Queen of France at 16 and widowed at 18, Mary Stuart (Saoirse Ronan, Lady Bird) defies pressure to remarry, instead returning to her native Scotland to reclaim her rightful throne. Fighting to govern her unruly kingdom at a time when female monarchs are reviled as monstrous, Mary wants to ally with her cousin, Elizabeth I (Margot Robbie, I, Tonya), who rules as England’s queen―but by birth, Mary also has a rival claim to Elizabeth’s throne. Betrayal, rebellion, and conspiracies within each court imperil both queens, driving them apart, as each woman experiences the bitter cost of power. Based on the book Queen of Scots: The True Life of Mary Stuart by Dr. John Guy, Mary Queen of Scots is the debut feature of legendary theater director Josie Rourke.