The King’s Vacation

Eighteen years before the main events, Phillip unexpectedly becomes the figurehead king of the country. He begins his reign under pressure to balance duty and personal longing. The new monarch faces expectations from courtiers and the public.

Phillip is compelled to give up his commoner wife Helen and their infant daughter and wed Margaret to secure an official alliance. He accepts the arrangement to preserve stability, though his heart remains with Helen. The personal cost of the crown becomes painfully clear.

Margaret tells Phillip that she too loved someone else, but she refuses to reveal the man's identity, calling him only Mr. X. The confession eases Phillip's guilt and clarifies his priorities. It frees him to pursue other loyalties.

With Margaret's revelation, Phillip feels free to seek out Helen. He plans to reconnect with his former partner and consider a life beyond royal duties. This marks a turning point in his understanding of love and responsibility.

Phillip finds Helen, now wealthy and influential, and Millicent. Helen makes clear that John Kent, despite his talent, is socially beneath their standards and should not pursue Millicent.

Phillip is impressed by John Kent's skills as a mechanic and inventor, but Helen remains unmoved by social status or his affection. The class barrier continues to block any romance between Millicent and John Kent.

Phillip travels to buy a tiara for Helen, reluctantly, and ends up missing the last train home. On the return journey, he unexpectedly visits Margaret, rekindling an old connection. This detour shifts the balance of loyalties.

Helen decides to attend a party despite the looming wedding, escorted by Barstow. Barstow reveals that he will soon be gone, underscoring the personal costs of the royal marriage. The social events become a backdrop for shifting affections.

Royalists are ready to seize back the country, and the army and navy align with them. Phillip refuses to participate in the coming conflict, choosing restraint over revolution. The country teeters on the edge of upheaval as loyalty fractures.

Barstow bids Helen farewell, and she is shocked, believing his departure was only a joke. Phillip realizes that Helen loves Barstow and suggests cancelling the wedding. The revelation reframes the impending union as a personal crossroads.

Phillip goes to see Margaret and discovers she has had no visits from her supposed lost love. He then reveals that he is the mysterious 'Mr. X' she has been waiting for. The true identity unsettles Margaret and clarifies the rift between them.

Having resolved the personal entanglements, Phillip abdicates the throne to avoid further bloodshed. His abdication marks a peaceful, though dramatic, transition for the country. The monarchy steps aside as unrest continues to loom.