“Before I came to the throne, it was a commonly held belief that a king will always make a far superior monarch to a queen.

That was not a belief I ever shared.

I know I am a woman in a man’s world, but I have no intention of playing by their rules.

Parliament urges me to marry. My counsellors urge it too.

But I can truly say I would rather be a beggar and single than a queen and married.

Besides, I am married already to England and my subjects are my children.

There is nothing about which I am more anxious than my country, and for its sake I am willing to die ten deaths, if that be possible.

And to all who doubt my resolve I say this:

I know I have the body but of a weak and feeble woman but I have the heart and stomach of a king and of a king of England too.

And to all my enemies and every traitorous rebel who wishes to unseat me from this royal throne I would remind them of this:

God has given such brave soldiers to this Crown that, if they do not frighten our neighbours at least they prevent us from being frightened by them.

I may be your Virgin Queen, but I will also forever be Gloriana”.