Eugenie must keep up the masquerade in the face of threats from Nicholas's faction and the danger of being unmasked by the Queen's former fiancé, Prince Rupert, and his journalist friend Joan Wright. To complicate her ability to play the role, which she plays for Alexandra's sake, Eugenie finds herself very much in love with the Queen's future Prince Consort, Prince Freidrich. The dilemma Eugenie faces is how to safely abandon the throne, restore Alexandra to it, and endure the pain of leaving Freidrich behind to marry the Queen as he is duty bound to do.
