Matt Ford

She takes in Mary's delicate features with a mixture of admiration and envy.

Her cousin's hair is a deeper tone than her own orange locks, bringing out her amber eyes.

She is every bit as beautiful as they say.

Elizabeth turns to see a sheepish look appear on Robert's face.

Of course, she has nothing on you, Your Majesty.

Elizabeth ignores the eye roll from the ambassador.

She refuses to be bullied.

Elizabeth's romance with Robert might be an open secret, but she has no intention of ever making any man her husband.

She knows marriage will only weaken her position in the eyes of the people.

A bit like being in a boy band.

Because once they've got girlfriends, they're not attainable anymore and then people stop going to see them at the NEC or whatever.

Well, kind of in a way.

And her whole brand was the Virgin Queen.

So even though she is having it off with Dudley, she's not publicly admitting that.

And she's a woman in the 1500s.

So the moment she marries a man, you then got a king who then really becomes more powerful than her.

So it's a way of retaining her individual power and also playing off some of these fellas against each other.

Ultimate bachelor.

Your Majesty, it would be remiss not to mention that Mary still practices Catholicism.

That's her devotion.