While on an official trip to Istanbul, the King of the Belgians learns that his nation has disintegrated and he needs to return immediately to rescue it. However, a solar storm disrupts air travel and communication, grounding planes and cutting off phone lines. With assistance from a British filmmaker and a group of Bulgarian folk singers, the King and his party make a covert escape across the border. This marks the start of a journey through the Balkans, where the King gains insight into the real world and himself.