1 00:00:01,385 --> 00:00:01,425 - 2 00:00:04,965 --> 00:00:07,145 - In this episode of True Crime Reporter, 3 00:00:07,945 --> 00:00:11,265 I open up my case files of historical crimes 4 00:00:11,535 --> 00:00:13,705 that are gone but not forgotten. 5 00:00:15,285 --> 00:00:17,425 In our journey through the corridors of crime 6 00:00:17,445 --> 00:00:18,665 and punishment passed 7 00:00:18,685 --> 00:00:22,505 and present, I'm going to take you back to the execution 8 00:00:22,505 --> 00:00:26,985 of an innocent teenager in 16th century Tudor England. 9 00:00:28,055 --> 00:00:31,225 It's a tragic story about a 16-year-old noble woman 10 00:00:32,105 --> 00:00:34,225 ensnared in a web of political entry. 11 00:00:35,365 --> 00:00:39,025 She is remembered as the nine Days queen her life. 12 00:00:39,665 --> 00:00:42,625 A fleeting moment in the anals of English royalty 13 00:00:43,975 --> 00:00:47,105 Lady Jane Gray's story is a poignant reminder 14 00:00:47,205 --> 00:00:49,905 of the grim intersection of power injustice 15 00:00:51,055 --> 00:00:52,945 from the grandeur of royal courts 16 00:00:52,965 --> 00:00:55,105 to the somber shadows of the Tower of London. 17 00:00:56,405 --> 00:00:59,105 Her story is a testament to the enduring question 18 00:00:59,125 --> 00:01:00,545 of fairness, justice, 19 00:01:01,405 --> 00:01:04,425 and the human condition under the rule of law. 20 00:01:06,085 --> 00:01:08,345 In this episode, history whispers 21 00:01:09,075 --> 00:01:11,985 reach the modern ear reminding us of the past 22 00:01:12,615 --> 00:01:14,825 that is never too far from the present. 23 00:01:15,805 --> 00:01:19,025 You've likely heard the story of London's jack the ripper, 24 00:01:19,405 --> 00:01:22,065 and the fictional exploits of Sherlock Holmes, 25 00:01:23,245 --> 00:01:26,385 but I will tell you a story about a wrongful execution 26 00:01:26,945 --> 00:01:30,705 depicted in oil on canvas that you can't forget. 27 00:01:31,075 --> 00:01:32,225 After seeing it once 28 00:01:42,185 --> 00:01:43,825 I walked out of the tile tunnel 29 00:01:43,925 --> 00:01:45,705 of the Westminster Tube station, 30 00:01:46,225 --> 00:01:48,065 a subway we call it here in the States, 31 00:01:49,245 --> 00:01:51,505 big Ben clock tower stood before me. 32 00:01:52,585 --> 00:01:56,705 I cinched up my reporter's trench coat against a brisk cold 33 00:01:56,775 --> 00:01:59,545 wind that whipped my face from the Thames River. 34 00:02:00,685 --> 00:02:04,105 Big men told the hour from high above the gothic SPIs 35 00:02:04,105 --> 00:02:08,345 of parliament, but it's time to move on to my objective 36 00:02:09,185 --> 00:02:10,785 London's national Gallery. 37 00:02:17,705 --> 00:02:20,385 I set my sights on one painting there 38 00:02:20,605 --> 00:02:23,825 during every reporting assignment or family vacation. 39 00:02:25,085 --> 00:02:29,705 The execution of Lady Jane Gray painted in 1833 40 00:02:29,845 --> 00:02:34,225 by the Frenchman Paul Delaroche more on her life. 41 00:02:34,275 --> 00:02:38,025 Later I walked up Whitehall toward the 42 00:02:38,025 --> 00:02:39,305 Majestic National Gallery. 43 00:02:40,185 --> 00:02:41,345 I passed the Centile graph 44 00:02:41,525 --> 00:02:43,145 or empty tomb in Greek 45 00:02:43,985 --> 00:02:45,705 standing tall in the middle of the street. 46 00:02:48,925 --> 00:02:50,545 The Portland Stone memorial 47 00:02:50,645 --> 00:02:54,105 of creamy white limestone was unveiled in 1920. 48 00:02:55,215 --> 00:02:56,585 It's a tribute to all 49 00:02:56,605 --> 00:03:00,525 who lost their lives in Britain's conflicts since 1914. 