i enjoyed Princess Diaries, The Prince and Me and a few other royal romance stories, but i have never really focussed a lot of attention on it. To be honest, i didn’t realise just how MANY of these types of stories were out there… but now I do. i went through and read just a few and found out that i actually kind of like them… here are just a few reviews of recent royal romance reads!
Interesting premise and characters BUT too many plots. No main plot with sub plots, just five smaller plots all happening at once that are all interconnected. Following three royal kids with two outsiders that have other outsiders connected to those was exhausting. Everyone loves someone they can’t be with because of “family” or “expectations” or “crossed lovers syndrome”. Frustrating and heart twisting (not in a good way) all I got was aggravated and YET I still liked it. I still found the characters and idea of an American royal family engaging.
Predictable but enjoyable. Pretty good, and not an Insta love story which is great. Spanned over time in a more realistic timeline. Relatable main character (Suzanna, not the prince) and I liked the spunk and sweet moments. Not sure why we had a “crazy” homeless woman who was spiritually discerning… made that look like it was only done by loonies, which it isn’t. Apart from that, nice faith themes spread throughout.
Such a great love story. Haven’t read the first book, but It didn’t matter. Backstory was explained without feeling info dumpy.
Ekon’s character was frustrating to watch but well done and I liked how his journey felt true to the character, but also viewed the idea of change.
Iris was great. Empaths are not always explored well or written well, but I thought it was handled very well. Her story was also nice to watch unfold.
The romance was nice. It didn’t feel too forced, though I will admit the Insta love thing is not really my favourite and there was a small amount of that here.
I liked how God and Faith were woven in. I also liked seeing some of the cultural things as well.
Really good read, and I would recommend this romance book for sure.
Really cute story with lovely faith elements that weren’t too overpowering. Relationship dynamics were great, with any issues and miscommunication dealt with quickly and in a satisfying way. Romance was childhood friends to lovers which was great.
Just such an amazing read. Hilarious, heartwarming and a truly beautiful story. The characters were really funny, and what The Princess Diaries books lacked for me, this one picked up the pieces and even added to them. The Tokyo traditions and culture was a really great addition to this story, and I enjoyed the way the plot flowed. Nothing particularly unique in terms of plot, but the way that it was framed with characters and setting made it still a really great story and journey to go on with all our characters.
With so very many recent projects from the ex-prince (sort of) and actor, it seemed a good time to hear about Harry and Meghan from not only their side of things, but the other side.
I’m hoping to get a good and varied picture of everything, WITHOUT reading Spare (I’d really rather not read about Harry’s first time, todger or kill count thank you!). I’ve picked two books, but first let me share my basic knowledge going into this endeavour.
My Background Knowledge
I’ve never been particularly interested in the royal family. They were there, I respect them well enough and don’t see any reason to ditch them or keep them – I’ve been pretty apathetic. The only exception was the lovely late Queen. I really liked her.
So when it came to finding out about Harry finally settling down with someone in a serious capacity (I had seen and heard random things about him over the years but mostly, didn’t engage), I was actually happy to recognise who he was going to marry. I was a fan of Suits since the start, and thought that Racheal Zane was a good character. I’m also not a “celebrity mad” person – so even though I will look into actor and musician personal lives occasionally, for the most part it is a surface peruse.
Along their journey, I was on the side of giving them both the benefit of the doubt. Media coverage can often be unfair, and one sided – particularly when encouraged not to respond – but that doesn’t mean it’s ALL lies, all of the time. However, I wanted to be fair because I don’t personally know the couple. With the recent Netflix docuseries and book release however, I delved a little deeper into the Harry and Meghan of it all, with some occasional side stepping to Will and Kate (I hope they don’t mind my familiar use of their names… though I doubt they would ever read this anyway).
