Princes in the Tower becoming king, Henry married the princes' eldest sister, Elizabeth of York, to reinforce his claim to the throne. Not wanting the legitimacy of his wife or her claim as heiress of Edward IV called into question, prior to the marriage he had repealed the "Titulus Regius" which had previously declared the princes (and Elizabeth) illegitimate. Markham suggests the princes were executed under Henry's orders between 16 June and 16 July 1486, claiming that it was only after this date that orders went out to circulate the story that Richard had killed the princes, and that the princes' mother, Elizabeth Woodville,
The Princes and the Treasure as he did not want the book to be seen as sexual, and he based the characters of both men on an amalgamation of people he knew in real life. He has also stated that he wanted the book to show that "two men or two women can create a warm and loving family together". Critical reception for "The Princes and the Treasure" has been positive. "The Princes and the Treasure" has received praise from GLAAD, who expressed excitement over the work containing "gay role models, the twist on a classic fairytale storyline, and the shattering of stereotypes". Lesbians on