Tsar Alexander III doubts the ability of his son and heir-apparent, Nicholas, to inherit the Russian throne. The young tsarevich is similarly apprehensive. Despite his longstanding affair with St Petersburg ballerina Mathilde Kschessinska and the disapproval of his mother over his marriage choice, he is resolved to marry Princess Alix of Hesse-Darmstadt, seemingly the suitable match. Traveling to Germany, Nicholas II is supported in this by his relatives, including his cousin Kaiser Wilhelm and Alix’s grandmother, the ageing Queen Victoria of Great Britain. Meanwhile, the autocratic conservatism of the Imperial Government has resulted in discontent among factory workers, under the ægis of the revolutionary Vladimir Lenin.

El joven zarevich Nicolás de Rusia encuentra insoportable la idea de suceder a su padre. Pasa la mayor parte de su tiempo tratando de olvidar el asunto divirtiéndose con sus amigos y su amante, la primera bailarina Mathilde Kschessinska. Cuando llega a la edad de 26 años, sus padres deciden que debe casarse y el zarevich acepta a regañadientes la idea solo con la condición de que pueda casarse con la princesa alemana Alexandra de Hesse. A pesar de la fuerte desaprobación de sus padres hacia Alexandra, Nicholas procede a proponerle matrimonio en la boda de su hermano Ernest...