▁power ▁and ▁her ▁court ▁to ▁maintain ▁her ▁will . ▁ ▁Production ▁Co - Produ ced ▁by ▁the ▁BBC ▁and ▁Power ▁television ▁for ▁£ 9 ▁million , ▁The ▁Virgin ▁Queen ▁was ▁fil med ▁at ▁P ine wood ▁Studios ▁in ▁summer ▁ 2 0 0 5 . ▁Origin ally ▁intended ▁to ▁air ▁on ▁BBC ▁One ▁in ▁September ▁ 2 0 0 5 , ▁the ▁date ▁would ▁have ▁coinc ided ▁with ▁the ▁release ▁of ▁the ▁Channel ▁ 4 ▁two - part ▁min is eries ▁Elizabeth ▁I ▁( st arring ▁Helen ▁Mir ren ). ▁Due ▁to ▁the ▁conflict , ▁the ▁BBC ▁decided ▁to ▁delay ▁the ▁UK ▁release ▁until ▁after ▁the ▁US ▁opening ▁in ▁November ▁ 2 0 0 5 ▁on ▁P BS ' s ▁Master pie ce ▁Theatre ,. ▁ ▁Despite ▁being ▁a ▁bi op ic ▁of ▁Elizabeth ' s ▁life ▁and ▁reign , ▁the ▁series ▁presented ▁its ▁main ▁character ▁with ▁particular ▁interest ▁in ▁several ▁them es , ▁most ▁not ably ▁the ▁emot ional ▁impact ▁of ▁her ▁mother ' s ▁execution ▁and ▁her ▁love ▁for ▁Robert ▁D ud ley , ▁ 1 st ▁Earl ▁of ▁Le ic ester ▁( Tom ▁Hard y ). ▁W riter ▁Pa ula ▁Mil ne ▁said ▁of ▁the ▁series , ▁" As ▁my ▁research ▁started ▁to ▁reve al ▁her ▁un rav elling , ▁tum ult uous ▁relationship ▁with ▁D ud ley , ▁I ▁knew ▁I ▁had ▁found ▁the ▁sp ine ▁of ▁the ▁story . ▁Sm art ▁political ▁and ▁psych ological ▁interpret ations ▁of ▁her ▁life ▁might ▁give ▁the ▁drama ▁contemporary ▁grav itas ,