Royal scandal: Why 70 people were invited to witness Mary of Modena’s birth in 1688 |
When the birthing room in St James’s Palace became a chaotic place on June 10 1688, more than 70 people were present as witnesses to the legitimacy of the Catholic heir; at least 42 of these were high-ranking government officials. This uncharacteristic breach of royal privacy is recorded in the British Library in the form…