Mary Boleyn enters Henry VIII’s court and becomes the king’s mistress, gaining favour for a family determined to advance through royal patronage. Her sister Anne returns from France with greater ambition and refuses Henry until he can offer marriage and a crown.
The sisters’ rivalry unfolds during Henry’s attempt to end his marriage to Catherine of Aragon and the break with Rome. Mary increasingly seeks independence from court while Anne’s queenship leaves the Boleyn family exposed to the king’s changing needs.