The Heart of a Queen

Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots, is held prisoner in Fotheringhay Castle as she awaits the final judgment. The court has already sentenced her to be executed on the scaffold the following day, with the assent of Queen Elizabeth I. She breaks down, reflecting on the events that led to this moment, which frame the film.

As the young queen, Mary arrives from France to take the throne of Scotland, she faces strong opposition from a male-dominated political world. Her half-brother Jacob Stuart refuses to accept a female ruler and asserts that Mary must have stayed in France. The Scottish lords watch warily as she attempts to establish her authority.

In the moments after Mary’s arrival, Jean Gordon plots to kill her with poisoned wine. The feud between the Gordons and the Stuarts adds danger to Mary’s early efforts to rule. The attempt foreshadows the ruthless intrigues surrounding her reign.

Mary summons the Privy Council to discuss initial political decisions, but most members do not appear. The only one present, Jacob Stuart, tears up the document he’s asked to sign, signaling the fragile support for Mary’s rule. The moment underscores the precariousness of her position.

Lord Bothwell arrives and confesses his love for Mary, stunning the queen. Although impressed by his demeanor, she orders his arrest for insulting the queen, illustrating the complicated mix of romance and politics that surrounds her. The incident marks the first major personal scandal of her reign.

Queen Elizabeth I grows wary of a Catholic Mary on the throne of Scotland and sends her confidant Henry Darnley to spy and mobilize opposition. Darnley arrives as a noble in Scotland, adding a new dimension to Mary’s political struggles. The English queen’s interference intensifies the conflict.

Darnley falls in love with Mary and guides her to Lord Bothwell’s castle, where Scottish lords secretly plot to depose Mary. Mary ventures into the gathering and ends up imprisoned. The event marks a turning point where personal relationships become tools of political power.

Mary is released the next day on the condition that she swears to marry a Scot. She believes Bothwell to be still in captivity, but he has fled with Jean Gordon and married her. The release fuels a new power dynamic as Bothwell’s actions shape the struggle for the crown.

Following the release, Bothwell and Jean Gordon raise an army to overthrow Mary. Jean schemes for revenge on the queen, while Bothwell seeks power. The military threat underscores the fragility of Mary’s rule.

Mary is compelled to marry Lord Darnley, but she becomes involved with the Italian musician Riccio. She gives birth to James, the future James I of England, during this turbulent period. The personal liaisons intensify the political tensions surrounding the queen.

A troupe of itinerant actors stages a play that hints Riccio may be the lover and possibly the father of Mary’s child. Offended, Darnley authorizes a plot to assassinate Riccio, escalating the palace intrigue. The staged performance blends theater with political maneuvering.

Elizabeth’s army crosses into Scotland to rescue Mary, but the move traps her and drives her deeper into exile from Scotland. Earlier, Darnley falls ill with smallpox and dies in an explosion at his home, heightening the queen’s vulnerability. The shifting tides of power push Mary toward exile.

The English army arrives under the command of Jacob Stuart; he reveals secret love letters Mary had sent to Bothwell, escalating the accusations against the queen. Olivier, the queen’s page, is killed while attempting to hide the letters. The revelations deepen the scandal.

Jacob Stuart pressures Bothwell and Mary’s relationship collapses; Bothwell is sentenced to death by dragging. Jacob takes Mary’s son James to protect him from Elizabeth as Mary agrees to exile in England, setting up her path to the scaffold. The queen leaves Scotland to seek refuge and justice in England.

The frame returns as Mary makes peace with her looming death, pledging devotion to her ladies-in-waiting and to Scotland’s people. The next morning she is led to the scaffold in a bejeweled gown and prays as the axe falls. Her life, entwined with romance and politics, ends on the scaffold.