Rosie Hastie
Journalist Rebecca Armitage got the idea for her book when she was covering the 2018 royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
And while we all know that has turned out to be the fairytale everyone expected, the same can’t be said for The Heir Apparent.
Not only did the author pick up book deals in Australia, the UK and the USA, within days of its release, her debut novel was announced as the December pick for Reece Witherspoon’s book club.
“Harry has such a poker face and you could see there was something going on behind the scenes he was unhappy about,” the author tells WHO of her inspiration. “It planted a seed.”
What is The heir Apparent about?
Ahead of the curve, Rebecca began to wonder what would happen if the Duke and Duchess of Sussex decided they ever wanted to leave the monarchy.
The richly researched story follows spare heir Lexi, who has left Britain and all the pomp and pageantry of her old life behind to become a doctor in Tasmania.
A tragic accident bumps her substantially up the line of succession, leaving Princess Alexandrina torn between her duty and her heart’s desire.
Royal watchers will recognise many of the events and real-life characters who have weaved their way onto the pages, but there are enough twists and turns to keep even the most seasoned aficionado hooked.
“If you love royal family and you love the secrets, the biggest secret in her is about her brother that I totally did not see coming,” reese said in a video she shared to Instagram.
“It just takes you to another world,’ the actress added of the novel.
Which royals inspired characters in The Heir Apparent?
While you’ll definitely recognise some of the characters as Windsors that we love, or love to hate, the royal family in the story is a fictional alternate line descended from the House of Villiers.
“I’ve reached back into history to flesh out my characters,” Rebecca explains. “Lexi is informed by Queen Victoria in her youth and also Lady Jane Grey, who was Queen for just days during the Tudor era.”
The cast also extends further than just the Windsors.
“My Queen Elenore is inspired much more by Denmark’s Queen Margrethe,” Rebecca reveals.
Who should read Reese Witherspoon’s December 2025 book club pick?
Of course, it is easy to see why this book will appeal to royal or history lovers.
But Rebecca explains that the themes are relatable even to us non-aristocrats.
“Ultimately, this is just a story about a family,” she explains.
“And while this might be a family that wave to us from a palace balcony draped in jewels, they have a lot of the same problems that ordinary families have as well.”