After being exposed to several royal commentators, and looking up information on my own, my opinion started to turn from benefit of the doubt, to being doubtful that the pair actually understood reality, vs the ‘woke’ and new idea of ‘my truth’ (an utterly ridiculous way of describing someone’s perception of reality and their personal experiences rather than the objective and factual one stream reality that actually exists… sorry if you don’t agree but there it is). I saw a wounded man who hadn’t moved past trauma from boyhood, and who was now projecting that onto his wife. I also saw a woman who clearly knew how to move things on the chessboard, and hide her real feelings and motives. BUT, ever the balanced side of the story fan, I wanted to give them another chance to see what I thought may be exaggerated against them (and also for them). So, here we go – two books that I think cover both sides of the coin, the Love Them, and the Hate Them.
Revenge – The “Hate Them” Side
Wow. Boy this was long, and that was without the addition to add some of the new things that have happened with the Sussex’s.
The Writing – This was a well rounded, and researched book. It seemed to me that the author did a good job of trying to get all the facts, and pick up on all the consistencies and inconsistencies. Backing up someone’s claim with at least one person to confirm, or documents as well is the way to make sure your claims and content is believable and solid. It was easy to read (or listen, as my case was) and covered pretty much everything!
The Content – You could tell the side of the fence that Tom Bower is on, but even so, he gave a voice to the other side of the claims and that was really great. Even though it was pointed out and researched when the other side (Harry and Meghan) had inconsistencies in their stories, vague answers that were less proof and more mud slinging, and proved lies, he still noted these things down in fair course. Would this be something H&M would like to see out in the world? Nope. Does it make more sense than the other things they tend to say (including the contradictions)? Yeah. After reading this, Tom’s observations and reporting gave me this final impression:
The Outcome – I heard a story that you would want to be a fairytale of love and finding your “person” but instead it seems like a manipulation and attempt at coercive control. That’s a huge claim, but let’s look at the signs of this: Isolate from support system (check); Denying freedom and autonomy (check – the paps are “everywhere” Harry); Monitor your activity (wouldn’t be surprised); Gaslighting (check as far as I can see); Name calling and criticism (based on the bullying allegations – which I believe – I wouldn’t be surprised, but we can’t prove it); turning your children against you (check, using them as a weapon to get what she wanted); making jealous accusations about time family (check); and a few more…. I think it qualifies.
Unfortunately my days of giving them the benefit are very much done. Too many things have been proven false, or given as such a vague statement which could never be verrified – and shame on the interviewers for NOT following up on these ridiculous moments… what has happened to journalists? I feel that if Tom was allowed to speak with them for an interview (something that would NEVER be allowed on any planet where H&M want to control all the narratives and blindly think they are actually fooling the world – they must think we’re all pretty dumb) he would dig down on these vague statements and ask for clarification.
If H&M really want to tell their “side” of the story, they would stop hiding behind statements like “They didn’t protect us” and instead show us examples, specifics and really explain what this means rather than give the blanket statement. Show us a moment in your life where this was the case… then maybe we’ll believe you. Maybe.
Finding Freedom – The “Love Them” Side
Okay, so as with the previous book I listened to the audio version – with something that I hold only a passing interest in, it certainly made the process easier. I don’t know if it’s my royal commentary watching or having read the “hate them” side before this one, but I did happen to walk into this story with a certain opinion already held.. with that said let’s look at the book itself:
The Writing – Different to Revenge, this book had little to no direct quotes from people that have direct information or knowledge of events. Most of it is written as a biographical style, without any actual provision of evidence that the things discussed really took place.
The Content – It was hugely obvious which side of the aisle these writers were on! Where the previous book gave both potential sides to the story, though the ending claimed Finding Freedom did the same, there was little evidence of this that I noted. Also, with the author Scobie having read the audiobook, it was CLEAR when he was excited about something and when he wasn’t. His tone immediately went down and solemn when discussing Samantha Markle, for example. It did not appear well rounded or researched, and instead felt very much like a LOVE letter to Meghan – leaving Harry quite often in the dust behind the royal family’s “new bright shining star”. The fact that it was even posited that the royal family was concerned that H&M were going to outshine the rest of the family was ludicrous.
