Mary Stuart was born at Linlithgow Palace, Scotland, to King James V and Mary of Guise. Her father died just six days later, leaving the infant Mary as Queen of Scotland. This event plunged Scotland into immediate political turmoil as various factions vied for control during her minority.

To secure a powerful ally and protect her from English designs, the five-year-old Mary was sent to France. She was betrothed to Francis, the Dauphin of France, and raised in the French court, receiving a superb education and experiencing a life of luxury and sophistication. This French upbringing would heavily influence her later reign and make her seem foreign to many in Scotland.