Mary was a striking woman who knew how to present an eye-catching and regal appearance. Tall, beautiful and graceful, with auburn hair and a fine, pale complexion, even one of her archenemies, the Protestant Reformer John Knox, described her features as “pleasing”.

She was Queen of Scots from 6 days old, and when she was an adult she became the first woman to rule Scotland in her own right. Mary was an international monarch – she was married to the King of France and was briefly Queen there, and she also had a strong claim to the throne of England too.

As illustrations have revealed, in her role as Queen consort of France she wore intricately embroidered court gowns, with tiny, corseted waists, flattened chests, huge, puffed, slashed sleeves, high collars and full skirts.

Queen of France at 16 and widowed at 18, Mary Stuart defies pressure to remarry. Instead, she returns to her native Scotland to reclaim her rightful throne. However, Scotland and England fall under the rule of the compelling Elizabeth I. Each young Queen beholds her sister in fear and fascination. Rivals in power and in love, and female regents in a masculine world, the two must decide how to play the game of marriage versus independence.Mary Queen of Scots / Film synopsis

Mary loved horse riding, dancing and hunting game. She also enjoyed sport and would play real tennis when at Falkland Palace. Mary needed to marry again to have a child who would be heir to the Scottish throne. Many princes, lords and nobles wanted to marry her, but then she met her cousin Lord Darnley.

She is of low rather than of middling stature, but, although short, she has not personal defect in her limbs, nor is any part of her body deformed. She is of spare and delicate frame, quite unlike her father, who was tall and stout; nor does she resemble her mother, who, if not tall, was nevertheless bulky.

1548: Mary's life in France She was also taught to sew, write poetry and to play musical instruments. Mary enjoyed riding and hunting in the French countryside. In April 1558, at the age of 15, Mary married the 14-year-old Dauphin Francis in Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris.

Mary is perhaps best known for her involvement in an assassination plot against her cousin, Elizabeth I, in which she hoped to take the throne for herself. Mary is also known for her possible involvement in the murder of her second husband, Lord Darnley, who was killed on 9 February 1567.

During her service, the Queen Mary transported over 2 million passengers, and approximately 810,000 members of the military during World War II. The Queen Mary was purchased by the City of Long Beach in 1967, who then worked to transform the vessel into a hotel, museum and event space.

Classical artists like Botticelli, Raphael and DaVinci frequently depict Mary wearing a red tunic topped by a blue mantle. The Flemish High Renaissance painter Jan Gossaert uses the red/blue scheme in some works, but also envisions her in blue over blue, with a white veil.

The story of two powerful women, fighting each other in a man's world: Elizabeth I and Mary, Queen of Scots.

Mary is perhaps best known for her involvement in an assassination plot against her cousin, Elizabeth I, in which she hoped to take the throne for herself. Mary is also known for her possible involvement in the murder of her second husband, Lord Darnley, who was killed on 9 February 1567.

For example, Mary, Queen of Scots was Elizabeth's cousin and heir to the throne of England. Mary Queen of Scots arrived with a claim to the English throne; this was a problem for Elizabeth. Mary was Queen of two countries, Scotland and France. She was important because she was in England, not abroad.

Top 10 facts

• Mary was born at Linlithgow Palace in Scotland on 8 December 1542.
• Mary's father was King James V of Scotland and her mother was Mary of Guise, who was French.
• Mary was only a baby when she became Queen of Scotland.
• In 1543 Mary was crowned Queen of Scotland at Stirling Castle.

During her service, the Queen Mary transported over 2 million passengers, and approximately 810,000 members of the military during World War II. The Queen Mary was purchased by the City of Long Beach in 1967, who then worked to transform the vessel into a hotel, museum and event space.

Queen Mary, along with RMS Queen Elizabeth, was built as part of Cunard's planned two-ship weekly express service between Southampton, Cherbourg and New York. The two ships were a British response to the express superliners built by German, Italian and French companies in the late 1920s and early 1930s.