If someone is a casual royal watcher The People's Princess is probably a good book to enjoy. I found the characterizations, of Diana in particular, to be very flat. Know Diana is shy? There is your major character trait. It was a quick and easy read, but I didn't find myself being drawn in.

I really enjoyed this book by Flora Harding. It was very well done and I would definitely recommend this book to anyone.

Trigger warnings: bulimia, stillborn baby, death of a spouse

Diana Spencer, future Princess of Wales and "the people's princess," sees a painting of Charlotte, Princess of Wales in Buckingham Palace. Diana is intrigued by the portrait and wants to know more about her life. A researcher gives Diana a copy of Charlotte's diary and the two princesses' tales intertwine.

Diana is painted as a naïve, lonely girl obsessed with looking fat in photos. Her bulimia stems from wanting to look skinny on her wedding day. Although these may be facts about the young Princess of Wales, the portrayal seems very two-dimensional.

Princess Charlotte of Wales will be Queen of England one day, but her life is far from charmed. Her father, the Prince Regent, despises her and keeps her away from court functions; her mother needs Charlotte's protection from divorce.

There are many parallels between Charlotte and Diana -- both are beloved by the common people, they are lonely in their position as princess, and both are romantics at heart. Those who know history know that neither woman's story will end well.

(minor spoilers ahead but honestly everyone knows Diana's story)

Charlotte's story ends with her death, while Diana's ends with her wedding. Ending the book on this point in Diana's history is an attempt to end the book in a hopeful way, but in reality Diana's story is far from a happy one.

Recommended for royal watchers and British historical fiction fans.

A fabulous historical fiction account of the risk two women take for love and country. The first part of the story is told of Diana Spencer and the months between her engagement to Prince Charles and her wedding. The second part of the story is based on Charlotte, Princess of Wales, and her quest for a suitable husband and her fight to help the people of her country.

Parallels between the lives of the two princesses are examined in this insightful tale of love and struggle as the two women question their decisions to marry and find their place in the British royal line.

The novel had just enough historical detail mixed with fictional detail to hold my attention and keep me reading. A must read if you are intrigued with the royal family.

This was such an interesting book. I'm intrigued by royalty of all types, and how that has changed (and not) through the years. With this fictional retelling of what the time leading up to Princess Diana's wedding might have been, and what she might have felt, the author weaves a former Princess (Charlotte) into the plot. Diana finds the diaries of Princess Charlotte, and she finds some solace, and sadness, in the history of that monarch, also lost too young. I didn't know as much about Princess Charlotte, (except through the series Victoria) and I am now anxious to learn more about her. I loved this book. Thank you to Harper 360, Netgalley and the author for an e-ARC of this title in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

The People's Princess by Flora Harding consumed my thoughts for two days! It was remarkably interesting the way the author wove the life and details from Princess Charlotte of Wales with Diana's days leading up to her wedding. The book is historical fiction, but the author followed the facts and information available as close as possible.
Diana stays at the palace during her engagement so she can be groomed in the protocols of becoming a princess and future queen. She is lonely and bored but becomes mesmerized by a portrait in the hallway down from her private apartment. Charles tells her the woman in the portrait is of "Princess Charlotte of Wales, the queen who never was." Diana is given the opportunity to read a copy of the diary or journal of Princess Charlotte. Princess Charlotte's story intrigues Diana as their lives and disappointments are similar.
Diana realizes that Charles does not love her the way she loves him. She also knows Charles cares more about Camilla and he spends very little time with her. Diana will not be broken and decides she will accept her opportunity to be a queen for the people. She wants to be mindful of others and make sure if she has children, they will know they are loved and live normal lives. Diana feels Charles would rather she spend her time preparing to be presentable to the public. She wants to lose weight before her wedding and to be a more fashionable woman. Diana starts eating binges and then the release of purging to soothe her loneliness.
The lives of Princess Diana and Princess Charlotte are both incredibly sad. I loved that the two timelines of both princesses are interwoven into the story.
Publication Date: May 17, 2022
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for the opportunity to read this book.

The People's Princess was a bit of a disappointment. I really enjoyed reading about Charlotte Princess of Wales. She was a complex character with a compelling story. Lady Diana felt like a caricature with so many repeated details I already knew. I would have appreciated more (perhaps fictional) character development of Diana to more closely mimic Charlotte's strengths.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

The People’s Princess was a really great read.
I was extremely engaged and intrigued throughout the entire story.
Flora Harding did a wonderful job creatung realistic characters that i wanted to know more about and keep reading this story.

One More Chapter,
Thank you for this eARC!

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle, Harper360 and by #NetGalley. Opinions expressed are completely my own.


A lovely read about a well known story many Americans are obsessed with to this day.

Wholly enjoyable!

Flora Harding has such a smooth, entertaining writing style. I couldn't wait to read page after page and found myself disappointed when the experience was over. I definitely want to read more books like this.

I'd like to see Flora handle Princess Diana's later years. I think she wrote Diana in a very sensitive, humanizing way. Nicely done. Looking forward to Flora's future works.