Historian says queen fell in love with English statesman while in the Tower of London aged 21 and did everything to keep him 'close' Thought to have have one of the most glorious reigns in history, Elizabeth I also happened to be the only queen of England never to get married.
Luckily, the future queen went on the escape - but not before she met someone special, with historian Tracy Borman speculating whether Robert Dudley was the real reason she never tied the knot.
Before she became queen, Elizabeth had struggled with a turbulent relationship with her older half-sister, the former Queen Mary, who was the daughter of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon.
In 1554, Princess Elizabeth had 'fallen foul of her sister', and had been instructed to be sent to the Tower of London.
Having spent her 45-year reign leading her country to victory, establishing the Church of England and immersing the country in arts - there was little time left for Elizabeth to pursue romance.
