Charlie Higson to write new James Bond adventure in celebration of the Coronation

Charlie Higson, author of the Young Bond series, has been commissioned by Ian Fleming Publications (IFP) to write a new James Bond adventure to celebrate the Coronation of King Charles III.

On His Majesty’s Secret Service will be published on Thursday 4th May ahead of the Coronation on Saturday 6th May – and 60 years after the publication of Ian Fleming’s 10th novel, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, in 1963. All royalties from the sale of the book will go to support the work of the National Literacy Trust.

It will be available digitally as an e-book, audiobook (read by Higson) and as a hardback from 4th May. The action of the entirely new 007 adventure brings Bond into the present day. The synopsis reads: “It is the 4th of May, two days before the coronation of King Charles III and the world’s favourite spy has his work cut out for him.

“Bond is sent at the last minute to thwart an attempt to disrupt the Coronation by the wealthy, eccentric and self-styled Athelstan of Wessex, who is on a deadly mission of his own to teach the United Kingdom a lesson. Can Bond dismantle his shady plans and defeat his privately hired team of mercenaries?"

Corinne Turner, m.d. of Ian Fleming Publications Ltd, said: “The Coronation of King Charles III is a momentous occasion for the country. We asked ourselves how we at Ian Fleming Publications could celebrate it, and the answer seemed obvious. Ian Fleming’s On Her Majesty’s Secret Service was first published on 1st April 1963. What better way, 60 years on, to mark this new chapter in history than with a brand new story: On His Majesty’s Secret Service? We shared our thoughts with Charlie, and he was delighted to take on the challenge of writing a Bond adventure in time for publication in May. Together we hope this book will give valuable support to the National Literacy Trust.”

Higson said: “When IFP came to me with the idea of writing an adult Bond story a little more than a month ago, I was excited– until I realised it had to be ready for the Coronation in May. Getting it written and turned around in such a short space of time was going to be as tense and heart-pounding as any Bond mission. Although, of course, nobody would actually be shooting at me.

“But I’ve been thinking about writing an adult Bond adventure ever since working on the Young Bond books. Fleming famously wrote fast, and I channelled that energy. And now it’s exciting for me to finally enter the world of grown-up Bond. Everything you want from a Bond story is in there – sex, violence, cars, a colourful villain with a nasty henchman, and of course, Bond himself, so well-known and yet so unknowable.”