Historical Fiction and Novels with Royal Characters

[Russophile]

Elizabeth Adler's "Property of a Lady" wove the missing Alexi and Anastasia with the Yussopovs. Fun read.

 

[highpriestess]

"Desiree" by Selinko. It's still my favorite historical fiction based on real historical figures in the Napoleonic period.

 

[udyusa]

One of my favorites also! I love historical fiction!!!

 

[CasiraghiTrio]

In the books, her full name is Amelia Mignonette Grimaldi Thermopolis Renaldo. In the movie, they changed/shorted her name to Amelia Mignonette Thermopolis Renaldi. Maybe Disney didn't want to risk getting sued? The books are actually fairly accurate at depicting royal titles, inheritance, protocol, etc. The movie Disney-fied everything and made no sense at all, but probably made it more understandable to their intended audience.

Yeah, I see what you mean. They had to mainstream it. How Pointless of them to worry about a lawsuit though. What did they think Prince Albert could do? Sue them for using his name, like the Grimaldi name is exclusive only to his family? It's not. Can anyone actually hold a trademark on a surname anyway?

 

[candygirl_68]

"Desiree" by Selinko. It's still my favorite historical fiction based on real historical figures in the Napoleonic period.

oh no! you preceded me!i was going to write it...
i recommend this book to everyone, it's a great lecture, wonderful!

 

[Attaining Grace]

There are tons of historical novels by Jean Plaidy, Margaret Irwin and Anya Seton about kings and queens. Norah Lofts is another good author.

 

[GlitteringTiaras]

In the books, her full name is Amelia Mignonette Grimaldi Thermopolis Renaldo. In the movie, they changed/shorted her name to Amelia Mignonette Thermopolis Renaldi. Maybe Disney didn't want to risk getting sued? The books are actually fairly accurate at depicting royal titles, inheritance, protocol, etc. The movie Disney-fied everything and made no sense at all, but probably made it more understandable to their intended audience.

I've always wondered about the PD series. The book was first published in 2000, but Jazmin wasn't known to the majority of the public until 2006. Sure there were vague rumors circulating amongst royal watchers, but what are the chances of American author, Meg Cabot, knowing about the story of Jazmin, her Mom, and Albert?

 

[Leslie2006]

Danielle Steel's latest novel focuses on a modern-day princess. HRH centers around 22-year-old Christianna, Princess of Leichtenstein. She is the only daughter and second child of HRH Prince Hans and his late wife, a Bourbon princess. Christianna joins the Doctors Without Borders shortly after graduating from Berkley University in the States. Her brother, HSH Prince Frederick, whom she calls Freddie, is heir to Leichtenstein's grand ducal throne, due to salic law that bars all women from the succession. A car accident changes Christianna's life forever, and that of her American boyfriend, Parker.

The book ins't all that great---not enough detail. But the plot is a good one.

 

[Jo of Palatine]

Moon Princess and Sun Princess?

As a child I read an old fairy tale about an Asian/Arab Prince who had seven wives who all had their own palaces and he visited each of them on a special day of the week. Each princess had her own colour in which her palace was decorated and in which she dressed, she had the suiting colouring and she came from a different culture. One from Japan, the other from Persia, one from Egypt, one from Turkey, one from China and one from India - can't remember where the seventh came from. Each received the prince in a different way according to her culure and they spent their time together due to her background. It was a wonderful book and I found it interesting that while each princess was special, all were ranked equally and respected and loved for their being different to the others.

I thought about that when I read what prince Frederick had said about meeting Mary in the interviews fro the new book about him:

"If you had to visualise it, it was like a summer landscape in moonlight. Still water in a pond - evocative - there is a surface, but also depth. Harmony and tranquility and lots of kindness and beauty. It's like describing a landscape bathed in moonlight. That's how I remember her from the first meeting".

So Mary is the moon princess: beautiful and serene. And Marie is the sun princess: vivid and sparkling.

What do you thinbk? Does that fit?

 

[alex001]

I think it does - what a nice way to describe someone!

 

[KikkiB]

Book recommandations - royalty

"On Royalty" by Jeremy Paxman, is a satirical and funny book on royalty. Having just read a few chapters yet, I look farward to read more. And when I have done that, I'll come back and write some more...

