The pregnant Elizabeth is crowned queen and welcomed by Edward's brothers Richard and George though Warwick and his daughters do not disguise their disapproval and Cecily refuses to attend the coronation. Warwick is especially aggrieved that the king is neglecting a peace treaty with France and entertaining the Duke of Burgundy, a relation of Elizabeth and enemy to the French king. As it becomes clear that Warwick intends to make himself powerful Edward gives key posts at court to Baron Rivers and his sons, which also enrages Margaret Beaufort,whose young son Henry Tudor has had to forfeit a title to the Rivers family. Margaret is also angry when Warwick captures the deposed fugitive former king Henry and Edward imprisons him. As a reward Warwick asks that his daughters are betrothed to the king's brothers but the request is denied. When Elizabeth gives birth to a daughter, rather than an heir, Warwick is delighted and organizes a rebellion, incarcerating Edward, Elizabeth and Jacquetta and killing Rivers and his sons, putting George forward as his new protégé. Elizabeth swears vengeance in blood.

Margaret Beaufort is pleased to learn that Warwick, whose daughter Isabel is George's reluctant bride, is holding a parliament in York to have George declared the rightful monarch. However the parliament opposes Warwick's idea and Edward, Elizabeth and Jacquetta are all released. Edward, to his wife's annoyance, suggests alliances with Warwick to prevent further factions and even Elizabeth's surviving brother Anthony appears to acquiesce. However Edward has another revolt on his hands, supposedly led by Henry's wife Margaret of Anjou but in reality staged by Warwick and George. Margaret Beaufort's husband wants no part in it but the obsessive matriarch prevails upon her nervous brother Richard to lead her cause. He is killed by Edward after telling him that the rebels are actually Warwick and George, who are forced to flee abroad. Whilst on board ship Isabel miscarries George's baby but Elizabeth is pregnant again and swears that this shall be a son.