In Three Queens, Two Tigers, Queen Elizabeth is warned by her advisors that the war she wants with Mary and France is going to be expensive. Queen Catherine is staying with Queen Elizabeth in secrecy, offering to help her usurp Mary. In order to do so, Catherine has called in nobles from French Court and plans to have them reveal Mary's affair with Louis Condé to the Pope to disempower her. It is revealed that Elizabeth is in love with a married man, Lord Dudley. He asks to be set free from her court, but she refuses.
Catherine knows of Elizabeth's fondness for Lord Dudley, but Elizabeth firmly asserts her virginity. Catherine nudges her to get married to fend off any rumours, and offers up Prince Charles' as a candidate. First, Elizabeth will have to reach out to Francis for his blessing. Elizabeth is once again advised to marry after Catherine is kidnapped by English Catholics loyal to France. Elizabeth turns to Robert Dudley for comfort, while his wife turns to one of Elizabeth's advisors.
Elizabeth listening to her advisors
In Betrothed, Elizabeth's privy Counsil informs her that her collusion with Catherine de Medici has placed England in the middle of an international crisis. The Vatican knows England sponsored the nobles sent to slander Mary Stuart, a plan that the two Queen's hatched. And what the Vatican knows, Spain knows. King Philip views the attack on Mary as an attack on all Catholic monarchs, and threatened to walk away from the trade agreement they have spent months negotiating. To amend their situation, Elizabeth will give testimony speaking to the circumstances surrounding Catherine's time in England. Testimony that clears England's queen of any involvement.
In The Price, Don Carlos arrives at English Court after Elizabeth summoned him, inviting him to court her. They introduce themselves in front of Elizabeth's court. Later, in private, Don Carlos admits to having heard rumours that Elizabeth is secretly a man, and insists Elizabeth lift her skirt up to "prove her womanhood". Feeling offended by his request, she storms out of the room. This marks the end of their courtship.
Elizabeth learns that Mary destroyed their peace accord in Fight or Flight. Later, Robert Dudley goes to Elizabeth to confront her about the job she gave his wife. Elizabeth vows to never to marry if she can't have Dudley and they end up sleeping together. Later, Dudley breaks the news of Amy's diagnosis to Elizabeth, informing her that he must go to Cornwall with his wife to begin treatment, meaning their dalliance must end.
Queen Elizabeth goes to Gideon Blackburn's cell and recounts how he used her, made her care for him. But he couldn't make her fall in love with him, because she was already in love with Robert Dudley. All of which he reported back to her half-sister, Mary Tudor. Gideon was Mary Tudor's eyes and ears, sent to inform on Elizabeth, the greatest threat to her crown. So she ripped Robert from his cell and Elizabeth's side. Elizabeth sends Blackburn to French Court to make her fall in love with him.