| “ | You must rule your own heart as firmly as you rule your subjects. | ” |
— William to Elizabeth in Three Queens, Two Tigers
| ||
William Cecil is a recurring character in the third season of Reign. He is portrayed by Tom Everett Scott.
He was Elizabeth I's most trusted advisor and primary councilor. It is later revealed that he is in love with her and killed her unborn child that she was going to have with Robert Dudley. Upon finding out, Elizabeth banishes William from England.
Biography[]
Early Life[]
William was one of the first to support Queen Elizabeth I's fight for the throne against her half-sister, Queen Mary I. By doing this, he earned her gratitude and became her most trusted advisor. He was also one of the protectors of Elizabeth's half-brother, Edward VI.
In the Series[]
Season Three[]
In Three Queens, Two Tigers, William insisted Queen Elizabeth find a husband of more noble birth than Robert Dudley. As she was the daughter of a King. Insisting legitimate or illegitimate, royal blood flowed in her veins and it was time she found herself a husband.
Later, Elizabeth is talking with him again. He notes she been tense ever since Mary's half brother, James, refused to push for her abdication, ruining their plan.
In Wedlock, he informed Queen Elizabeth, Mary of Scots' closest friend, her lady Lola, had agreed to be her hostage in exchange for her family's release, and she was on a boat headed for England's shores.
In Bruises That Lie, Queen Elizabeth tells him that her inability to be with the one she loves doesn't mean no one else cannot be. She sends Agatha to her father, Gideon Blackburn in to France and releases Lola's family.
In Succession, it is revealed that he loves Queen Elizabeth, and makes love to a prostitute wearing a red wig while chanting her name. After he finds out Elizabeth is pregnant with Lord Dudley's child, he poisons her tea with a poison the prostitute gives him, which makes her miscarry. After Elizabeth finds out, she dismisses him from court.
Personality[]
William is fiercely loyal to Elizabeth I and England. His feelings for Elizabeth secretly go beyond loyalty, as he has an obsession with her and loves her passionately. He never acts on his feelings, however, and mainly advises her to find a husband for England's sake and to abandon her lover, Robert Dudley.
His loyalty to the crown and England's cause goes to extreme measures, however. He is not above killing Elizabeth's unborn child to preserve her throne, and his own position at court.
Physical Appearance[]
William is an elderly man with greyish, curly hair and a stubble. He wears opulent clothing, as befits his station.
Relationships[]
Mildred Cecil[]
William is married to Mildred Cecil. He doesn't feel close to his wife, and Queen Elizabeth mentions he's happy having her back at their country house while he is at court, advising Queen Elizabeth. They have four children together, but William stays away from his wife and children to be near his true object of obsession and love, Elizabeth I. He also makes love to multiple courtisanes, meaning he doesn't honour his wedding vows. It is unknown if Mildred is aware of this.
Elizabeth I[]
Elizabeth is William's Queen and he happily works for her and her kingdom. Unknown to Elizabeth, William has loved her obsessively for years. However, he doesn't let his own feelings get the better of him. He ultimately chooses what's best for England.
Appearances[]
| Season Three | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Episode | Appearance Status | ||
| Three Queens, Two Tigers | Appears | ||
| Betrothed | Appears | ||
| Extreme Measures | Absent | ||
| The Price | Appears | ||
| In a Clearing | Absent | ||
| Fight or Flight | Absent | ||
| The Hound and the Hare | Absent | ||
| Our Undoing | Absent | ||
| Wedlock | Appears | ||
| Bruises That Lie | Appears | ||
| Succession | Appears | ||
| No Way Out | Mentioned | ||
| Strange Bedfellows | Absent | ||
| To The Death | Absent | ||
| Safe Passage | Absent | ||
| Clans | Absent | ||
| Intruders | Absent | ||
| Spiders in a Jar | Absent | ||
Trivia[]
- William's marriage to Mildred in the series is described as a formal marriage of financial convenience, much like most historic marriages at the time. Historically however, Mildred and William were deeply in love and outsiders often remarked their devotion to one another. He was a loyal husband and father, and he almost never parted from his family, unlike in the series.
See Also[]