Cate Blanchett disrobes in Elizabeth: The Golden Age, her sequel to Elizabeth, to the point at which critics are buzzing about her unexpected nude scene.

British writers, treated to a sneak peek of footage from the film, have revealed Blanchett gets her gear off in the regal role, showing off a lithe body underneath the Elizabethan robes.

“There’s even a nude Elizabeth – not full frontal, but shorn of all clothing – and she makes for one sexy monarch,” British show-biz writer Baz Bamigboye says.

“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,” he says.

Blanchett, who has shrugged off criticism about historical inaccuracies in the film, plays opposite Clive Owen and Aussie star Abbie Cornish. (Despite dipping her toes in the water in A Good Year opposite Russell Crowe, this role is expected to catapult Cornish into major-league stardom.)

Elizabeth: The Golden Age is to be released in October, with Blanchett scheduled to attend several international premieres overseas as part of her usual promotional duties. Insiders say the Oscar-winner is also considering a red-carpet appearance in Sydney to launch the film here.