The Princess (Royal Outsiders, #3) by Wendy Holden
The Princess (Royal Outsiders, #3) by Wendy Holden
Publisher: Berkley
Genre: Historical Fiction, Women's Fiction
Format: Kindle
No. of Pages: 412
Date of US Publication: 1 August, 2023
My Rating: 4 Stars
My Thoughts
I started this, intending to read a chapter or two at the most. Imagine my surprise then that The Princess pulled me in immediately and I didn't notice the change of chapters until I was on chapter - it’s highly readable.
As a child at the time of the wedding of Charles and Diana, I’m now middle aged and what struck me as magic and a fairy tale at the age of 8, now just hits me as unfortunate and sad.
Diana is a child when she meets Charles and, after her traumatic childhood she is in love with love and the concept of “happily ever after”. She falls for the then Prince of Wales and, being so young, is easily manipulated into the fairy tale she’s desperate for. Charles, of course, is a real person with his own experiences and feelings and due to the Firm and how things are done, is forced into a marriage with a “proper” candidate. The failure of this relationship is not a surprise when you consider the factors. It’s unfortunate for all involved. I’m thankful that marrying for love now is the norm for royals.
What comes along with a relationship with a future monarch must be almost impossible - I’m always impressed with the Princesses of Wales, Catherine and, before her, Camilla. Both women put up with constant and often unflattering press. Most people could not accept this and deal with it gracefully.
Historical fiction within my lifetime can be pretty fascinating and this one definitely is; I found The Princess to be engaging and consuming. Be prepared to lose time to this one, if it pulls you in as easily as it did me.
Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for the DRC!
Description
The whole world saw Princess Diana step from a gilded carriage for her wedding at St. Paul’s Cathedral. But before that fairy-tale moment came a dark and difficult journey.…
Bestselling author Wendy Holden explores the astonishing backstory and young adulthood of the ultimate royal celebrity.
Britain, 1961: A beautiful blonde baby is born to Viscount Althorp, heir to the Spencer earldom. But Diana grows up amid the fallout of her parents’ messy divorce. She struggles at school. Her refuge throughout is romantic novels. She dreams of falling in love and being rescued by a handsome prince.
In royal circles, there is concern about the Prince of Wales. Charles is nearing thirty and the right girl needs to be found, fast. She must be young, aristocratic and completely free of past liaisons. Pure and innocent.
Eighteen-year-old Diana Spencer is just about the only candidate. Her yearning to be loved dovetails with royal desperation for a bride. But the route to the altar is perilous. There are hidden dangers. Ruthless schemers. Can Diana’s romantic dream survive?
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