The Virgin Queen (TV serial)
| The Virgin Queen | |
|---|---|
| Written by | Paula Milne |
| Directed by | Coky Giedroyc |
| Starring |
Anne-Marie Duff Tom Hardy |
| Theme music composer | Martin Phipps |
| Country of origin | UK |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of episodes | 4 |
| Production | |
| Producer(s) | Paul Rutman |
| Running time | 237 min |
| Release | |
| Original release |
|
| The Virgin Queen: Music From The Original Television Soundtrack | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Soundtrack album by Martin Phipps | |
| Released | 2 February 2006 |
| Studio | Hear No Evil Studio |
| Genre | Classical |
| Length | 44:45 |
| Label | BBC Worldwide Ltd. |
| Producer | Simon Platz |
The Virgin Queen is a 2005 BBC and Power co-production, four-part miniseries based upon the life of Queen Elizabeth I, starring Anne-Marie Duff. As a drama, it focused heavily on Elizabeth's private life - particularly her relationship with Robert Dudley, and explored the politics of her reign in rather less depth.
It was originally intended to air first on the BBC in September 2005, but as the date would have coincided with the release of the Channel 4 two-part mini Elizabeth I (starring Helen Mirren), it was decided to delay the BBC release until January 2006, two months after the US opening in November 2005 on PBS' Masterpiece Theatre. Ewen Bremner appeared in both productions.
Despite being a biopic of Elizabeth's life and reign, the series presented its main character with particular interest in several themes, most notably the emotional impact of her mother's execution and her love for Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester.
The drama played up the ambiguity of Elizabeth's virginity, featuring a scene where Elizabeth fantasizes about making love to Dudley. However, Anne-Marie Duff later stated that the director and scriptwriter explicitly told her to play the queen as a lifelong virgin.
The first episode depicts Elizabeth from her imprisonment in the Tower of London by the Queen, her sister Mary I, accused with plotting the Queen's demise, to her accession to the throne following Mary's death, and her coronation. Elizabeth was imprisoned in the Tower, accused of participating in Thomas Wyatt's rebellion to overthrow Mary. The episode strongly hints Elizabeth's participation, though evidence of this remains highly conjectural. The episode also establishes Elizabeth's relationship with Robert Dudley, and they are shown to be greatly in love, despite Dudley being married. Elizabeth's frustration at her later house arrest at is emphasised to somewhat comic effect. She is shown being held at Woodstock from her release from the Tower until her sister's 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..."
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