Tudor Secretaries, Not Elizabeth I, May Have Penned Her Harshest Letters

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New research suggests that the famously sharp-tongued letters attributed to Queen Elizabeth I of England may not have been written entirely by her own hand. Historians now believe that her male secretaries played a significant role in drafting and revising her royal correspondence. These secretaries are thought to have deliberately amplified the tone of the letters to emphasize the queen's temper and authority. The findings, reported by Smithsonian Magazine, challenge long-held assumptions about Elizabeth I's personal voice in her written communications.

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