Gay kings of history

Christopher Marlowe's play Edward II depicts the king as gay, and Derek Jarman made a stunning and explicit film based on the play in He had a close relationship with Piers Gaveston, whom he made earl of Cornwall, and it's widely assumed they were lovers.

King Richard I Richard the Lionheart reigned from to There is significant evidence that he was gay, although historians differ on this point. Richard has been portrayed frequently on stage and film; The Lion in Winterin which he was played by Anthony Hopkins, strongly suggested he was gay, while Sean Connery offered a thoroughly heterosexual depiction in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves Many historians believe Edward II, king from towas gay or bisexual.

He had no children with his queen, Berengaria. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Here we look at those who are known or believed to have been part of the community over time —with two honorable ally mentions.

William had a contentious relationship with the Roman Catholic Church, England then being a Catholic country, but was known as a strong military leader. He was married and fathered children, but he is believed to have had many male lovers, including George Villiers, the early and later duke of Buckingham.

King William II William Rufuswho reigned from towas the third son of the famous William the Conqueror and was his chosen heir. LGBTQ nobility and royalty Throughout history, members of royal and noble houses have engaged in same-sex relationships.

William II, called "Rufus" for his reddish complexion, never married or fathered children, leading to speculation that he was gay. He died when shot in the back by an arrow during a hunting trip; his death may have been accidental -- or it may have been engineered by his brother Henry, who quickly had himself crowned king, becoming the first of many Henrys on the British throne.

The Great Queers of : Even though some societies embraced homosexuality, most refused to accept a gay monarch

His closest adviser was Ranulf Flambard, who eventually became bishop of Durham, and William was often in the company of attractive men, notes the website Historic UK, which concludes that we'll never know William's sexuality for sure.

He died in Mary, the eldest daughter of James II and great-granddaughter of James I, came to the throne by force following the Glorious Revolution that overthrew her father in Fourteen years earlier, inthe teenage princess began a series of over eighty passionate letters to her lady-in-waiting, Frances Apsley.

Edward ran afoul of many British nobles, who had Gaveston executed in He also was close to Hugh Despenser the Younger, his nephew by marriage, who became royal chamberlain. 5 gay British Kings and Queens from history It is not surprising that many gay and bisexual monarchs kept their love lives with members of the same sex a closely guarded secret.

Christopher Marlowe's play Edward II depicts the king as gay, and Derek Jarman made a stunning and explicit film based on the play in Fundamentalist Christians often point to the King James Version of the Bible as the definitive edition, but do they stop to think it was commissioned and overseen by a man who was likely gay or bi?

James was the first British monarch of the Stuart line. Besides the Bible and his liaisons, he's known primarily for his clashes with Parliament. Edward II was imprisoned that year, and the traditional belief is that he was murdered, although some historians now believe his death was staged and that he lived three more years.

He had enemies within his family, however. They were affectionate in public and had a secret passage between their bedrooms.