Tom is a nine-year-old boy living in the squalid Offal Court district of London. He endures daily physical abuse from his father and grandmother while being forced to beg for coins. Despite his harsh living conditions, he possesses a compassionate nature and an active imagination fed by tales of royalty. He actively dreams of a better life and organizes a mock court with his friends before a chance encounter brings him to the actual royal palace.

Edward is the nine-year-old Prince of Wales and son of King Henry VIII. Raised in extreme luxury, he is entirely ignorant of poverty and the everyday struggles of his subjects. He acts with the ingrained pride and authority of a royal, fully believing in his divine right to rule. When he steps outside the palace wearing pauper's clothes, he faces the harsh realities of the kingdom he is destined to inherit.

Miles is the son of a baronet and a knight who has been exiled from his home for a decade following a malicious plot by his younger brother. He returns to England wearing rich but worn-out clothing. Though he believes Edward is suffering from delusions, Miles humors the boy's claims to royalty and promises to care for him.

John is Tom's father and a resident of Offal Court. He is a bully and a coward who struggles with an alcohol addiction. He survives through theft and begging, constantly demanding that his children bring home money. He regularly directs his violent tendencies toward his family and anyone he perceives as weaker than himself.

Hugh is Miles Hendon's younger brother. Greedy and ruthless, he forged a letter claiming Miles died in battle to eliminate competition for the family estate. He rules the Hendon lands as a petty tyrant, using fear and intimidation to force loyalty from his subjects and his wife.

Mother Canty lives in extreme poverty in Offal Court with her husband, mother-in-law, and three children. Though she is uneducated and dressed in rags, she possesses a good heart. She actively tries to shield her children from their father's rage, often absorbing his physical blows to spare them.

Henry VIII is the King of England, a man feared by his subjects for his tyrannical rule and harsh laws. He spends his final days obsessing over the impending execution of the Duke of Norfolk. Despite his terrifying reputation, he shows genuine tenderness and concern for his son, demanding the boy be treated gently when he appears to lose his memory.

Father Andrew is a local priest living among the poor in London. He acts as a mentor to Tom, teaching him morality, reading, and Latin. He tells the boy fairy tales and stories about royal heroes, which fuel Tom's active imagination.

The Earl of Hertford is Prince Edward's uncle and a powerful government official. When the "prince" begins acting strangely and claiming to be a pauper, the Earl manages the crisis by covering up the boy's mistakes and teaching him proper royal protocols. He prioritizes the stability of the state over his own doubts about the boy's identity.

Grandmother Canty is John Canty's mother. Like her son, she struggles with an alcohol addiction and freely expresses her rage through physical violence. She regularly beats her grandchildren when they fail to bring home sufficient money from begging.

Lady Mary is King Henry VIII's daughter and Prince Edward's older half-sister. She is a rigid and unnerving presence in the court. She firmly believes in harsh punishments and openly argues that the new king should continue their father's brutal legal traditions.

Humphrey is the official royal whipping-boy, an orphan who is physically beaten whenever the prince fails his lessons or misbehaves. He relies on this terrible job to financially support his surviving family members. He inadvertently becomes a valuable source of information about court etiquette for the new king.

Edith is a local noblewoman who was originally betrothed to Miles Hendon. Following false reports of his death and intense pressure from his family, she married his younger brother Hugh. She lives under Hugh's controlling influence, afraid to speak the truth about what she knows.

Hugo is a young thief who travels with a band of vagabonds outside London. He repeatedly attempts to force the captive prince into begging and stealing. When the prince refuses and publicly humiliates him, Hugo concocts spiteful schemes to get the boy arrested.

Yokel is a member of the vagabond band who was once a prosperous English farmer. After his family died following legal punishments, his debts forced him into slavery. His tragic history serves as a turning point for the captive prince's understanding of English justice.

The Hermit is an old man who was driven into the wilderness when King Henry VIII dissolved his religious house. The isolation has severely affected his mind; he now believes he is an archangel. He harbors a deadly grudge against the royal family for ruining his ambitions to become the pope.