Andy Riley's hilarious new book "King Flashypants and the Evil Emperor" places a young boy called Edwin in exactly that position.
Edwin is a king - you can see his crown there, perched atop his head. But in all other respects, he's a pretty ordinary boy who knows as much about running the country as any other ordinary boy would.
Put in charge of the country's finances, Edwin assumes that the wheelbarrow-load of pocket money he has allotted himself is best spent emptying the local sweetshop of all its goodies, to distribute amongst the poor every week (something that makes King Edwin hugely popular but not exactly financially savvy!)
The kingdom's accountant is horrified, the vast piggy bank containing the kingdom's fortune is empty and there's no hint of an economy. What on earth will King Edwin do?
(Clue: Eat more sweets and perhaps pick his nose).
Meanwhile, evil eyes are glinting with avarice. An evil emperor, the nefarious Emperor Nurbison, has designs on Edwin's kingdom and plans a daring military raid to take over the country and sit atop the throne. Accompanied by his dramatic evil striding music wherever he goes, Nurbison is what we like to call "A thoroughly bad egg!"
Will Edwin's kingdom be thrown into turmoil as Edwin and his trusted accountant and guards are thrown into the dungeons with not even a peanut butter sarnie to munch on? The king needs to come up with a fiendish plan that's better than trying to make a scary dragon out of some crepe paper and a cow. Think, Edwin think!
You'll have to read Andy's excellent book to find out. whether Edwin can claim back his throne. Andy is a comic genius and we absolutely loved this, particularly loved the fact that Charlotte could dive to the back of the book and play Emperor Nurbison's evil striding music for herself on the piano (a neat musical score is included!)
"King Flashypants and the Evil Emperor" is out now by Hodder Children's Books