Birth of Lettice Knollys: A Woman Who Suffered the Wrath of Elizabeth I  Lettice Knollys was Elizabeth I&#x27;s cousin and a close friend up until 1579. This was when Elizabeth found out that Lettice had married Robert Dudley, Elizabeth&#x27;s favourite and love, a year earlier. Their relationship was never the same again.  Lettice lived to the age of 91!