Henry VIII favours Mary, recently married to William Carey, and lady-in-waiting to his wife, Catherine of Aragon.

Anne returns to court, announcing that she is grateful and will serve her family in any way she can, but Mary is sceptical of her sincerity.

Learning from her sister's example, Anne cautiously turns down his attempts at seducing her, hoping to strengthen his desire for her.

The true extent of Anne's ambition is revealed: as the King's marriage has produced no heir, and she could provide him with one, he will want to make her his new queen.

The King makes Anne swear that she has never loved any other man, and to demonstrate her devotion she finally has sex with him.

While Anne is pregnant with her first child, Mary sneaks away to see William Stafford, a former servant of the Boleyns, and accepts his marriage proposal.

While visiting Wulfhall in Wiltshire, the King spends time with a daughter of the family, Jane Seymour, and greatly enjoys her company.

Upon finding a pamphlet depicting her decapitation, Anne summons George and Mary, telling them the court wants her dead.

Proclaiming her innocence, she asks God to have mercy on his soul, and bidding farewell to Elizabeth, sings her a song as she is led away.

The Guardian's Stuart Jeffries wrote that while some previewers thought it had "the feel of Peter Greenaway-lite", he found it interfered with the story, described as "a gripping, well-written narrative" and likened it to "NYPD Blue Visits Hampton Court".