Following the tragic death of her 'beloved' in an automobile crash in Paris, in which she also nearly died, an unnamed member of the British royalty, referred to only as "Mum," gives birth to a beautiful baby girl. To keep mother and daughter safe and out of the public eye, her wealthy in-laws take her to Switzerland and then to Egypt, their homeland, to convalesce. Upon their arrival in Alexandria, however, the little girl, her grandmother, and their chauffeur are kidnapped by a group that calls themselves the "Papa Rats." Rather than a ransom, they demand the opportunity to take photos with mother and daughter, which they plan to sell for a fortune. As it turns out, however, not only have the Papa Rats underestimated their victims, they have also overestimated their own abilities as kidnappers. Their plot quickly unravels in ways that neither they nor the target family expect, leading to an often humorous comedy of errors that spans much of North Africa, the Middle East, and Canada's Maritimes region.