When she was 6 days old she succeeded her father to the throne of Scotland. While Scotland was ruled by regents, Mary spent most of her youth in France with her mother's family of de Guise. In 1558 she was married to Dauphin Francis, who became king Francis II in 1559, making her Queen-Consort. He died however already in December 1560 and as a young widow she was send back to Scotland, where she arrived on 19 August 1561 in Leith.