Crowned queen of England at age 25, Elizabeth I was a poised monarch who knew by instinct how to manage her court and her nation. Or was she? Mining long-overlooked archives and scouring handwritten letters, John Guy—who took a similarly revisionist approach to Elizabeth's cousin Mary in Queen of Scots—depicts a jealous and insecure Virgin Queen, vulnerable to the bullying of advisors who urged her to marry and produce an heir. A finalist for the Costa Award and an Economist Book of the Year, this biography—which includes 24 pages of illustrations—depicts an Elizabeth who came into her own only at age 50, ready at last to wield absolute power.

"A fresh, thrilling portrait…. Guy's Elizabeth is deliciously human."—Stacy Schiff "Outstanding…. This page-turning book is history, biography, scholarship personified, and a crystal-clear look at Elizabeth in the war years that erases the myths and presents the real woman. Absolutely one of the best biographies of Elizabeth ever."—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)