The magnificent Palace of Versailles provides the setting for these three seasons, which chronicle the lives of King Louis XIV (George Blagden) and his brother, Philippe, Duc D’Orléans (Alexander Vlahos). Louis ascended to the throne at a very young age, around five years old, while his brother lived a considerably more vibrant and openly bisexual life. The initial season depicts the king choosing his father's former hunting lodge as the location for what would become his grand palace. With assistance from his devoted valet "Bontemps" (Stuart Bowman) and the uncompromising police chief "Marchal" (Tygh Runyan), and confronting the deceptive actions of figures like the Duc de Cassel (Pip Torrens), he must establish his royal power to prevent his kingdom’s collapse. Louis also navigates the desires of his wife, Marie-Thérèse of Austria, alongside a number of mistresses including the Marquise de Montespan (Anna Brewster) and Princess Henriette (Noémie Schmidt)—who happens to be his brother's spouse. Philippe, meanwhile, is immersed in a world of luxury, revelry, and romantic relationships with Chevalier de Lorraine (Evan Williams). As the storylines become more complex, the second series finds Philippe seeking greater purpose and assuming command of the army as it confronts William of Orange’s (George Webster) ambitions. Domestic and international schemes maintain a reasonable pace, leading into a third season that somewhat diminishes Louis's storyline but provides Philippe with several episodes centered around his discovery of a man in an iron mask. The mystery surrounding this figure—and "Bontemps'" possible knowledge of it—is intriguing. Simultaneously, discontent among the populace grows and “Marechal,” previously steadfast, begins to question his allegiances. While Vlahos's portrayal is arguably stronger due to the richness of his character, Blagden performs adequately in his royal role, supported by a generally capable ensemble cast including Greta Scacchi, Ned Dennehy, Ken Bones, Jessica Clark, and Catherine Walker. The level of detail in the costumes and sets rivals that of major Hollywood productions, and the writing, though occasionally stiff, presents an intelligently constructed series filled with tales of deception, betrayal, danger, romance, and sexuality within a politically unstable era dominated by two brothers who frequently disagreed. It concludes rather suddenly, suggesting that a fourth season was never planned—but it remains an entertaining journey through French history during the height of the Sun King’s reign.

Source on TMDB