Mary Stuart, who was named Queen of Scotland when she was only six days old, is the last Roman Catholic ruler of Scotland. She is imprisoned at the age of 23 by her cousin Elizabeth Tudor, the English Queen and her arch adversary. Nineteen years later the life of Mary is to be ended on the scaffold and with her execution the last threat to Elizabeth's throne has been removed. The two Queens with their contrasting personalities make a dramatic counterpoint to history.
Vanessa Redgrave
as Mary, Queen of Scots
Glenda Jackson
as Queen Elizabeth
Patrick McGoohan
as James Stuart
Timothy Dalton
as Henry, Lord Darnley
Nigel Davenport
as Lord Bothwell
Trevor Howard
as William Cecil
Daniel Massey
as Robert Dudley
Ian Holm
as David Riccio
Andrew Keir
as Ruthven
Tom Fleming
as Father Ballard
Katherine Kath
as Catherine De Medici
Beth Harris
as Mary Seton
