Esmeralda de Guzman y Montoya
Household Attendant to Her Majesty

portrayed by Marinell Drew

I thank the Lord every morning and every night for the good fortune and the privilege of serving in Her Majesty’s household how e’re having being born in the beautiful and sunny land of Spain I find England, this land of rain, gray skies and cold weather depressing.

I was borne in Andalucia the land of sunshine, passion and love where the influence of our Morrocan invaders left its mark in the color of our skins. It is rumoured that my father was His Majesty Carlos V who found my mother’s dark eyes and skin irresistible. My mother served in his household were I was raised and then brought to this country as an attendant to my Lady Doña Isabela de Alvarez y Alba. She arranged for me to be placed in the service of Her Majesty were I now serve as a member of the kitchen household.

There are rumors going about that I attempted to poison the King of Spain, but those are just lies! How could I harm my father? The rest of the household invents these lies because they are jealous of my noble origin (they all know that His Majesty is my father) and refined manners.

I am considered by the nobles a good source of valuable information, for being in the service of the Queen I hear quite a lot of gossip. They gladly reward me for bringing to them this information. Being without a husband and with two children to rise, something very few people know about, I use this talent to obtain money to support them. It is my responsibility as a mother to accumulate a dowry for my daughter unless I am able to marry a gentleman with a craft that would be able to provide this for her.