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Character French Female Royal Queen Princess Married Season 1 Season Four
Queen Leeza
Queen Leeza
Biographical Information
In History: Elisabeth of Valois
Family Name: Elisabeth de Valois
Title: Queen Consort of Spain

Princess of France

Born: April 2, 1545
Age: 20
Height: 5'5
Gender: Female Female
Status: Alive
Religion: Roman Catholic
Originally From: Viennese, France
Affiliations: Kingdom of France

Kingdom of Spain
House of Valois
House of Medici
House of Habsburg (Marriage)

Relationship Information
Parents: King Henry
(Father)

Queen Catherine
(Mother)

Husband: King Philip
Children: Don Carlos
(Step-son)
Family: Clarissa
(Half-sister)

Sebastian
(Half-brother)
Francis
(Brother)
Claude
(Sister)
Louis
(Brother)
Charles
(Brother)
Henri
(Brother)
Henriette
(Sister)
Emone
(Sister)
Margot
(Sister)

Character Information
First Appearance: Pilot
Portrayed By: Anastasia Phillips

Caoimhe O'Malley (Pilot)

GALLERY


"Stop staring at me, witch!"
Queen Leeza

Queen Leeza is the oldest daughter of Queen Catherine and King Henry. She is married to the most powerful man in Europe, King Philip of Spain, which makes her queen consort of Spain. The pious queen makes her return to French court in Season Four and wreaks havoc on everyone's lives.

Personality

Elisabeth is Catherine's "plain Jane" daughter. Despite her considerable power, Leeza is the least favorite of Catherine's children, and underneath her tough facade is a legitimate desire for her mother's affections. She inflicts her emotional pain on her mother and her siblings upon her arrival.

Biography

Early Life

Elisabeth was born into the life of a princess, and 2nd child of her parents, Queen Catherine, and King Henry.

Season 1

Marrying King Philip of Spain

Pilot
Prince Francis walks in and greets his sister, who has her Ladies-in-Waiting making sure her dress is perfect for her wedding.

That evening at her wedding everyone was celebrating with a grand banquet as Elisabeth and Philip had their first dance. Later, Mary Stuart and her ladies decide to take off their shoes and dance. They all dance in a circle as feathers drop from the ceiling.

That night as their bedding ceremony is about to take place, Elisabeth and Philip are both getting undressed in front of specially selected members of the Church and specially selected members of the Spanish Court. They slowly begin to kiss each other and have sex.

"It's only us that matter here."
King Philip

Season 4

At French Court

With Friends Like These
Spain's Queen, Elisabeth, has come to visit French court. She claims it was to get away from the rumour that she drove Don Carlos mad with desire, but soon reveals her plan to stem the France's rising tide of Protestantism. She believes a match between Claude and Martel de Guise to be just the thing.

A Grain of Deception
In France, Catherine, Claude, and Queen Leeza come out of the chapel after attending yet another mass. Catherine maintains the cover story of King Charles being in Paris, because she knows that once Leeza senses a power vaccuum, she will most likely try to fill it with a Spaniard, making France a colony of Spain. So Catherine sets out to get Lord Narcisse back from England.

The next day, Catherine, Claude, and Leeza wait for Charles to show up to dine with them, but he doesn't. After driving Claude away from the table as well, Leeza turns to her mother and makes a proposal: Spain will pay for Lord Narcisse's release, but only if he steps down as Lord Chancellor permanently. Catherine refuses and sets off to get Narcisse back without Spain's help.

Leaps of Faith

Playing With Fire

Highland Games - (Mentioned)
Queen Catherine told her son King Charles how she overheard two dukes educated, reasonable men discussing whether the King's ailment could be cured, or if a better solution were a silver bullet or a stake through his heart. But it was his sister, the queen of Spain, they needed to worry about. If she believes that Charles was possessed, the very inquisitors that rained blood down on Spain would march into French court, and not even a king would be safe. Charles agreed to do whatever was needed, and Catherine was able to buy them time. She convinced Leeza to take a tour of France's great cathedrals a "welcoming home" gift from the clergy.

Love & Death

Hanging Swords

Back in Spain

Unchartered Waters - (Mentioned)
Queen Catherine informed Lord Narcisse Queen Leeza was back in Spain, but she's not happy. Catherine informed her Prince Henry's return to France had been delayed, 'cause he is fighting Turks on behalf of the Catholic faith. Something that would please her, she liked the slaughter of infidels, but still she wants Henri on the throne, not his older brother. Leeza would allow King Charles to remain king while Henry's was delayed. In the meantime, she's requesting that she attend Mary and Darnley's Wedding. insisted that she represent both France and Spain's support of a Catholic union.

Pulling Strings - (Mentioned)
Queen Catherine informs Lady Lennox she daughter, Leeza, is the queen of Spain, she hopes she wouldn't take her lack of attendance as a slight, she sent a full dining set of pure gold with her personal apologies.

