The Virgin Queen (TV serial)

The Virgin Queen is a 2005 BBC and Power coproduction, fourpart miniseries based upon the life of Queen Elizabeth I, starring AnneMarie Duff. As a drama, it focused heavily on Elizabeths private life particularly her relationship with Robert Dudley, and explored the politics of her reign in rather less depth.

The first episode depicts Elizabeth from her imprisonment in the Tower of London by the Queen, her sister Mary I, accused with plotting the Queens demise, to her accession to the throne following Marys death, and her coronation. Elizabeth was imprisoned in the Tower, accused of participating in Thomas Wyatts rebellion to overthrow Mary. The episode strongly hints Elizabeths participation, though evidence of this remains highly conjectural. The episode also establishes Elizabeths relationship with Robert Dudley, and they are shown to be greatly in love, despite Dudley being married. Elizabeths frustration at her later house arrest at Woodstock Manor is emphasised to somewhat comic effect. She is shown being held at Woodstock from her release from the Tower until her sisters death from cancer, when in reality she was only held there a year, before being recalled to London so Mary could keep a closer eye on her. The episode also depicts the legend of Elizabeth being told she is Queen of England under an oak tree, depicted as being in Woodstock but which in reality is claimed to have occurred at Hatfield House, and her utterance of the quote This is the work of the Lord, and it is marvellous in our eyes...The second episode shows Elizabeth from several months to a year after her coronation, establishing herself as Queen, to the emergence of Mary, Queen of Scots, as her political rival. The episode makes much of her clandestine romance with Robert Dudley, and her resistance to marriage. Elizabeth is shown to be struggling with the adjustment to being Queen, especially in regard to Dudley. A scene shows Elizabeth dreaming of making love with Dudley, but the plot of the series follows the opinion that she resisted these urges, and remained a virgin. The episode introduces or further establishes several key characters in the story of Elizabeths reign, including William Cecil Francis Walsingham Katherine Ashley Thomas Howard, Duke of Norfolk Elizabeths cousin and Lettice Kn

Source: Wikipedia