The king became increasingly nervous about the possibility of his daughter Mary inheriting the throne, as England's one experience with a female sovereign, Matilda in the 12th century, had been a catastrophe.
Kongen blev stadig mere bekymret over risikoen for, at han datter Mary skulle arve tronen, da landets eneste erfaring med en kvindelig monark, Matilda i 1100-tallet, havde været en katastrofe.