Shelton

John Shelton, also known as Lady Shelton, serves as Princess Mary Tudor's custodian, enforcing court discipline and shielding her charge from emotional lapses in the volatile Tudor court. He navigates noble rivalries with keen insight, confiding Norfolk's dynastic ploys to Cromwell while checking aggressors like the duke. Stern and pragmatic, he restores order amid vulnerability, blending unyielding authority with protective oversight. His loyalties align with rising reformers against old nobility, securing his place in succession intrigues. Shelton oversees Mary's confinement at Hunsdon House, restricting her public activities to neutralize her political threat, and owns fine Venetian crystal jugs, markers of his status in the custodial role.