For King and Kingdom
Tutankhamen’s reign was cut short, despite his youth. Ruling for just ten years, it was found the cause of death for the 19-year-old was in fact malaria. Not to mention the fact that he had a host of physical problems; a fractured lower leg, and congenital deformities. The royal family, like others before them, believed it was only proper to keep the bloodlines pure – by only breeding within the family.
But Tutankhamun’s clubbed left foot is one example of how “keeping it in the family” could be detrimental to the strength of future pharaohs descended from this line. But this was just one of the issues that the young king suffered – following modern interpretations and models of Tutankhamun’s body, it seems that his hips formed improperly.
See Her Royal Majesty
It seems that England merely needed a woman’s touch to settle differences that plagued the country. Whilst she may have been excommunicated by the Catholic Church in 1570, she managed to settle rifts that had long preceded her! She was triumphant in her reign, defeating the Spanish Armada in 1588, and kept a watchful eye over the arts and literature.
If you’ve seen Shakespeare in Love, you’ll see the short cameo at the end with Dame Judi Dench appearing as Queen Elizabeth I, attending a performance of Romeo + Juliet. You'll find this incredibly life-like wax replica of Queen Elizabeth I in the Museum of London. The depiction is so life-like that it's almost creepy if you ask us. Just look at the piercing expression!
King Tutankhamun: The Young Sun King
The ruler of Ancient Egypt between 1334 and 1324 BCE, King Tutankhamun is one of the most heavily documented and heavily investigated pharaohs of all time. The boy pharaoh ruled for a period of 10 years, from the alarmingly young age of just 9 years old. He passed away just before his 19th birthday. King “Tut” would’ve just been a relic if not for the discovery of his tomb in 1922.
Howard Carter came across the incredible golden sarcophagus which contained the body of the young king. We now have an impression of what Tutankhamun would’ve looked like back in the day. Scientists and researchers conducted CT scans as well as completed over 2,000 digital scans. The results showed that Tutankhamun was less of a king and more a troubled product of inbreeding.
Mary, Queen of Scots
The only surviving, legitimate child of King James V of Scotland, Mary Stuart was just six DAYS old when she ascended to the throne. Scotland was largely ruled by regents whilst Mary was raised in France. She married at 16 and then following the Dauphin of France’s death, she returned to Scotland, in 1559. Professor Caroline Wilkinson of Dundee University was the co-instigator in re-creating Shakespeare’s face.
He is once again bringing those lost to history, back into the future. Using paintings and drawings of Mary, Queen of Scots was brought into the modern day with the help of modern tech! Wilkinson created the closest possible likeness for Mary, using biographical information to get past the stylized versions that are most commonly seen.
The Queen In All Her Glory
The Royals liked to keep things close – did you know Mary was cousins with Queen Elizabeth I? The two at first were like sisters, with Elizabeth accepting her cousin into England when the Scottish aristocratic class revolted and took away her ability to rule. But it seems that Mary got a taste for power and was entangled in a plot to overthrow her gracious cousin Elizabeth.
If anything, she’s lucky she wasn’t executed – but she did spend 19 years in prison, and of course, stripped of her royal title and claim to the throne. Elizabeth could be fooled once, but the second time around she wasn’t quite so forgiving. And “off with her head” became a real thing. The waxwork depiction shows Mary in her younger years.