Pulling Strings

“	Be that as it may, Scotland has one true ruler, Mary, Queen of Scots, daughter of James V, crowned on her sixth day and appointed not by the Pope, but the Almighty Himself. It is my duty, my God-given birthright and my crown. And I will defend it from anyone who attempts to take it.	”
	— Mary to Cardinal Odomo

Pulling Strings
Production Information
Air Date	April 14, 2017
Writer	April Blair Laurie McCarthy
Director	Andy Mikita
Episode Guide
Previous	Uncharted Waters
Next	A Better Man

Pulling Strings is the ninth episode of Season Four and the seventy-first episode of Reign overall. It aired on April 14, 2017.

Synopsis

MARY TAKES A SECOND HUSBAND — Mary and Darnley wed in a lavish affair, which proves to be a successful decision in regards to her political standing. James makes an interesting discovery about Greer, while Elizabeth frantically tries to salvage England's power. 

Cast

Main Adelaide Kane as Mary Stuart Celina Sinden as Greer Castleroy Megan Follows as Catherine de' Medici Rachel Skarsten as Elizabeth I Will Kemp as Lord Darnley Adam Croasdell as Lord Bothwell Jonathan Keltz as Leith Bayard Ben Geurens as Gideon Blackburn

Recurring Craig Parker as Stéphane Narcisse Rose Williams as Claude de Valois Spencer MacPherson as Charles IX Dan Jeannotte as James Stuart Nola Augustson as Lady Lennox Claire Hunter as Emily Knox Andrew Shaver as David Rizzio Guest Saamer Usmani as Martin de Lambert

Gallery

Trivia

• Not long after their marriage, King Darnley grew arrogant. Not content with his position as king Consort, he demanded the Crown Matrimonial, which would have made him a co-sovereign of Scotland with the right to keep the Scottish throne for himself if he outlived his wife. Mary, Queen of Scots refused his request, and their marriage grew strained even though they conceived a child by October 1565.