Kat Ashley

One is Sir Philip Champernowne, although there is a 1536 letter from Kat to Thomas Cromwell, 1st Earl of Essex which makes reference to her father as having "much to do with the little living he has".

[2] The other candidate is Sir John Champernowne, whose wife was approximately 43 at the time of Kat's birth, which some people believe to be too old, but Catherine Knollys had her last child at 38.

After Prince Edward's birth, Elizabeth lost her governess, Lady Margaret Bryan, who was transferred to her half-brother's service.

Evidently, Katherine had been well educated for she effectively taught the precocious princess mathematics, geography, astronomy, history, French, Italian, Flemish, and Spanish.

Elizabeth herself praised Katherine's early devotion to her studies by stating that Kat (as the future Queen called her governess) took "great labour and pain in bringing of me up in learning and honesty".

In 1543, Henry VIII had married Catherine Parr, who gave Elizabeth a more stable family life, restored her right to succession, and brought her household to the royal court.

In her early 30s and still childless, Parr agreed to marry Seymour only two months after her husband's death and was able to secure royal approval to take young Elizabeth to her new home in Chelsea with Kat as the princess' Chief Gentlewoman.

Kat became concerned and advised Parr, who was later accused of taking part in holding down Elizabeth while Seymour slashed her gown "into a thousand pieces.

"[4] There was a major incident in which Kat said that the Dowager Queen had caught Elizabeth in Seymour's arms,[5] which caused both stepmother and governess to lecture the princess about the need to protect her reputation.

By August 1549, Katherine had returned to Hatfield, where she was in charge of Elizabeth's linen and supplied head dresses called "crippons".

[10] In May 1561, Queen Elizabeth made Katherine a gift of an old French velvet gown lined with taffeta and wide sleeves cut up to make cushion covers.