The Tudors Dynasty Podcast.

Before we begin, please check out my show notes for links to portraits of the people discussed by Sophia in this episode.

As the great-granddaughter of Mary Queen of Scots and granddaughter of James

the 6th and 1st, Princess Sophia of the Palatinate lived a royal life, but it wasn't

always glitter and gold.

In this episode, Sophia will make reference to the death of her brother and father.

And she speaks about how others made her feel and what they said.

And it's through her words that we can get a better idea of who

she was and how she felt something with history that we aren't always afforded today we begin

Sophia's journey in in her words.

As at the age which I've reached, there can be no better occupation for me than that of recalling to memory my past life. I believe that I may indulge this inclination without risk of figuring in these writings as the heroine of a tale or of seeming desirous to imitate those romantic ladies whose lives have become celebrated by their extraordinary conduct.

My object is merely to amuse myself during the absence of the Duke, my husband,

to avoid melancholy and to keep up my spirits, for I am convinced that cheerfulness preserves

health as well as life, which is very dear to me.

I was born, they tell me, October 14th, 1630.

And being the 12th child of the king my father and the queen my mother, I can well believe that my birth caused them but little satisfaction.

They were even puzzled to find a name and godparents

for me, as all the kings and princes of consideration had already performed this office for the

children that came before me. The plan was adopted of writing various names on slips of paper and casting lots for the one which I should

bear. Thus bestowed on me the name of Sophia. No sooner was I strong enough to be moved than the

queen my mother sent me to Leiden, which is but three days' journey

from the hague, and where her majesty had her whole family brought up apart from herself,

...