Philippa Gregory reimagines young fiction title for HarperCollins

HarperCollins Children’s Books will republish a young fiction novel by Philippa Gregory about a princess called Florizella, this November.

Originally published as Princess Florizella by Puffin in 1989, The Princess Rules is about a princess who refuses to be rescued by a handsome prince and goes off on her own adventures. Gregory has reimagined the story for her grandchildren and the new version will be illustrated by Chris Chatterton.

Senior commissioning editor Michelle Misra acquired world right from Gregory’s literary agency, Levon Publishing.

Gregory said: “It’s been a joy to rewrite this book. The character of Princess Florizella remains the same: funny, quirky and original. But now, 20 years on, I’m much clearer that she’s up against something worse than a bad fairy at a christening – the ‘rules’ that try to persuade bright multi-talented children into stereotype notes. Florizella and her BFF Prince Bennet find their own paths around giants, wolves and (of course) dragons.”

HarperCollins will publish The Princess Rules in hardback (£12.99) in November.

Gregory has written several historical novels for adults with HarperCollin and Simon & Schuster and A Respectable Trade and The Other Boleyn Girl and have been adapted for TV and film.