The Outcome – The constant name dropping, jumping timelines that felt jerky and out of place, and poor Harry looking more deer in headlights than prince, it was a huge disappointment. The attempt at showing racism (without any direct proof) and virtue signalling (did you KNOW that they watched Moana and The Lion King…) this book is very clearly in the camp of H&M are saints, and the rest of the family and sinners.
The fact that in Chapter 14 and onwards, the authors insist Meghan showed respect for the institution was laughable (literally, I laughed out loud at the hypocrisy). While Meghan gets the credit for basically ANYTHING good that happened in anyone’s life around her (eg. her Dad winning the lottery because it was HER birthday that got the ticket… hello conceited), everyone else gets the credit for all the bad stuff. Not for one minute do I believe that Meghan holds God as important in her life – as evidence from the fruit she has displayed… caught out lying on so very many occasions, and not showing compassion or kindness to staff… yeah that’s not what being a Christian should look like.
Finally, the title and theme of this book made absolutely no sense. It was supposed to be about the couple finding “freedom” but the entire book was essentially the “happy” story of them falling in love and being married, having a kid etc. There was no build up to the event where they decided to leave. No thread throughout that pushed us to the point where we felt relieved when they finally left. Nothing that really made us as the audience feel glad for them when they finally made the choice. Instead it came out of nowhere, and felt just as much a slap in the face as the actual announcement did.
My Thoughts
Okay, so overall how do I feel now after reading both sides of the story (minus of course, reading Spare.. because that’s something I just won’t do)?
I went into this with an opinion that H&M are fame hungry and not particularly considerate people. Willing to step over anyone and anything in their quest to not only appear as the victims, but also as the heroes. Now, I leave feeling pretty much the same way – if not more so. They have not shown me any evidence in their ACTIONS that proves what they claim. It isn’t just the words, the narrative and the stories/images you want to weave. It’s the proof in the pudding… it’s showing people that you have the gumption to follow up on what you claim even when you have nothing to gain.
So, while I don’t have firsthand knowledge on their lives or their situation, I can safely say that my opinion on the couple will not improve until they have demonstrated that instead of victim, they want to actually contribute to society in a positive way. Shouting at people to control their implicit bias and telling us we’re bad people, all the while saying that they can help us out of the muck… that isn’t inspiring. It’s insulting.
I think Harry and Meghan have a long ways to go if they want to gain back the trust of the rest of the world!
*I don’t want to get sued, so just to confirm ALL the points made are my personal opinions and are in no way intended to portray actual facts… as I don’t have any personal connections that would provide proof of anything, in any way… okay great
I LOVED this movie, and I still do… but when I found out it was first a book, I had to add it to the Book Vs Movie pile!
Estimated Reading Time: 6min
I have a confession. I am secretly the Princess of Genovia…Okay, no. That’s Mia Thermopolis. But after finally reading The Princess Diaries and comparing it to the Anne Hathaway and Julie Andrews movie, I discovered there were far more differences than I expected.
In fact, one of the first things that surprised me was that the movie doesn’t just adapt the first book. It actually pulls material from multiple books in the series. I reached what felt like the middle of the movie and realised I had already reached the end of Book One. So let’s talk about the changes.
As always, spoilers ahead.
The Book Is Actually a Diary
This sounds obvious, but it’s something I never really thought about until I picked up the novel. The Princess Diaries is literally written as Mia’s diary. Every entry comes directly from her perspective. Some days have multiple entries, some days are skipped, and the entire story unfolds through her personal thoughts. As someone who read quite a few diary-format books as a teenager, I actually enjoyed this style. It also makes the title make a lot more sense.
In the movie, the diary itself isn’t a huge part of the story. Outside of a few moments, including the ending, it almost fades into the background. In the book, it’s the entire framework.