50 00:03:01,875 --> 00:03:04,125 Marking the staggering loss of life 51 00:03:04,225 --> 00:03:07,925 by Great Britain in World War I, it was calculated 52 00:03:07,925 --> 00:03:12,085 that marching four abreast down Whitehall would take the 53 00:03:12,085 --> 00:03:15,845 dead three and a half days to pass before the cent graft. 54 00:03:25,155 --> 00:03:27,205 Walking up the cobblestone street, 55 00:03:27,925 --> 00:03:30,845 I emerged from the stately Edwardian architecture 56 00:03:31,395 --> 00:03:34,245 into the open expanse of Trafalgar Square. 57 00:03:36,815 --> 00:03:39,195 At the heart Soars Nelson's column 58 00:03:39,795 --> 00:03:44,275 honoring the legendary admiral Lord Horatio Nelson, the hero 59 00:03:44,495 --> 00:03:47,875 of an epic confrontation with a French and Spanish armada. 60 00:03:48,255 --> 00:03:49,275 In 1805, 61 00:03:50,385 --> 00:03:54,235 Admiral Nelson commanding aboard his flagship HMS victory 62 00:03:55,045 --> 00:03:57,675 faced a numerically superior enemy. 63 00:03:58,535 --> 00:04:01,595 He signaled a legendary command to his royal fleet. 64 00:04:02,505 --> 00:04:05,795 England expects that every man will do his duty 65 00:04:07,175 --> 00:04:10,155 and duty, called many to the watery graves, 66 00:04:10,155 --> 00:04:13,035 that faithful marine amidst cannon roar 67 00:04:13,055 --> 00:04:14,635 and bellowing gun smoke. 68 00:04:15,215 --> 00:04:17,035 As brave souls perished, 69 00:04:18,095 --> 00:04:20,755 he had none more famous than Nelson himself. 70 00:04:21,735 --> 00:04:24,555 Boldly pacing victor's blood slick 71 00:04:24,555 --> 00:04:28,715 and deck splendid in full dress uniform glittering 72 00:04:28,715 --> 00:04:32,075 with metals, heedless of snipers marking an officer 73 00:04:32,695 --> 00:04:36,635 so conspicuous, a lone bullet found its target 74 00:04:37,055 --> 00:04:40,435 as the admiral paste piercing Nelson's shoulder 75 00:04:40,495 --> 00:04:42,915 before lodging fatally in his spine, 76 00:05:02,975 --> 00:05:03,875 My destination. 77 00:05:04,215 --> 00:05:06,515 The National Gallery commands a position 78 00:05:06,605 --> 00:05:07,955 above Trafalgar Square. 79 00:05:08,895 --> 00:05:10,395 The construction site chosen 80 00:05:10,535 --> 00:05:13,235 by Parliament at 1831 was considered 81 00:05:13,235 --> 00:05:15,075 to be at the very center of London. 82 00:05:16,295 --> 00:05:19,075 The gallery houses one of the greatest collections 83 00:05:19,075 --> 00:05:21,595 of Western European painting in the world 84 00:05:22,145 --> 00:05:26,235 with works ranging in date from his earliest 1250 to 1900. 85 00:05:27,565 --> 00:05:31,075 Among its most popular paintings is the execution 86 00:05:31,075 --> 00:05:34,075 of Lady Jane Gray, painted by Paul Delaroche. 87 00:05:34,375 --> 00:05:39,315 In 1833, 16-year-old lady Jane Gray was the queen 88 00:05:39,315 --> 00:05:41,195 of England for just nine days. 89 00:05:41,935 --> 00:05:46,275 The shortest reign of any English monarch before or since. 90 00:05:47,375 --> 00:05:49,875 Her fate was intertwined with a power struggle 91 00:05:49,975 --> 00:05:51,515 to keep England firmly. 92 00:05:51,515 --> 00:05:54,775 Protestant, Henry VIII had broken ties 93 00:05:54,805 --> 00:05:57,845 with the Catholic church so he could divorce his first queen 94 00:05:57,985 --> 00:06:02,525 for Ed Belin, who he later beheaded his successor. 95 00:06:02,665 --> 00:06:05,685 Edward the Six made a deathbed change to the line 96 00:06:05,685 --> 00:06:06,845 of royal succession. 97 00:06:07,465 --> 00:06:11,165 He skipped over Mary a Catholic in favor of Lady Jane, 98 00:06:11,365 --> 00:06:14,005 a Protestant fifth in line to the throne. 