The Virgin Queen (2005)

In honor of Elizabeth I’s 481st birthday, here’s another shout-out to a portrayal of Good Queen Bess on screen — this time, the BBC’s 2005 miniseries, The Virgin Queen.

Anne-Marie Duff is a highly talented, underrated (imo) actress who plays the leading role of Elizabeth. She really nails the emotional depths of ER, showing us both her intellect and bad-ass-ness, and the toll that came from stifling her romantic side.

It helps that the role of Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, was played by Tom Hardy, who, YUM.

The costumes were designed by Amy Roberts, who has been designing since the 1970s for everything from Doctor Who to Cold Comfort Farm, Upstairs Downstairs, and Call the Midwife.

Some of the costumes are drop dead stunners, and others are definitely streamlined and modernized for a modern audience. The BBC website tells us,

“Amy and her assistant got to work reading books, visiting museums and immersing themselves in the styles of the Elizabethan era. However, once they had got to grips with the feel of the times, they cast all that research aside. They have to bear in mind that they are re-creating a world for modern eyes and they will let their dramatic instincts guide them more than a slavish search for historical accuracy. They also created mood boards, collecting pictures from modern fashion magazines that had the attitude that they were looking to create. This approach can be seen particularly in the way the men’s costumes have been styled. If the actors had been dressed in the authentic Elizabethan style, they would have had to wear large knickerbockers that would have made them look comical to today’s audience. Amy was keen to find a way of making the male characters look sexy, so worked to create a style of costume that emphasised the chest, making the upper body look wider and narrowing towards the waist, pointing towards the groin. She also used darker colours for the lower parts of the costume and brighter colours on top, echoing the modern style of wearing brighter t-shirts and tops over jeans. In addition she tried to cut down on the use of ruffs, using them only for the very formal occasions. Where possible the men were given open necklines.”

So yes, this means you get something like this, with Duff in a stunning version of ER’s coronation outfit and Dudley looking like he’s ditched school:

And this — the 16th c. version of yoga pants? (Which, I admit, appeals to me, because the thing that always keeps me from really getting into the 16th century is the crap-on-crap, bling-on-bling thing. Which I know most of you love. I mean, I like LOOKING at it. But do I actually want to sew it all on?)

But you also get some really fabulous, over the top dresses, ruffs, and wigs:

And the old age makeup, when ER is in her waning years, is REALLY well done.