A Daring Escape

Contemporary whispers suggested that her custodian’s brother, George Douglas of Lochleven, had fallen into ‘a fantasy of love’ with her.

What’s certain is that with his collusion, Mary made her daring escape on the second of May, 1568, rowed across the loch from her island prison disguised as a maidservant.

She immediately travelled westwards, to muster with the noble factions that remained loyal to her.