Noble Blood: "King James VI’s Stolen Crown" (with Tracy Borman)

Podcast: Noble Blood
Host: Dana Schwartz (iHeartPodcasts and Grim & Mild)
Guest: Tracy Borman (Chief Historian, Author of The Stolen Crown)
Date: October 28, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, host Dana Schwartz (with an interviewer, possibly Aaron Menke, filling a key discussion role) interviews esteemed historian Tracy Borman about the tumultuous succession at the end of Elizabeth I's reign, the so-called “stolen crown” of James VI of Scotland, and a major new historical discovery challenging the famous narrative of Elizabeth’s deathbed. The conversation spans political intrigue, gender dynamics, succession crises, and the rewriting of history—all captured in Borman’s new book, The Stolen Crown.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

The Virgin Queen: Pros and Cons of Elizabeth’s Choice

• Elizabeth’s Decision: Early in her reign, Elizabeth I declared she would remain unmarried, famously stating, “I will have but one mistress here and no master.” (Tracy Borman, 03:14)
• Strategic Ambiguity: Elizabeth’s refusal to name an heir or marry allowed her to keep courtiers and foreign powers uncertain and under her control.
• Succession Crisis: Her childlessness raised the stakes for who would inherit, laying “the last of Henry VIII’s children and the last Tudor.” (Tracy Borman, 04:10)

The Claimants and the Dangerous Game of Royal Blood

• Mary, Queen of Scots: The strongest claimant by blood, but disinherited by Henry VIII’s acts and English law. (Tracy Borman, 05:15)
• Grey Sisters and Arabella Stuart: Catherine and Mary Grey (descendants of Henry VIII’s younger sister) and Arbella Stuart (born in England, but of Scottish descent) were also serious contenders.
• Being “Royal” Was Perilous: “When it came to claimants to the throne, royal blood was far more of a curse than a blessing.” (Tracy Borman, 07:55)

Anglo-Scottish Anxieties and the Suspicion of Scots

• Deep-Rooted Tension: Elizabethan England deeply distrusted Scottish rule, fearing absorption or subordination should a “foreigner” become king. (Tracy Borman, 08:59)
• Marriage Politics: Historical marriage alliances were fraught, with both sides fearing dominance by the other.

James VI as Heir: Myth vs. Reality

• Male Advantage: Gender played a critical role. “It’s so depressing, but so true...they weren’t even supposed to rule their own lives, let alone a kingdom.” (Tracy Borman, 11:13)

• Elizabeth & James: Over 30 years of correspondence hint Elizabeth was “grooming” James, but she refused to commit, keeping her options open.

• Execution of Mary, Queen of Scots: Despite ordering his mother’s execution, Elizabeth maintained a diplomatic relationship with James—who forgave her surprisingly quickly.

  “They both sort of agree. Water under the bridge. It’s all in the past. We won’t talk about it. And let's just go back to our friendly letters.”
  — Tracy Borman, 14:47

The Prize of the English Crown

• Wealth and Status: “The income of the English monarchy was 19 times the income of the Scottish king...No wonder James was rather keen to get his hands on that English crown.” (Tracy Borman, 15:57)
• Political Leverage: James persistently entreated Elizabeth to name him as heir; Elizabeth answered without answering, “always use[d] the prospect that she might name him heir as like a carrot.” (Tracy Borman, 16:45)
• Assassination Accusations: In 1598, James was implicated (likely falsely) in a plot to kill Elizabeth—his overzealous protestations led to more suspicion and damaged his standing (“the Tudor example of the Barbra Streisand effect”). (Tracy Borman, 19:58)

The Deathbed Discovery: Rewriting History

• Camden’s Account Challenged: William Camden’s account of Elizabeth naming James as heir on her deathbed was not in the original manuscript. Research by Helena Rutovska found Camden revised the account under James’s orders, pasting over 200 pages to alter the narrative.
• Original Record: “In William Camden's original draft...Elizabeth just died without naming anybody her heir.” (Tracy Borman, 29:26)
• Historical Manipulation: James rewrote history as PR, sanitizing accounts of Mary, Queen of Scots, and his own claim.

  “[Camden] complained to a friend, ‘King James must needs revise it himself and many things were altered and many things were crossed out.'”
  — Tracy Borman, 28:00

Was It a Smooth Succession?

• Political Engineering: Robert Cecil (Elizabeth's minister and James’s ally) orchestrated James’s accession; without his support, “I’m not sure James would have been able to claim the throne.” (Tracy Borman, 31:00)
• Riots and Dissent: Against popular myth, there were riots in English cities resisting James’s coronation; some officials even refused to declare him king. (Tracy Borman, 31:35)

Reinventing Himself as English

• Family Tree Propaganda: James commissioned genealogies emphasizing his Tudor heritage and played up his “Englishness”—even as his actual governance did the opposite.

