When King Henry VIII executes his second wife Anne Boleyn for treason, the young Princess Elizabeth is left to navigate the perilous waters of the Tudor court without her mother. England is suffering the most disruptive period in its history, and loyalties are ever-changing. Without support, what chance does an illegitimate girl have?

Alongside her best friend Robert Dudley, Elizabeth grows and learns, but nothing is ever straightforward, and the lessons don't come easily. Surviving her increasingly unpredictable father, her unstable sister, and her many detractors will require strength and intelligence.

Can she survive the treacherous path fate has set her? And who can she trust on her journey to the throne?