Parkinson presents Eleanor of Aquitaine, the formidable twelfth-century queen of both France and England, as a commanding theatrical presence, her crowned figure emerging from layered passages of black, ochre, and pale rose. Eleanor’s story also offered Parkinson an aspirational historical mirror through which to consider her own position and that of other women navigating the period’s social expectations. The elaborate costume and imposing silhouette transform political authority into spectacle, reflecting Parkinson’s interest in how power is constructed, performed, and made visible.