Usborne lands Carter's YA reimagining of the British royal family in two-book deal

Usborne has landed Aimée Carter’s "fun, slick and totally addictive" reimagining of the British royal family for young adult readers, Royal Blood, in a two-book deal.  

Senior commissioning editor Sarah Stewart acquired UK and Commonwealth rights, excluding Canada, from Charlotte Bodman at Rights People on behalf of Rosemary Stimola, Allison Remcheck and Allison Hellegers at Stimola Literary Studio. US rights were acquired by Delacorte at auction. Royal Blood will be published in April 2023 with the second book, Royal Scandal, following in 2024. 

Royal Blood has been pitched as a combination of  "The Princess Diaries" and murder, perfect for fans of Jennifer L Barnes’ The Inheritance Games (Penguin Random House), Casey McQuiston’s Red, White & Royal Blue (Pan Macmillan) and Benjamin Dean’s The King is Dead (Simon & Schuster). An extract from the novel will feature in Usborne’s YA sampler which will be given away at the Young Adult Literature Convention 2022, running from 8th to 10th July. 

The synopsis reads: "The scandal and secrets come thick and fast after American teenager Evan is sent to live with her estranged father, the King of England, and quickly becomes the focus of some lurid headlines and the hatred of her stepmother the Queen and her half-sister Princess Maisie."

"Royal Blood is, frankly, ridiculously entertaining and I instantly fell head over heels for it," said Stewart. "It is a glorious binge of a YA read, featuring a relatable heroine, a gorgeous but mysterious love interest, non-stop scandal, glamorous parties, secret affairs, divided loyalties and media bloodshed, all crowned by a gripping murder case. I am thrilled we are bringing Aimée’s slick and inventive reimagining of the British royal family to a UK audience." 

Carter added: “I’m honoured that the incredible team at Usborne has decided to publish Royal Blood in the UK. Before Meghan Markle came along, the thought of an American joining the royal family was the fodder of fiction and 20th- century scandal, and getting to explore the privileges and pitfalls of royal life (and the media obsession that comes with it) from the eyes of an American teen who is the ultimate dirty royal secret was a thrill. I’m so excited for the opportunity to introduce UK readers to Evan, HRH Princess Mary, and the rest of their formidable family.”