"[6] In June 1589, Edinburgh merchants protested against the possibility of James VI marrying Catherine of Bourbon, making "unreverent speeches" about her.
[7] He travelled to Norway in 1589 where the Danish fleet carrying Anne of Denmark rested, and brought back her letters of 3 October to James VI.
In December 1590 he sailed to Scotland with instructions for the ruling council from James VI, including orders for ships for the king's return, the reception ceremony for the queen and repairs to Holyrood Palace.
[14] They met the mother of Anne of Denmark, Sophie of Mecklenburg-Güstrow at Braunschweig, then went on to meet William IV, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel at Rotenburg an der Fulda and Christian I, Elector of Saxony at Dresden.
In April 1591 the English ambassador Robert Bowes joked with Stewart over the lack of written responses the king had received.
His wife Erika was also banished from court, for stirring up controversy between the Chancellor, John Maitland of Thirlestane and James VI and Anne of Denmark.
[16] He was at court at Falkland Palace in June 1592, and was arrested on suspicion of planning to help the rebel Earl of Bothwell capture the king.
[18] To gain favour and divert suspicions, Stewart and Sir James Sandilands accused Alexander Lindsay, 1st Lord Spynie of entertaining the rebel Earl of Bothwell at Aberdour Castle in 1592 but he denied this.
[21] John Wemyss of Logie heard in September 1595 that he had been in Mecklenburg and Braunschweig, where Christian IV of Denmark had travelled to meet his future wife, Anne Catherine of Brandenburg.
Stewart noted this and complained to the king as an offence to his long service and dignity, warning that Gowrie was a threat to the court.
Gowrie was told about this, and said "Aquila non captat muscus", meaning the eagle does not catch flies, that Stewart was beneath his attention.
Stewart married in 1582, Erica or Erika (1540-1587), Countess of Batenburg in Gelderland and Manderscheid, the widow of Willem van Bronckhorst-Batenburg (1529-1573).