In the movie Roman Holiday, Princess Ann (played by Audrey Hepburn) is a young European princess who is on a tightly scheduled tour of several European countries. She is exhausted and overwhelmed by the constant attention and demands of her role as a princess, and feels trapped by her responsibilities and lack of freedom.
One night, while in Rome, Ann decides to sneak out of her hotel and explore the city on her own. She takes a sedative given to her by her doctor to help her sleep, but accidentally takes too much and falls asleep on a bench in a public square.
Joe Bradley (played by Gregory Peck) is an American reporter who happens to come across Ann while walking home from a late night out. He initially thinks she is drunk, but soon realizes she is a princess and decides to help her get back to her hotel safely.
The next morning, Joe is shocked to discover that the woman he helped is the princess of a European country. He sees an opportunity to get a big scoop for his newspaper and convinces Ann to spend the day with him, promising to show her the real Rome and keep her identity a secret.
As Joe and Ann spend the day together, they start to develop a deep connection and fall in love. However, they both know that their relationship is impossible given Ann's position as a princess.
As the day comes to an end, Ann must decide whether to return to her royal duties or risk everything to be with Joe. In the end, she chooses duty over love and returns to her scheduled tour, but not before sharing a tender goodbye with Joe and leaving him with a bittersweet memory of their time together.