Cast of Becoming Elizabeth: Full List and Historical Facts

Few period dramas manage to balance the weight of historical fact with the raw vulnerability of a teenager finding her footing, but Becoming Elizabeth tried. The Starz series follows Elizabeth Tudor (Alicia von Rittberg) from the death of Henry VIII to the brink of her own reign, revealing the real history behind the show and why it ended after just one season.

Number of episodes: 8 · Premiere date: June 12, 2022 · Network: Starz · Lead actress: Alicia von Rittberg · Historical period: 1547–1553 (Tudor England)

Seven details define the series at a glance:

Why did they cancel Becoming Elizabeth?

Was low viewership the main reason?

• Starz did not renew the series after one season; cancellation was announced on October 2, 2022 (Wikipedia cancellation note).
• Critical reception was mixed: the series holds a 60% score on Rotten Tomatoes from critics and around 70% from audience ratings (Rotten Tomatoes scores).
• Industry insiders cited low audience engagement as a factor, though Starz did not issue a detailed explanation (MovieWeb report).

The implication: the show’s intimate, character-driven focus may not have attracted the mass audience needed to sustain a multi-season arc on a premium cable network.

Will there be a season 2?

• No. Wikipedia confirms the series was cancelled after one season and eight episodes (Wikipedia cancellation note).
• No revival or spin-off has been announced by Starz or any other platform.

The pattern: many Starz historical dramas—like The Spanish Princess—run multiple seasons, but Becoming Elizabeth failed to secure enough momentum.

Is Becoming Elizabeth a true story?

How accurate is the series?

• The series is inspired by true events; major historical figures—Elizabeth, Mary, Edward, Thomas Seymour—all existed and followed documented trajectories (Wikipedia entry).
• Tom Cullen, who plays Thomas Seymour, told Rotten Tomatoes that “the show is historically accurate” and that “everything that happens in the show happened for real” (Rotten Tomatoes Editorial).
• However, MovieWeb notes that some dramatic liberties are taken, such as compressing the timeline and inventing private conversations (MovieWeb accuracy analysis).

What this means: viewers get a compelling drama grounded in real names and events, but should not treat every scene as documentary fact.

What historical liberties were taken?

• The timeline is compressed: events spanning six years are fitted into eight episodes (HistoryExtra review).
• Some scenes—such as private discussions between Elizabeth and Thomas Seymour—are speculative, as no detailed records exist of their conversations (Sylvia Barbara Soberton history blog).

The trade-off: the show prioritises emotional narrative over strict chronology, which is typical for historical dramas aiming for broad appeal.

What is Anne Boleyn’s daughter famous for?

What were Elizabeth I’s major achievements?

• Elizabeth I ruled England from 1558 to 1603, a period known as the Elizabethan era (Britannica biography).
• She defeated the Spanish Armada in 1588 (Royal UK official site).
• She established the Church of England’s final form through the Elizabethan Religious Settlement (UK Parliament records).

The implication: Elizabeth I’s reign is widely regarded as a golden age of English history, making her early struggles—dramatised in the series—all the more compelling.

How did she become queen?

• After Edward VI’s death in 1553, Lady Jane Grey was briefly queen before Mary I took the throne (Britannica biography).
• Elizabeth succeeded Mary I after Mary’s death in 1558 (Royal UK official site).

Why this matters: the show’s setting (1547–1553) ends before Elizabeth’s accession, leaving her later glory as a future that the audience already knows.

What illness did Elizabeth Tudor have?

What illness did Mary Tudor have?

• Elizabeth I suffered from smallpox in 1562, which left her with facial scars (HistoryExtra medical history).
• Mary Tudor experienced several phantom pregnancies and likely had uterine tumours or pelvic disorders (BBC History profile).

Did illnesses affect their reigns?

• Elizabeth’s smallpox scare created a succession crisis because she had no heir (HistoryExtra succession analysis).
• Mary’s false pregnancies undermined her authority and raised doubts about her ability to produce a Catholic heir (BBC History profile).

The pattern: both Tudor queens faced health issues that directly shaped court politics and the line of succession.

Did Catherine Parr and Henry consummate their marriage?

Why is this debated?

• No direct contemporary evidence confirms whether the marriage was consummated (HistoryExtra analysis).
• Catherine Parr had no children from Henry VIII, which some historians cite as evidence against consummation (HistoryExtra analysis).
• Others argue that Henry’s declining health and obesity in his later years likely prevented full consummation (Britannica biography).

What this means: the historical consensus leans toward a non-consummated marriage, but the absence of definitive proof keeps the question alive among Tudor historians.

What evidence exists?

• The marriage lasted about four years (1543–1547) (Royal UK profile).
• Henry had a history of marital problems, and Catherine may have served more as a nurse and companion than a wife in the full sense (HistoryExtra analysis).

Did Henry VIII have good hygiene?

What were Henry VIII’s sanitary habits?

• Henry VIII bathed infrequently by modern standards—typically once a month or less (HistoryExtra hygiene analysis).
• He relied on perfumes, scented linens, and elaborate clothing to mask body odour (HistoryExtra hygiene analysis).
• Tudor palaces had “close stools”—early toilets—but running water was not standard (HistoryExtra hygiene analysis).

The implication: Henry’s hygiene, while poor by today’s standards, was typical for a Tudor monarch. The series shows him as physically deteriorating but does not dwell on odour—a wise choice for a period drama.

How did Tudor hygiene compare to modern?

• Most Tudors believed bathing was medically risky and that “bad air” caused disease (BBC Tudor history).
• Fresh linens were changed daily, which was considered cleaner than washing the skin.

The catch: modern audiences may cringe, but Henry’s contemporaries did not perceive him as unusually dirty.

The show’s technical specifications mirror its modest scale:

Why this matters: the short season and single-creator vision gave the show a consistent, intimate tone—but also limited its capacity to cover the full span of Elizabeth’s early life.

For Starz, the cancellation of Becoming Elizabeth means a missed opportunity to explore the full Tudor arc. But for history enthusiasts and viewers who value character-driven drama, the single season remains a compelling, well-cast snapshot of a future queen’s turbulent adolescence.