Conclusion

In 1603 Elizabeth’s life neared its end after forty-four years as England’s queen. Reports of her final days tell of Elizabeth finally settling the succession debate by naming her successor, yet as this chapter indicates such reports were likely created to smooth the accession of James I. The succession had been a source of significant political anxiety for the entirety of Elizabeth’s reign which at points drove some members of the English political classes to reconsider the relationships between monarch, Privy Council and Parliament. However, when James succeeded Elizabeth in 1603 it was her support, or in other words the exercise of her royal prerogative, that was emphasised to boost his claim to the throne.