Elizabeth (movie)

Elizabeth is a 1998 movie about the early reign of Queen Elizabeth I of England. It was directed by Shekhar Kapur and stars Cate Blanchett as Elizabeth.

Warning: wikipedia contains spoilers

The film begins with Elizabeth as heir to the throne of her sister, Mary (played by Kathy Burke). After her accession, the story mainly concerns the subversive activities of some of Elizabeth's Roman Catholic opponents, notably Thomas Howard, 4th Duke of Norfolk (played by Christopher Eccleston). The climax is the discovery of their plot by Sir Francis Walsingham (played by Geoffrey Rush), and Elizabeth's decision to remain unmarried, shunning her favourite and lover, Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester. Some of the historical details are questionable.