November, 1895, St Thomas Episcopal Church on New York City's Fifth Avenue. Heiress Consuelo Vanderbilt, just 18, has been bullied by her mother into marriage to the aloof Duke of Marlborough. Some of the vast Vanderbilt wealth was traded for a title and prestige, and Consuelo, bred to obey, realizes she must make the best of things. At Blenheim Palace, Consuelo is confronted with an overwhelming list of duties, including producing an heir and a spare, but her relationship with the duke quickly disintegrates. Consuelo finds an inner strength, charming everyone from debutantes to diplomats, as she fights for women's suffrage. And when she takes a scandalous leap, can she hope to attain love at last?