- Queen Elizabeth I: What in God's name do we have in common with the Dutch?
- Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester: Our religion, ma'am!
- Queen Elizabeth I: The Dutch have no religion, they have cheese.
- Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester: Her favour changes with her moods, for she is a woman. But if you love her, love her constancy, for it is there.
- Queen Elizabeth I: I know that I have the body of a weak and feeble woman, but I have the heart and stomach of a King! And a King of England, too!
- [Elizabeth is going to visit Mary Stuart at Fotheringay Castle]
- Queen Elizabeth I: I understand she's grown very fat. Well, she's had nothing to do but eat and sleep.
- Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester: And plot, Your Majesty.
- Queen Elizabeth I: A man can be a good Catholic and a good Englishman.
- Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester: Not at the same time, Ma'am.
- [Elizabeth is visiting Mary Stuart secretly]
- Mary Queen of Scots: You were not announced.
- Queen Elizabeth I: I am not here.
- Queen Elizabeth I: Princes never cheat at cards. They simply have the rules altered to suit their needs.
- William Cecil, Lord Burghley: For 19 years, Your Majesty, this council has implored you to secure your succession by marriage. You have refused all suitors, but now...
- Queen Elizabeth I: I do not say I will not marry, Lord Burghley. The question before us is whom.
- Queen Elizabeth I: Oh Robin, I'm set about by enemies and I know not who to trust.
- Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester: Well, not France, I beg you.
- Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester: [to Elizabeth] What do you imagine Monsieur will do with me after he has your hand?
- Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester: [faking a French accent] Shall I be Catholic?
- [stronger French accent]
- Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester: Shall we all be Catholic?
- Queen Elizabeth I: [to Leicester] The only thing that will kiss in this affair are lawyers' pens and lawyers' papers.
- Queen Elizabeth I: Come ladies, we are going to watch the Earl of Essex at his favourite pastime, which is trying to kill people.
- [Signing Mary's death-warrant]
- Queen Elizabeth I: I want to hear no more of this... but someone is to give me an account of it when it is done.
- Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester: This marriage will not go. Her heart will be broken.
- [to Burleigh]
- Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester: Not yours.
- [to Walsingham]
- Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester: Or his, if he had one!
- [talking about Sir Francis Bacon]
- Queen Elizabeth I: Bacon, people who compliment me on my breasts, even in Latin, run the risk of being thought impertinent.
- [to Essex]
- Queen Elizabeth I: We understand he's fond of the company of pretty youths. No wonder he's the Member for *Middlesex*!
- Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex: How can I read when you look at me like that?
- Queen Elizabeth I: How do I look at you?
- Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex: As if you are deciding whether to eat me.