  “A very brief love affair between James and the people of England...” Opposition sprouted, and soon came the Gunpowder Plot. (Tracy Borman, 32:54)

Other Possible Heirs and Henry VIII’s Messy Legacy

• Edward Seymour: By Henry’s succession laws, Edward Seymour (descendant of Catherine Grey) should have been king.
• Henry’s Precedent: Henry VIII’s power to determine succession set a destabilizing precedent, “introduc[ing] this element of uncertainty.” (Tracy Borman, 37:15)
• Edward VI's Change: Edward VI tried to bypass Mary and Elizabeth, installing Lady Jane Grey as his heir—further muddying the waters.

The Consequences of the Stolen Crown

• Long-Tail Impact: Camden’s altered work cemented James’s legitimacy for future generations, especially for Charles I.
• If the Truth Were Known: Borman speculates the lie at the heart of the Stuart claim had deep consequences, especially for Charles I, whose rule ended in revolution and regicide.

  “It’s so intriguing to trace it all back to, as I say, that lie that started the Stuart dynasty in England.” (Tracy Borman, 41:24)

The Moral: Lessons from Elizabeth I

• Elizabeth’s Life Hacks: Her delay tactics—waiting, procrastinating, and never fully committing—were a secret to her political success. “She was the mistress of procrastination...” (Tracy Borman, 41:43)

  “Always we should listen to Elizabeth. That’s my number one takeaway from her life hacks.” (Tracy Borman, 41:43)

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• On Elizabeth’s Rationale for Remaining Unwed:
  “I will have but one mistress here and no master.”
  — Elizabeth I (cited by Tracy Borman, 03:29)

• Royal blood as a curse:
  “When it came to claimants to the throne, royal blood was far more of a curse than a blessing.”
  — Tracy Borman, 07:55

• On the Elizabeth-James correspondence:
  “They wrote more letters over a longer period of time than any other two sovereigns. Thirty years their correspondence endured.”
  — Tracy Borman, 12:01

• On the rewritten deathbed scene:
  “In William Camden’s original draft...Elizabeth just died without naming anybody her heir.”
  — Tracy Borman, 29:26

• “The Barbra Streisand Effect,” Tudor style:
  “If you don’t want them to know about it, really don’t protest about it. It’s exactly the Barbra Streisand effect...”
  — Tracy Borman, 20:05

• On the dangers of personalizing succession:
  “What a can of worms that was. Absolutely. It did, because until then, it had been pretty straightforward…”
  — Tracy Borman, 37:15

• Lesson from Elizabeth:
  “She was the mistress of procrastination, you know, just delaying things until the right thing became clear…always we should listen to Elizabeth.”
  — Tracy Borman, 41:43

Important Segment Timestamps

• 03:14 – Borman explains Elizabeth’s vow to remain unmarried.
• 05:15 – The rival claimants to the English crown.
• 08:59 – Anglo-Scottish tensions explained.
• 11:13 – The impact of gender on the succession crisis.
• 12:01 – Details on the enduring Elizabeth-James correspondence.
• 14:47 – The diplomatic dance over Mary, Queen of Scots’ execution.
• 19:58 – The Valentine Thomas plot and its fallout.
• 26:50 – The new scholarly discovery overturning the deathbed myth.
• 29:26 – Camden’s original manuscript and James’s historical revisionism.
• 31:00 – Robert Cecil’s kingmaking and unrest following James’s ascension.
• 32:54 – James’s propaganda and the brief English honeymoon.
• 37:15 – Henry VIII’s succession acts and the precedent of personal choice.
• 41:43 – “Life hacks” from Elizabeth: the art of procrastination.

Memorable Moments

• Humor Amidst Blood:
  “What’s a little execution between friends?” — Tracy Borman, 15:23

• The “Barbra Streisand effect” in Tudor politics (19:58) – A witty contemporary analogy for James’s overreactions.

• Final Takeaway:
  “Always we should listen to Elizabeth. That’s my number one takeaway from her life hacks.” — Tracy Borman, 41:43

Tone and Language

The discussion is intellectually rich, frequently witty, and full of memorable one-liners and sharp character insights, especially where Borman is concerned. There’s a healthy skepticism toward historical mythmaking and a respect for the agency of both historical actors and historians themselves in shaping (or re-shaping) the narrative.

Conclusion

This episode of Noble Blood is a treasure trove for Tudor and Stuart enthusiasts. It offers a fresh, revisionist look at one of history’s most iconic transitions of power, questioning centuries-old “truths” by delving into new research and archival discoveries. Tracy Borman’s expertise and narrative charm, combined with probing questions from the interviewer, make this a must-listen for lovers of royal drama, succession intrigue, and the politics of memory.

Recommended reading:
The Stolen Crown by Tracy Borman
For more, look up Tracy’s “life hacks from Elizabeth I” piece in BBC History Magazine.