Principe

It is London in the year 1537 and two boys are born on the same day. One boy’s name is Tom Canty and his family is very poor, and the second is called Edward Tudor, Prince of Wales, and is the son ofKing Henry VIII. Ten years later, and Tom is begging for money on the streets. He lives with his family, all crowded into one room. Sometimes people don’t give him money and then his father, JohnCanty, beats him. Everyday Tom visits Father Andrew who teaches him many things. Tom wants to be a prince and plays King and Princes games with his friends. Everyday Tom goes to see Westminster Palace,the home of the King and his young son, Edward, and then one day he sees the young prince. The prince invites Tom into the palace. The two boys talk about their different lives. Edward becomes sad whenhe hears about Tom’s friends because he himself has no one to play with. Suddenly he has an idea. The two boys swap clothes and now Tom is the prince and Edward the pauper. Before leaving Tom alonein the palace, Edward puts a heavy object (which we later learn is the Great Seal) under a cup on a shelf.
Outside the palace a soldier hits Edward. Edward tells him that he is the prince and everyonelaughs and thinks he’s crazy. He decides to find Tom’s house. There he explains everything to Tom’s father, who doesn’t believe him, and thinks his son has gone mad. Meanwhile, Tom is exploring thepalace. The servants think the prince is behaving strangely, possibly ill, and he is taken to see his ageing father, the King. Tom tells him that he is not his son. The king tests the boy by asking hima question in Latin, to which Tom replies in Latin. This convinces the king that Tom is his son and that he must be ill. He is further convinced of the boy’s illness when he is informed that he can’tremember anything about the Great Seal, which he is supposed to have in his possession. Then, Tom goes on a boat to a big party at the Guildhall.

Edward is being dragged home by John Canty when...