99 00:06:15,415 --> 00:06:16,665 Mary won support 100 00:06:16,965 --> 00:06:19,745 and sent Lady Jane Gray to the Tower of London. 101 00:06:20,525 --> 00:06:23,705 She was beheaded on February 12th, 1554. 102 00:06:24,395 --> 00:06:27,225 Going down in history is the nine days queen. 103 00:06:28,415 --> 00:06:31,265 I'll be back with the rest of the story after this message. 104 00:07:12,545 --> 00:07:16,035 Lady Jane Gray's story inspired Paul Delaroche, 105 00:07:16,455 --> 00:07:18,875 the French painter, was part of the 19th century 106 00:07:19,595 --> 00:07:22,995 romantic movement, and his work often reflected the romantic 107 00:07:23,435 --> 00:07:24,715 interest in emotion, drama 108 00:07:25,295 --> 00:07:28,035 and the human experience with historical events. 109 00:07:29,335 --> 00:07:33,275 He painted the execution of a lady Jane Gray two centuries 110 00:07:33,325 --> 00:07:34,635 after she was beheaded. 111 00:07:35,295 --> 00:07:38,995 The nine by eight foot painting makes a striking impression. 112 00:07:39,945 --> 00:07:42,755 Dola Roach captures the poignant final moments 113 00:07:43,295 --> 00:07:45,555 of a blindfolded lady, Jane Gray. 114 00:07:45,655 --> 00:07:49,755 As she pleads, what shall I do? Where is the block? 115 00:07:50,655 --> 00:07:53,435 Gently, she's being led towards her grim destiny 116 00:07:53,695 --> 00:07:57,595 by Sir John Bridges, the deputy lieutenant of the Tower. 117 00:07:58,415 --> 00:08:01,755 Her garments have been removed now resting in the lap 118 00:08:01,755 --> 00:08:04,115 of her lady and waiting who overwhelmed 119 00:08:04,135 --> 00:08:06,515 by the scene has collapsed to the floor. 120 00:08:07,735 --> 00:08:11,075 The dramatic lighting of the scene accentuates Lady Jane's 121 00:08:11,795 --> 00:08:14,835 alabaster colored skin, her thin red lips 122 00:08:14,835 --> 00:08:18,595 that her fair beauty, her long auburn hair bound 123 00:08:18,655 --> 00:08:21,155 by a white blindfold streams down the 124 00:08:21,155 --> 00:08:22,515 front of her left shoulder. 125 00:08:23,975 --> 00:08:27,395 The blindfold itself is stark white wrapping around her head 126 00:08:27,415 --> 00:08:30,675 and covering her eyes, which denotes her blindness 127 00:08:30,675 --> 00:08:33,675 to her surroundings and symbolizes her innocence. 128 00:08:34,735 --> 00:08:38,515 She is dressed in a simple, elegant undergarment that drapes 129 00:08:38,515 --> 00:08:39,555 and pools around her. 130 00:08:40,455 --> 00:08:43,595 It is of a luminous, pale color reminiscent 131 00:08:43,595 --> 00:08:47,715 of classical statues, which further enhances her portrayal 132 00:08:47,715 --> 00:08:51,755 as a tragic innocent figure, the fabric appears 133 00:08:51,755 --> 00:08:54,395 to be satin silk with a subtle sheen 134 00:08:54,395 --> 00:08:56,285 that catches the light adding 135 00:08:56,345 --> 00:08:58,605 to the ethereal quality of her appearance. 136 00:09:00,065 --> 00:09:01,725 Her dress is cinched at the waist 137 00:09:02,185 --> 00:09:03,805 and has a squared neckline 138 00:09:03,835 --> 00:09:06,405 that modestly frames her shoulders and neck. 139 00:09:07,505 --> 00:09:09,845 Jane's physical posture is one of vulnerability 140 00:09:09,985 --> 00:09:11,125 and resignation. 141 00:09:12,425 --> 00:09:14,565 She is kneeling on a turquoise silk cushion, 142 00:09:14,675 --> 00:09:15,965 trimmed and gold trim. 143 00:09:16,825 --> 00:09:18,405 Her body slightly turned 144 00:09:18,555 --> 00:09:22,045 with her right hand tentatively reaching out to the wooden 145 00:09:22,635 --> 00:09:23,805 executioner's block 146 00:09:23,805 --> 00:09:27,885 before her, A gesture that is both searching and hesitant. 