Queen Elizabeth Unveiled

This project explores the life of Queen Elizabeth I through a lens rarely applied to Tudor history—childhood trauma and its long-term impact on leadership, resilience, and identity. From the beheading of her mother, Anne Boleyn, when Elizabeth was just two years old, to the dangers she faced under her father Henry VIII and her sister Mary I, Elizabeth’s youth was shaped by loss, betrayal, and fear. Yet, rather than allowing these experiences to destroy her, she transformed them into a foundation for strength, intellect, and political mastery.

Elizabeth’s journey raises a timeless question: how do individuals endure suffering, and why do some emerge stronger while others are broken by it? By weaving together traditional Tudor history with insights from psychology and trauma theory, this project considers Elizabeth not only as a monarch, but also as a survivor whose early hardships shaped the decisions, image, and legacy of her reign.