10 Binge-worthy Books About Royalty

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Can’t get enough of The Crown? Still swooning over Bridgerton? What about the classic tale of the ordinary girl who discovers she’s a princess?

If you love stories about royals, you’ll be delighted to know that there’s much more to discover outside of streaming services and Disney movies.

In this post, we’ve rounded up 10 great books about royalty, from dreamy romances to inspiring tales of loyalty and duty.

10 Books About Royalty

Here are 10 exciting fictional depictions of royalty, including both real and imagined families.

1. Victoria by Daisy Goodwin

Having read Queen Victoria’s diaries while studying at Cambridge, author Daisy Goodwin draws on those personal accounts to bring us the story of a young woman who went on to rule England for 63 years.

Less than a month after her 18th birthday, Alexandria Victoria awoke to the news that her uncle William IV had died, making her the Queen of England.

Despite her age, petite stature, and the doubts of England’s male leadership, Victoria has clear ideas of the type of queen she wants to be (and she starts by dropping “Alexandria.”)

Pressured to marry her first cousin Prince Albert, Victoria feels comfortable ruling with her prime minister, Lord Melbourne, the first person to take her seriously.

2. The Duke and I by Julia Quinn

What list of books about royalty would be complete without a nod to Bridgerton? In this first installment in Julia Quinn’s best-selling series, we meet Daphne Bridgerton, who conspires Simon Basset to fake their engagement.

Their deal will keep him out of the schemes of marriage-minded society mothers, and being engaged to a dashing duke will make Daphne more desirable in the eyes of other prospective suitors.

But as Daphne waltzes across the ballroom with Simon, she must constantly remind herself that heir relationship is a sham before she falls too hard for real.

3. The Royal We by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan

In this fun royal romance inspired by Prince William and Kate Middleton, American Bex Porter goes to Oxford seeking adventure.

There, she meets and falls in love with Nick, the boy across the hall—who also happens to be the heir to the British throne.

Nick is wonderful, but he comes with unimaginable baggage. And on the eve of the wedding of the century, Bex looks back on how much she’s had to give up for true love, and whose heart she may yet have to break.

4. Tokyo Ever After by Emiko Jean

Izumi “Izzy” Tanaka has never really felt like she fit in in her small, mostly white, northern California town. For most of her life, it’s been Izzy and her mom against the world.

But then she discovers her previously unknown father’s identity, Izzy discovers that he’s the Crown Prince of Japan, which makes Izzy a literal princess.

In a whirlwind, Izzy finds herself caught between two worlds, and she struggles to fit in either. As she faces conniving cousins, a vicious press, a brooding but handsome bodyguard, and thousands of years of traditions to learn practically overnight, will Izumi crack under the pressure or find her own happily ever after?

5. American Royals by Katharine McGee

Author Katharine McGee imagines an alternate history where, after winning the Revolutionary War, Americans offered George Washington a crown.

Today, the House of Washington still sits on the throne, and like most royal families, they have “an heir and a spare.”

Princess Beatrice, the heir, has always embraced her impending duty, but as she gets closer to becoming America’s first ruling queen, those duties suddenly feel stifling.

Meanwhile, nobody cares much what Princess Samantha is doing, except when she’s breaking the rules. And the only thing she cares about is the one boy who’s distinctly off-limits to her.

6. Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

When his mother was elected President, Alex Claremont-Diaz was quickly cast as the American equivalent of a young royal.

But Alex has a beef with an actual prince, Henry. When the tabloids get their hands on a photo of an Alex-Henry altercation, Henry is sent to England to stage a truce between the two.

What starts as a fake friendship grows deeper and more dangerous as Alex finds himself wrapped up in a secret romance with a surprisingly unstuffy Henry. Their relationship that could derail the damage control campaign and upend two nations, begging the question of whether love can save the world after all.

7. The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot

In this beloved YA classic that inspired the hit film, Mia Thermopolis discovers her father is the crown prince of Genovia—a small country between France and Italy—and that she is a princess.

Mia thought there was nothing worse than being a flat-chested, five-foot-nine freshman whose mom is dating her algebra teacher, but she finds her life gets much more complicated as she must learn all about royal and diplomatic duties.

What ensues is a hilarious and endearing account of a teen girl’s struggle to adapt to her new life and title… oh, and get a date to the Cultural Diversity Dance.

8. In Royal Service to the Queen by Tessa Arlen

For 16 years, Marion Crawford served as governess to Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret Rose. For 16 years she delayed her own marriage so as not to abandon the family.

When Princess Elizabeth falls in love with Prince Philip of Greece, few in her life see him as a suitable husband for a future queen.

“Crawfie,” however, wholeheartedly supports Elizabeth in her choice, for she too has fallen in love and convinced her fiancé, George, that they must wait for Elizabeth and Philip to receive the King’s blessing before she can leave her service to the Crown.

Over the next two years, Marion will be caught between her loyalty to Princess Elizabeth, the risk of alienating her royal employer, and losing the man she loves. And just around the corner is a betrayal that will sever her bond to the royal family forever.

9. The Royals Next Door by Karina Halle

Piper Evans is an elementary school teacher by day and avid romance reader and anonymous podcaster by night.

She’s quite happy with her quiet, reclusive life, until British royals rent the property next door and their brooding bodyguard decides she’s a security threat.

While a media frenzy takes over the island, each run-in with Harrison Cole is hotter and more confusing than the last, and Piper realizes that beneath Harrison’s no-nonsense exterior is a soft heart.

But when Piper finds herself in the middle of a royal scandal with careers, hearts, and friendships on the line, she’ll have to do a little rescuing herself.

10. The Selection by Kiera Cass

If you’re looking for a dystopian royal tale, add The Selection to your reading list. In the first book in Kiera Cass’s series, we’re introduced to the titular “Selection,” in which 35 girls are given the chance to escape a rigid caste system, live in a palace, and compete for the heart of the gorgeous Prince Maxon.

America Singer is one of the few who dreads being Selected. It would mean turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her, and competing for a crown she doesn’t even want.

But when America meets Prince Maxon, she realizes that the life she’s always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.

Reading About Royals

Most regular families have enough drama to fill a book. Imagine how much material royal families could inspire!

It’s no wonder why books about royalty are so popular. For more addictive reads, check out the best historical romances and epic family sagas that will keep you hooked from cover to cover.

Do you have a favorite book about royals? Tell us about it in the comments below!

 

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