Charles II was the great grandson of Mary Queen of Scots, grandson of Henri IV of France, and first cousin of Louis XIV. From
English Historical Fiction Authors:
Charles was the eldest son and heir of King Charles I of England and
Queen Henrietta Maria (sister to Louis XIII of France). His grandfather,
King James I of England (James VI of Scotland) united the crowns of
Scotland and England upon the death of Queen Elizabeth I. Charles was
born on May 29, 1630 in St. James’s Palace in London, and as the story
goes, a bright star shone in the afternoon sky to mark his birth.
Ironically, this star was Venus.
Charles took after his mother’s French heritage, with his dark looks.
Henrietta Maria called him her ‘black boy', though not with affectionate
fondness. Whereas most mothers are often blind to their children’s
‘imperfections’, Henrietta Maria was hypersensitive. Shortly after
Charles’s birth, Henrietta wrote about her son to a former nanny, “he is
so fat and so tall…I will send you his portrait as soon as he is a
little fairer, for at present he is so dark I am ashamed of him.”
Charles never became fair, but at 6’2” he fulfilled the promise of
exceptional height. (Read more.)
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