The majority opinion amongst historians is that of W. L. Warren: "The Young Henry was the only member of the family who was popular in his own day ... also the only one who gave no evidence of political sagacity, military skill, or even ordinary intelligence...",[6] and elaborated in a later book, "He was gracious, benign, affable, courteous, the soul of liberality and generosity.

His one-time chaplain, Gervase of Tilbury, remarked on his passing: "Assuredly, as he was a solace to the world while he lived, so it was a blow to all chivalry when he died in the very glow of youth.

Matthew Strickland has argued in his compendium of the Young King's life and career that he was, in fact, an able and likeable individual who merely grew frustrated at his father's refusal to grant him any domains or responsibilities of his own.

[12] Thomas Becket, newly ordained as Archbishop of Canterbury, had been ordered to prepare for the coronation of Young Henry and the pipe rolls for 1162 record the allocation of funds for the commissioning of a golden circlet.

This was not to be, however; Barlow suggests that the southern prelates dissuaded King Henry II from using the papal bull as the Archbishopric of Canterbury was now occupied.

[13] Young Henry was finally crowned on Saturday 14 June 1170 on the feast of St Basil at Westminster Abbey, in the presence of most of the Anglo-Norman nobility and the overwhelming majority of the non-vacant English bishoprics.

Matthew Strickland notes that the exiled Thomas Becket had few supporters left in the upper ranks of the English church after six years of dispute with Henry II.

Robert of Torigny argues she simply arrived from Normandy too late to participate, but other sources reveal she was deliberately delayed at Caen.

Warren believes that this was an ultimately fruitful attempt to prevent Louis VII from dissuading Thomas Becket from accepting his latest overtures.

[15] Whatever the case, Louis was so enraged by this that he launched an immediate attack on the Norman border, forcing Henry to return to the duchy personally to oversee its defences.

Contemporary chroniclers allege that this was owing to the young man's frustration that his father had given him no realm to rule, and his feeling starved of funds.

The rebellion seems, however, to have drawn strength from much deeper discontent with his father's rule, and a formidable party of Anglo-Norman, Norman, Angevin, Poitevin and Breton magnates joined him.

[18] The unknown author of L'Histoire de Guillaume le Maréchal suggests that Marshal's disgrace was because he had been falsely accused of a clandestine affair with Queen Margaret.

Thomas of Earley, Archdeacon of Wells, published a sermon not long afterward detailing miraculous events attending the cortège that took his body north to Normandy.

At Le Mans, the local bishop halted the procession and ordered the body buried in his cathedral, perhaps to help defuse the civil unrest Henry's death had caused.

The dean of Rouen recovered the body from the chapter of Le Mans a month later by a lawsuit so that the Young Henry could be buried in Normandy as he had desired in his testament.

It describes the fifteen-year-old prince as being very handsome, "tall but well proportioned, broad-shouldered with a long and elegant neck, pale and freckled skin, bright and wide blue eyes, and a thick mop of reddish-gold hair".

"[23] Another description says "He was tall in stature and distinguished in appearance; his face expressed merriment and mature judgment in good measure; fair among the children of men, he was courteous and cheerful.