The Royals

Discovering Cyrus burned King Simon's body to evade a DNA test, Helena makes it her mission to prove he is not the king. Cyrus goes as far as to shave his head and will only speak to her while in a giant hamster ball so she cannot take a DNA sample and compare it to her children. Liam, shaken by a talk show hosts questions about the King's Cup, seeks solace in an underground fighting ring. He imagines his opponent as Cyrus and takes out his anger, but when he imagines him as Robert he loses his nerve and is knocked out. Robert, we discover, is alive on an island and struggling to survive. After the fight, Liam grabs a drink and talks to the bartender, Kathryn. As Eleanor and Jasper get closer back at the palace, Kathryn brings Liam to her flat to clean off his wounds, where he admits he is responsible for Ted Pryce's death. Helena attempts to reason with Cyrus about a common enemy--Jeffery Stewart, who is threatening to release the footage. Instead of working with Helena, Cyrus tries to bribe Jeffery into releasing the footage with Cyrus edited out, but he refuses before collapsing from poison in his drink. Cyrus dumps the body in a river.

Cyrus goes on a talk show and attacks the monarchy, calling them all fake assholes. Helena amps up her efforts to delegitimize Cyrus before he takes everyone down with him. She recruits Willow, impressed with her #KingLiam campaign, for a job at the palace. Liam and Eleanor attend an Electric Carnival, where Liam meets Willow. Jasper struggles with jealousy as Eleanor flirts with an array of guys at the Carnival, and ends up knocking a few of them out. Liam warns her about the game she's playing, but she's trying to force Jasper into wanting to be exclusive and get over his concerns about his dark past. Cyrus continues to be paranoid, but James Hill convinces him to get his pupil's scanned for a new security system. While he's out of his room, Helena searches it and finds his testicle in a jar. When he finds it missing, he screams at Helena that he will not give up his reign so easily. On the island, Robert dreams of Eleanor, who asks him why he hid from a passing boat instead of flagging them down. He keeps imagining a woman with a strange marking on her back and hears ghostly whispers around him. When Liam confesses his feelings to Kathryn and they sleep together, we see her tattoo is the same as the island woman's. Robert finally catches the mystery woman, who turns out to be Kathryn, and he lights a flare, ready to come home.

In a flashback, we see Robert meet Kathryn when he makes a royal appearance at her pub. They begin a relationship, but Robert keeps it a secret because she is not royal and they can never openly be together. Liam is the only one who knows about their relationship. In the present, Liam and Kathryn agree not to feel guilty about their love. Eleanor and Jasper swap love letters through a secret book in the library, but both are self-conscious about their writing. Unbeknownst to them, they both ask James Hill to be their scrivener and he writes the letters back and forth. When Eleanor discovers Jasper isn't writing his own letters she storms off, doubtful the relationship can work, even though she was doing the same. Cyrus sees a woman who looks remarkably like Violet and pays her to pretend to be his lost love, but he realizes she will never be Violet and orders her away. Liam tells Willow that he wants to set her up with a guy from the carnival who was interested in her, but she isn't happy about it. She clearly has feelings for Liam and is upset when she realizes he's secretly seeing someone. Helena gets the DNA results and tells Liam he is the rightful king. Liam promises Kathryn they will still be together when he's King. Cyrus is defeated at the news. Walking down the hall together, Helena and Eleanor make amends for their past relationship. They are stunned when they stumble across Robert, alive.

The palace is thrown into disarray with Robert's return. Helena orders them on lockdown until they can figure out what's going on and hold a press conference to release all the news at once. Robert has a lot to catch up on and is given the files on his "death" as well as his father's. Eleanor panics and introduces Jasper to Robert as Liam's security, not her boyfriend. Duchess Veruca slaps sense into Cyrus, insisting he is the king. Liam is especially thrown by Robert's return and evades Kathryn's texts all day. Liam encourages Eleanor to be honest with their brother, so she introduces him to Jasper properly as her boyfriend. Robert and Liam go for a walk and Robert says he approves of Jasper. Liam doesn't realize until too late that they are walking to Kathryn's pub. Kathryn is floored to see Robert. Later, Liam secretly sneaks out to see her and they sadly agree not to see each other anymore. At the press conference, Helena reveals the DNA results. The press questions if Liam will now ascend the throne, but Robert steps up to the podium, sending everyone into a frenzy. He relates the story of his plane crash and time on the island. Liam stand behind him, literally in his shadow once again.