A Better Man - (Mentioned)
Lord Narcisse tells Queen Catherine that Nicole Touchet is turning into a proper lady, and she wants to be a courtesan. In return, she is guiding Charles for them, keeping him in line. However Leeza still wants Charles off the throne, and believes Henri is the man to keep France Catholic. And after agreeing to let her handle matters, Leeza went behind her back and she wrote to Henri directly, he is on his way to France now now, fresh from his latest defeat of the Turks, aware that Spain wants him on the throne.

Later, Henri arrives, sitting Leeza's letters that Charles is unwell and he was needed immediately. His mother assured him, his brother is quite recovered and will not be abdicating.

Dead of Night - (Mentioned)
Prince Henri claims he'd be a better king. Leeza said Charles was not right in the head, and he was needed.

The Shakedown - (Mentioned)
Queen Catherine tells her son King Charles she wanted to protect him by making him strong, but he insists he is weak, and everyone can see it but you. First Leeza, then Henri. He couldn't let England see that, or his own people, that's why he ordered those heads cut off, to hide the truth that he's afraid.

Return to French Court

Blood in the Water
Queen Leeza has arrived at French court, supposedly to stay for Charles and Nicole's wedding. As a "token of goodwill", she has rounded up heretics on her way there, including a witch with a particularly nasty gleam in her eye.

Catherine pulls Leeza aside and asks her what she's really up to, but Leeza maintains her innocence.

All It Cost Her - (Mentioned)
Claude is mourning the loss of both Leith and Luc when Henri runs past her, carrying Nicole. Claude, Catherine, and Narcisse all follow him to the throne room, where he lays her on the ground for Charles to see.

Thinking Henri killed Nicole, Charles threatens Henri and draws his sword, Henri doing the same in retaliation. Catherine jumps in between them and talks them out of blaming each other and into blaming Spain, having betrayed both Charles and Henri.


Family Tree

   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
King Francis I
   
   
Claude of France
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
Duke Francis
   
   
King Henry
   
   
Queen Catherine
   
   
Madeleine of Valois
   
   
Charles of Valois
   
   
Margaret of Valois
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
King Francis
   
   
Mary Stuart
   
   
Queen Elisabeth
   
   
King Philip
   
   
Princess Claude
   
   
Luc Narcisse
   
   
King Charles
   
   
Prince Henri
   
   
Princess Margot
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
John Philip
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
Prince Don Carlos

Notes and Trivia

  • Elisabeth and Philip's Wedding took place to celebrate the union between France and Spain. [1]
  • Her name Elisabeth is spelled with an S instead of a Z.
  • Leeza was considered as a potential godmother to John Philip, but later decided against as she lives in Spain. [2]
  • In the Reign cast notes, Leeza was described as Catherine's "Plain Jane" daughter.

Historical Notes

  • Elisabeth had 3 half-siblings from her father's mistresses, and 9 more siblings from her parent's marriage.
  • Princess Elisabeth was actually King Philip II's third wife, as his first two died of natural causes. She was 14 and he was 32 at the time of their marriage. They are both said to have been in a very happy marriage and it is noted through history on how Phillip would dote on her.
  • Originally betrothed to King Philip II's first son, Don Carlos who was closer to her age, but mentally unstable. It was changed to King Philip himself soon after.
  • Elisabeth and Philip's were of a distant relation, descended from their mutual ancestor Alfonso VII.
  • Queen Elisabeth and King Philip II's had five daughters. However, three died before, or during childbirth.
  • Described as being shy, timid and very much in awe of her formidable mother, Catherine de' Medici.
  • In letters to her mother, Elisabeth proclaimed herself to be fortunate to have married so charming a prince.
  • Both Queen Elisabeth and her younger brother King Charles IX died at age 23.

Appearances

Season One
Pilot Snakes in the Garden Kissed Hearts and Minds A Chill in the Air Chosen Left Behind Fated For King and Country Sacrifice Inquisition
Royal Blood Consummation Dirty Laundry The Darkness Monsters Liege Lord No Exit Toy Soldiers Higher Ground Long Live the King Slaughter of Innocence
Season Four
With Friends Like These A Grain of Deception Leaps of Faith Playing With Fire Highland Games Love & Death Hanging Swords Uncharted Waters
Pulling Strings A Better Man Dead of Night The Shakedown Coup de Grace A Bride. A Box. A Body. Blood in the Water All It Cost Her

Related Pages

v  d  e
King: Charles IX of France Queen: Catherine de' Medici (Regent)
House of Valois
Heir: Henry of Valois Lands: Kingdom of France
Title(s): King of France · King of Poland · King Consort of Scotland · Grand Duke of Lithuania · Duke of Orléans ·
Deceased Members: Louis of Valois · Henriette of Valois · Emone of Valois · Henry II of France · Francis II of France
Household: ·


References

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