- Through negotiations with the neighboring monarch, the King of Zollenstein arranges for his son to marry the Princess of Saxonia, but later discovers that the prince already has wed Lady Maulfrey Le Fay in secret. The king angrily exiles his son to England but while on his deathbed, calls him back to Zollenstein where Lady Le Fay dies in childbirth. After the prince succeeds to the throne, Boris, his father's illegitimate brother, bribes Betta, Lady Le Fay's maid, to kill the baby boy as part of a plot to overthrow the prince. Instead of slaying the child, Betta hides him and raises him as her own, calling him John Mortimer. When the new king dies in an accident, Boris claims the crown, but the Grand Chancellor, his enemy, meets John by chance and, struck by his resemblance to the Royal Family, declares him the true heir. Boris attempts to discredit John, but Betta produces proof of his heritage. Crowned king, John then marries Princess Zenia, the daughter of his father's jilted betrothed.
- The aged kings of the neighboring principalities of Zollenstein and Saxonia have always been firm friends, and it is planned to marry the daughter of the king of Saxonia to the son of the king of Zollenstein. This is most agreeable to the princess but unfortunately for her the prince is already married to her maid of honor, Lady Maulfrey Le Fay. In a fit of rage the king of Zollenstein banishes the prince and his wife who go to London, accompanied by Betta, an old retainer. Boris, an illegitimate brother of the king of Zollenstein, intrigues to secure the throne, but the king on his deathbed recalls the prince from exile. Lady Maulfrey remains in London and dies giving birth to a son. Boris, hearing of this, sends a huge bribe to Betta to make way with the infant. Betta sends word that she has done so and the king is informed that his wife and son have both died. Betta, however, takes the child away and raises him as her own son, giving him the name of John Mortimer. Meantime the king is killed in a hunting accident and Boris again finds himself near the throne. The Grand Chancellor, however, bitterly hates Boris and when by chance an envoy sees Mortimer and is struck by his resemblance to the late king, the idea is conceived of proclaiming that the infant son did not die, and having Mortimer act as heir to the throne. This is done and the coronation procession has actually entered the cathedral when Boris announces that the people are being hoaxed. But Betta, who has secretly returned to Zollenstein, comes forward with proof that John Mortimer is in reality the rightful heir to the throne, and all ends happily with the marriage of the new king of Zollenstein to Princess Zenia, daughter of the princess who had loved his father so long ago.
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