Letter written by Mary, Queen of Scots, prior to beheading draws crowds

"That letter, the last she ever wrote, was a big part of why the 44-year-old royal who spent half her life imprisoned, didn't just fade away as a headless footnote. Instead, four centuries on, she continues to command cultlike fascination, revered as a doomed ingenue, a Catholic martyr and a shape-shifting symbol of Scottish identity."

"And now her followers have a once-in-a-generation chance to see that deathbed manuscript. After surviving journeys by horseback and sailing ship, the French Revolution and nearly unbroken climate-controlled darkness for the last century, Mary's last letter is on view to the public."

"It's wonderful to see something so personal of hers. She held that paper in her hands. She wrote those words."

Mary, Queen of Scots was executed on February 8, 1587, after two decades of imprisonment for alleged treason. Hours before her death, she wrote a final letter, which she carefully sealed with wax. This deathbed manuscript survived centuries of travel, political upheaval, and climate-controlled storage to become a significant historical artifact. The letter's existence transformed Mary from a mere historical footnote into an enduring symbol of fascination, revered as a Catholic martyr, tragic figure, and representation of Scottish identity. Now displayed at the Perth Museum in Scotland through April, the manuscript attracts substantial visitor numbers, with people traveling considerable distances to witness this intimate personal artifact and connect with Mary's legacy.

Read at The Washington Post