147 00:09:28,745 --> 00:09:31,005 The wooden block sits on a bed of straw, 148 00:09:31,185 --> 00:09:34,045 placed a soak up the copious amounts of blood 149 00:09:34,475 --> 00:09:36,205 that will shortly be spilled 150 00:09:47,295 --> 00:09:49,315 During the actual execution. 151 00:09:49,365 --> 00:09:50,955 Where there head on the block, 152 00:09:51,585 --> 00:09:55,435 lady Jane Grace spoke the last words of Jesus as recounted 153 00:09:55,435 --> 00:09:58,325 by Luke Lord into thy hands. 154 00:09:58,645 --> 00:09:59,925 I commend by spirit. 155 00:10:01,065 --> 00:10:04,845 The execution actually took place outdoors on Tower Green 156 00:10:04,945 --> 00:10:08,125 and not on the stage set depicted in the painting, 157 00:10:09,435 --> 00:10:11,555 a dark floor cloth has been pulled back 158 00:10:11,555 --> 00:10:15,715 to reveal a wooden stage like platform, providing the artist 159 00:10:15,825 --> 00:10:17,715 with a place to carve his signature. 160 00:10:17,735 --> 00:10:22,695 In the paintings date of 1833, the painting suggests 161 00:10:22,695 --> 00:10:25,535 that Lady Jane Gray is in a state of calm resignation. 162 00:10:26,575 --> 00:10:29,255 Although she cannot see, there is a composed, 163 00:10:29,715 --> 00:10:32,455 almost serene expression that belies the horror 164 00:10:32,915 --> 00:10:33,935 of her situation. 165 00:10:35,345 --> 00:10:38,805 Her head's tilt and her postures openness suggest a mental 166 00:10:38,895 --> 00:10:42,285 state of acceptance, perhaps fortified by her faith 167 00:10:42,425 --> 00:10:44,125 or resignation to her faith. 168 00:10:45,715 --> 00:10:48,245 There's a tragic grace to her demeanor. 169 00:10:48,585 --> 00:10:51,325 She does not appear to be struggling or in distress, 170 00:10:51,505 --> 00:10:54,765 but facing her end with quiet dignity. 171 00:10:55,855 --> 00:10:59,355 Her left arm is supported by the elderly tower officer, 172 00:10:59,695 --> 00:11:02,235 sir John Bridges, who helps guide her. 173 00:11:02,825 --> 00:11:04,035 This is a critical moment 174 00:11:04,135 --> 00:11:07,315 as he assists the blindfolded chain who is unable 175 00:11:07,315 --> 00:11:08,635 to see her surroundings. 176 00:11:09,715 --> 00:11:12,815 His gesture is delicate, indicating an attempt 177 00:11:12,815 --> 00:11:15,695 to offer some level of comfort or reassurance. 178 00:11:16,275 --> 00:11:20,295 In her moment of vulnerability, his head is bowed to her. 179 00:11:20,835 --> 00:11:23,335 His facial expression, while not fully visible, seems 180 00:11:23,335 --> 00:11:26,215 to convey a sense of solemn responsibility 181 00:11:26,395 --> 00:11:27,815 and perhaps regret. 182 00:11:28,515 --> 00:11:30,775 The executioner stands on their left. 183 00:11:31,515 --> 00:11:32,855 He is dressed in a manner 184 00:11:32,925 --> 00:11:35,535 that suggests his official role in the proceedings. 185 00:11:36,275 --> 00:11:39,015 Yet with an unusual touch of individuality 186 00:11:39,045 --> 00:11:41,615 that sets him apart from the typical portrayal 187 00:11:41,615 --> 00:11:42,855 of executioners 188 00:11:42,855 --> 00:11:47,125 and art, he wears a doublet, which is fitted to his torso, 189 00:11:47,405 --> 00:11:49,845 a common piece of attire in the 16th century 190 00:11:50,595 --> 00:11:54,165 colored in dark tones that correspond to his so duty. 191 00:11:55,395 --> 00:11:59,285 Over this, he dons a red garment, perhaps pose 192 00:11:59,345 --> 00:12:03,325 or britches, which are striking their vibrancy against the 193 00:12:03,325 --> 00:12:05,405 otherwise muted colors of the scene. 