A new BBC documentary is set to revisit one of the most debated aspects of King James I’s life, examining evidence that has led some historians to describe him as Britain’s first gay monarch.
Queen James, which airs on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer on 18 June as part of Pride Month programming, explores the personal relationships of the Stuart king who ruled England, Scotland and Ireland during the early seventeenth century.
Presented by historian Gareth Russell, the documentary draws on letters, contemporary accounts and archival material to build a picture of a monarch whose private life has long been the subject of speculation.
James is remembered as the king who commissioned the King James Bible, survived the Gunpowder Plot and oversaw the union of the English and Scottish crowns. However, Russell argues that his relationships with a number of male favourites deserve greater attention as part of his historical legacy.
The programme examines surviving correspondence between James and several men who rose to prominence at court, including George Villiers, the Duke of Buckingham. In a number of letters, the king expressed affection using language that modern historians argue goes beyond conventional friendship.
Russell says the documentary is based on what he describes as “mountains of firsthand evidence”, including correspondence written by both James and those believed to have been among his closest companions.
Among the relationships explored is that with Robert Carr, who became one of the king’s favourites after attracting James’s attention following a jousting accident. The documentary also examines the rise of George Villiers, who would become one of the most influential figures at court and remain close to the king until James’s death in 1625.
According to Russell, many of the letters remained overlooked for generations as changing social attitudes led historians to avoid discussing the possibility of same-sex relationships among historical figures.
The documentary argues that Victorian-era sensitivities played a significant role in shaping how James’s personal life was presented in later histories, with some correspondence omitted from publications or dismissed as evidence of unusually close friendships.
Despite the attention given to the king’s relationships with male favourites, the programme also explores the position of his wife, Queen Anna of Denmark. Historians featured in the documentary suggest that James’s relationships did not threaten her public standing in the same way a royal mistress might have done, allowing her to retain a prominent role at court.
Interest in James’s private life has increased in recent years, helped by new historical research and popular portrayals of the period, including the television drama Mary & George, which explored the relationship between the king and George Villiers.
Russell believes the surviving letters offer historians a more complete understanding of the monarch and his court.
Rather than treating the correspondence as a historical curiosity, he argues it should be regarded as an important part of James’s story and the wider history of the Stuart monarchy.
Queen James will be broadcast on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer on 18 June at 9pm.