It is sort of a "recipe" book on how to become royal, dos and don'ts and real life examples.

Some of the chapters;
1. First, find a throne.
2. Next, produce an heir.
3. Learning to be regal.
4. Now find a consort.

I wonder if this book is curriculum at the princess school If not perhaps it should...


Amazon.co.uk: On Royalty: Jeremy Paxman: Books

 

[Alastair_r]

Royals in childrens books

Apart from the princess diaries are there any other children's books with royals in them ? X

 

[colynsmomma]

What is the story about. I have not read it.

 

[madeleine victoria]

Everytime I'm in the bookstore, I always look for royalty or fictional royalty books. I haven't seen this book. Was this book set in the modern-day royalty?

 

[HMTLove23]

Everytime I'm in the bookstore, I always look for royalty or fictional royalty books. I haven't seen this book. Was this book set in the modern-day royalty?

I found it in the Library in 2007. It is set in Modern-day Time.

What is the story about. I have not read it.

In a novel where ancient traditions conflict with reality and the pressures of modern life, a young European princess proves that simplicity, courage, and dignity win the day and forever alter her world.

In blue jeans and a pullover, Princess Christianna is a young woman of her times: born in Europe, educated in America, worried about the future of the world she lives in, responsible beyond her years. Christianna is the only daughter of the Reigning Prince of a European nation that takes its royalty seriously - and her father has ironclad plans for Christianna's life, a burden that is almost unbearable.

Now, after four years at Berkeley, life in her father's palace cannot distract Christianna from what she sees outside the kingdom - the suffering of children, the ravages of terrorism and disease. Determined to make a difference in the world, she persuades His Royal Highness, her father, to let her volunteer for the Red Cross in East Africa. And for Christianna, a journey of discovery, change, and awakening begins.

Under a searing East African sun, Christianna plunges into the dusty, bustling life of an international relief camp, finding a passion and a calling among the brave doctors and volunteers. Finally free from the scrutiny of her royal life, Christianna struggles to keep her identity a secret from her new friends and coworkers - even from Parker Williams, the young doctor from Doctors Without Borders who works alongside Christianna and shares her dedication to healing. But as violence approaches and invades the camp, and the pressures of her royal life beckon her home, Christianna's struggle for freedom takes an extraordinary turn. By a simple twist of fate, in one shocking moment, Christianna's life is changed forever - in ways she never could have foreseen.

From the splendor of a prince's palace to the chaos of war-torn nations, Danielle Steel takes us into fascinating new worlds. Filled with unforgettable images and a remarkable cast of characters, H.R.H. is a novel of the conflict between old and new worlds, responsibility versus freedom, and duty versus love.

 

[Skydragon]

"The Princess and the President" - Valery Giscard d'Estaing, 2009

Former French president Valery Giscard d'Estaing has written a novel about a passionate affair between two characters based on him and Princess Diana. The extraordinary book has caused a sensation in France, with many believing that the 83-year-old really was one of Diana’s lovers.

Read more: Diana had 'passionate affair' with the former president of France | Mail Online


​

 

[Nico]

The same news in the french press. The "Figaro" is usualy a very serious source ...

Le Figaro - Politique : Les amours romanesques de la princesse et du président

I really hope it's a bad joke.

 

[Skydragon]

"I kissed her hand and she gave me a questioning look, her slate-grey eyes widening as she tilted her head gently forward."
"I stood up and pushed back my chair to allow the Princess of Cardiff to sit down. She thanked me with one of those oblique looks that revealed all her charm.

Extracts: Valery Giscard d'Estaing's The Princess and the President - Telegraph

To be published next month, Giscard's "The Princess and the President" recounts the secret and passionate love of a French leader and a Welsh Princess.
President Jacques-Henri Lambertye and Princess Patricia of Cardiff meet at the closing dinner of a G7 summit at a time when the young British royal has been left miserable by her husband's adultery.


Valery Giscard d'Estaing novel hints at affair with Princess Diana - Telegraph
-----------------------------
An old mans fantasies!

