A strong willed woman attempts to impose her shattered dreams into the life and personality of her shy, reclusive daughter.

Behind the walls of an English castle, three brothers try to win their father's favor - as well as his crown. King Henry II and his queen, Eleanor of Aquitaine, engage in a battle of royal wits that pits elder son Richard against his brothers, while the cunning King Phillip of France takes advantage of the internal fracturing in his bid to destroy their kingdom.