Henry Stuart, Earl of Ross and Duke of Albany, is best known to history as the father of England's King James VI (successor to Elizabeth I) and second husband of Mary, Queen of Scots. Like Mary, Henry was a direct descendant of Henry VII, who was the father of Henry VIII and grandfather of Elizabeth I.

Mary was first married to the heir to the French throne, and was briefly Queen of France. When her teen-aged husband died, Mary was sent back to Scotland, where she reigned as queen in her full right. She was the only child of her father, King James V of Scotland. Naturally, her people and council expected her to marry and produce and heir. Soon she met her cousin, Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley. He was tall and handsome, quite to Mary's liking, since not only was she nearly six feet tall herself, but possessed a romantic heart.

She was instantly smitten with Darnley, though others who knew him found him vain, arrogant, uneducated and effete. Mary only saw his romantic good looks, and soon the two married. Darnley's true personality was soon revealed, as he became demanding of Mary's time and funds in ways that were inappropriate and unreasonable.

She was soon with child, and as her pregnancy advanced, Darnley's behavior worsened. He was given to wild parties and long bouts of drinking, which usually ended in violence. He became exceedingly jealous of anyone spending time with Mary, who had taken to avoiding her husband due to his excesses in behavior. She was particularly close to one of her court musicians, the Italian David Rizzio. He often spent time with Mary and her other close friends in her drawing rooms and dining closets. Darnley was convinced the two were conducting an affair, and that the child Mary carried was Rizzio's. Darnley organized a group of supporters and along with them suddenly entered the room where Mary, Rizzio and several others were conversing, and brutally murdered Rizzio, right in front of the heavily pregnant Mary.

It was hoped by Darnley and his supporters that the shock of such a scene would cause Mary to lose the baby. She did not miscarry, and within weeks delivered a healthy son, James. Determined to discover all who had helped him enact the murder, Mary cajoled Darnley into revealing the entire plot. As a result he lost not only the love and favor of his wife, the queen, but also his compatriots. He began to fear for his life and planned to leave Scotland.

Meanwhile, Mary and her advisors were working hard to end the marriage. Divorce was ruled out as an option, since Mary was Catholic and had seen from England's example what a royal divorce could do to a monarchy. It was decided that Darnley must be killed. Darnley heard of the plot and fled across Scotland. Mary followed him and the couple reconciled, or at least Mary's behavior gave that appearance.  A few days later she left his side in an affectionate farewell, and a few hours later there was a loud explosion.

Darnley's body was found some distance from the exploded house, though it was apparent he had not died in the explosion. It appeared he had been strangled while he was escaping the dwelling. The mystery surrounding Darnley's death continues to be a topic of speculation, including to what degree Mary herself was involved in his murder. Some historians suggest Darnley's murder was organized by Mary's lover and future husband, James Hepburn, Lord Bothwell. Darnley remains significant because it is through his bloodline that all future kings and queens of England would descend. With the marriage between Diana Spencer and Prince Charles, and their two sons, William and Henry, the Stuart blood is strengthened even more, as Princess Diana was a direct descendant of Mary, Queen of Scots and Lord Darnley.