New period drama to explore whether Queen Elizabeth I was trans

ITV is developing a provocative new period drama that will explore fringe theories surrounding the gender identity of Queen Elizabeth I. The six‑part series, currently titled Majesty, is described as a “bold, intriguing reimagining” of the Tudor monarch’s early life, drawing heavily on long‑dismissed conspiracy theories that suggest Elizabeth may have been biologically male or concealing a gender‑related secret. 

According to reports, producers have been actively seeking trans women to portray Elizabeth, signalling an intention to foreground speculations that have circulated for centuries - ranging from claims of male pseudo‑hermaphroditism to the enduring (but widely discredited) Bisley Boy legend, which posits that the young princess died and was replaced by a lookalike boy. Historians widely reject these theories as misogynistic folklore, but producers suggest the drama’s aim is to examine how such ideas have shaped perceptions of the famously unmarried and politically formidable Virgin Queen.

ITV has positioned the project as “far from being a historical account”, instead promising a radical alternate history grounded in the conspiratorial narratives that have surrounded Elizabeth I since the 16th century. Reports indicate the series will portray the queen as trans, using the speculative premise to reimagine her life and rule. The broadcaster has emphasised that the drama will constitute an inventive reinterpretation rather than an effort at factual biography.