The year is 1527. Hans Holbein makes his first visit to England under the patronage of Sir Thomas More. As a guest in the splendid More house in Chelsea, Holbein begins to paint their first family portrait. Little could he know that in a few short years, the family, Tudor society and England itself would have changed beyond recognition. More's household was famous for its liveliness and learning. Two people visiting the great house find themselves irresistibly drawn to Meg Griggs, one of More's foster daughters: John Clement, an erstwhile tutor with a compelling presence and mysterious background, and Holbein himself. Drawn to these wildly contrasting men, Meg will love one and marry the other.