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Parallels/similarities between Henry VIII and Elizabeth I abound, tbh? Not sure why people are not fond of that, I think they’re very interesting and every time I find one I find another. I think there’s this urgency to put her on a pedestal, and conversely to with Henry…do whatever the opposite of ‘put on a pedestal’ is (lol!!) that makes people balk at doing so.

One of the most amusing ones to me (and God, I’m gonna get booed so hard for this but idc fkjsdkfjdslk) is that Elizabeth’s most passionate romantic relationship was with someone that was a masculine version of her mother in a lot of ways (namely, a Mr. Dudley) and that Henry’s most passionate romantic relationship was with someone that was a feminine version of his father in a lot of ways  …

And also that they were both similarly unrealistic about these relationships in ways…I mean Elizabeth was more realistic and pragmatic about hers I think, she never married him even when she technically could have (after his wife’s death, after he was cleared of suspicion…legally/officially, anyway). But she DID order her council to name him protector of the kingdom when she had smallpox and she thought she would die and that’s like?? Wild, tbh….like did she think anyone would actually…?

Also Henry named Anne absolute regent and governess of their children in the event of his death in 1534. Like…know ya love her, boo, but did you think that’d like?? Work?? She wasn’t exactly universally popular; I could see her possibly being regent if Henry died after she had a son but otherwise I don’t think she’d have near enough support to sustain that position (He maybe did this in the hope that she would; I think he might have during her pregnancy that year but?? Still.)