Elizabeth Page #2

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would marry me

but would not expect to share my bed

more than two or three times a year.

As much as that?

Well, he...

He is enraptured.

Naturally.

But... his affairs would otherwise

keep him in Spain.

Then the King is a fool.

What could ever be important enough

to keep him from your bed?

Robert,

you should not say such things.

Then I shall only think them.

Everything is so uncertain!

Sir William says my life is still in danger.

Do not listen to everything he tells you.

Do not listen to any of them.

None of them are of consequence.

- When you are Queen...

- I am not... I am not Queen yet.

You will be.

Elizabeth,

Queen of England.

A court to worship you.

A country to obey you.

Poems written celebrating your beauty.

Music composed in your honour,

and they will be nothing to you.

I will mean nothing to you.

How could you ever be nothing to me?

Robert, you know

you are everything to me.

All that I am

it is you.

Benedicta tu in mulieribus

et benedictus fructus ventris tui, Iesus.

Sancta Maria, Mater Dei

ora pro nobis peccatoribus, nunc...

Is she dead?

Give it to her.

My Lady...

The Earl of Sussex is here.

The Queen is dead!

Long live the Queen!

Long live the Queen!

This is the Lord's doing

and it is marvellous in our eyes.

To the north, I present unto you

Elizabeth, your undoubted Queen!

To the south, I present to you

Elizabeth, your undoubted Queen!

I crown thee Elizabeth,

Queen of England, Ireland and France.

God save Your Majesty.

Your Majesty has inherited

a most parlous and degenerate state.

It's threatened from abroad

by France and Spain

and is weaker in men, monies and riches

than I have ever known it.

What are you saying?

Madam, your treasury is empty.

The Navy is run-down,

there is no standing army,

and no munitions.

There is not a fortress

that could withstand a single shot.

- I have no desire for war, sir.

- But that is not the end of it.

Here at home there are those

who wish Your Majesty ill.

Mary of Scots has already

laid claim to your throne,

and Norfolk...

Norfolk covets it relentlessly.

Madam, until you marry

and produce an heir,

you will find no security.

That's Sir Christopher Hatton.

- There is Sir William Makepeace...

- I do not see...

- Lord Ensley, Your Majesty.

- Delighted.

I do not see why a woman

need marry at all.

Come on, come on!

This is Mistress Quickly.

You will recall His Excellency

the Spanish Ambassador.

How could I forget?

Excellency.

Your Majesty.

He's French. You'll have to speak up.

Do I know that gentleman?

That is Sir Francis Walsingham, Madam.

He has returned from exile

and I have appointed him

to have a care for Your Majesty's person.

Ah!

Excellency...

Majesty...

May I present the French Ambassador,

His Excellency Monsieur de Foix.

Your Excellency.

I suppose the French

do offer some suitor to her.

Naturally.

Everything now depends

upon the husband that woman takes.

King Henry of Anjou

sends you brotherly love.

He trusts the relationship between

our countries may be much improved.

That is also my hope.

The King expects that you will

consider the suit of his brother,

the Duke of Anjou.

Her Majesty will consider

the proposal most carefully.

It is unfortunate, however,

that the Duke's aunt, Mary of Guise,

chooses to garrison Scotland

with French troops.

Ladies...

The marriage of a Queen, Excellency,

is born of politics, not childish passion.

Your Grace.

Walsingham!

Welcome to England.

- Your Grace is surprised?

- No.

Only a little disappointed.

Play a volta!

When may I see you in private?

In private?

Have you forgot, my Lord?

I am Queen now.

He's coming.

He's coming!

My Ladies.

My Lord.

You blush, Lady Knollys.

Are you in love?

No, my Lord.

Then you should be,

or waste all that beauty.

Does Her Majesty sleep?

Not yet, Sir William.

She is... overwrought.

Show me Her Majesty's sheets

every morning.

- I must know all her proper functions.

- Proper functions, Sir William?

Indeed.

Her Majesty's body and person

are no longer her own property.

They belong to the State.

Yes, Sir William.

Your Grace.

Your Grace, Her Majesty has not risen.

Your Grace!

Please! Your Grace! Her Majesty

is not yet ready to receive visitors.

Madam!

You had best get up.

There is some grave news.

My Lady, I'm sorry...

Mary of Guise has increased the French

garrison in Scotland by 4,000 men.

Perhaps more.

Madam...

I'm afraid the French mean to attack

while we are still weak

and while Your Majesty's reign

is still uncertain.

What is your counsel?

Madam, we must with all haste

raise an army to march upon Scotland.

Can... can...?

Can we not send emissaries?

There is no time for that!

As Queen we look to you for action,

unless you are content to wait for the

French to send more reinforcements.

Here.

Are you all in agreement?

I say there has never been a better time

to abate the French pride.

Arundel?

War is a sin,

but sometimes a necessary one.

Lord Robert, you were appointed to the

Council to protect England's interests.

Now it appears

you do not have the stomach for it.

I am in agreement, Your Grace,

if Your Majesty's throne is at risk.

- What say you, Walsingham?

- Your Majesty!

I say a prince should rather

be slow to take action

and should watch that he does not

come to be afraid of his own shadow.

You are not, Sir Francis,

a member of Council,

nor are you in the majority.

I do not like wars.

They have uncertain outcomes.

Go back to England,

and take this to your Queen.

- Where are my councillors?

- I know not, Madam.

- Where is Lord Robert?

- Lord Robert, Madam, has gone hunting.

Leave me.

Go! Go!

I regret to inform Your Majesty

of our miserable defeat in Scotland.

The Bishops still demand

Your Majesty's removal.

They find support in every quarter.

Alas, Madam,

we are come already to catastrophe.

How dare you come into my presence!

Why do you follow me here?

It is my business

to protect Your Majesty

against all things.

I do not need protection.

I need to be left alone!

Majesty...

They should never have been

sent to Scotland.

My father would not have made

such a mistake.

I have been proved unfit to rule.

That is what you all think,

is it not, Walsingham?

It is not for me to judge you.

Why did they send children! Why

did they not send proper reinforcements!

The Bishops would not let them.

They spoke against it in the pulpits.

Then... they are speaking

against their Queen.

Madam, the Bishops are against you

and have no fear of you.

They do not expect you to survive.

My Lord! The Queen!

Where have you been?

You were not at Court.

Majesty, Monsieur de Foix.

Mary of Guise, Ma'am,

promises to make no further threat

against Your Majesty, but

on one condition.

What condition?

That Your Majesty considers the proposal

of her nephew the Duke of Anjou.

The Duke is most eager

to meet Your Majesty.

He has heard a great deal of your beauty.

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