It’s typical for a royal wedding to spark a rush of books on the engaged couple, but the April 29 wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton is allowing publishers to utilize the benefits of technology in ways not seen before. Hyperion has just released A Modern Fairy Tale: William, Kate, and Three Generations of Royal Love, an original enhanced e-book that contains text by novelist Jane Green, video from ABC’s archives, and dozens of photos. There is also an original video foreword by Barbara Walters.
Green, a British native who lives in the U.S., has written 12 bestselling novels, including The Beach House and The Other Woman. Her eight-chapter narrative covers William and Kate’s lives and relationship, as well as the relationships of Prince Charles, Princess Diana, Queen Elizabeth, and Prince Philip. More than 25 minutes of video are embedded in the e-book, including footage of the 1947 wedding of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, and of Lady Diana walking up the steps of St. Paul’s Cathedral in her wedding gown. There are 50 photos of the young couple and archival photography of past royal weddings, as well as a timeline highlighting important events in William and Kate’s lives leading up to their engagement.
The $7.99 enhanced e-book, produced by ABC News with video by Vook, is available now. It is also for sale as a $5.99 text- and photo-only version for e-readers that don’t support video. A free update will be available for download that will feature moments from the events of William and Kate’s wedding day.
