The story begins in 1940 in Huis Doorn, a magnificent and aging palace in the Netherlands where the former ruler of Germany, Kaiser Wilhelm II, has been exiled, after being ousted by Hitler and the high command. He leaves Germany graciously but with resentment in his heart, and stays with his wife on this rural farm. As the the greatest and most horrific war rages on around the Kaiser, World War II, he and his wife stay content in their rural exile, chopping logs and tending to various household chores. What the Kaiser doesn't know yet is that the war is coming to him.
Adolf Hitler and the vast armies of Germany continue their march eastward into Western Europe and invade the Netherlands. The relatively fragile Dutch army hardly offers resistance as the Wehrmacht troops invade. This is when the troops are reunited with their old king. Kaiser Wilhelm II, although not entirely joyous at the turn of events, muses at the thought of being invited back to the throne of Germany, where he believes he rightfully belongs. The Kaiser ponders over the idea of the German people needing the blood of the royal family to take the reins once more. However, he soon realizes that this is not the case whatsoever.
Despite his and his wife's desires, the German army's treatment of Kaiser Wilhelm II is the opposite of an invitation. They don't trust the Kaiser because he grew up in Britain playing with his cousin, the former king of the United Kingdom, and the German high command believes he might have a soft spot for Britain and want to go back to them, revealing dangerous military secrets that the Wehrmacht cannot afford to lose. When they invade Holland, they dispose of Kaiser Wilhelm II's staff and replace the with soldiers, led by the SS officer Martin Krebbs, who is in charge of keeping a close eye on the Kaiser and making sure he stays in Germany's control. As they stay there, they keep there eyes open for any signs of contact with Britain, sweeping the palace for clues.
Even though Krebbs tries to stay aloof from the Kaiser, they end up developing a strange bond. Over a few chapters they talk more and more and realize many of their ideological viewpoints are the same. Both believe that the Germans have a God-given right to take the land of Europe and gain control, but both find themselves queasy at the means to get there, the slaughter of Jewish children and disabled men and women by the German army. During these same chapters, Krebbs develops yet another relationship. He slowly yet surely falls in love with the maid of the household, named Akki. As they spend more and more time together in the novel, Krebbs comes upon a startling realization. Akki is Jewish. Krebbs struggles with inner conflicts as he is torn between his loyalty to the Third Reich and his country, and his love and morals. He finds himself slowly losing faith in Nazism and turning more and more towards the Kaiser and Akki.
Unfortunately, the German soldiers discover something is amiss. They spotted a strange man talking with Akki and decided to follow a man. After further investigation they found out he was a British spy, thus incriminating the Kaiser. As the soldiers close in on the royal family and what is left of his staff, including Akki, Krebbs makes a difficult decision and decides to side with the Kaiser. After a brief climax and firefight between the two opposing sides in the novel as well as a distraction, the Kaiser, his wife, Akki, and Krebbs all flee to Britain. There, they are taken into asylum and protected from the German army, successfully escaping the grasps of evil and choosing right over wrong, despite how difficult it may be.
