Seen as an ordinary immigrant, Catherine de Medici enters the 16th-century French court as a teenage orphan, anticipated to provide a substantial dowry and bear numerous children. However, she soon learns that her husband is enamored with an older woman, her dowry remains unpaid, and she struggles with infertility. Despite these challenges, Catherine uses her wit and resolve to sustain her marriage and adeptly navigate the treacherous world of monarchy, ultimately governing France for half a century.