The Favourite Game

In 1705, England is at war with France, and Queen Anne's health is frail. She withdraws from governance, leaving real power to Sarah Churchill, who maneuvers behind the scenes. The political balance at court remains fragile as Harley quietly questions Sarah’s grip.

Abigail Hill arrives at the palace under a cloud, having fallen from grace after her father's gambling. She endures the palace’s scullery routines and the stigma that shadows her family’s misfortune. Her prospects begin to shift as she observes the court's inner workings.

Abigail tends to the Queen’s gout and is initially punished for intruding into the private space of the Queen. Her herbal remedies prove beneficial, winning the Queen’s small favors and Sarah’s notice. Ultimately, Sarah promotes her to the role of Lady of the Bedchamber.

One night, Abigail witnesses a sexual relationship between Sarah and the Queen, a secret that could destabilize Sarah’s grip on power. Harley asks Abigail to spy on them, hoping to disrupt the court’s balance. Abigail refuses to betray the truth but hints that she knows more than she lets on.

A complicated bond develops between Abigail and Queen Anne, while Sarah grows more determined to control the Queen’s favor. Sarah discovers Abigail’s proximity and moves to push her away from the Queen. Yet Abigail’s influence endures, complicating the court’s power dynamics.

Harley quietly offers Abigail a path to reclaim noble status by aligning with the court’s power players. Abigail weighs the risk of becoming a rival to Sarah against the lure of higher rank. The decision sets the stage for further manipulation at court.

To secure her position, Abigail drugs the Queen’s tea, causing a shocking disruption in judgment at court. Anne becomes increasingly entangled in Abigail’s rise, and Sarah wakes to find herself in a brothel, signaling how quickly fortunes can reverse in palace intrigue. The event underscores the fragility of everyone’s position in the Queen’s orbit.

Anne, now dependent on Abigail’s rise, elevates Abigail to Baroness Masham by arranging her marriage to Colonel Masham. This promotion consolidates Abigail’s status and gives her new leverage to influence war-time decisions alongside Harley. The shift marks a turning point in the balance of power at court.

With Abigail in the upper echelons of power, she begins assisting Harley in steering the Queen’s decisions about the ongoing war. Her proximity to the throne allows her to sway policy and gatekeep information. The two work to shape the Crown’s approach to France.

Sarah returns and Abigail offers a fragile truce, but Sarah delivers an ultimatum: change the war stance and exile Abigail, or reveal letters detailing her relationship with the Queen. Abigail remains strategic, but Sarah ultimately burns the letters, and Anne exile Sarah and her husband.

Lord High Treasurer Godolphin urges Anne to repair fences with Sarah, promising a letter from Sarah to arrive if Abigail’s machinations align. The political chess game intensifies as reconciliation hinges on fragile promises. The court watches for signals that could shift the balance again.

Abigail, now Keeper of the Privy Purse, presents what she claims to be evidence of Sarah’s embezzlement. Anne remains skeptical, and the anticipated reconciliation falters as Abigail intercepts and burns Sarah’s letter. The move consolidates Abigail’s control while isolating Sarah politically.

With Sarah gone, Abigail’s influence surges as she ignores Anne and frolics in society, pursuing private affairs. A cruel moment reveals the Queen’s mounting fragility when Abigail abuses one of Anne’s rabbits. The royal court’s deference to Abigail’s control becomes increasingly unsettling.

Stricken by illness, Anne summons the strength to confront Abigail, ordering her to kneel and massage her leg. The moment culminates in a brutal display as Anne pulls Abigail’s hair while the masseuse attempts to calm the room, signaling the erosion of the Queen’s last remaining autonomy. The court’s power dynamics have shifted decisively in Abigail’s favor.