Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal & Society Royal Sex: Elizabeth I
Jul 25, 2025
Join Professor Anna Whitelock, a specialist in monarchy history, as she unpacks the fascinating life of Queen Elizabeth I. Was she truly a virgin or just a master of political maneuvering? The conversation dives into Elizabeth's turbulent youth, her intriguing relationship with Robert Dudley, and the pressures of being an unmarried queen. Whitelock also reveals how Elizabeth's sexuality influenced her rule and public persona, alongside the romantic myths that still surround her legacy today.
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Tudors as Early Celebrities
- Tudor monarchs became early celebrities with widely known personal and sexual lives.
- Elizabeth's image as the Virgin Queen paralleled Henry VIII's sexualized public persona for political power.
Virginity as Political Power
- Succession in monarchy is inherently tied to sex and producing heirs.
- Elizabeth's virginity became a political tool amidst pressures to marry and produce an heir but was ultimately spun as a virtue.
Thomas Seymour's Abuse of Elizabeth
- Thomas Seymour engaged in inappropriate and abusive behavior with young Elizabeth.
- These unsettling episodes likely impacted Elizabeth's view on male relationships.
