It is 1959 when Haruko marries the Crown Prince of Japan, the heir to the Chrysanthemum Throne. She is the first non-aristocratic woman to enter the nearly hermetically sealed monarchy in the world. Met with cruelty and suspicion, the only interest the court has in Haruko is her ability to produce an heir. After giving birth to a son, Haruko suffers a nervous breakdown and loses her voice.

Thirty years later, now Empress herself, Haruko plays a crucial role in persuading another young woman - a rising star in the foreign ministry - to accept the marriage proposal of her son, the Crown Prince. The consequences are tragic and dramatic.