It was hardly a surprise that B chose a drama about women for his nextto- last stage production, least of all since he now felt that he had found two ideal actresses for the two main roles (Steene, 2005: 756). Both as a film and as a stage director he had often concerned himself with relations, often rivalry, between women. But in this case it was about two royalties in the 16th century and that made a difference. For while rivalry between women involves universal and timeless problems, rivalry between royalties has political implications as well. Besides, the view of royalty has changed drastically since the 16th century. In that period, as in Schiller's play reflecting it, royalties were generally considered to have their rank by divine right. This partly explains Mary's strong attachment to religion. It explains why in her view only a person of equal status, i.e. another royalty, could judge her. And it explains why Elizabeth, who could surmise how historically irrevocable an order of death penalty would be, found it so difficult to condemn her cousin to death. Such a death sentence would after all affect her own kind. When it was nevertheless put into effect, it was a revolutionary example of equality before the law that was followed by capital punishments of royalties during the irreligious French Revolution. Today it is difficult to sense the enormous impact a belief in royalty by divine right had, not only in the 16th century, but even to some extent in 1800 when Schiller's Mary Stuart was first performed. This belief definitely belongs to a bygone era. When presenting the play to secularised audiences like the one in Sweden, B had to take this into account. They might admire the title character for her courage and firmness, but they would have trouble sharing her conviction of her own judicially superior position.

Schiller's drama deals with the short period between the death sentence of Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots, issued by the members of the English Parliament, Queen Elizabeth I's signing of this sentence, and the execution of it. The five-act tragedy oscillates between Fotheringhay Castle in northern England where Mary is held prisoner (Acts I, III and V) and Westminster Palace in London, where Elizabeth and the Parliament are Seated.