Criticised by monarchist groups as a "distortion of historical events", the picture became controversial after State Duma deputy Natalia Poklonskaya led a campaign to ban the film on religious grounds.

Their intense, passionate romance is fraught with tension, as they navigate societal pressures and interference from Empress Maria Feodorovna, Nicholas’s mother, who urges him to forget Matilda and fulfill his royal duties.

The film weaves between key moments in their relationship, from their initial connection to increasingly scandalous encounters that capture the attention of the Imperial family and Russian society.

Their story culminates at Nicholas’s coronation, where Matilda, devastated by his marriage, demands the lead role in the ballet "Pearl" at the Bolshoi Theatre, transforming her performance into both an artistic triumph and a symbolic struggle with her unrequited love.

[11] After a request to the Prosecutor General of the Russian Federation from the Duma deputy Natalia Poklonskaya known for her veneration of Nicholas II,[12] the film's material was audited and no violations were found.

[23] A similar position was taken by the Bishop of Yegoryevsk Tikhon (Shevkunov), who reviewed the film highly critically but said that the demand to ban the film "is an absolutely dead-end and wrong approach":[24][25] ... An admonition regarding right and wrong – this is the goal that can and must be put in connection with the forthcoming wide screening of the film.Nevertheless, Bishop Tikhon pointed out, "most likely, individuals and groups, including Orthodox, will demand its prohibition".