Factual error: Elizabeth knighted Walsingham in 1573. At the time depicted in the film he was still plain Francis Walsingham. Submitted by Ioreth

Factual error: The parliamentary bill to establish the Anglican Church was forced through the first session of Parliament by Cecil (not Walsingham), using more complex means than that portrayed in the film. He effectively became the first government whip, using many techniques, the most important being a procedural device that limited debate to that which was justified by Scripture alone. The Catholic MP's walked out in protest. The two ringleaders of the protest were taken to the Tower of London.

Audio problem: Upon Elizabeth's first meeting with the Duke of Anjou, he whispers, in French, what he would like to do to her in bed. Then he says, in English, "Would you like that?" His lips don't move when he says it.

Continuity: When Mary of Guise and Walsingham are talking at the table, Mary picks up a small knife. In some shots the handle is in her right hand, and in other shots it's in her left hand.

Factual error: Walsingham did not trap and arrest Norfolk. Norfolk was executed in June 1572. Walsingham was then in Paris as English ambassador and returned to England in May 1573. (see "Her Majesty's Spymaster" by Stephen Budiansky).

Revealing: In the scene on the boats just before the attempted assassination of Elizabeth, the boats seem to have black plastic tips on their oars; not available until the 20th century.

Factual error: In one scene, Elizabeth proposes to the bishops of England that they create a "single Church of England." In reality, the Church of England existed since as early as the 7th century. It was Henry the VIII, her father, who pushed Parliament to sever the Church of England from Roman Catholic jurisdiction in successive acts in 1529 and 1536. He did so out of anger at Pope Clement VII, who would not let him divorce Catherine of Aragon. The Bishops did not protest this, but were instead delighted at the idea, because they didn't have to change how they worshiped and it reaffirmed the position of the monarch as "Christian prince" or supreme leader of the Church (i.e. Charlemagne). The Church was restored to Catholic rule under Mary I, but was severed again only with Elizabeth's excommunication and not by an act of British bishops (who really had no say).