Editing Lucy Walter (section)

=== Relationship with Charles II ===
[[File:Charles II (Hoecke).jpg|left|thumb|Charles, Prince of Wales (later Charles II), late 1640s]]
In May 1648, Walter managed to meet and charm Prince Charles, who had by then been living in [[Kingdom of France|France]] but visited [[The Hague]] for a short time. They were both only 18, and it is usually assumed that she was his first mistress.{{CN|date=May 2024}} They might have resumed their relationship in September 1648, when he was again in the [[Dutch Republic]]. On 9 April 1649, Walter gave birth to a son, [[James Scott, Duke of Monmouth|James]] (1649–1685), who was acknowledged by Prince Charles as his [[Legitimacy (family law)|illegitimate child]].{{sfn|Ward|1897|p=28}} The child was sent away to a [[wet nurse]] near [[Rotterdam]], while Walter went to live in [[Antwerp]].{{sfn|Seccombe|1899|p=259}}

In August 1649, Walter travelled to [[Saint-Germain-en-Laye]], France to see Charles, who had become king in January after the execution of his father, [[Charles I of England|Charles I]]. She shared a coach with writer and diarist [[John Evelyn]], who described their encounter.

{{Quote|text=I went to [Saint-Germain-en-Laye], to kiss [H]er Majesty's hand; in the coach, which was [[Henry Wilmot, 1st Earl of Rochester|[The Viscount Wilmot]]]'s, went Mrs. Barlow, the King's mistress, and mother of the Duke of Monmouth, a brown, beautiful, bold, but insipid creature.|author=John Evelyn|title=[[John Evelyn's Diary|''Diary of John Evelyn'']]}}

During July and August 1649 she stayed with Charles in [[Paris]] and Saint-Germain-en-Laye, and she may have accompanied him to [[Jersey]] in September.{{sfn|Seccombe|1899|p=259}} It was around this time that she started using the name of her relative, John Barlow of [[Slebech]].{{CN|date=May 2024}}