shut_uo_ste

Yep, it has to be Dudley if Elizabeth has a love interest. There is just no other option for me. But, I'm bias because they're my favorite historical couple. I just absolutely love them in all their screwed up glory. It's so sad that they were pretty much in love all that time, but, could never get married. When you read their letters/what others said about them - it's such a compelling and funny/sad story. Dudley is often portrayed as something of a schemer, but, truthfully he was very loyal to Elizabeth and worked tirelessly to help her position as queen even when it became clear she would never marry him. He very creepily married Elizabeth's cousin Lettice who looked just like Elizabeth (seriously look up pictures of her its scary) and was apparently very like Elizabeth in personality too.

Elizabeth also tried to marry Robert to Mary at one point. But, Mary didn't want to and Dudley didn't want to marry Mary. Which says a great deal about Robert, I think. It wasn't just about marrying a Queen/becoming a King for Dudley is was about Elizabeth. I know someone mentioned Schiller's book before in this thread - that should tell you how ridiculous borderline offensive Schiller's book is which has Dudley in love with Mary and abandoning Elizabeth in the wake of Mary execution. Which couldn't be further from the truth (he was there by her side at Tilbury). I seriously hate that book it's so inaccurate, it's literally a ridiculous work of fiction. It's misogynistic and offensive too.

Sorry, I am very excited, but, also very nervous about how Reign is going to approach Elizabeth and her court - because Elizabethan England is one of my favourite time periods in history. I know Reign isn't going to do it quite the way I would want it - but, I hope it's not a car crash.

Who else are we hoping turns up at Elizabeth's court? We know Catherine's going to be there for probably a couple of eps. But, I'd like to see Kenna turn up at Elizabeth's court on the arm of her boy King. It would be interesting if Kenna found a freedom and peace at Elizabeth's court that she didn't in France, since Elizabeth lives in a more idiosyncratic fashion than Mary with Francis - that might appeal to Kenna. I'd quite like to see one of Mary's ladies spend a good amount of time with Elizabeth and actually come to admire her - I think that would make a good clash of interests and Kenna seems like she would fit the best.

kostilicious

It's about time, right? now I know there will be at least one moment to look forward

itsmemandy

I totally agree, I would love to see Kenna in Elizabeth's court and maybe come closer to her, also, Elizabeth and Dudley's love story is my favorite as well (after Anne and Henry but that one ended horribly)
I'm a little anxious about it, because I really don't want them to screw it up and if they make Elizabeth in love with a random guy, someone other than Dudley, I just, I will not be okay with it at all and it's probably going to be ugly

De Medici Queen

I guess we're going to find out soon if it's Dudley because if it's him there should be rumors of a new cast member

shut_uo_ste

Well, they're going to have to cast people to fill her court- she can't just be on her own/with Catherine.

itsmemandy

Yeah I ope we will have some historical figures, and I also hope they won't make Elizabeth the bad guy because she really wasn't

shut_uo_ste

I think they will cast people. I think we will probably see Dudley in some capacity and we'll probably get either William Cecil or Francis Walsingham as a mash up of each other. Poor Hatton won't get a look in because he never does. It wouldn't surprise me if they did Nicholas Throckmorton because he frequented both courts as Elizabeth's ambassador to France and actually in this period preferred Mary (he thought she acted more like a woman ought to)- although, he completely reversed his opinion when he saw Mary again in Scotland (he said he had been decieved by her and she was actually a wanton woman -( Thorckmorton was a bit of misogynist). I'm not sure the show would give up a chance to say Mary was better than Elizabeth in anyway.

Thomas Howard might be there too, if they want to give Elizabeth an antagonist in her own court. I doubt we'll get any of the early brilliant writers/musicians that were in Elizabeth's early court. Thomas Tallis who appeared in The Tudors actually composed and performed his best work (and what many consider his masterpieces) for Elizabeth. Maybe we'll get a couple of Elizabeth's ladies too? Kat and Lettice would be the most likely, I would have thought. But, I think that'll be at the very most.

