Henry Frederick, Prince of Wales

Henry Frederick, Prince of Wales KG (19 February 1594 – 6 November 1612) was the eldest son and heir apparent of King James VI and I and Queen Anne. His name derives from his grandfathers: Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley; and Frederick II of Denmark. Prince Henry was widely seen as a bright and promising heir to the English, Irish, and Scottish thrones. However, at the age of 18, he predeceased his father, dying of typhoid fever. His younger brother, the future Charles I, succeeded him as heir apparent to the thrones.

Henry was born on 19 February 1594 at Stirling Castle, Scotland, and automatically received the titles Duke of Rothesay, Earl of Carrick, Baron of Renfrew, Lord of the Isles, and Prince and Great Steward of Scotland at birth. His nurses included Mistress Primrose and Mistress Bruce.

His baptism, held on 30 August 1594, was celebrated with elaborate theatrical entertainments written by the poet William Fowler and took place in a newly constructed Chapel Royal at Stirling, purpose-built by William Schaw. Ambassadors were given portraits of Henry depicting him as "a fine thriving child". To cover the expenses, James VI imposed a tax of £100,000. Textiles and costumes for the event were purchased using the dowry of £100,000 Scots belonging to Anne, which had been held in trust by various towns. In the month leading up to the baptism, rumours circulated at the Scottish court that King James was jealous of Queen Anne and suspected that Ludovic Stewart, Duke of Lennox might be Henry’s biological father.

James placed the prince in the care of John Erskine, Earl of Mar, and his mother Annabell Murray at Stirling Castle, out of the care of Queen Anne. James worried that Anne's tendency toward Catholicism might affect Henry. The child's removal to Stirling caused enormous tension between Anne and James, and Henry remained there under the care of Mar's family until 1603. James VI wrote a note to the Earl of Mar in June 1595 instructing him, in the event of his death, not to deliver Henry to Anne of Denmark or the Parliament of Scotland until he was 18 and gave the order himself.

Anne was reluctant to go to Stirling and was said to be afraid that her enemies would give her a poisoned posset at the Castle. James frequently visited the prince, and travelled to Stirling for his son's first birthday. As early as August 1595, James encouraged the infant to hold a pen and make a penstroke on a document, which the king humorously certified, "I will testify this is the prince's own mark".

The prince had silver candlesticks, a silver cup and a silver plate with a salt cellar. Elizabeth I contributed to the expenses at Stirling, paying £5000 Scots in 1595. At this time, Patrick Gray, Master of Gray, was keeper of Henry's wardrobe, and took delivery of a little coffer worth £8 Scots for the prince's clothes. Adam Newton became his schoolmaster or tutor. William Keith of Delny and then George Lauder were his legal tutors, administrators of his estates and incomes.

In 1596 Queen Elizabeth, via Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex, and his secretary Anthony Bacon, sent her miniature portrait by Nicholas Hilliard to Prince Henry, and this was received by the Earl of Mar at Stirling. It was said that Henry would be godfather to his younger brother Robert in May 1602 and afterwards stay at Dunfermline Palace with his mother, but James VI forbade this.

Alexander Wilson became Henry's tailor. In 1602 it was planned that Henry would visit his mother at Falkland Palace, but this was postponed because of her sickness. The French ambassador in London Christophe de Harlay, Count of Beaumont, reported a rumour, spread by James's friends, that Anne of Denmark was cruel and ambitious, and hoped to rule Scotland as regent or governor for Henry after the death of her husband.