Mia’s Dad Is Alive
One of the biggest changes is Mia’s father. In the movie, he’s already passed away before the story begins. In the book, he’s very much alive. The reason Mia becomes heir to Genovia isn’t because her father died. It’s because he has recently undergone cancer treatment and can no longer have children. That means Mia is the only heir. It completely changes the dynamic. Unfortunately, it also introduces a character I didn’t particularly enjoy. Mia’s father is stiff, snobbish, and deeply entrenched in royal life. While I appreciated seeing another side of the story, I definitely preferred the movie’s approach.
The Grandmother Is Nothing Like Julie Andrews
I need to talk about Grandmère. Because wow. The movie version played by Julie Andrews is elegant, strict, and occasionally intimidating, but she’s still charming. The book version? Not so much.
She mostly speaks French, expects Mia to speak French, insists on being addressed a certain way, and generally treats everyone around her as though their feelings are an inconvenience. She isn’t elegant. She’s entitled. And honestly, she was one of the most frustrating characters in the entire book. The movie took a difficult character and transformed her into someone audiences could actually enjoy spending time with. That was a very good decision.
Where Was Joe?
One of my favourite characters in the movie is Joe. His friendship with Clarisse adds so much warmth and humour to the story. So imagine my disappointment when I discovered he doesn’t exist in the book. Instead, there is a driver and bodyguard named Lars. Lars does his job. That’s about it. He lacks the personality, humour, and charm that Joe brings to the film. I missed Joe the entire time I was reading.
The Book Introduces an Important Character
One of the biggest additions in the novel is Tina. She’s the daughter of an extremely wealthy man and constantly has a bodyguard with her. Because of that, most students think she’s strange and avoid her. When Mia learns she’s a princess and suddenly has security around her as well, Tina becomes one of the few people who understands what she’s going through.
I actually loved this part of the book. Tina was kind, supportive, and brought an interesting perspective to the story. I understand why the movie simplified the cast, but Tina is one character I genuinely missed.
Being Called a Freak Matters More
The movie briefly touches on the idea that Mia is considered weird. The book explores it much more deeply. Characters like Tina help establish why being labelled a freak feels so devastating in that school environment. It’s not just a throwaway insult. It’s a social identity. The book spends more time examining how teenagers treat people who don’t fit in, and it adds another layer to Mia’s struggles.
The Supporting Characters Were Very Different
Several characters received expanded roles in the book. Mia’s teacher spends more time in the story. Lily is significantly more unforgiving. Michael and Lily are both portrayed as exceptionally intelligent. Josh is still terrible. In fact, Josh might somehow be worse. The book also spends more time exploring some of the less appealing aspects of his personality, making his actions feel even more selfish. The overall result is that many of the supporting characters feel rougher around the edges than they do in the movie.
The Makeover Isn’t What You Remember
One of the most iconic scenes in the movie is Mia’s makeover. The dramatic hair transformation is unforgettable. In the book? Not quite. Instead of transforming her hair into the sleek style from the movie, they simply cut it very short. She ends up with something much closer to a pixie cut than the glamorous movie makeover audiences remember. As a result, the scene doesn’t have quite the same impact.
The Movie Made Everyone More Likeable
A theme kept appearing while I was reading. The movie made almost everyone nicer. Mia remained likeable in both versions, but many of the people around her were far harder to enjoy in the book. Her father was less sympathetic. Her grandmother was significantly worse. Lily held grudges longer. Several relationships felt harsher and less forgiving. Meanwhile, the movie softened many of those rough edges without losing the core story.
Book vs Movie: Which Was Better?
For me, the movie wins. There were elements of the book that I enjoyed, particularly the diary format and the addition of characters like Tina. But overall, the film made smarter choices. The relationship between Mia and Clarisse worked better. Joe’s addition was fantastic. The decision to make the grandmother elegant rather than unbearable was a huge improvement.
And most importantly, the characters were simply more enjoyable to spend time with. I still liked Mia in the book. I just didn’t like many of the people around her. The movie fixed that.
Have you read The Princess Diaries or only seen the movie? Which version did you prefer?
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