Elizabeth I

Ascending the throne after years of political and religious turmoil, Queen Elizabeth ushered England into a “golden age” and became the first woman to hold the throne of England without the heavy influence of a foreign power. Daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, she proved to have her father’s political genius and her mother’s wit, grace, and beauty. Set on a dramatic red background to offset her famed, fiery hair, her designs offer a surprising shot of color on a traditionally masculine background.

A companion design of a great ship similar to those used in England in her era commemorates her great victory over the Spanish Armada and the rise of England as the next great naval power.