Crown Prince Akihito's childhood is spent in the shadow of a war fought in the name of his father, Emperor Showa (Hirohito). With peace comes democracy. The Crown Prince learns to balance an imperial identity with a sense of social equality. At 19, he attends Queen Elizabeth II's coronation. His first trip abroad offers him fresh insights into Japan's place in the world, and the role of a monarch who reigns, but does not rule.