Today is the 487th anniversary of the birth of Queen Elizabeth I, a woman known as Gloriana, Good Queen Bess, and the Virgin Queen, and whose reign has been known as a Golden Age.
The iconic monarch who ruled England for over 44 years was, of course, the daughter of Queen Anne Boleyn, the second wife of King Henry VIII and a woman who was executed for high treason after being accused of adultery with four men, incest with her brother and plotting with all five men to kill her husband, the king. It’s amazing, and wonderful, that the daughter of Anne Boleyn grew up to be a queen, and a queen whose portrait is still recognised the world over.
I can’t wait to co-lead the Elizabeth I Experience Tours next year with my dear friend, Philippa Lacey-Brewell. The September tour is sold out but there are still a few spaces available on the July tour. Click here to find out more right now, or scroll down to read a bit more. I need my history fix after the year that 2020 has been!!
Here is the video I did last year on Elizabeth I’s birth and then my Elizabeth I playlist for you to enjoy.
Elizabeth I Experience Tour
Date: 24th – 29th July 2021
Place: Historic Stratford-upon-Avon in Warwickshire, and Hever Castle in Kent.
Elizabeth I, arguably the most successful Tudor monarch, was the leader of a Golden Age in England.
Visiting key places, with top historians, we will tell the story of the life & times of Elizabeth. Covering her relationship with Robert Dudley the man she called her “eyes”, her patronage of the arts all the way from her birth in 1533, her accession to the throne in 1558 through to her death in 1603 and the end of the Tudor dynasty.
If you are an Elizabeth I admirer then this is the tour you’ve been waiting for!
Explore:
- Stratford-upon-Avon, birthplace of William Shakespeare, the Bard, and a playwright during the Golden Age.
- The romantic ruins of Kenilworth Castle, home of Elizabeth I’s favourite, Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, and the place where he planned to propose to her through lavish entertainment.
- The tombs of Robert Dudley, his wife Lettice, and their little son, ‘the noble impe’, in Warwick.
- Hatfield, the estate Elizabeth knew as home for many years and the place where she found out she was queen and where she held her first council meeting.
- Hever Castle, family home of Elizabeth I’s mother and maternal grandparents, and home to a huge collection of Tudor portraits.
- Penshurst Place, a place Elizabeth knew well and where she was rumoured to have danced La Volte with Robetr Dudley.
- Historic Greenwich, where Elizabeth I was born in 1533, and Westminster Abbey, where she was laid to rest in 1603.
Not only can you learn more about Elizabeth I through listening to expert guides at these stunning historical places, and chatting to Claire and Philippa, you can also hear expert talks on Elizabeth I from historian and Elizabeth I re-enactor Lesley Smith, and me (Claire Ridgway).
All that, plus staying at a castle (squeal! I never get tired of that!) and talking Tudor with like-minded people.
I do hope you can join us! Click here to find out more about this tour.
