I haven't seen it and I don't intend to. Many years ago Hollywood made a film with Vanessa Redgrave as Mary and Glenda Jackson as Elizabeth. Everyone with a modicum of English historical knowledge said the same thing; these two queens never met so why did they meet in the film?
Now they've been advertising this new effort on tv and not only are they meeting, they seem to be having a conversation about whether Elizabeth should order Mary's execution.
Geez! That was a conversation Elizabeth had with her advisers, during which she declared that she would never execute an anointed queen. She didn't have this conversation with Mary. Yes they were cousins, but THEY NEVER MET!
And in this film, Mary has a very thick Scottish accent. Did the producers of this rubbish even look anything up on Wikipedia? Mary was brought up in France and spoke French or English with a French accent. No way in the world did she ever have a Scottish accent.
Every so-called 'historical' film or television programme should have a clear warning that it has little or nothing to do with history. Watch it at your peril!
Now for something else: Last week I was watching a programme on television about how the lesser nobility were hiring out their stately homes to tourists in order to maintain them. Some people pay £1000 a night, others £10,000 for the weekend.
All well and nice and the baron showing his guests around seemed very approachable and friendly. That is until one guest asked him if he would be happy for one of his children to marry someone like them. I was ashamed to listen to his reply.
He declared that he couldn't agree to that because the gene pool had to be maintained and that the nobility were obviously much cleverer that the common folk. Apparently never heard of Stephen Hawking or Einstein, but by saying that, he proved himself less clever than the average person. Does he not know that he only has a title and a big estate because, centuries ago, one of his ancestors was given these things for pimping for the King or wiping his arse. How is that clever?
Every time I think the English class system is fading, I come across someone like him. This was an old programme, obviously made before Prince Harry married. I think I might like to ask this baron the same question now.