194 00:12:06,465 --> 00:12:09,485 The choice of color could be seen as a symbolic reference 195 00:12:09,485 --> 00:12:12,645 to the bloodshed inherent in his duty. 196 00:12:13,845 --> 00:12:16,485 A leather belt cinch his waist from which a sheath. 197 00:12:16,745 --> 00:12:21,605 Dagger hangs further signifying his role as executioner. 198 00:12:22,585 --> 00:12:26,285 His left hand is resting on the handle of a wide bladed axe, 199 00:12:26,735 --> 00:12:28,605 which is the tool of his trade 200 00:12:28,665 --> 00:12:31,165 and the instrument of execution. 201 00:12:31,945 --> 00:12:35,445 De la Roach's executioner does not have the stern impassive 202 00:12:35,645 --> 00:12:38,405 demeanor often associated with his profession. 203 00:12:39,115 --> 00:12:40,285 Instead, there is the hint 204 00:12:40,285 --> 00:12:42,645 of reluctance in his stance and expression. 205 00:12:43,265 --> 00:12:45,285 His head is turned slightly away from Jane 206 00:12:45,385 --> 00:12:47,805 and his eyes do not focus on her 207 00:12:48,345 --> 00:12:51,045 or the block suggesting an aversion 208 00:12:51,045 --> 00:12:54,205 to the grim task he is about to perform. 209 00:12:55,345 --> 00:12:59,295 Della Roche has humanized this typically vilified figure, 210 00:13:00,295 --> 00:13:02,935 inviting viewers to consider the complex emotions 211 00:13:02,935 --> 00:13:05,455 that might have accompanied the executioners 212 00:13:06,455 --> 00:13:07,615 official responsibilities. 213 00:13:11,435 --> 00:13:13,255 Jane's lady in waiting sits 214 00:13:13,255 --> 00:13:17,375 to her right looking away in profound distress, unable 215 00:13:17,375 --> 00:13:18,815 to bear witness to the swing 216 00:13:18,875 --> 00:13:21,855 of the executioner's blade in our lap. 217 00:13:21,875 --> 00:13:24,855 She holds what appears to be Lady Jane's outer garments. 218 00:13:25,545 --> 00:13:27,455 These clothes which have been removed 219 00:13:27,475 --> 00:13:31,055 before the execution are likely to be a fine quality 220 00:13:31,195 --> 00:13:33,015 as befits Jane's Noble status. 221 00:13:34,835 --> 00:13:37,655 The presence of these clothes in her lap serve 222 00:13:37,715 --> 00:13:40,575 as a poignant reminder of the gravity of the situation 223 00:13:41,155 --> 00:13:43,135 and symbolizes the stripping away 224 00:13:43,135 --> 00:13:46,055 of Lady Jane's earthly titles and honors. 225 00:13:46,595 --> 00:13:51,535 As she faces her faith behind her standing in a dark shadow, 226 00:13:51,685 --> 00:13:54,975 another attendant presses her face into a stone wall 227 00:13:55,405 --> 00:13:57,855 with her arms raised over her bowed head. 228 00:14:00,565 --> 00:14:02,215 It's as though she cannot bear 229 00:14:02,235 --> 00:14:04,255 to watch the grim scene unfold 230 00:14:04,255 --> 00:14:08,575 that has physically distanced herself from it seeking solace 231 00:14:08,575 --> 00:14:10,535 in the cold stone wall before her. 232 00:14:11,725 --> 00:14:14,025 The woman's posture and actions contribute 233 00:14:14,025 --> 00:14:16,825 to the painting's overall atmosphere of tragedy 234 00:14:17,005 --> 00:14:19,865 and sorrow, reinforcing the theme of loss 235 00:14:20,125 --> 00:14:22,505 and helplessness that pervades the work. 236 00:14:23,605 --> 00:14:27,465 Her turn back and upraised arms can also be interpreted 237 00:14:27,485 --> 00:14:29,185 as a dramatic expression 238 00:14:29,185 --> 00:14:32,105 of mourning common in artistic depictions. 