Warrior-queen Boudicca bravely resisted the Roman occupation of Britain.

The reign of James I is a typical example of the turbulent relationship that existed between monarch and nobility in Scotland.

In England, William the Conqueror became king in 1066 after the Battle of Hastings.  He was succeeded by his son William Rufus.

The Wars of the Roses saw the royal family torn between the Houses of Lancaster and York, with the leading ladies playing a prominent role in the dispute, from the controversial Elizabeth Woodville, Queen of Edward IV, to her successor Anne Neville, Queen of Richard III, and the matriarch of the new Tudor dynasty, Margaret Beaufort

Two rooms in two Edinburgh royal residences can reveal a great deal about the turbulent reign of Mary Queen of Scots.