Yeah, I think they are going to make her the bad guy unfortunately. I mean Renaude's speech in the finale was absolutely ridiculous. As was Conde blaming his behaviour on Elizabeth.

Truth is Mary was the author of her own doom and was actually far more aggressive out of the two. Which is not to say Elizabeth was an angel (far from it), but, especially in the period Reign is set in - it was Mary who had sanctioned her cousin's death and claimed her throne. I'd like it to be shown for what it was - a mutual tragedy for both of them. Elizabeth considered Mary's execution one of the darkest moments of her reign for a reason.

I wonder how they're going to handle The Treaty of Edinburgh? Which I definitely think will be a storyline this season. It'll be really interesting to see Mary and Francis still married, but, their countries not in alliance any more. But, I'm not sure they're going to give Elizabeth that kind of win or have Francis and Mary scalped that much politically. It'll be interesting how thy deal with the fact Elizabeth was a far more talented politician and successful monarch than Francis and Mary to be honest.

Considering it's supposed to be 1560 in the show, I wonder if they'll do Amy's death? That was 1560. I sort of hope they don't - Reign could go really offensive with that.

Elizabeth has a more juicy family background than Mary too. So, a good I'm the daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn dream sequence wouldn't go amiss either.

But, I'm hoping the inclusion of Elizabeth's court steadies the storytelling rather than confuses it more. If they're at two courts they can balance the light dark elements more (if its a dark ep at French court, make it a lighter one at English court and vice versa). Plus, if they have plot lines going in both that can mean the plot lines can be more direct and not as meandering and confusing. - The whole plot of season two was confused and convoluted. So, maybe it will actually help? Or it could make it worse, who knows. Lastly, I really hope they don't pair Conde with Elizabeth.

De Medici Queen

If they pair Conde with Elizabeth I will be so mad and disappointed AGAIN! They better bring some new people to sheme with Elizabeth and Catherine

But they mentioned often how Elizabeth is just like Mary and Catherine, that she needs love etc.. I hope they won't ruin this character too and make her look weak like they have Catherine with all the Narcisse #### SL

itsmemandy

Yeah I hope they will also show Mary's fault in all this, historically she thought of herself as the true catholic queen of England, I really hope they won't make Elizabeth a villain, but I'm keeping my expectations very low, because usually in this show every character who's not on team Francis/Mary is a villain...

De Medici Queen

Even the characters who are on their side sometimes are villains but yeah, Mary is very stubborn so they have a possibility to show her faulttoo but I don't think they will.. It's "her reign" ... I'm looking forward to more Elizabeth! Rachel is a sweetheart and seems like she already has a very good friend on set: Torrance they shared some funny tweets already

shut_uo_ste

I'm hoping Conde comes to England and Elizabeth hands him over to Catherine to be honest. He could always escape and besiege Orlean if they wanted that part of the history. I wonder how many eps Catherine is going to be in England? 4 or 5 at the most, I'd wager. I don't think Elizabeth would be fool enough to trust/go all in with Catherine though.

When do they go back to filming? Next month? We should hear about any casting for the English court fairly soon then.

De Medici Queen

If Catherine is really into ruining Mary then Elizabeth can profit from this situation too and I don't see her as a fool if she decides to work with Catherine against her enemies because like Elizabeth, Catherine is a good player

shut_uo_ste

Yeah, but, to go against Mary would be to go against Francis now and Catherine could turn on Elizabeth in a moment's notice if she thought she could protect Francis or get back in his good graces. Elizabeth should be too smart too put all her eggs into a plot with Catherine.

De Medici Queen

I think Catherine knows very well that she's going against Francis too if she goes against Mary, she's aware of it but Francis already despised and exiled her and she has nothing to lose, she said she won't forgive Mary for this and she now probably thinks that Francis would do better without Mary and I think Elizabeth wants to harm Mary not Francis so I think they both could work together without betraying one another

kostilicious

I think so too.. but Iguess she's really furious with him for banishing her..
and too furious to see that if she still goes against Mary he'll never forgive her if she succeeds