The 2018 Oscar-winning period film
The Favourite follows the intimate relationships between Queen Anne and two of her ladies-in-waiting – but was Queen Anne really a lesbian?
The monarch ruled England, Scotland and Ireland from 1702 until 1707 when England and Scotland united to form Great Britain. Her reign as queen of Great Britain and Ireland continued until 1714, when she passed away at the age of 49 following a stroke.
Anne’s life has not been studied in as much detail as other monarchs, although we know she was plagued by illnesses and went through 17 pregnancies, with none of her children surviving to adulthood.
The Favourite portrays Queen Anne (Olivia Colman) as having been romantically and sexually involved with two of her ladies-in-waiting: Sarah Churchill and Abigail Masham, played by Rachel Weisz and Emma Stone respectively.