Cast:  Mary Tudor (Daphne Slater), Catherine Parr (Rosalie Crutchley), Gardiner (Basil Dignam), Cranmer (Bernard Hepton), Seymour (John Ronane), Tyrwhit (Stanley Lebor), Lady Tyrwhit (Nicolette Bernard), Bridges (Kevin Brennan), de Noailles (Julian Holloway), Renard (Brendan Barry), Wyatt (Robert Garrett), Bedingfield (Alan Foss), Northumberland (Philip Brack), Edward VI (Jason Kemp), Fowler (Ian Barritt), Parry (Blake Butler), Guard (Richard Parry) Lady Jane Gray (Sarah Frampton), Guildford (Robert Barry)

Story:  Princess Elizabeth is implicated when an attempt to abduct King Edward VI is foiled.  Shortly after this, Edward dies leaving Mary Tudor to be Queen.  Mary is a devout Catholic and fears that Elizabeth may be used as a figurehead of a Protestant rebellion after she returns England to "The True Faith"...

Cast:  Bishop de Quasdra (Esmond Knight), Count de Feria (Leonard Sachs), Sir James Melville (John Cairney), Amye Dudley (Stacey Tendeter), Doctor Burcot (Denis Carey), Mary Sidney (Caroline Harris), Henry Sidney (Anthony Ainley), Norfolk (David Strong), Mrs Pinto (Claire Austin)

Story:  Elizabeth has turned 25 and is now Queen.  She is also unmarried.  Her council is putting pressure on her to marry but she is refusing.  It seems that the only man to interests her is Robert Dudley.  When Dudley's wife dies in mysterious circumstances Elizabeth is left with a dilemma.  If she is to marry is Dudley the right man, politically?

Cast:  Hatton (Bernard Horsfall), Catherine de Medici (Margaretta Scott), Duke of Alencon (Michael Williams), Simier (James Laurenson), Fenelon (John Hughes), Lady Cobham (Jill Balcon), Dwarf 'Elizabeth' (Mary Patricia Finn), Dwarf 'Leicester' (Albert Horton), Preacher (Kenton Moore), Jacques (Leslie Lawton), Court Offical (Jame Urquhart)

Story:  Francis, Duke of Alencon comes to England to try and win the affections of Elizabeth.  She is very taken with him.  A marriage to the Duke would be advantageous, politically.  However, growing opposition to the marriage leaves the Queen with a difficult decision.  Should she follow her heart and marry the Duke, or should she listen to the opponents to the marriage...?

Cast:  Sir Amyas Paulet (Hamilton Dyce), Babington (David Collings), Gifford (Bernard Holley), Phelippes (David Nettheim), Davison (John Graham), Ballard (David Garfield), Topcliffe (Brian Wilde), Kelley (Malcom Hayes), Dr. Dee (Raf De La Torre), Savage (James Culliford), Whitgift (John Ruddock)

Story:  Mary, Queen of Scots, has fled to England for protection.  Elizabeth has her put under guard in the country.  Despite being put out of harms way, there are still people who will use her name to try and over throw Elizabeth.

Cast:  Sir Francis Drake (John Woodvine), Idiaquez (Christopher Hancock), Santa Cruz (Geoffrey Wincott), Medina Sidonia (Gordon Costelow), Father Robert (Paul Hardwick), John Tregannon (Michael Culver), Cordoba (Ian Ricketts), Speaker (Robert Sansom), Dutch Envoy (Bill Horsley), Old Soldier (Derek Hardwick), Young Soldier (Malcom McFee), Philip's Son (David Parfitt)

Story:  After the death of Mary Queen of Scots, rumours begin to surface that Spain will attack England.  However, Elizabeth is trying to make peace with the Spanish and is deaf to all talk of a Spanish attack.  Can she be convinced that the rumours are genuine before it is too late...?

Cast:  Cecil (Hugh Dickson), Bacon (John Nettleton), Raleigh (Nicholas Selby), Egerton (Clifford Rose), Southampton (Peter Egan), Blout (Haydn Jones), O'Neill (Patrick O'Connell), Elizabeth Vernon (Sonia Fraser), Lady Rich (Shirley Dixon), Lady Essex (Judith South), Horseman to O'Neill (Kevin Flood), Conn (Wesley Murphy), Lord Mayor (Harry Webster), King Richard (Philip Voss), Bolingbroke (David Hargraves), Gaoler (Michael Beint), Harper (Peter Forest), Irish Peasent (Winefride Madigan), Horsman to Cecil (Derek Martin)

Story:  The Earl of Essex is well liked by the people of England.  However, he defies the Queen constantly.  After his unsuccessful attack on Spain Elizabeth gives Essex another challenge: to quell the rebellion in Ireland.  Essex, though, has another, more dangerous rebellion in mind...

Posted:  1 June 1998
Last Updated:  10 April 1999