239 00:14:32,125 --> 00:14:36,345 To convey intense emotion, the artist draws our attention 240 00:14:36,365 --> 00:14:37,625 to the nexts of the two women 241 00:14:38,665 --> 00:14:41,345 emphasizing the terrible fate of their mistress. 242 00:14:42,485 --> 00:14:46,065 The overall portrait of Lady Jane Gray is deeply evocative, 243 00:14:46,095 --> 00:14:49,265 capturing the tragic beauty of her youth and status, 244 00:14:49,965 --> 00:14:52,525 and the somber reality of her imminent death. 245 00:14:54,025 --> 00:14:56,005 No one in the scene looks out at us. 246 00:14:56,715 --> 00:14:59,565 Each of them is completely absorbed in the moment. 247 00:15:15,095 --> 00:15:18,155 De la Roach's completed artwork was presented at the Paris 248 00:15:18,285 --> 00:15:22,755 Salon and garnered a place in the 1834 exhibition 249 00:15:22,755 --> 00:15:25,595 where it swiftly captured the public's attention. 250 00:15:27,045 --> 00:15:29,745 Its intense reaction might be partly attributed 251 00:15:29,845 --> 00:15:33,265 to the echoes of the French Revolution of 1789. 252 00:15:34,105 --> 00:15:37,145 A series of events still fresh in the collective memory. 253 00:15:38,405 --> 00:15:40,735 This period was marked by the violent overthrow 254 00:15:40,735 --> 00:15:44,175 of the French monarchy, including the infamous execution 255 00:15:44,175 --> 00:15:46,575 of Maria Antoinette in 1793. 256 00:15:47,605 --> 00:15:49,735 Through his depiction of Tudor history, 257 00:15:49,945 --> 00:15:53,535 Della Roach drew a striking parallel to France's own recent 258 00:15:54,125 --> 00:15:57,895 turbulent history, crafting an image that was both poignant 259 00:15:57,955 --> 00:15:59,735 and powerful in its residence. 260 00:16:00,795 --> 00:16:04,575 The execution of Lady Jane Gray remains a most potent image, 261 00:16:05,075 --> 00:16:09,935 the very embodiment of John Fox's words in the 1563 Book 262 00:16:09,935 --> 00:16:14,375 of Martyrs, in which he says, let this worthy lady pass 263 00:16:14,435 --> 00:16:18,015 for a saint and let all great ladies, which bear her name, 264 00:16:18,645 --> 00:16:19,935 imitate her virtues. 265 00:16:21,075 --> 00:16:24,575 In 1833, an art critic wrote, beauty 266 00:16:24,635 --> 00:16:27,415 and Terror are blended in this picture so closely 267 00:16:27,965 --> 00:16:31,295 that I defy the true artists to distinguish between them. 268 00:16:32,225 --> 00:16:35,135 Never did a painting produce a more poignant impression. 269 00:16:35,835 --> 00:16:39,535 One almost expects to hear the head roll and fall. 270 00:16:42,415 --> 00:16:45,015 Whenever I'm in London, I always make it a point to go 271 00:16:45,015 --> 00:16:48,255 to the National Gallery to see the execution 272 00:16:48,255 --> 00:16:51,735 of Lady Jane Gray, because it is a profound 273 00:16:51,795 --> 00:16:53,495 and emotionally charged work 274 00:16:53,965 --> 00:16:57,175 that transcends the mere depiction of a historical event 275 00:16:57,835 --> 00:17:00,975 to deliver a powerful narrative about innocence, power, 276 00:17:01,355 --> 00:17:02,615 and the human condition. 277 00:17:03,885 --> 00:17:05,975 It's a reminder of the personal stories 278 00:17:05,995 --> 00:17:09,735 behind historical events, the real lives that are affected 279 00:17:09,795 --> 00:17:11,695 by the rise and fall of powers 280 00:17:12,395 --> 00:17:15,175 and the enduring strength of the human spirit 281 00:17:15,875 --> 00:17:17,015 in the face of adversity. 282 00:17:19,375 --> 00:17:20,895 I hope that if you ever get the London, 283 00:17:20,915 --> 00:17:24,295 you'll take in the full glory of this painting, 284 00:17:25,125 --> 00:17:29,415 Paul De ROEs, the execution of Lady Jane Gray.