Majesty: ITV 'will anger' viewers with Queen Elizabeth I drama about transgender conspiracy theory
"Was the queen hiding a profound secret?"
Majesty, an ITV drama set to “reimagine” the life of Elizabeth I, is rumoured to be based on a shocking theory: that the queen was trans, or perhaps even replaced by a man.
Several high-profile stars have portrayed the legendary monarch. Notably, Margot Robbie played her in 2018’s Mary Queen of Scots, opposite Saoirse Ronan as the titular ruler.
Over the past 80 years, Judi Dench, Helen Mirren, and Cate Blanchett have also played Elizabeth I.
Soon, the Tudors’ long-reigning queen will be brought to life once more in ITV’s Majesty. However, there could be a huge, potentially controversial twist.
What has ITV said about Majesty?
ITV first announced Majesty in December 2024. It will follow the “life of a young Elizabeth I and her place in the court of King Henry VIII”.
Crucially, the original announcement notes that the six-part series will be a “bold, intriguing reimagining of her life based upon conspiracy theories which surrounded her as a youth” (more on that shortly).
“Was the Virgin Queen hiding a profound secret? And how did this overlooked, embattled princess become the most powerful ruler England has ever known?” it adds.
It’s coming from Joan Rater, Tony Phelan and William Harper, all of whom served as showrunners on Grey’s Anatomy.
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“Majesty is an emotional, funny, and contemporary-feeling alternate history about how three outsiders try to stay alive while hiding a secret that, if discovered, would rock England to its foundations,” the creative trio said in a statement.
“Majesty allows us to have fun with history while illuminating who we are now. This show is pure wish-fulfilment of how people devoted to the public good suddenly find themselves in a position to make a difference.”
Polly Hill, ITV’s director of drama, also called it an “intriguing and thought-provoking story”. Director James Strong described it as “audacious and original”.
It comes after ITV’s The Lady, a drama chronicling the story of Fergie’s killer ex-dresser Jane Andrews.
Will Elizabeth I be trans in Majesty?
According to The Sun, Majesty will explore the theory that Queen Elizabeth I was a trans woman.
The outlet reported that ITV is rumoured to be looking for “actors who identify as transgender women” to play the monarch.
Given ITV’s original press release cites the “conspiracy theories” around Elizabeth I and a “profound secret”, it wouldn’t be a leap for the series to tackle the speculation about the royal’s gender.
“Most historians dismiss the claims as misogyny motivated by the idea no woman could be as strong or capable without actually being a man,” an insider told The Sun.
“But it’s a theory which captures the imagination and appears to answer a lot of other questions around the unique queen.
“Though it’s almost guaranteed to anger many viewers, who view her as one of the greatest women in British history.”
Was Queen Elizabeth I a man? Explaining the conspiracy theory
Queen Elizabeth I was the House of Tudor’s longest-reigning monarch, ruling for 45 years. She never married, nor did she have any children, which led to her becoming known as the Virgin Queen.
Of all the myths surrounding her, one is particularly fascinating: was Elizabeth I actually a man?
In 1588, with a Spanish invasion imminent, Elizabeth famously declared to soldiers: “I know 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.”
That, plus the fact she never wed or had any children, as well as her formidable, charismatic leadership in and out of war, spawned the conspiracy theory that she wasn’t a woman.
There’s also the Bisley Boy theory. It claims that Elizabeth died in 1942, aged nine, from a fever, with the plague rife in London.
Elizabeth’s governess, Lady Katherine Ashley, is said to have panicked. So, she swapped in a young, red-haired boy before King Henry VIII could find out. As per the theory, this child grew up to become Queen Elizabeth I.
Is it true?
Historians have largely written off the theories about Queen Elizabeth I’s gender as a “preposterous”, misogynistic myth.
Not only is there plenty of evidence to debunk the theory, but scholars have argued that it’s rooted in “prejudice”.
“The idea that Elizabeth chose not to marry because of some physical impediment – or even because she was really a man – owes more to a Tudor prejudice against female rulers than any sound basis in fact,” Tracy Borman, Chief Historian at Historic Royal Palaces, wrote online.
Borman also told History Extra: “We have quite detailed records, for example, of Elizabeth’s menstrual cycle because ambassadors were enquiring into this… they had to know that she was fertile and she was examined by doctors.
“This was too big a secret to get away with.”
Who will play Queen Elizabeth I in ITV’s Majesty?
No casting has been announced for ITV’s Majesty series.
While The Sun’s insider has claimed that the broadcaster is looking for transgender actresses to take on the role, this hasn’t been confirmed.
When is it out?
Majesty doesn’t have a release date yet. It also isn’t clear if it’ll air on ITV this year or in 2027.
According to The Sun, filming will begin later this summer, and it’s “not expected to be on screens until next year”.
TVGuide has contacted ITV for comment.
Read more: The 15 best ITVX dramas to watch in April 2026
