This is such a tough question and there are many different schools of thought on it. Some historians point out that there was no evidence that Elizabeth slept with Robert Dudley or any of her favourites and that when spies (from ambassadors) questioned her ladies and investigated the rumours about Elizabeth's behaviour all they found was rumour and scandal, no proof of any sexual misconduct.
Some people also point out that Elizabeth would surely have become pregnant if she had slept with Dudley, but then there was basic contraception around or Elizabeth could have been barren, but would she really have taken this risk? Plus she was never really alone, she was constantly supervised by advisers and her ladies - how could she have got away with it.
Other people believe that there was just too much rumour for nothing to have gone on!
But I for one believe that Elizabeth died a virgin. I believe that she was a passionate woman and that she fell in love a few times but that she always put her country first and saw herself as married to England, she could not risk her country for a man.
Weir points out that Elizabeth "may have made the equation that sexual involvement was inextricably linked with death" - after all, her mother had been executed for adultery, her stepmother Catherine Howard had been executed for adultery, her stepmother Catherine Parr died after giving birth, and her first love Thomas Seymour (or abuser!) was executed. That might put your off sex! The idea of childbirth may also have scared her and put her off the idea of sexual involvement - Her grandmother Elizabeth of York had died of puerperal fever, as had Jane Seymour and Catherine Parr. Sex inevitably could lead to childbirth and, in those days, childbirth was a risky business.
Elizabeth may also have had physical problems that could have stopped her having sex. Weir, in her book "Elizabeth the Queen", writes of how the playwright Ben Jonson had talked of Elizabeth having "a membrane on her which made her incapable of man", meaning either an abnormally thick hymen or perhaps Elizabeth may have suffered from Vaginismus, a condition which affects a woman's ability to have sex because of a tightness of the vaginal muscles. Weir also makes the point that although there were scandals and rumours because of Elizabeth's fondness of men and flirting, "Elizabeth was too much mistress of herself and too great a stateswoman to succumb to the temptations of illicit sex". She just would not have risked her status, reputation or throne in that way.
I think she was a virgin, she was so fond of saying she was The Virgin Queen, I think there was a certain amount of trauma she suffered from when she learnt her mother was executed on the orders of her father, and also it could well be that because Anne was accused of adultery the very idea of sex was abhorrent to her, she probably associated the sex act with her mothers beheading and all the misery that came with it, Henry V111 was famous for his dreadful matrimonial history and Anne Boleyn died because she was accused of illicit sex so it’s no surprise that she hated the idea of marriage and what comes with it, we know she loved flirting which is entirely normal but I think she derived more pleasure from that than going all the way, that way she was always in control, she liked to be the supreme master of everything and the thought of sleeping with some one probably made her feel very vulnerable
‘…With maiden Queen a maid did end my life.’ These are the last words of the epitaph written by Blanche Parry and carved in stone on her monument in Bacton Church, Herefordshire. This is primary evidence that Elizabeth was a virgin (a maiden) in 1577, when she was 44 years old.
Blanche was constantly with Elizabeth from her birth in 1533 until her own death in 1590. She was Elizabeth’s closest, continuous companion. Blanche knew the truth. She would not have lied on this particular epitaph where she was depicted looking at the altar, speaking to God.
See: http://www.blancheparry.com and ‘Mistress Blanche, Queen Elizabeth I’s Confidante’ and ‘Blanche Parry & Queen Elizabeth I’.
As far as I know Catherine Parr was never pregnant. The one who died as a result of child birth, although it was 1-2 months later was Jane Seymour. Catherine Parr actually lived longer than Henry VIII, and virtually became his nurse maid. So in truth Elizabeth knew he rmother’s head got chopped off, then Jane died as a result of child birth. Anne of Cleves never worked out, and was from Germany — Henry VIII thought she was ugly and they really never “consummated” the marriage. He then ended it and told everyone that she was his “cousin” Katherine Howard then was killed becuase she cheated and also had her head chopped off, and then Catherin Parr married him and was with him until he died.
