This period drama frames the tumultuous affair between Queen Elizabeth I and the man who would be King of England.

His marriage in 1578 to Lettice, dowager countess of Essex, who Elizabeth loathed, is believed to have contributed to his absence and he was forced to keep his marriage half-hidden as a result.

He was born 11th January 1591, the eldest son of Robert, 2nd Earl of Essex and his wife Frances Sidney (nee Walsingham). He had a brother Walter. His father was one of Elizabeth I's favourites but she ...

To mark Valentine’s Day here are some love-themed stories from Essex history, some with happy endings, some with bloody ones.