There have always been several stories and rumors about the political and private lives of the British royal family members. These conspiracies date back to the Norman Conquest days and aren’t ending anytime soon. While some of these scandals and conspiracies may seem to make sense, many are downright bizarre and unbelievable. This article is about five crazy conspiracies about the royal family.
King James I was poisoned
Different rumors have been circulated about King James I of England and VI of Scotland, but none of them was as widely circulated as the conspiracy about his death. King James I died of a violent, intermittent fever, probably related to his kidney issues in 1625.
Courtesy: Britannica
The king was taking medicines prepared by George Villiers, one of his advisors, because he didn’t like the suggested standard curative treatments. This led to the conspiracy that Villiers poisoned the king; even a pamphlet was authored to accuse him. Interestingly, another conspiracy is that the pamphlet was part of a Spanish campaign to sow distrust among the British.
We might not be seeing Kate for a while
Since last year’s Christmas, Princess Kate of Wales hasn’t been seen publicly. Although it’s not news that she is at home recuperating from an abdominal operation, there is a circulating theory that there’s something else going on.
Courtesy: Britannica
Prince William’s absence from his late godfather’s memorial service has made many people assume that Kate might not be recovering as well as we’re thinking. In an attempt to fill in the gaps, some have theorized that Kate has another health issue.
Richard the Lionheart was once the King of France’s lover
King Richard the Lionheart and King Philip of France were politically close. However, there is a conspiracy theory that when Richard’s father, Henry II, was still on the throne, the future king Richard was so close to the young King Philip of France.
Courtesy: Simple Wikipedia
According to Henry II’s confidant, Roger of Howden, Richard was so close to Philip that they ate from the same plate and slept in the same bed. This led to the belief that they were secret lovers when they were younger. However, this kind of closeness wasn’t unusual in that era.
King Charles III is a secret vampire
Just like other kings before him, King Charles has faced several conspiracy theories and rumors. However, the theory of him being a vampire is one of the most bizarre. As a blood relative of Vlad the Impaler who inspired Dracula, this theory claims he’s also a vampire.
Courtesy: Wikipedia
King Charles is related to Vlad through his great-grandmother, Mary of Teck. He’s Vlad’s great-grandson, sixteen times removed. What seems to be the icing on the cake is that the king is still related to the remaining Romanian royal lineage to date. But then, vampires aren’t even real in the first place.
Queen Elizabeth I was a ‘He’
One misogynistic conspiracy theory about Queen Elizabeth I is that she was secretly a man. Being single and without a child, she was an astute leader who cool-headedly got things done. So, some people came up with the theory that she couldn’t have been a woman. Well, on what grounds?
Courtesy: Wikipedia
The popular tale is that the real Queen Elizabeth died of a fever as a kid, and her governess quickly replaced her with a male look-alike to avoid her father, King Henry VIII’s fury. The story is so famous that it was featured in the 1910 book “Famous Imposters.”
