Thursday 22nd June. 3.00 PM – ‘B’ Stage, Shepperton Studios. Still in the Privy Chamber but the room is now empty save for Elizabeth and Walsingham, for Walsingham has a confession to make.

As the story reaches a crisis point Walsingham kneels before the queen to admit that he has been out-manoeuvred and has played into Spain’s hands (I won’t say how). England will now have to pay the price for the spymasters failure to see the ace in King Philip’s hand.
The centerpiece of this sequence is an extraordinary shot on a crane beginning behind the throne. As Walsingham speaks the camera rises over the throne to reveal Elizabeth listening in a top shot. As Sir Francis finishes the camera then spins and drops down into a reverse on the queen. As she speaks her final lines in the scene we see the realisation of what is about to happen spread across her face. The Spanish armada is on it’s way.
Justin