Books About Royalty: 15 Royal Reads
A collection of books about royalty for those who can’t get enough of the British royal family!
Did you watch in awe when Will and Kate got married? Do you follow along with all the news about Harry and Meghan? Or do you simply long to get whisked away by a foreign prince. If yes, these books about royalty will be perfect for you!!
This list of royal reads is a mix of books that are loosely based on real life royalty and books that create their own royal families. A few are inspired by the British royal family. Some imagine an American monarchy. All will fulfill your desire to read about kings, queens, princes, and princesses! Get your fill of royal reads now!
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Royal Reads: Books About Royalty
Books About Royalty Based on Real Life
- Victoria by Daisy Goodwin
- The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory
- The Heir and the Spare by Emily Albright
- The Royal We by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan
- The Heir Affair by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan
- The Royals Next Door by Karina Halle
Victoria by Daisy Goodwin
Kicking off this list of books about royalty is a historical fiction option. Goodwin uses Queen Victoria’s own diaries as inspiration for this novel.
At 18 years old, Victoria was unexpectedly thrust into her role as Queen. Right from the start she made it clear she would be a strong ruler. Read this fictionalized version of Victoria’s life as a monarch and her iconic relationship with Prince Albert.
The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory
This was my first Gregory and it’s still an all-time favorite read!! Anne and Mary Boleyn are sisters who turn up at King Henry VIII’s court. Mary catches the King’s eye, but Anne is more ambitious. As Mary realizes her life is just a pawn in her family’s schemes, she starts to make decisions for herself and the future she wants.
Gregory is the queen of historical fiction books about royalty! You can dive into any of her novels and you’re guaranteed to be enthralled.
The Heir and the Spare by Emily Albright
First up in the books about royalty section based on the current British royalty is The Heir and the Spare. Evie finds herself enrolled at Oxford University courtesy of her late mother and she’s planning to make the most of her time there.
Until she falls in love with Edmund, who turns out to be second in line to the throne of England. As they navigate the expectations and responsibilities together, they also learn that Evie’s mom was hiding a secret of her own.
The Royal We by Heather Cocks & Jessica Morgan
This is a must-read if you love Will and Kate! The Royal We is very heavily based on their relationship and it’s a delight for fans of British royalty. In this romance, Bex is an American who meets Nick at Oxford and finds out he’s the heir to the throne. She’s head over heels, but his demanding family, royal responsibilities, and the expectations of the British people may be too much for her to handle.
The Heir Affair by Heather Cocks & Jessica Morgan
In the sequel to The Royal We, readers are brought back into the lives of Bex and Nick! I won’t share too much about this one, in case you haven’t read The Royal We and don’t want any spoilers. Based on how much I loved the first book though, I’m sure this will be a hit!
The Royals Next Door by Karina Halle
With two characters that loosely resemble Harry and Meghan, this addition to the list of royal reads is perfect for fans of that couple! The younger heir to the throne and his bride are moving to a remote location, which just happens to be right next door to Piper, local elementary school teacher.
One day as she’s returning home from work, she’s accosted by an abrasive, but undoubtedly hot, security guard. As life on the island completely unravels due to the royal presence, Piper just can’t seem to stop having run-ins with their guard.
Books About Royalty: Imaginary Royal Families
- The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang
- American Royals by Katharine McGee
- Majesty by Katharine McGee
- The Selection by Keira Cass
- The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot
- A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas
- The Royal Treatment by Melanie Summers
- Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
- Prince Charming by Rachel Hawkins
The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang
Prince Sebastian is hiding a secret. While his family searches for his bride during the day, he dresses up as Lady Crystallia at night. In this alter ego, he dazzles Paris as a beloved fashion icon. Sebastian’s best friend, Frances, creates his dresses for him. But, since she keeps his secret, she can’t reveal herself as the talent behind these designs. This graphic novel tells a unique tale that is meaningful for all ages.
American Royals by Katharine McGee
This recent royal reads release was a smash hit!! I gobbled it up in just a few days. This novel reimagines America with a royal family. After George Washington won the Revolutionary War, he was crowned King and his descendants have ruled ever since! The current family includes siblings, Beatrice, Jefferson, and Samantha. There’s loads of drama, intrigue, love, and heartbreak.
Majesty by Katharine McGee
A rare sequel that lives up to the original! The story of the American royal family continues right where the cliffhanger left off. Just as in the first book, the story is told through the eyes of all the key characters. I loved how this ended the duology, with just enough detail to wrap up most of the plot while leaving a few items open to the imagination.
The Selection by Keira Cass
This dystopian YA novel is the first in a thrilling five book series!! In The Selection, 35 girls compete to win the heart of Prince Maxon. But, for America Singer, being Selected is the opposite of what she wants. She’s already given her heart to a boy in a caste below her. Nothing in the palace is what she expected though, including the Prince.
The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot
I completely fell in love this series as a young girl. What nerdy kid doesn’t dream of finding out she’s secretly a princess?? Mia is given quite a shock when her grandmother tells her she’s in line to rule Genovia. Unfortunately, she has bigger problems…like failing math and wondering when she’ll get her first kiss! Now, she’s adding princess lessons on top of all the usual teenage struggles.
This whole series is so sweet and is worth reading over and over, even as an adult 🙂
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas
Another YA series that I absolutely blitzed through. I think I’ve yet to meet a trilogy that I read as fast as these books, which is why it’s also on my list of popular books that live up the hype. Feyre is a human living on the edge of the Faerie world, trying desperately to feed her family and keep them together. When she’s captured and taken over the border, she discovers her captor might not be as awful as imagined.
The Royal Treatment by Melanie Summers
The kingdom of Avonia is about to kick it’s monarchy off the throne. Prince Arthur must not only win over the kingdom, but also a reporter who’s hatred for the royal family runs deep. When the two are forced to spend time together, will it end in disaster or something else?
Red White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
One of my royal reads with an LGBTQ twist! The son of America’s president is feuding with the Prince of Wales and the tabloids are ready to dish out the gossip. When they’re forced by their families to make nice, their fake friendship starts to grow into something more. I have yet to read this but I’ve heard amazing reviews so it’s high on my list!
Prince Charming by Rachel Hawkins
Daisy Winters is living a normal teenage life in Florida – except her sister is engaged to the Crown Prince of Scotland. As the wedding approaches, she’s forced to learn the ropes of being royal from the Prince’s younger brother. Will she go along with the rules or do things her own way?
Have you come across any royal reads that are missing from this list? Which books about royalty are your favorite?
I do love the British Family… and English history in general. I hadn’t heard of a few of these, so thanks! Also, I love the pin design at the end, it looks really polished =)
Aw that’s the best compliment! I usually don’t love my pin images, but I was pretty pleased with this one!!
RIP my TBR! 😀 I just added several of these to my list. I have no fascination with real-life royalty, but I seriously enjoy reading stories about faux royalty. American Royals was SO SO SO good; I can’t wait until the sequel!!! What a fun post. 🙂
I love when someone wrecks their TBR with my book lists 🙂 I’m probably with you that I’d rather read about faux royalty. I did love The Royal We but my other favorites are in the second section!
What a great list – I absolutely love books about royalty!
I love this sub-genre! Just finished The Heir Affair and enjoyed being back in that royal world, so now I’m anticipating the Royal We sequel even more. The Heir and the Spare sounds like a fun option to satisfy my craving while I wait. Thanks for the suggestion!
I love this sub-genre, too! I’ve read all the ones on this list that aren’t historical fiction lol. I might have a favorite romance trope. Alyssa Cole’s Reluctant Royals series (and the spin-off Runaway Royals) are also fantastic fake-royal family romances!