Lord Robert Dudley, Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester (24 June 1532 [note 1] – 4 September 1588) was an English statesman and the favourite of Elizabeth I from her accession until his death. 4, 1588, Cornbury, Oxfordshire, Eng. Trust our family-owned funeral home to help you honor your loved one with a meaningful memorial that . Their relationship has been explored in books, films and on TV, most recently by Cate Blanchett and Joseph Fiennes in the film Elizabeth, and by Helen Mirren and Jeremy Irons in the series Elizabeth I. Robert Dudley was Queen Elizabeth’s closest ally, her longtime favorite, and the reason rumors and whispers of scandal followed her everywhere. Biography of the Tudor courtier and political figure. Among his siblings was George Ward, 1st Viscount Ward of Witley, Lady Gladys Honor Ward [1] and Lady Morvyth Lillian Ward (wife of Constantine Evelyn Benson, a grandson of Robert Stayner Holford). Early life Lord Dudley was the eldest son of William Ward, 2nd Earl of Dudley, and his wife Rachel (née Gurney) CBE. May 15, 2026 · Robert Dudley, earl of Leicester was a favourite and possible lover of Queen Elizabeth I of England. Mar 9, 2026 · For nearly 1000 years, the Tower of London has been the site of numerous bloody executions of some of England’s most famous historic figures. qw54, sir3, 93n, sbfuv4, 6ia, ltn, ss, do03q, 9na, s9j,