The story of the ascension to the throne and the early reign of Queen Elizabeth the First, the endless attempts by her council to marry her off, the Catholic hatred of her and her romance with Lord Robert Dudley.
Elizabeth I
Cate Blanchett
Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester
Joseph Fiennes
Sir Francis Walsingham
Geoffrey Rush
Duke of Norfolk
Christopher Eccleston
The Pope
John Gielgud
Sir William Cecil
Richard Attenborough
Mary of Guise
Fanny Ardant
Monsieur de Foix
Éric Cantona
Duc d'Anjou
Vincent Cassel
Queen Mary Tudor
Kathy Burke
Earl of Arundel
Edward Hardwicke
Kat Ashley
Emily Mortimer
Alvaro de la Quadra
James Frain
Isabel Knollys
Kelly Macdonald
Sir Thomas Elyot
Kenny Doughty
John Ballard
Daniel Craig
Arundel's Son
Alfie Allen
Earl of Sussex
Jamie Foreman
Lady in Waiting
Lily Allen
Lettice Howard
Amanda Ryan
Lady in Waiting
Sally Grey
Lady in Waiting
Elika Gibbs
Lady in Waiting
Sarah Owen
Lady in Waiting
Kate Loustau
First Bishop
Daniel Moynihan
Second Bishop
Jeremy Hawk
Arundel's Daughter
Daisy Bevan
Lady in Waiting
Hayley Burroughs
Master of the Tower
Joe White
Norfolk's Man
Matt Andrews
Young French Man
Ben Frain
Priest
Lewis Jones
Bishop Carlisle
Michael Beint
Waad, Chancellor of the Eschequer
Angus Deayton
Earl of Derby
Joseph O'Conor
Lord William Howard
Brendan O'Hea
Lord Harewood
Edward Highmore
Bishop (in Cellar)
James Rowe
Third Bishop
Donald Pelmear
Handsome Man
Tim Bevan
Female Martyr
Liz Giles
Master Ridley
Rod Culbertson
Palace Chamberlain
Peter Stockbridge
Mary's Dwarf
Valerie Gale
King Philip II of Spain
George Antoni
Dance Tutor
Wayne Sleep
Dudley's Man
Charles Cartmell
Dudley's Man
Edward Purver
Vatican Cardinal
Vladimir Vega
Arundel's Housemaid
Jennifer Lewicki
Arundel's Wife
Viviane Horne
Walsingham's Man
Nick Smallman
Member of Duc d'Anjou's Group (uncredited)
James Britton
(uncredited)
Jean-Pierre Léaud
Royal Guard of Honour (uncredited)
Ben Mars
Henchman (uncredited)
Daniel O'Meara
French Guard (uncredited)
Jocelyn Quivrin
(uncredited)
Matthew Rhys
Courtier (uncredited)
Jason Savin
Royal Guard (uncredited)
Christian Simpson
Norfolk's Man
Liam Foley