Character guide

Tom Canty

major

Also known as Tom, Canty, little Tom, Poor little Tom, O Tom Canty, goodwife Canty, poor Tom, poor Tom Canty

A beggar boy from Offal Court who dreams of palaces and princes, until a chance meeting at the palace gates makes the dream dangerously real.

Miles Hendon

major

Also known as Hendon, Miles, Sir Miles Hendon, the impatient Hendon, Miles Hendon—not, Sir Miles, Poor Miles

A battered soldier with a pawned sword and a ruined inheritance, who adopts a raving boy as his ward and defends him with cheerful, reckless loyalty.

Edward VI

major

Also known as Edward, King Edward VI, Edward Tudor, Edward Prince

The longed-for Prince of Wales, raised in silk and ceremony, who learns what England looks like from the wrong side of its gates.

John Canty

supporting

Also known as Canty, John

Tom's father, a brute of Offal Court who beats his son for begging poorly and sees every boy as either profit or prey.

Hugo

supporting

A young ruffian in Canty's crew who smells fraud in the strange boy and turns every game into a trap.

Hugh Hendon

supporting

Also known as Hugh, Sir Hugh, The dreaded Sir Hugh, The late Sir Hugh

Miles's younger brother, who has taken the family hall, the family name, and the family bride, and will not give them back.

Lady Edith

supporting

Also known as Edith, The Lady Edith

Lady Edith moves in the same aristocratic circles as the Hendon family, and her loyalty to the rightful heir places her in quiet opposition to Hugh's ambitions. Bound by a fraudulent union she never consented to, she must weigh obedience to power against the love she still carries for the man Hugh has wronged. Her constancy gives Miles something worth enduring exile and humiliation for, and her peril keeps the stakes of his long road home painfully personal.

Lord St. John

minor

Also known as The Lord St. John, Meantime Lord St. John, St. John, William, William Lord St. John

A nobleman who serves as a court official during Tom's reign.

Lord Hertford

minor

Also known as Hertford, The Lord Hertford, the thoughtful Hertford

A powerful lord who advises Tom during his time as king.

Henry VIII

minor

Also known as VIII, Henry, Henry I

The dying king and father of Prince Edward, who appears briefly at the start.

Bet

minor

Also known as The Lady Elizabeth, the Lady Jane Grey, the little Lady Jane, Elizabeth, Lady Jane Grey, Jane

Tom's kind-hearted twin sister who helps him in the palace.

Humphrey Marlow

minor

Also known as The grateful Humphrey, Humphrey, old Sir Humphrey, old Sir Humphrey Marlow

A young nobleman who becomes Tom's whipping boy at court.

Father Andrew

minor

Also known as good Father Andrew, Andrew

A kind priest who teaches Tom to read and write.

Blake Andrews

minor

Also known as Andrews, old Andrews

An old friend of Tom's from the slums of London.

Duke of Norfolk

minor

Also known as Norfolk, The Duke of Norfolk

A nobleman present at court during the transition of power.

Lord Protector

minor

Also known as The Lord Protector

The regent who manages affairs during the young king's absence.

Nan

minor

Also known as poor Anne Askew

A woman mentioned in passing during the narrative.

Sir William Herbert

minor

Also known as Sir William

A courtier who appears during Tom's royal duties.

Duke of Somerset

minor

Also known as the Duke of Somerset

A powerful nobleman involved in court politics.

Bishop Ridley

minor

Also known as Ridley

A bishop who preaches at court during Tom's reign.

Prissy

minor

A servant girl in the Canty household.

Giles Witt

minor

A minor character encountered during the prince's wanderings.

Arthur

minor

A young boy who briefly interacts with the prince.

Sir Richard

minor

A knight who appears in the later part of the story.

Lord de Courcy

minor

Also known as de Courcy

A nobleman mentioned at court.