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- "The Queen of Spain's Beard" is the fourth episode of the BBC historical sitcom The Black Adder, the first serial in the Blackadder series. Set in late 15th-century England, the episode parodies the practice of political marriages between the royal houses of Europe which characterised European politics during the Middle Ages. Its bawdy humour also deals with taboos surrounding premarital sex, gay stereotypes and the practice of child marriage. The title of the episode is a play on the words attributed to Sir Francis Drake who "singed the beard of the King of Spain" when he attacked the country in 1587. As with other episodes in this series, the end credits include an acknowledgement of "additional dialogue by William Shakespeare". One scene includes a parody of Richard III in which the third messenger announces in deadpan style the death of Lord Wessex. The fictitious King Richard IV retorts, "I like not this news! Bring me some other news!" echoing Richard III's rebuke to a messenger, "There, take thou that till thou bring better news." (Act 4, scene 4) The episode introduces a recurring guest star to the Blackadder series, Miriam Margolyes, who plays the part of the Spanish Infanta betrothed to Prince Edmund. Margolyes would later return to play Edmund's Puritan aunt, Lady Whiteadder, in the 1986 episode "Beer" and the part of Queen Victoria in Blackadder's Christmas Carol (1988). Margolyes's Infanta is accompanied in "The Queen of Spain's Beard" by an interpreter, played by Jim Broadbent, who would go on to play Albert, Prince Consort opposite her in Blackadder's Christmas Carol. Broadbent was also intended to play Lord Whiteadder in "Beer", but was unavailable for recording. Although "The Queen of Spain's Beard" was originally broadcast as episode 4 of the series, on later broadcasts and DVD releases it has been switched with episode 2, "Born to Be King". (en)
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