Not all is well in Genovia. On Aug. 25, Princess Diaries author Meg Cabot announced that Princess Mia and the citizens of her fictional European country will be returning in the 12th installment of the book series, “The Quarantine Princess Diaries.” The 300-page novel will be Cabot’s first Princess Diaries release in seven years, preceded by “Royal Wedding: A Princess Diaries Novel” (2015). Set during the COVID-19 pandemic, the book will detail Princess Mia’s personal and professional struggles as the people of Genovia — including the “dysfunctional” royal family — attempt to navigate their rapidly changing environment.
Beyond managing political strife and complex family dynamics, Mia might become intertwined in a “suspected royal affair.” For fans of the two-part Disney film series, Mia’s love triangle between Nicholas Devereaux (Chris Pine) and Andrew Jacoby (Callum Blue) was entrancing enough. But now that Mia has a pandemic to handle and an entire country to run, it sounds like her romantic life might also be in disarray.
In partnership with human rights activists Vow for Girls and real-life royal Princess Mabel van Oranje of the Netherlands, Cabot will be donating a portion of the proceeds from all sales of “The Quarantine Princess Diaries” to help end child marriage.
“The Quarantine Princess Diaries” Plot
According to Princess Mia’s “personal biographer,” Cabot, the new novel will touch on life in Genovia during the pandemic, power dynamics within the royal family, and a possible case of infidelity that stirs up more drama than expected. Cabot’s official blog post reads: “Get ready to read about Princess Mia’s personal (and political) battles while imposing health restrictions on her small European nation; life during lockdown (even in as idyllic a location such as a palace on the Riviera); a suspected royal affair; the invention (and implementation) of an intranasal vaccine by Michael Moscovitz that could change the course of the pandemic — or at least the lives of every citizen in Genovia; and one very demanding royal grandmother.”
“The Quarantine Princess Diaries” Release Date
“The Quarantine Princess Diaries” is currently available for preorder for $8 (originally $9) and is set to hit shelves on March 28, 2023. While the e-book will be available beginning March 7, fans can also order signed and personalized copies of the physical book.
Will There Be a Third Princess Diaries Movie?
For fans of the films, the new novel has already added fuel to rumors of a third Princess Diaries movie. Since January 2019, Anne Hathaway has been teasing “The Princess Diaries 3,” a follow-up to Princess Mia’s onscreen adventures in Genovia circa 2004. Even with cast members like Mandy Moore and Julie Andrews on board to participate in the sequel, Disney has yet to confirm whether the film is still in the cards.
While Cabot’s newest Princess Diaries novel would provide a timely look at Princess Mia’s life as a royal, potential screenwriters and directors have 11 existing books to glean inspiration from, including “The Princess Diaries, Volume III: Princess in Love” (2001), “The Princess Diaries, Volume VIII: Princess on the Brink” (2006), “Royal Wedding: A Princess Diaries Novel” (2015), and more. With so much source material to draw from, it’s likely a “Princess Diaries” sequel film would pull a little bit from the pages of each novel. Until then, read Cabot’s new novel to catch up with Amelia Mignonette Thermopolis Renaldi, Princess of Genovia.