The shy, stuttering King George VI faces numerous challenges once he takes the throne in 1937: an unstable monarchy, war against Germany, and even his own brother Edward after his shocking abdication. When George VI unexpectedly passes, Princess Elizabeth is thrust into her new role as Queen at the young age of 25.

Queen Elizabeth II inherits the throne and faces scandals and rumors involving her sister, her marriage, and even her way of leading. The Queen must forge her own path, walking a tightrope between old tradition and those, like her husband, who want to modernize the monarchy.

Prince Charles, next in line to succeed his mother, Queen Elizabeth, is under great pressure to find a wife and produce an heir for the Windsor dynasty. He meets and marries Lady Diana in a grand public wedding, but privately the couple faces serious issues.