Niamh Algar, who plays Sandie, believes that the show ensures the representation of queer women existed centuries ago. History can be rewritten. In the 17th century, the history of women and what women did was never documented because that would have been giving a voice to a woman. She married Sir George Villiers because he freed her from her life as a servant girl and offered her an opportunity to become a part of the English aristocracy.
Likewise, she weds Sir Thomas Compton to maintain her social status and remain a noblewoman. Even her relationship with her son George is based on the favors he can extract from King James with his beauty and charm.
In other words, men for Mary are only usable tools. Moore and his writers might have approached this pattern as an opportunity to explore Mary as a fictional gay character. With Sandie, Mary is soft and submissive. She is a different person when she is with her female partner, who allows her to be vulnerable and kind. Mary loses her tough exterior to share a warm companionship with Sandie and such a togetherness liberates her, especially considering the overwhelming marriage she had with Sir George.
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