Amanda
I believe Elizabeth had Robert Dudley for her lover. And they truly completely consumated their love. He had an apartment right next to hers. There was a secret corridor between the apartments that King Henry used for his sexual prowness. She was violently jealous of him. She was crushed when he married Lettice, so much so that she never allowed Lettice at court again. I think Dudley was her only sexual partner and she carried his torch until her death. Never allowing anyone to speak illl of him. Locking herself in her chambers for days when he died. Calling his name when she died and keeping his last letter to her by her bedside. Dudley gave up on his hope for a marriage to the queen because he wanted a son to carry on the Dudley name. And thus his marriage.
I think from his last letter he loved her always. A tragic love story.
I believe Elizabeth died a virgin. She was at court a long time, she was smart and she learned. She knew how to play the courts games but also knew that she had to keep her head, so as to not lose it as her mother’ had. She was never going to marry and give her power to a man. She would never have slept with a man with the chance of giving him a bastard son and a way to the throne. Instead she flirted and she had her favourite to defend her. She may have loved Dudley but she loved being queen more. Not every woman is ruled by sex or emotion
Elizabeth was a wise woman. There was no way any man was going to have any advantage over her. Her own mother was beheaded and Jane Seymour died shortly after childbirth. She never intended to marry. Flirt yes. Full sex and marriage – no!
I find it pretty baffling that so many people here are equating a passionate, vibrant personality with it being inevitable that Elizabeth could not be a virgin. Plenty of people remain virgins (some through choice – and Elizabeth would have more reason than most) and are still passionate people. Not everyone likes the thought of sex, and as others have said, sex and childbirth, and therefore death, were all far more closely linked in Tudor times. I have often wondered if Elizabeth had vaginismus, which can be a constant throughout life, or be brought on by traumatic sexual experiences. Vaginismus could still appear “normal” to anyone examining her and would explain the “membrane” comment.
I think the Elizabeth was forced into the adult world of sex and control by men during her teen years at the hands of Thomas Seymour. Maybe he did attempt to rape her and was unsuccessful in completing the act. That would have TERRIBLE results for her views of sex at her early age. (And add to that all the other examples as mentioned in earlier posts of what happened to women who gave in to the world of sex.) I also think that while the woman and queen Elizabeth became was passionate and loved the attention of men, I can’t see her giving up the control of her body to any man….no matter what her heart wanted. I think Queen Elizabeth had the desires of all women but she knew that her role for England required her to have the strength to fight those desires. How often did she throw her temper at some young lady-in-waiting who acted in a less than innocent way with the young men at Court? Of course, Elizabeth believed herself to be better and above other women her age! She was the Queen! (And what a feminist model!)
I can’t believe Elizabeth died a virgin. Unless one is asexual remaining a virgin all of one’s life is against human nature. In the Catholic church only 10% of all clergy remain celibate throughout their time as clergy. Half of that 10% are asexual. I suppose it is possible she was a virgin forever, but due to what people are built for it is extremely doubtful unless she was asexual (don’t think she was).
Something else to consider: If Elizabeth were truly ‘married to England’ then why WOULDN’T that include producing an heir? Isn’t that considered the biggest responsibility of her office?
To whatever degree she would have equated sex with death, I’d go a step further and say that she probably equated the throne with death!
On the one hand, fear of dying from childbirth must have been very real; but isn’t there at least the chance of the child, itself, surviving? Dying without a child was a guarantee of the other worst case scenario. She was also the last of her siblings, all of whom sat on the throne, and must have also considered her mortality from that perspective.
I do believe she was a virgin, by choice, as queen.
However, and it’s admittedly pure speculation, but I also think that her time spent under Seymour’s care left her ‘virgo unintacto’.
I think she didn’t marry because she didn’t wish to undergo the final step of being insected by a doctor.
Furthermore, I think her friendship with Dudley was safe BECAUSE he was married. I favor the theory that another interest pushed Dudley’s wife down the stairs – out of fear that Elizabeth would marry Dudley. If she were already ill, then why kill her? I don’t think Elizabeth intended to marry him, and that it worked to her advantage that he was married.
Or, it’s possible that she did intend to marry Dudley, but in that scenario he would have gained her full confidence and would have known that she wouldn’t have passed the doctor’s examination.
I do agree that she couldn’t have gotten away with secret sexual encounters, and would have never risked becoming pregnant with an illegitimate child.
As the last Tudor, why wouldnt she have tried having children?