Elizabeth Apsley facts for kids

Elizabeth Apsley, Lady Morton (who passed away in 1626) was an English lady who worked at the royal court. She was a close friend and companion to Elizabeth Stuart, Queen of Bohemia.

Elizabeth Apsley was said to be in charge of monkeys and dogs at Heidelberg

Who Was Elizabeth Apsley?

Elizabeth Apsley was the oldest daughter of Sir Edward Apsley (who died in 1620). Her family lived in Thakeham and Warminghurst in Sussex, England. Her mother was Elizabeth Elmes (who died in 1640) from Lilford.

Her mother, Lady Apsley, was a friend of other important people like Lady Anne Clifford. Elizabeth also had a sister named Anne Apsley and a brother named Edward Apsley.

Life at the Royal Court

Elizabeth and her sister, Alice, both became "maids of honor" to Princess Elizabeth Stuart. A maid of honor was a young lady who served a queen or princess.

In 1613, Elizabeth and Alice traveled with Princess Elizabeth to Heidelberg. This journey happened after the princess's marriage to Frederick V of the Palatinate. When they arrived in Vlissingen on April 29, 1613, Elizabeth Apsley was listed as one of the princess's female helpers.

At one point, Elizabeth Apsley and her sister Alice had a disagreement with another lady named Anne, Lady Schönberg. Princess Elizabeth wrote a letter to Lady Apsley, supporting Elizabeth and saying she was in the right.

In 1618, Elizabeth Apsley was given a very special job. She became responsible for looking after Princess Elizabeth's monkeys at Heidelberg! These monkeys were a gift from Dudley Carleton. People even called her the "Gouvernante" (which means 'governess' or 'caretaker') for all the monkeys and dogs at the palace.

Marriage and Later Life

Elizabeth Apsley returned to England to get married in November 1624. She married a man named Albertus Morton. They were married on January 13, 1625, in Eton.

Elizabeth, now Lady Morton, and her mother often wrote letters to Princess Elizabeth Stuart. Even Princess Elizabeth's sons, Henry Frederick and Rupert, wrote letters to Lady Morton and her mother.

Sadly, Elizabeth's husband, Albertus Morton, died in September 1625. Just two months later, Princess Elizabeth wrote to Lady Morton. They talked about the idea of Elizabeth marrying another soldier named Ned Harwood.

Elizabeth Morton herself passed away in 1626. A writer named Henry Wotton wrote a poem about her after her death. He didn't know she had been thinking about remarrying. The poem said:

He first deceased; she for a little tried

To live without him, liked it not, and died.

Elizabeth's sister Alice later married Colonel George Fenwick. He was known for building the church in Berwick-upon-Tweed. The Apsley family home, Thakeham Place, was taken down in the 1700s.