2. Elizabeth I - Blind Date Who should Elizabeth I marry? By Melissa Davis Downloaded from SchoolHistory.co.uk

3. Welcome to Elizabeth I Blind Date Here’s your host with the most A legend in her own lunchtime Its your maiden for the evening Cilla d’ Noir

4. Welcome to a very special edition of Blind Date. In our audience tonight we have the English Parliament, and they are here to choose a husband for a very special lady Intro

5. The audience all have a sheet that they will be filling in as our suitors give their answers to three questions. And at the end of the programme they will vote to decide who our lovely lady will marry.

6. So, without further ado Intro Let’s bring in the boys!

7. Contestants Contestant Number 1 Contestant Number 2 Contestant Number 3 Contestant Number 4

8. Hello, Number 1 What’s your name and where do you come from? My Name’s Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex, and I come from England

9. Hello, Number 2 What’s your name and where do you come from? My Name’s Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester and I’m also from England

10. Hello, Number 3 What’s your name and where do you come from? My Name’s Phillip II and I am from Spain

11. Hello, Number 4 What’s your name and where do you come from? My Name’s Francis, Duke of Alençon and I am from France

12. Now let us meet our very special girl. It is my honour to introduce to you all the most magnificent, the great, the most glorious….

13. Queen Elizabeth I

14. Hello everyone, I am Your Queen, and I know how much you want me to get married. You believe that if I marry I will produce a male heir, England will remain Protestant and my new husband will use his influence to protect my country from war. To help you decide who I should marry I have three questions to ask each suitor

15. Question Number 1 My father went through a lot of pain, and lost many friends (and wives) to turn England into this great Protestant country. What is your preferred religion?

16. Question to Number 3 Your father Henry VIII was a great man, however he was misguided. Catholicism is the true religion Philip II Spain

17. Question to Number 2 Protestant of course, I am a real Englishman, loyal to you my lady Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester

18. Question to Number 1 Protestant, no question Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex

19. Question to Number 4 Francis, Duke of Alençon I have to agree with contestant number 3. I will stick to my Catholic roots !

20. Hint Don’t forget to fill in your worksheet as we go through the questions. You will need this information to decide who to vote for later

21. Question Number 2 As Queen, I enjoy the finer things in life. Good food, fine wines, expensive clothes and I just love buying make- up. My second question is, are you rich?

22. Question to Number 2 Oh yes, rich rich rich. I made most of my money in the trading companies, and a little extra spending money in the court. Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester

23. Question to Number 1 I am the only person in England allowed to import sweet wine. Made a mint, although like you, I love the fine things in life and to be honest have a temporary cash flow problem at the moment. Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex

24. Question to Number 4 Francis, Duke of Alençon My brother is the King of France and I have lots of money and some estates in France. However my older brother inherited most of my fathers land.

25. Question to Number 3 I have gold from South America, and I own a lot of other countries. I will share all I have with you. Choose me as your husband. Philip II Spain

26. Question Number 3 We all have skeletons in the closet. I have my cousin Mary locked up as we speak! My third question is, is there anything you think I should know before my parliament decides who I should marry?

27. Question to Number 1 I have fought a lot of wars for you Your Majesty, and served you well on the privy council. Please, choose me Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex

28. Question to Number 4 Francis, Duke of Alençon Although I am Catholic, please remember we French do not hate England as much as the Spanish do. I understand that some people in England have published a pamphlet warning you not to marry me. Please don’t listen to them.

29. Question to Number 3 I spoke to the Pope the other day, and he said I should have nothing to do with Protestant countries. But we know each other well, I was married to your fine sister Mary. She knew that England should be Catholic. Philip II Spain

30. Question to Number 2 We have known each other since we were children. You know I love you. It was terrible when my wife Amy fell down those stairs to her death. But you must know, the rumours that I murdered her are just not true. Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester

31. What a difficult choice. You must now make up your minds, who should Good Queen Bess Marry? Before you make your final decision here is a reminder of our four fabulous suitors How fantastic was that!

32. Suitor, Number 1 Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex A Protestant who enjoys the good life, maybe a little to much A hero in battle and a firm supporter of the Queen

33. Suitor, Number 2 Dudley has known the Queen since they were children. But did he murder poor Amy? Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester

34. Suitor, Number 3 A Catholic who plans to defend his faith. He is very wealthy, but his former wife was Elizabeth’s sister Mary Phillip II of Spain

35. Hello, Number 4 He is a French Catholic, but does not hate England as much as the Spanish hate us. He is very rich and his brother is King of France, a good Ally. Loyal fans of Elizabeth have published a report urging Elizabeth not to marry him Francis, Duke of Alençon

36. How fantastic was that! Secret ballot papers are now coming round. Without discussing your decision, put a cross in the box next to the person you think the Queen should marry. Fold the voting slip in half and post it into the secret ballot box.

37. While the votes are being counted, let us ask the Queen who she would like to marry. Well done all votes are in Over to you Your Highness

38. Although all of these contestants would make a wonderful husband, I can choose to marry only one. After a lot of thought, I have made my decision. I will marry the only one that I can be 100% faithful to…..

39. My Country

40. We can now reveal who you thought the Queen should marry. Your Vote It is…...