Voices from the Archives: Mary, Burns and Lochhead

What do a doomed queen, a national poet and a radical playwright have in common?

This fascinating panel discussion brings together three manuscripts, each offering a powerful lens on Mary, Queen of Scots: her final letter, written just hours before her execution, Robert Burns' poetic tribute Lament of Mary, Queen of Scots, and Liz Lochhead's bold reimagining in Mary Queen of Scots Got Her Head Chopped Off. Written centuries apart, these texts continue to shape how we remember and reinvent one of Scotland's most enduring figures.

Hosted as part of the National Library of Scotland’s centenary celebrations, and chaired by Dr Chris Cassells, head of Archives and Manuscripts, this discussion invites the National Library of Scotland curators who care for these works, Dr Ulrike Hogg, Dr Ralph McLean and Dr Colin McIlroy to share their insights into the historical, literary and cultural significance of each item.

Together, the panel will discuss these manuscripts and place them within the wider context of the National Library of Scotland’s archive collections. This is a chance to hear from the people who look after these works, and to reflect on how archive, memory and imagination continue to shape Scotland's story.