Elizabeth I - Death of Robert Dudley

Robert Dudley (1532-1588), later the 1st Earl of Leicester, and Elizabeth I were close friends from the time Elizabeth became queen until Dudley died.

Even though she rebuffed his desire to marry her, the Queen was generous to Dudley. They remained close, despite their disagreements, and Elizabeth entrusted her old friend with the command of her troops at Tillbury (when the Spanish Armada was threatening Britain during August of 1588).

A month later, after the Armada's threat to her kingdom had passed, Robert died as he was returning to his home. At that time, as recreated near the end of this video clip, Elizabeth also favored Dudley's stepson - Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex - the son of Dudley's wife (Lettice Knollys Devereux) and her first husband (Walter Devereux).