Wastrel, gadabout and man about town, Rudolf Rassendyll, decides to have one last hurrah before (shudder) taking a proper job.  A jaunt to the Eastern European kingdom of Ruritania to take in the coronation of their new King, Rudolf Elphberg, seems just the ticket (especially as family legend insists that one of his ancestors was scandalously very familiar with the one of the previous Kings!)

Arriving in time for the coronation everything is prepared and several people even mistake Rudolf for their soon to be crowned King, but things quickly take a serious turn when the real King is kidnapped in the first stage of a coup. All seems doomed...unless someone who looks the part could step in..