The unmarried young Queen is encouraged to find a suitable husband so that she can produce an heir, but she finds that very few suitors interest her.

Elizabeth meets an interesting suitor, the Duke of Anjou, much to the Puritans' disapproval. Now Elizabeth must decide whether to follow her head or her heart.

An elderly Queen Elizabeth instructs the Earl of Essex to quell the threat of an Irish uprising, but will she have to deal with a rebellion of her own?