Charles was also largely ignored by his father who had little interest in children. When he was moved to England he was brought up in the household of Sir Robert and Lady Carey. Charles suffered from weak ankle joints (possibly from rickets) which slowed his physical development. He was also slow in learning to speak. His father wanted to have iron boots shod on him to encourage his limbs to grow but Lady carey begged the King to forestall this. He eventually outgrew these defects, except for a slight stammer. His education was overseen by Thomas Murray, a Scottish Presbyterian and he was a serious student who excelled at languages, rhetoric and divinity. As such his early life was punctuated by a mixture of bullying by both his father and elder brother, who he was desperate to gain the affections of.  This mentor worship would re-emerge throughout his life first with the duke of Buckingham and eventually his Queen who played a very dominant role in his affairs.

This is the earliest known portrait of the future Charles I. It was painted when he was just four or five years old, probably soon after he had been created Duke of York during celebrations for Twelfth Night in January 1605.

When Charles was 12 his elder brother Henry died of Typhoid, Charles became the heir apparent and was created Prince of Wales. A shy, retiring young man  he quickly fell under the spell of his fathers favourite The Duke of Buckingham. The Duke was well hated in the Kingdom as a newly risen peer who held great power and sway over the young Prince. The Duke was keen for the young Charles to marry the Infanta of Spain and took Charles there on a secret mission to woo her.  Unfortunately the sight if this 5ft 3 weak looking

young man climbing over her garden walls to declare his love did nothing for the infanta and mission was a failure. When he returned to England parliament  quickly agreed to a marriage between Charles and Hennrittta Maria of France to put an end to this catholic alliance with Spain By this time his father was senile and Charles and Buckingham virtually ruled the realm together. Charles as a young man had found in Buckingham the father figure he had always wished for, someone who was kind, encouraging, and sweet tongued to him, who didn’t make fun at him and took him seriously. Despite Charles love for Buckingham that feeling was not felt by the rest of country and when Charles was made King on his fathers death in 1625 his first two parliaments tried to impeach Buckingham. There relationship was to end in 1628 when Buckingham was assassinated; Charles was heart broken and fell into a deep depression, almost becoming a ghost to all at court.

Charles had married the French princess in 1625 but had largely remained aloof to her until then. With the removal of Buckingham from the Kings affection the Queen stepped into the role and shook the King out of melancholy state. Charles was devout to his wife until his death, in Henrietta Maria he had found someone who not only loved him but held many of the qualities he lacked. Strength of will and determination, she was steadfastly loyal to him and his cause both before and after his death. The rest as they say …is history!