince’s coronation and he himself is issuing writs under the joint seal of himself as heir and his uncle as protector. Will the queen’s brother bombard her royal son in the Tower? Will she fight him if he is the duke’s ward? Will she hide from his coronation?

I will write more as soon as I know more. Stanley says to wait and watch, our time may be now.

Margaret Stanley