American Royals II: Majesty

1

Beatrice

Six weeks later

Beatrice had never heard the palace so silent.

Normally its halls echoed with noise: butlers giving orders to footmen; tour guides lecturing groups of students; ambassadors or ministers chasing after the Lord Chamberlain, begging for an audience with the king.

Today everything was still. Dust sheets hung over the furniture, emitting a ghostly glow in the half-­light. Even the crowds that usually thronged the main gates had melted away, leaving the palace stranded, an island in a sea of empty sidewalks and trampled grass.

Behind her, Beatrice heard her mom getting out of the car. Sam and Jeff had elected to stay at the country house another night. When they were younger, the three siblings used to go there together ­in a dark SUV, watching movies on its drop-­down TV ­but Beatrice could no longer ride in the same car as her sister. The monarch and the first in line for the throne weren t permitted to travel together, for security reasons.

She d only made it halfway across the entrance hall when her heel snagged on an antique carpet. She stumbled ­and a firm hand reached out to steady her.

Beatrice looked up into the cool gray eyes of her Revere Guard, Connor Markham.

You okay, Bee?

She knew she should reprimand him for using her nickname instead of her title, especially in public, where anyone might overhear. But Beatrice couldn t think properly with Connor s hand on hers. After all these weeks of distance, the feel of his touch sparked wildly through her veins.

Voices echoed down the hallway. Connor frowned but took a swift step back, just as two footmen turned the corner, accompanied by a man with grim features and salt-­and-­pepper hair: Robert Standish, who d worked as Lord Chamberlain for Beatrice s father, and now for her.

Katharine McGee is the New York Times bestselling author of the American Royals series and the Thousandth Floor trilogy. She studied English and French literature at Princeton University and has an MBA from Stanford. She now lives in Houston with her husband. Visit her online at katharinemcgee.com. Follow her at @katharinemcgee.

With love and rivalries, a heady pre-wedding atmosphere, and a country's future poised to change, American Royals II: Majesty is an indulgently fun escape.   Shelf Awareness

With elegance, saucy secrets, and forbidden love, American Royals is fast-paced and utterly charming. Katharine McGee s prose sparkles, capturing the glamour and pressures of an American monarchy. Kendare Blake, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Three Dark Crowns series
 
Inventive, fresh, and deliciously romantic American Royals is an absolute delight! Sarah J. Maas, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Throne of Glass series and Court of Thorns and Roses series

Imagine a world where Meghan Markle is the queen of the United States of America . American Royals is the next closest thing. Teen Vogue

"For all the glamour and intrigue, there's also a reality check. All four central characters struggle to reconcile the expectations the world imposes on them with the internal selves they discover through heartbreak and struggle."  The New York Times Book Review
 
A soapy, escapist blockbuster [following] the drama, scandal and romances of the impossibly glamorous young court. An unabashedly frothy romp, and enormous fun." The Guardian

A fun, fast-paced read packed with drama, scandal, and romance The Sun

Mixing scandalous secrets and political intrigue, American Royals is thrillingly addictive.   Shelf Awareness

"Critical questions tantalize readers through the foibles and flaws of characters who are frustratingly human readers will eagerly await the next installment to find out whether true love will win or stodgy tradition will triumph.   Kirkus Reviews

A deliciously soapy American royal family McGee s