[A Royal Wedding Meg Cabot Free 23
Saija Grzegorek
Royal Wedding: A Princess Diaries NovelAttributionAuthorMeg CabotPublication InformationPublisherWilliam MorrowRelease DateJune, 2015Pages448ChronologyPreceded ByThe Princess Diaries, Vol. X: Forever PrincessConcurrent WithFrom the Notebooks of a Middle School Princess
From the Notebooks of a Middle School Princess: Royal Day Out
For Princess Mia, the past five years since college graduation have been a whirlwind of activity, what with living in New York City, running her new teen community center, being madly in love, and attending royal engagements.
And speaking of engagements. Mia's gorgeous longtime boyfriend Michael managed to clear both their schedules just long enough for an exotic (and very private) Caribbean island interlude where he popped the question! Of course Mia didn't need to consult her diary to know that her answer was a royal oui.
But now Mia has a scandal of majestic proportions to contend with: her grandmother has leaked "fake" wedding plans to the press that could cause even normally calm Michael to become a runaway groom. Worse, a scheming politico is trying to force Mia's father from the throne, all because of a royal secret that could leave Genovia without a monarch. Can Mia prove to everyone - especially herself - that she's not only ready to wed, but ready to rule as well?
In 2015, Phillipe Renaldo is arrested for street racing while in the middle of his campaign to be reelected Prime Minister. He is running against Count Ivan Renaldo, who is campaigning on a platform of immigration reform and tourism - Genovia's tourism having been down since the global recession. Mia Thermopolis, whose twenty-sixth birthday is approaching, recently wrote an OpEd supporting the refugees fleeing Qalif has caused an influx of refugees to Genovia, which has upset the citizens there. Mia also recently opened the Frank Gianini Community Center, in memory of her step-father, Mr. Gianini, who died a year earlier of heart failure. She is still dating Michael Moscovitz, who continues to run his business Pavlov Surgical, though they are not married and the press regularly slut-shames Mia for leaving Michael's apartment. She spends most of her time attending charity events to improve the image of the royal family. Mia is being stalked by someone calling himself RoyalRabbleRouser who is anti-feminism and wishes for Mia to die. Her stalker mixed with the reactions of the public to Mia supporting the refugees of Qalif and the growing of genetically modified oranges in Genovia have necessitated her hiding in the Genovian consulate where security is higher. The stress of her issues and the constant paparazzi surrounding the consulate cause Mia's eye to twitch, so she sends for Dr. Delgado, who recommends Mia reduce stress and begin journaling.
Tina and Boris have broken up, after Boris became a pop star known as Boris P with a large fanbase who call themselves the Borettes - one of whom posted nude photos of herself and Boris and claimed they are having an affair. Boris vehemently denies the accusations, but Tina has still refused to get back together with him, believing he has cheated. Mia has sided with Tina, though Michael remains neutral and is still good friends with Boris.
Mia gets birthday messages from her family, celebrities, and her friends - including her ex-boyfriend J.P. Reynolds-Abernathy who posts on her Instagram and asks her for a favor, even though they have not spoken in years. Michael texts Mia to tell her he has a surprise planned for her and to pack a few items into the bag he has had prepared for her. He picks her up later and takes her to the private jet which flies them to a private island in the Bahamas so that they can get away from their busy lives for a few days. Michael insists on Mia relaxing and on their last full day on the island Michael has a fancy dinner set up for them on the island and he and Mia both dress up (for the island). Michael cheers' Mia with champagne and she finds a ring in her champagne glass. Michael gets down on one knee and tells Mia that the ring is a sustainable lab-grown diamond and he wants to marry her. Mia tries to protest that they aren't ready to get married yet, but Michael talks about Mr. G's death and his concern that as just her boyfriend he would not be allowed any information if anything were to happen to her and vice versa. Mia agrees to marry Michael but suggests they elope to avoid the whole Royal Wedding hoopla, but Michael tells her that would disappoint his parents. The decide to have a small family ceremony (and to keep it secret from Grandmre).
Mia and Michael return from the Bahamas to discover that their engagement has been leaked to the press and Rate the Royals has already been reporting on it. Mia is upset that Grandmre has leaked their news, as she wanted to be the one to get to tell her family and friends. Michael finds that with the news he has to cancel some of his work events. Mia's friends are surprised that she didn't tell them herself but they are happy for her. Mia tries to tell off Grandmre but Grandmre insists Mia come to the Plaza to discuss something more important than Mia's engagement.
