After 18 bestselling books, two hit Disney movies, and 15 years, Meg Cabot’s Princess Diaries series is coming to an end when Royal Wedding (Morrow) hits stores in June. “We’re so excited to be publishing the latest installment—and the first adult novel—about Princess Mia Thermopolis,” says Jennifer Hart, senior v-p, associate publisher, and group marketing director. “So many readers grew up with Mia, and now, as Mia is beginning her adult life, they too have struck out on their own. With Royal Wedding, Meg has once again delivered a hilarious and heartfelt novel her fans will not only identify with, but love.”
This will actually be the second farewell for the Princess Diaries. Six years ago, after Princess Mia graduated from high school in Forever Princess, it was decided to end the series. “We had a huge event at the New York Public Library with all sorts of celebrities making tiaras,” Cabot recalls, “and we raised lots of money for the library. But then readers kept writing and telling me they wanted to see Mia have a wedding like William and Kate.” Cabot has now granted their wishes—unless a scandal (when it’s discovered that Mia’s father has a biracial daughter) derails her big day.
That daughter, 12-year-old Olivia Grace, will explore life as a young royal in From the Notebooks of a Middle School Princess (Macmillan/Feiwel & Friends), Cabot’s new middle-grade series. Readers will get to see Genovia through the illustrated—with line drawings by Cabot—diaries of Olivia Grace. “I’m thrilled to help introduce From the Notebooks of a Middle School Princess to the world,” says Allison Verost, v-p, publicity at Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group. “We’ve designed a marketing and publicity campaign to reach Meg’s existing fans who grew up with the Princess Diaries series, as well as introducing a whole new generation of readers. Meg will be touring throughout 2015 and 2016, meeting fans at princess parties, book festivals, and trade shows, and we’re reaching new readers in creative ways through social media, advertising, and in store promotions.”
So will Royal Wedding really be the end of the Princess Diaries series? “It’s not over until the princess gives up her crown,” vows Cabot, “and what girl would ever do that?”
Cabot has a full schedule of signings and appearances at BEA and BookCon. Today, 3:30–4:30 p.m., she’ll be doing a ticketed signing of Royal Wedding galleys at Table 1 in the autographing area. On Saturday, she’ll be at BookCon for the “Spotlight on Romance: Reader Love Panel” (2–3 p.m., in Room 1A06), followed by an autographing of From the Notebooks of a Middle School Princess, 3:30–4:30 p.m., at Table 2. On Sunday, she’ll be back at BookCon for “Meg Cabot: A New Chapter in Genovia” (12:30–1:30 p.m., in Room 1A21), followed by a signing, 2–3 p.m., of From the Notebooks of a Middle School Princess at Table 6.
