The Royal Windsor Secret

 

The Royal Windsor Secret

Christine Wells

Publication date: September 12, 2023 by William Morrow

Genre: Historical Fiction 

Rating: 4 🍷🍷🍷🍷

Summary: Could she be the secret daughter of the Prince of Wales? In this dazzling novel by the author of Sisters of the Resistance, a young woman seeks to discover the truth about her mysterious past. Perfect for readers of Shana Abe, Bryn Turnbull, and Marie Benedict.  Cleo Davenport has heard the the murmured conversations that end abruptly the second she walks into a room. Told she was an orphan, she knows the rumor—that her father is none other than the Prince of Wales, heir to the British throne. And at her childhood home at Cairo’s Shepheard’s Hotel, where royals, rulers, and the wealthy live, they even called her “The Princess.” But her life is turned upside down when she turns seventeen. Sent to London under the chaperonage of her very proper aunt, she’s told it’s time to learn manners and make her debut. But Cleo’s life can’t be confined to a ballroom. She longs for independence and a career as a jewelry designer for Cartier, but she cannot move forward until she finds out about her past. Determined to unlock the truth, Cleo travels from London, back to Cairo, and then Paris, where her investigations take a shocking turn into the world of the Parisian  demi-monde , and a high-class courtesan whose scandalous affair with the young Prince of Wales threatened to bring down the British monarchy long before anyone had heard of Wallis Simpson. 

My thoughts: In this newest novel, Wells created the character Cleo as a way to explore multiple historical and salacious events in the mid 1900s . Wells introduces the reader to the historic Shepheard's Hotel in Cairo. Amidst the backdrop of that exotic British playground there was a hint of cultural and class differences. From there readers witness the practice of wealthy British families sponsoring youth and preparing them for introduction to London society. As with any wealthy member of British society, Wells has Cleo's sponsors partake in trips to Paris, Scotland, and more. Paris leads to stories of fashion, jewels, and courtesans. Through abdication, WWII, and the anti-British riots of 1952, Cleo endeavored to uncover the mystery of her parentage. The changing points of view keep this book from being too much of a coming of age story. The notes in the back are a must to truly appreciate all that Wells accomplished in this one. 

Thanks to partners, bibliolifestyle, and William Morrow Paperbacks for a gifted copy of this title.