Grandmre reveals to Mia that when she bailed Phillipe out of jail she used his bank account and noticed something odd. She had the Royal Genovian Guard look into it and discovered that Phillipe has a secret daughter. Mia believes that someone is scheming Grandmre, as she has previously fallen for internet schemes, but Grandmre assures her that the daughter is real. Mia is surprised to see that Phillipe's daughter, Olivia Harrison, is biracial as her mother was black. Due to the controversy that Olivia's existence, and race, could cause, Grandmre hires a crisis-management firm, Lazarres-Reynolds. The R.G.G.'s report reveals that Olivia's mother, Elizabeth Harrison, died in a jet ski accident 10 years ago and Olivia has since been raised by her aunt Catherine O'Toole along with her husband and step-children, who are planning to move the family overseas over the summer. Grandmre insists on keeping Olivia's existence a secret until after the election, so as to avoid controversy, which Mia objects to, but Phillipe and Michael stumble in drunk - celebrating the engagement - and interrupt the conversation. In the car on the way home Mia tells Michael and Lars about Olivia and asks for advice, none of which is helpful.
Due to the media circus Mia and Michael have to spend the night at a hotel as neither are able to return home. Mia continues to look into the information from the R.G.G. about her newly-discovered sister. In the morning she has made up her mind to go to New Jersey and meet her. Michael suggests she speak to her father about this first, but Mia rejects this idea due to Phillipe's recent downward spiral. Mia tries to get her life back to normal by going to work at the Community Center but there are tons of paparazzi there. Mia speaks to Brian Fitzpatrick of Rate the Royals to make clear that her ring has an ethical lab-grown diamond. Ling Su and Perin have decorated Mia's office with cards from the kids for her birthday and engagement. After Ling Su catches Brian Fitzpatrick trying to hide a camera and microphone in the women's' restroom in the Community Center, Perin recommends Mia spend the day working from home so as to not further disrupt things until the fervor over her engagement dies down.
Grandmre's assistant sends over a form for Mia to fill out for her requests for her wedding, which Grandmre almost entirely rejects. Mia panics over the itinerary that she is sent, as she will have a packed schedule for a week before flying to Genovia. After nearly a year hiatus, RoyalRabbleRouser returns spewing vitriol over Mia and Michael's engagement. Mia gets a text from Lana, who is now married and has a child, telling her she and Trisha heard about her engagement from TMZ. She insists that the two of them be bridesmaids, revealing a plan to throw a bachelorette party at Crazy Ivan's - owned by Count Ivan, Phillipe's opponent, which Mia objects to. Phillipe's assistant calls, wanting to discuss Mia and Michael signing a prenup, which offends Mia, who tells Phillipe's assistant that she would like to talk to him - about Olivia.
Phillipe comes to the consulate and tells Mia that he wanted to tell her about Olivia but he didn't know how. He tells Mia that he loved Elizabeth, but just like Helen she didn't want to settle down and get married to a prince. He tells her that he didn't want to ruin Olivia's life by being a bad parent, but Mia tells him even being a bad parent who is trying is better than not being around at all, which causes Phillipe to cry. Mia orders cheesy bread and she and Phillipe eat it while watching HGTV until he falls asleep. Lilly, who is studying to pass the bar, texts Mia and Mia tells her about Olivia. Lilly demands Mia give her her information so that she can research her and find any dirt, even though Mia tells her that the R.G.G. already did an investigation.
Phillipe leaves in the morning before Mia gets up and leaves her a note telling her he doesn't want to address the Olivia situation and insisting on her signing a prenup. Deputy Prime Minister Ccile Dupris calls Mia about the Qalifi refugee crisis, as Phillipe is not answering his phone. Mia jokes about blowing up Count Ivan with the Genovian Navy, as Ivan has suggested blowing up incoming refugee ships.
Mia goes to try on wedding dresses at Sebastiano's studio, with Helen, Shameeka, Ling Su, Lana, Trisha, Tina, and Grandmre, but Mia is unimpressed with most of the dresses and upsets Sebastiano by telling him it's ok because it is just a dress. Lilly arrives late and makes suggestions to improve the only dress that Mia kind-of likes, even though as a princess ballgown it is somewhat predictable, and Sebastiano approves. Lilly shows Mia the information she gathered on Olivia, including information that her uncle is misusing her child support funds and plans to move the family to Qalif. Mia is furious and insists that Lilly get her out of the dress so that they can go and get Olivia. Mia tells Grandmre she will have to reschedule their lunch with Lazarres-Reynolds and takes off - though Grandmre takes her Hybrid Electric Vehicle and leaves Mia with the limo. Mia texts Tina to tell her what is going on and offers Tina and Helen a ride home, but tells Helen they are going to New Jersey to look at bridesmaid dresses to dissuade her from joining. They hit traffic on the drive to New Jersey and Mia distracts Tina from talking about her break up with Boris by sharing J.P.'s book that he sent Mia with her - which they all laugh at. The topic goes back to Boris and Lilly tells her that while she is not often inclined to believe men over women, Boris is not the kind to cheat as he would immediately feel too guilty and she thinks Tina should give him another chance.
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