• The Deadly Reality Behind Elizabeth I’s “Virgin Mask”

    The Deadly Reality Behind Elizabeth I’s “Virgin Mask”

    How smallpox, politics, and poisonous cosmetics shaped the image of England’s most famous queen. Queen Elizabeth I is often met with unfair preconceived notions, with vanity at the top of the list. What many don’t realize is that her elaborate beauty routine was heavily driven by a traumatic battle with smallpox: a devastating disease that…