He was Elizabeth's childhood friend and favorite courtier, who had a long-standing and controversial relationship with her, and was rumored to be her lover. He was considered a possible husband for many years, but was opposed by many of Elizabeth's councillors and foreign powers.
Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester
He was Elizabeth's brother-in-law, as he was married to her half-sister Mary I. He proposed to Elizabeth after Mary's death in 1558, hoping to maintain the Catholic alliance between Spain and England, but was rejected by Elizabeth, who was Protestant.
He was the younger brother of Henry III of France, and a leader of the French Wars of Religion. He was proposed to Elizabeth by his mother Catherine de' Medici in 1570, and again in 1579, as a way of creating an Anglo-French alliance against Spain. Elizabeth showed some interest in him, but ultimately declined the marriage due to the age difference, the religious conflict, and the opposition of her subjects.
He was the eldest son of Gustav I of Sweden, and a Protestant monarch. He sent several proposals to Elizabeth in 1560 and 1561, but was rebuffed by her. He later became mentally unstable and was deposed by his brother John III.
He was the younger brother of Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II, and a Catholic prince. He was proposed to Elizabeth by his father Maximilian II in 1567, and again by his brother in 1573 and 1582, as a way of creating a peaceful settlement between the Habsburgs and England. Elizabeth entertained the idea, but never seriously pursued it, as it would have required her to convert to Catholicism and alienate her Protestant allies.
Charles, Archduke of Austria