elizabeth ist

[INQUISITOR63]

How exactly did the cousin relationship between her and Mary Queen of Scots come about ? and is it true that they never even met ?
and who was Queen Mary who died before Elizabeth came to the throne ?

[WiseOldSage]

I think Mary Tudor was her half sister - not sure who her mother was but her father was also Henry VIII

Not sure of the relationship with Mary Queen of Scots though

[WiseOldSage]

Mary's mother was Catherine of Aragon - Henry's first wife

[craft1948]

Queen Mary was Elizabeth's half-sister...Mary's mother was Henry's first wife Katherine of Aragon...Elizabeth's mother was his second wife Ann Boleyn...

[craft1948]

Mary Queen of Scots grandmother was Margaret Tudor who was Henry VIII's sister....

[dundurn]

And just to complicate matters further, Mary Queen of Scots married (and was implicated in the murder) of Lord Darnley, who also was the grandchild of the same Margaret Tudor, Henry's sister. Made James VI, their son, a shoo-in for king after Elizabeth!

[jno]

no, they never met, though films about them sometimes pretend they did, for dramatic effect. Mary Tudor was Elizabeth's older half-sister and came to the throne first; Elizabeth followed her. Mary Queen of Scots had a distant claim to the English throne; she was Ellzabeth's cousin once removed (ie one generation different).

[Ice.Maiden]

I can't add much to this right now. Fascinating period of history though.

[Lindylou]

Mary Tudor. Elizabeth 1st's half sister. Also known as Bloody Mary. And she was! Married to Philip of Spain. She died, possibly of ovarian cancer.