 

[TheTruth]

*Chokes on her coffee* Now that's just hilarious . I think "fantasy" is the key word for this story…

http://www.20minutes.fr/article/349...y-Di-la-presse-britannique-mene-l-enquete.php

 

[susan alicia]

Diana had 'passionate affair' with the former president of France | Mail Online

a gentleman does not tell, what a

 

[iowabelle]

I can't imagine that if Diana and the French president had been having an affair that some servant wouldn't have spilled the beans. If it had happened during Burrell or Ken Wharfe's times, we already would have known.

 

[altagrace]

I read about this novel coming out. "La princesse et le president; President Jacques-Henri Lambertye and Princess Patricia of Cardiff..."
First of all it's a novel, it's fiction, so the author can write whatever he/she wants.
I agree that VGE and Diana as an item is highly improbable.

It is amazing to me that everybody assumes the author meant Diana. Too easy, too obvious!
I think we need to look further: How about Giscard and Princess Margaret? Think about it: In the days Giscard was president- 1974-1981, P. Margaret was just separated-divorced and yes, very unhappy.
Now THAT has potential doesn't it!

Just speculating! and smiling!!

 

[Katrianna]

Just another person trying to make money off of Diana.

 

[TheTruth]

I read about this novel coming out. "La princesse et le president; President Jacques-Henri Lambertye and Princess Patricia of Cardiff..."
First of all it's a novel, it's fiction, so the author can write whatever he/she wants.
I agree that VGE and Diana as an item is highly improbable.

It is amazing to me that everybody assumes the author meant Diana. Too easy, too obvious!
I think we need to look further: How about Giscard and Princess Margaret? Think about it: In the days Giscard was president- 1974-1981, P. Margaret was just separated-divorced and yes, very unhappy.
Now THAT has potential doesn't it!

Just speculating! and smiling!!

That would make a great story indeed!

I totally agree on the speculative part - there's absolutely no genuine proof we can rely on to affirm that these two people are without a doubt VGE and Diana.

However, I think the author had a wonderful time concocting this little fiction, slipping in details and allusions.
President Jacques-Henri Lambertye: composed name, just like VGE and we didn't have many president with long names.

Princess Patricia of Cardiff: Now, this one is quite obvious I believe. "Patricia" is a name with "a" and "i", just like in Diana. The fact he chose the title of "Princess" rather than Duchess or Countess and even more evidently, he took the city of Cardiff, capital of Wales… (of all places!)
Finally, she's being nicknamed 'Pat' on various occasions in the book… Wonder if it has anything to do with people calling Diana, 'Princess Di', especially in France.

Now I'm really trying to think "coincidence" here!

I guess VGE was bored of only existing in the mind of people like a President who did quite a few wrong things during his term and who's now at the Constitutional Council, deciding on issues that the average French doesn't even care about… He just wants his little fame shot.

 

[Lighthouse]

pray tell it's not true!

 

[TheTruth]

Giscard says he invented the facts.

Le Figaro - Politique : Giscard sur Lady Di : «J'ai inventé les faits»

With Google Translator (quite a bad translation but you can decipher the essential info):
Google Traduction

 

[Nico]

Giscard says he invented the facts

Well not a big surprise! I'm not sure it's particulary tastefull from a former head of state to first fantasize like this about a woman dead 12 years ago and second to play with the memory of Diana,a very sensitive point as we all know. The whole story is just gross.

 

[Mermaid1962]

I wish my French were better, TheTruth. The Google link isn't working for me.

Giscard says he invented the facts.

Le Figaro - Politique : Giscard sur Lady Di : «J'ai inventé les faits»

With Google Translator (quite a bad translation but you can decipher the essential info):
Google Traduction

 

[queenofthelight]

Here is a cover of the new Paris Match, Princess Diana on it: Paris Match, 3149, Lady Di et Valéry Giscard d'Estaing

 

[TheTruth]

I wish my French were better, TheTruth. The Google link isn't working for me.

No worries Here's to catch up: "I invented princess love story": France's Giscard - Yahoo! News

I believe it's obvious he invented it - Diana was cured of going out with older men after her rather erratic relationship with Charles.
In 1984, during the first problems in the royal couple, VGE was already 58 *gasps!*

It's however very possible that the two shared long conversations and got along well. I would tend to look more into a genuine fatherly concern than any lovestory.