When her father, captain Crewe, goes off to fight in the boer war, young Sarah Crewe is placed into the care of Amanda Minchin, the head of an exclusive private school for girls. Sarah lives a wonderful life of a privileged child and is quite happy in her surroundings. When her father is listed as missing in action however, her life goes from one of plenty to that of a poor house maid. Mrs. Minchin agrees to keep her on at the school, but in the absence of her tuition payments, she has to work for her keep. She is soon cleaning out the fireplace and scrubbing floors and is dubbed the little princess by her former schoolmates. She also refuses to accept that her father is dead and prowls the hospitals in the hope of locating him. Luck and royal intervention - assist her in her quest.