Elizabeth I has been portrayed as a 'man's woman', yet it's the women in her life who provide a fascinating insight into her character. Historian Tracy Borman explores Elizabeth's relationships with her mother, the governesses and stepmothers who cared for the young princess. New light is shed on her formative years. Elizabeth's turbulent relationships with her rivals are examined: from her sister, 'Bloody' Mary, to the sisters of Lady Jane Grey, and finally her deadliest rival, Mary Queen of Scots, whose son Elizabeth would have to recognise as heir to her throne. These are the servants, friends and 'flouting wenches' who brought out the best - and the worst - of Elizabeth's cultivated image as Gloriana, the Virgin Queen, in the glittering world of her court.