There is only one recorded incident of Queen Elizabeth having struck a maid of honor physically. This was Mary Shelton who had married without the Queen's permission. Elizabeth got angry when her maids did this, as she was entrusted by their parents to find them a husband, and their behavior was against court custom aswell as being a personal betrayal. Reports that Elizabeth struck the girl with a candlestick are entirely false.  Elizabeth did not generally strike people, and in her entire reign, only ever struck a Councilor once. This was the Earl of Essex who had greatly insulted her, and it is a credit to Elizabeth that he did not suffer more.