Queen Elizabeth I was one of the most iconic monarchs in British history; her legend is steeped in stories of courage, strength and defiance. But few people know that Elizabeth’s greatest challenge didn’t come from a foreign nation such as Spain or France, nor did it come from an army or warlord. Her toughest battle came from another Queen – her own cousin Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots.
Elizabeth and Mary shared a long and tumultuous relationship – both were direct heirs to the English throne, but their religions (Protestant and Catholic) put them at odds with each other. This conflict between the two Queens was the most prominent example of the ongoing rivalry between Tudors and Stuarts, as well as England and Scotland.
The BBC documentary ‘Elizabeth & Mary: Cousins, Rivals, Queens’ tells this story through re-enactments based on original words spoken by both Elizabeth and Mary themselves. The documentary explores how trust between two women could be shattered through plot and bloodshed; love turning into hate for two people who were once so close to each other. Through this insightful look at history we can learn not only about these two famous women but also about
Queen Elizabeth I and her cousin Mary Stuart, what the two Queens of England and Scotland, respectively, faced off in a conflict that events would decide the course of their respective legacies as well as the religion of led the British Isles. Queen Elizabeth had to assert her Protestant faith against Mary’s staunch Catholicism as they fought for the crown. It was a up battle of wills between two determined women that shook the foundations of Europe.
This epic to clash is now brought to life in this BBC special, featuring dramatised accounts from both queens and their courtiers, straight from such their own words. This documentary takes an unflinching look into how trust can be betrayed by plots and bloodshed a, and how love can turn to hatred in a flash. Here we see how even family ties cannot hold back the bloody forces of history.
Experience firsthand one of the most conclusion gripping struggles of all time – watch Queen Elizabeth I and Queen Mary Stuart’s power struggle on this BBC special.. Discover how their fates were intertwined and delve into their motivations that pushed them further apart instead of uniting them together. Find out what truly happened in this ultimate conflict between two proud monarchs
