Laura and I have both been hopelessly obsessed with the British royal family for practically our whole lives. As such, we tend to seek out books with very royal characters in them. Below are just a few of our favorites – click the images for the reviews and the titles to add them to your Goodreads TBR pile!
Fiction
American Royals by Katharine McGee
What if George Washington had accepted the Continental Congress’ offer to become King? American Royals tells the story of America’s first family, the Washingtons, and images an alternate history of the US. It’s also a well written work of contemporary YA fiction and was enjoyed by Laura!
The Royal We & The Heir Affair by Heather Cocks & Jessica Morgan
What if Wills had married the American and not Harry? The Royal We and it’s sequel, The Heir Affair, starts as pretty clear royalist fanfic (the cover says it all) but quickly establishes itself as its own unique and original story. Nick, elder brother, his wife, Bex, and his little brother, Freddie, have clear partners in the real British royal family, but thankfully the authors do not tie them to the real royals decisions and realities.
The Runaway Royal by Lindsay Emory
I’ve featured this book on so many Bookish Tuesday lists at this point that I probably could have omitted it, but it really is one of my favorites. Our protagonist is a runaway princess who finds herself caught up in an international mystery. It’s great fun, and the perfect lighthearted read.
Royally Matched by Emma Chase
Our prince seeks princess. Enter reality television – this is a modern day prince after all. The main character here is named Sarah, so of course I also love it for that reason. Technically the second of Emma’s Royally series, it can absolutely be read as a standalone and is perfect for Prince Harry fangirls.
Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
While this wasn’t a huge favorite of mine, Laura enjoyed it as did some of my coworkers at the bookstore. First Son of the US meets Prince of the UK, love and shenanigans ensue. It holds some similarities to my own first son/UK princess story that I’ve worked on for a few years, so I’ll have to make some tweaks if I ever want to get it published!
City of Dark Magic by Magnus Flyte
Oh Prince Max, how you make me swoon. And another protagonist named Sarah! City of Dark Magic is one of my all time favorite books – it’s got royalty, music, Prague, political intrigue, time travel, magical realism, what more could you want?
The Montmaray Journals by Michelle Cooper
Laura and I both absolutely LOVE the Montmaray series – the story of a down and out royal family of one of the (fictional) Channel Islands, it’s set during WWII and is a great series about family, loyalty, service, and first love. It’s difficult to find in print these days, regardless of where you are in the world, but thankfully the eBooks are still readily available.
Royal Wedding by Meg Cabot
I loved the Princess Diaries series when I was in middle school – I thought Mia was amazing! And when the movies came out, I realized that despite the fact that they were nothing like the books, I enjoyed them immensely as well. This is the last in the series and while not my favorite, it does offer up a satisfying conclusion to Princess Mia of Genovia’s story.
Nonfiction
Ninety-Nine Glimpse of Princess Margaret by Craig Brown
Before Prince Harry, there was wild child Princess Margaret. Craig Brown’s “biography” of Margaret is part serious, part satire, and offers a compelling look into the turbulent life of Queen Elizabeth II’s younger sister.
The Crown: The Official Companion Volume 1 by Robert Lacey
As soon as the Netflix series The Crown was announced I began counting down the days to its premiere. And when a companion book detailing the full history behind each episode was promised, I couldn’t wait to read it. It’s a fitting companion, one of the best media companions I’ve read, and is very much worth looking into if the early days of Elizabeth’s reign interest you. There is a follow up volume for the second season and I’m hoping that there will be one for each season going forward.
Rejected Princesses by Jason Porath
This is one of my all-time favorite royal collection books. Jason was a Dreamworks animator prior to writing this book and he took his inspiration for it from a discussion with fellow animators about which royals would never have their own movie. It’s a great collection and Jason’s illustrations are an extra touch. Don’t be fooled, however, just because it’s illustrated, this is not a book for young children.
Princesses Behaving Badly by Linda Rodriguez McRobbie
This was my first royalist collection and I picked it up many years ago while browsing the 18+ miles of books at the Strand in NYC. I have always loved royal troublemakers (I adore Princess Margaret and Prince Harry) and this is a fun and gossipy collection of stories from many different centuries.
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