Cate Blanchett, the actress whose stunning portrayal of Queen Elizabeth I in the aptly named film Elizabeth have critics talking again; but this time, it is about more than her monologues.

In Elizabeth: The Golden Age, the follow up to the 1998 hit, Blanchett gives audiences a new image of the royal monarch. In this sequel, the actress drops all of her regal robes during a nude scene that has taken critics by surprise.

In prior publicity for the film, the actress spoke about her excitement at having another opportunity to portray the Queen but had kept any mention of nudity under wraps. British entertainment writer Baz Bamigboye recalls his last conversation with the star: “Cate Blanchett told me, in her understated Aussie way, how she enjoyed revisiting a slightly older Queen Elizabeth I in Elizabeth: The Golden Age. But she neglected to tell me that she would be naked.”

The film is scheduled to be released in October and fans can look forward to Blanchett's attendance at several overseas premieres.