ELIZABETH AND MARY: Royal Cousins, Rival Queens

One of the major crises of Elizabeth I’s reign as Queen of England revolved around her complex relationship with Mary, Queen of Scots. If you can’t wait until the next issue of BRITAIN to read about the plots and paranoia that entangled them, you can explore their drama in Elizabeth and Mary: Royal Cousins, Rival Queens at the British Library, London (until 20 February 2022). Although Elizabeth and Mary never met, their lives were inextricably intertwined by political and religious struggles – and mutual jealousies. This first major exhibition to consider the two queens together reveals their extraordinary story through their own handwritten letters, intriguing ciphered messages, 16th-century documents, beautiful jewellery and portraits. www.bl.uk