15. FACT: The young Elizabeth was a neglected and her governess even had to beg King Henry for clothes for the child
Unlike most princesses, Elizabeth didn’t enjoy a life of luxury as a young girl. Just before her third birthday, her father, King Henry VIII, ordered the execution of her mother, Anne Boleyn. Young Elizabeth, who had been doted on by both parents even though they had both hoped for a boy, was suddenly declared to be illegitimate. The child’s governess, Lady Bryan, feared for her safety, so she took her away from the royal court, away from the unpredictable and often violent King Henry. The king spared his daughter’s life, but he cut of all support for her.
According to sources from the time, Lady Bryan, Elizabeth’s governess, was forced to petition the King, asking for his help. The young girl had been so neglected that she had out-grown her clothes and was in desperate need of new ones. After her fourth birthday, however, Elizabeth’s fortunes changed. Lady Bryan was replaced by a new, younger governess called Katherine Champernowne. She oversaw her young charge’s early education and ensured that she grew up in the relative comfort of a stable family home.