The Virgin Queen (2005– )

The Virgin Queen explores the full sweep of Elizabeth's life: from her days of fear as a potential victim of her sister's terror; through her great love affair with Robert Dudley; into her ... See full summary »

Stars:

Anne-Marie Duff, Sienna Guillory, Ian Hart

1 win & 5 nominations.

Cast

Series cast summary:
Anne-Marie Duff	...	Queen Elizabeth I (4 episodes, 2006)
Sienna Guillory	...	Lettice Knollys (4 episodes, 2006)
Ian Hart	...	William Cecil - Lord Burghley (4 episodes, 2006)
Tom Hardy	...	Robert Dudley (4 episodes, 2006)
Dexter Fletcher	...	Sir Thomas Radcliffe - Earl of Sussex (3 episodes, 2006)
Richard Syms	...	Courtier (3 episodes, 2006)
Tara Fitzgerald	...	Kat Ashley (3 episodes, 2006)
Ulrich Thomsen	...	Baron (2 episodes, 2006)
Kevin McKidd	...	Duke of Norfolk (2 episodes, 2006)
Ben Daniels	...	Francis Walsingham (2 episodes, 2006)
Jason Watkins	...	Christopher Hatton (2 episodes, 2006)

Storyline

The Virgin Queen explores the full sweep of Elizabeth's life: from her days of fear as a potential victim of her sister's terror; through her great love affair with Robert Dudley; into her years of triumph over the Armada; and finally her old age and her last, enigmatic relationship with her young protégé, the Earl of Essex.

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Plot Keywords:

tv mini series | tudor | queen elizabeth i | historical fiction | 1500s | 

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Genres:

Biography | Drama | History | Romance

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Details

Official Sites:

BBC [uk] PBS [us]

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

13 November 2005 (USA)

Also Known As:

Elizabeth I: The Virgin Queen

Filming Locations:

Alnwick Castle, Alnwick, Northumberland, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

£6,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), Power, Powercorp

Technical Specs

Runtime:

237 min 237 min (4 parts)

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Did You Know?

Quotes

Robert Dudley - Earl of Leicester: Hadn't you as a child vowed never to take a husband? Dear God, after what happened to your mother, who can blame you? Would you forego a chance at motherhood, Bess, for the sake of a childish vow?
Queen Elizabeth I: It's not only men who can be corrupted by power. An heir can be as much a threat as a comfort in that.
Robert Dudley - Earl of Leicester: But the love of a man is hardly that of a child.
Queen Elizabeth I: It can be as fickle.
Robert Dudley - Earl of Leicester: As can a woman's.
Queen Elizabeth I: But a woman ruler is not as other women, is she? Like the coin that bears her image there are two sides to her....
[...]

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Soundtracks

"The Work of The Lord"
Composed by Martin Phipps
Sung by "The Mediaeval Baebes"
Published by BDI Music

User Reviews

One of the most accurate portryals so far....

Having read the previous comments I would concur with what has been said, but here in the UK this was shown as 4 90 minute episodes, not 60 minutes as inferred in the previous post.

I loved everything about this production even down to the usage of the group the 'Medieval Baebes' (who perform mainly medieval AND Tudor/Renaissance popular music) which gave one goosebumps when you think that this music was probably well loved and performed by the real Queen and her courtiers.

If you check out the BBC Drama website it gives the background as to how the costumes were made to look in period and yet so modern and also the locations used. It was quite refreshing to see a British produced history series actually filmed in the UK and not in one of the old Eastern bloc countries as with the Channel 4 'Elizabeth I' and that other history series with Ann Marie Duff playing a character 'Charles II: The Power and the Passion'

Well done BBC...it will not surprise me if another BAFTA is not forthcoming for this production. Keep up the good work!