Before the action of the novel begins, Beau Nash, an historical figure who served as Master of Ceremonies of Bath, has ordered M. Beaucaire out of the public rooms because of his low status.

Since this incident, Beaucaire, a barber to a French noble, has established a reputation for honesty while gambling with English notables in private.

Beaucaire insists Winterset take him to a ball and introduce him as the Duke de Chateaurien to Lady Mary Carlisle, "the Beauty of Bath.

The movement of the crowd impels Lady Mary to step aside into a small chamber where she finds Beaucaire and Molyneux gambling.

After more confrontations, Beaucaire reveals himself as a French prince, Louis-Philippe d'Orléans, hiding from his cousin, King Louis XV of France, who is angry at him for failing to submit to an arranged marriage.

A stage adaptation starring Richard Mansfield premiered on October 11, 1901 for the grand opening of the Garrick Theatre in Philadelphia.

[6] A loose adaptation of the story served as the basis for the 1930 film Monte Carlo directed by Ernst Lubitsch and starring Jeanette MacDonald.