In the next episode of "The Royals," the entire royal family is on high alert after the king has been stabbed. Prince Liam and Princess Eleanor must be extra careful because they are especially vulnerable.

In the preview for Sunday's Episode 9, King Simon is shown in a hospital bed with multiple tubes and medical devices attached to him. He is in pretty bad shape. Queen Helena is telling someone that the family is at war and that "it is becoming difficult to tell the heroes from the villains."

Liam has seemingly been involved in a bar fight and has his face bloodied. He lunges at a man in the bar in retaliation.

Eleanor is shown in an elevator, when she is attacked from behind by someone wearing a hood.

In the previous episode, the family found out King Simon was stabbed outside the palace gates. He lost a lot of blood and someone will need to replace him while he recovers. Liam is next in line for the throne, so he is forced to take over for the king.

Liam beats himself up for not being with the king when he was stabbed. He was supposed to be taking a walk with him, but was spending time with Ophelia instead.

The rest of the family is upset and feels guilty about the king being stabbed. Eleanor says it is not their fault and the "only person to blame is the person who did it."

Ophelia blurts out that she saw Cyrus sneak out of the palace.

Cyrus snaps back at Ophelia and tells Pryce to silence her or he will do it himself. Pryce does not respond well to this; he whips out a gun and points it at Cyrus.

Eleanor wants to get out of the safe room where the family has been taken. She goes into the tunnels and Jasper follows her. Eleanor says that someone in the palace is lying and Jasper does not have a good "track record."

The palace was secured and that means the family can go back to their normal business. Helena arranges a ceremony to swear in Liam as the acting King of England.

Helena prepares Liam for his ceremony and says he will become a king. Liam says that it will just be a temporary thing, until his father gets better. Helena tells him that his father's condition is threatening and he has big responsibilities now.

Eleanor gets a chance to see her father in the hospital. He is on life support and she tells him, "I'll do better."

Liam and Helena soon join Eleanor at the hospital. Liam apologizes to his father for "failing him."

Eleanor is asked to leave the hospital room so that Liam and Helena can have time alone with the king. Eleanor goes to her room where Jasper follows her.

Eleanor accuses Jasper of attacking her father. She says she does not even know who he is. Then, she shows a cuff-link she found in her mother's bed, which is also her father's bed. She has Jasper hauled away by security.

Liam is taken to the swearing-in ceremony. As he recites the oath, he is interrupted by Cyrus. Cyrus says he is not intelligent, not inspiring and not even the King's son. Helena responds by slapping him.

Liam tells his mother to respond to these allegations and that everything Cyrus has said was just because he was jealous and pathetic.

Cyrus says, "These children are illegitimate. They are not the blood heirs of King Simon and so are not eligible to ascent the throne. I am the rightful heir to the crown. I am the next King of England."

Back at the palace, Cyrus and Helena share some drinks. They had planned the whole thing. "To the next king of England," toasts Helena. Cyrus responds: "Long live the queen."

Obsessed with the Princess? (Of course you are!) The Royals airs Sundays at 10/9c on E!.

Posted by The Royals on Tuesday, May 5, 2015