Helena and Robert discuss the problem of Cyrus, she is adamant Cyrus bow to Robert but Robert knows this will not happen. Beck asks Eleanor if she has a boyfriend, her silence answers his question. Jasper sees Beck leaving Eleanor's room on the security monitor. Eleanor tells Jasper that she told Beck she has a boyfriend, puts Jasper at ease. Robert and Kathryn walk and discuss their time apart during Robert's "death". Liam tells Jasper about Kathryn's ex, he takes this in and realizes he is talking about Robert. Cyrus gives a television interview, says that Robert will make a great king someday but today is not that day. Beck greets Robert when he returns to the palace; Robert tells Beck that Eleanor is dating Jasper. Beck disrespects Jasper by ordering him around. Liam enters, Beck backs down and exits. Kathryn comes clean about her love triangle to Angie, then meets with Liam and they agree to tell Robert. Cyrus and Robert agree to have a private council decide who gets the crown. Eleanor confronts Jasper about his encounter with Beck, tells Jasper that he is perfect for her. Beck apologizes to Eleanor for being rude to Jasper. Robert tells Helena about him and Cyrus' agreement to a private council. Robert tells her not to worry as he plans to take the first wave at The Balcony. Liam drinks from a flask as the royals make their way to the red state room, Jasper tells him "take it easy, my friend." Beck hears this and tells Jasper to address him as Royal Highness and to know his place. This triggers Liam, who tackles Beck. Robert calms them down. The royals go to the red state room where Cyrus smugly leads them out onto the balcony. With the family outside, Robert is the first to wave as a very pissed Cyrus looks over at him.

Eleanor signs a letter to Jasper "love Eleanor" and she means it. Robert confronts Jasper, that he's been looking into his dark past, also brings up Ted Pryce, how Jasper uncovered him. Jasper says that he looks forward to earning Robert's trust with Eleanor. Liam has sent the staff home for Christmas, just as Simon did when he was alive. Helena sympathizes and defends Liam's action o the rest of the family. Jasper asks Eleanor about the diamond necklace in her pile of gifts, she tells him giving jewelry to a royal is a thoughtless gift. He tells her about Robert looking into his past. Later, Jasper tells Sara Alice that they need to come up with a new present for Eleanor, he does not want to give her the necklace. She suggest making a princess storybook about Eleanor. Liam reveals to Eleanor that he was in a relationship with Robert's girlfriend. Cyrus questions if Robert is trying to poison him so that he can give the address. Robert hands Cyrus his present, a bottle of wine. Robert tells him this is one of the bottles that Cyrus gifted to the Privy Council. Jasper meets with Harper, she is writing a story on Eleanor and her affair with her security guard, Jasper. Harper reveals she has dirt on him for the article. Jasper tells her to make it all about him and leave Eleanor out of it. Meanwhile, Liam gets defensive of Jasper and asks Robert why he was giving Jasper a hard time in the gym. Robert belittles Liam and makes him feel inferior. Jasper breaks off their relationship, Eleanor is devastated. The family discovers a bag of gifts that Simon left for them, his personal possessions. Liam challenges Robert to a boxing match at The People's Gala, Robert agrees.

The royals prepare for the People's Gala - an annual charity weekend. Each member of the family is auctioned off for charity, resulting in surprising pairings, for better and worse.

Eleanor still has no response from Jasper. Spencer finds Helena's room empty, Helena is having coffee with Jack in Paris. Harper wakes up in her apartment to find Jasper. He tells her he has been looking into her and threatens to expose her if she does not abandon her article on the Eleanor, tells her he has another story for her. Eleanor and Rosie meet with Sebastian for the tiger run and he and Eleanor flirt while they maintain they are not on a date, then ditch Rosie. Spencer questions Helena's trip to Paris and her budding relationship with Jack. Kathryn and Robert also consider stepping away from his life of royalty. Jasper tracks down Boone and takes him to Harper's apartment. Boone tells her that he was hired to kill Robert. Spencer tries to resign, Helena fights him on it and he agrees not to. Eleanor and Sebastian return to the palace where James Hill has reprimanded Rosie for losing her. Sebastian apologizes for sneaking Eleanor to lunch. Cyrus says if he loses the crown at the Privy Council he will kill himself. Robert and Liam go to tell Helena about their plan to nominate Liam for King, Helena is against the idea, says Robert must be king. Liam leaves, Helena accuses Robert of making her out to be the bad guy. Liam tells Jasper about Eleanor going out with Sebastian. Jasper goes to Harper and gives her a jump drive, she agrees to burn her file on him and Eleanor and asks her to help him with Sebastian.

Eleanor and Queen Helena consider romantic invitations as a Privy Council meets to determine who will reign as the one true King Of England. At great risk and consequences, Jasper reveals to Liam information that presents a new mystery for the monarchy.

Liam finds himself in unexpected places while looking to validate or dismiss the latest palace scandal. Helena is heartbroken over a recent loss, while Jasper makes a final play for Eleanor's heart.