Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester, was Queen Elizabeth I’s “eyes”, rumored lover, and definitely one of her favorites. His father was an important figure in the Tudor family and was the one who failed in keeping Mary I off of the throne. Robert Dudley was involved in domestic and foreign affairs during Queen Elizabeth’s rule. At one point he refused marriage to Mary, Queen of Scots although he was sympathetic to her plight until the 1580s when he began advocating for her execution.

It was long rumored that Dudley murdered his wife Amy Robsart, so he would be free to marry the Queen, however, Amy’s death forever cast a shadow of doubt over him despite being ruled an accident. 18 years later when he finally did remarry, it hurt Queen Elizabeth deeply and she publicly berated his new wife Lettice and Dudley/

There were stories that the Queen and Dudley were secretly married and had a love child named Arthur Dudley who showed up at Spanish court claiming he was born in 1561 when Queen Elizabeth was bedridden with a mysterious illness that caused her body to swell and was able to name the servant who smuggled him away from Hampton Court and raised him as his own. It was likely the entire lovechild was falsely created by King Phillip II of Spain to discredit Queen Elizabeth but it was never proven.

This pattern is made for tonal, solids, and lightly speckled lighter colored yarns.

Materials Needed

Yarn: 100 grams of fingering-weight sock yarn

Yarn Shown:

Yarn Ink Sparkle Sock in Snow Queen 75% Wool 20% Manufactured Fibers (Nylon/Polyamide) 5% Stellina

Needles: Size US 1 (2.25mm) circular needle or size needed to obtain gauge. 32 inch is recommended, but use the size that is the most comfortable for you.

Notions: Tapestry needle, cable needle, stitch marker (optional).

Gauge: 8.25 stitches/inch using US 1 (2.25 mm) circular needle.

Women’s Small: 7 inches - 12 inches
Women’s Medium/Men’s Small: 7.75 inches - 13.25 inches Women’s Large/Men’s Medium: 8.25 inches - 14 inches