Why Mary, Queen of Scots would have been a TikTok superstar

Two models wear replica dresses similar to those thought to have been worn by Mary Queen of Scots, ahead of the opening of a new exhibition, Mary, Queen of Scots: Renaissance and Resistance, at the National Museum of Scotland next June (Picture: Duncan McGlynn) | National Museum of Scotland/PA Wire

If TikTok had been around in the 16th century, Mary, Queen of Scots, would have been one of its biggest stars. She was intelligent, spoke several languages, wrote poetry and, having been raised at the French court, was about as sophisticated as you could get.

According to the National Museums of Scotland, she was a “striking woman who knew how to present an eye-catching and regal appearance. Tall, beautiful, and graceful, with auburn hair and a fine, pale complexion, even one of her archenemies, the Protestant Reformer John Knox, described her features as ‘pleasing.’”

READ MORE: Mary Queen of Scots: 13 facts about her fascinating life and grisly death

On returning to Scotland, Catholic Mary initially received an unexpectedly warm welcome from her mostly Protestant subjects. During the Chaseabout Raid, an unsuccessful rebellion, she wowed onlookers by riding with her troops dressed in armour and carrying a pistol.

An exhibition to be held at the museum next June aims to remind people that, despite her grisly end, there was a time when she was “very much alive and ran this very vibrant court in Scotland”. Top TikTokkers should perhaps go along to pay tribute to a Renaissance superstar, and one of their own.