Queen Elizabeth had imposed the responsible task of guarding Mary on Shrewsbury, and did not allow him to resign the charge for over 15 years. For this and other reasons (such as disputes over property distribution) his marriage with Bess of Hardwick, while initially successful, became rocky, began to deteriorate around 1583, as detailed by surviving letters between the two. Slowly but increasingly poor health (rheumatism) causing chronic pain and the money issues that inevitably came about during his time as keeper of the Queen of Scots, further making him caustic. Elizabeth attempted to reconcile Shrewsbury and Hardwick between 1586 and 1589; however while the latter was in support of this, Shrewsbury seems to have remained indignant and spent his final years without her, instead seeking the comfort of Eleanor Britton, one of his servants.