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Who Stole Mary Queen of Scots' Rosary Beads?
Elizabeth I's cousin carried this rosary to her execution in 1587—and it was stolen in May.
Mila TomsichGetty Images
On May 21, Mary Queen of Scots' gold rosary was stolen from Arundel Castle in West Sussex England, along with several other valuable artifacts. The rosary beads, which Mary may have carried to her execution in 1587, are one of the few surviving artifacts left from the tragic royal. After her execution (a grisly affair in which the blade struck three times before successfully beheading her), most of Mary's possessions were destroyed to prevent her from becoming a Catholic martyr. Many believed that Mary, rather than her cousin Elizabeth I, was the rightful queen, a rift intensified by the tensions between the Catholic church (Mary) and the Protestant church (Elizabeth). Despite their close relationship—they wrote to each other frequently growing up and referred to each other as sister—Elizabeth kept Mary imprisoned for 18 years and their legendary rivalry continues to inspire TV shows, movies, and books, from HBO's