Elizabeth I: Story, Cast and Series Facts

Story and premise

Two-part miniseries event that explores the intersection of the private and public life of Elizabeth I in the latter half of her reign, offering a personal look at her allies, her enemies and her suitors as she struggled to survive in a male-dominated world.

Elizabeth I sheds light on both the personal and public side of England's most enigmatic queen. The daughter of King Henry VIII, Elizabeth I (1533-1603) reunited a nation divided by religious strife, faced down the Spanish Armada and, after an unprecedented 45-year reign, died one of England's best-loved monarchs. During her time as Queen, poets and playwrights wrote about her, artists painted her, and composers dedicated works to her, all contributing to the legend of the "Virgin Queen" who never married. In the public's mind, Elizabeth's romantic life is nearly completely overshadowed by her political achievements and military triumphs. Elizabeth I looks beyond the myth at the woman behind the crown, striking a balance between the queen's desire to find love and passion, and her responsibility to the monarchy.

Series details

• Title: Elizabeth I
• Format: Scripted
• Language: English
• Genres: Drama, History
• Premiere date: 2005-09-29
• Final broadcast date listed: 2005-10-06
• Status in TVmaze: Ended
• Network listed by TVmaze: Channel 4
• Network country: United Kingdom
• Typical episode runtime: 120 minutes
• TVMaze ID: 10679
• IMDb ID: tt0465326
• TVDB ID: 79758

Cast and credited roles

• Helen Mirren — Elizabeth I
• Hugh Dancy — Earl of Essex
• Patrick Malahide — Sir Francis Walsingham
• Toby Jones — Robert Cecil
• Ian McDiarmid — Lord Burghley
• Ewen Bremner — King James VI
• Jeremy Irons — Earl of Leicester
• Barbara Flynn — Mary Queen of Scots

Seasons in the TVmaze catalogue

• Season 1: premiered 2005-09-29; final listed air date 2005-10-06; episode order: 2.

Source and licence

Adapted from Elizabeth I on TVmaze. The synopsis is reproduced as plain text; catalogue facts, cast and season records are selected and reformatted. This adapted text is available under CC BY-SA 4.0, following the TVmaze API licence. Network and web-channel credits identify the service listed in this source; they do not establish current streaming availability.