Cardinal Wolsey loses his job as lord chancellor and has no choice but to flee his palace at York Place. His hopes of returning to the king's favour are with the loyal Thomas Cromwell.

Wolsey attempts to convince Cromwell to find a way to get close to Anne Boleyn as she is the person who could persuade the King to restore him. The King begins to take notice of Cromwell and admires his loyalty to the cardinal.

Cromwell finds himself being more and more relied on to run the King's affairs and manages to manoeuvre a Bill through Parliament acknowledging Henry, instead of the Pope, as head of the Church of England so that Henry can divorce Katherine.

Anne gives birth to a daughter and Henry does not hide his disappointment. Anne knows that if she is to have any power she needs to give birth to a son and she becomes increasingly paranoid. Elizabeth Barton prophesises that if Henry marries Anne Boleyn is will be very soon.

The Act of Supremacy has been passed by Henry Supreme Head of the Church in England but the Holy Roman Emperor has refused to recognise either his new title or his recent marriage to Anne Boleyn.

Cromwell is accused of betrayal by Anne after she discovers that he attempted to protect Mary and not Elizabeth in a time of crisis. Anne's power is waning and her enemies are coming together. Anne argues with Jane Rochford and ends up divulging that the musician Mark Smeaton and the nobles Francis Weston and Harry Norris have all declared their love to her, which is a treasonable offence.