Elizabeth's most famous ladies were Kat Ashley, Blanche Parry, Lettice Knollys, Bess of Hardwick, Catherine Carey (daughter of Mary Boleyn and Elizabeth Tyrrwhit.
Elizabeth's former governess Kat Ashley was appointed Chief Gentlewoman of the Privy Chamber, the most prestigious post in the Queen’s household, and her good friend Blanche Parry became the Second Gentlewoman of the Privy Chamber.
You can find out more about Kat at https://www.elizabethfiles.com/info/bios/kat-ashley/ and Blanche at https://www.elizabethfiles.com/info/bios/blanche-parry/
I'm trying to remember what Bess was like in the Elizabeth films but I can't remember so here are some facts about the real Elizabeth Throckmorton:-
- She was born in 1565
- She was the daughter of Sir Nicholas Throckmorton and Anne Carew
- She fell in love with Sir Walter Raleigh and became pregnant in 1591.
- She married Raleigh in secret and when their marriage was discovered in May 1592 Raleigh was thrown in the Tower of London and Bess was expelled from court.
- The baby, Damerei, died in October 1591, after allegedly contracting the Plague.
- Bess was able to stay near Raleigh and she had a second son in 1593, named Walter after his father.
- They also had a third son, Carew.
- It is said that after Raleigh's execution Bess carried his embalmed head around with her, do devoted was she to her husband.
