10 Incredible LGBTQ+ Books with Royalty You’ll Love

Recently updated on November 29th, 2024 at 07:29 pm

Looking for LGBTQ+ Books with royalty? Here are 10 LGBTQ+ books with royalty that you won’t be able to put down.

This post contains affiliate links. That said, I won’t ever recommend a book I haven’t read and loved myself

High society, court intrigue and balls. There is something so enchanting about books with royalty. Especially when it includes a good romance. If you’re also looking for LGBTQ+ books with royalty – then you’re in luck! As a huge fan of LGBTQ+ Books,  I’m going to recommend the best LGBTQ+  books with royalty.

Whether you’re looking for fantasy royal romance books, ya contemporary romance or ya princess books. This post has got you covered!

Let’s see the best LGBTQ+ Books with royalty

What are the best LGBTQ+ Books with royalty?

Here are my top lgbtq+ books with royalty 🙂

1. Red, White and Royal Blue by Casey Mcquiston

Red, White and Royal Blue is possibly the most well know queer royalty book on this list. It’s hyped up so much online, but for a good reason. It features an enemies-to-lovers romance between a Prince and the son of the President.

We follow Prince Henry and Alex Claremont Diaz. They cause a scandal in the press and have to pretend to be friends.

It made the New York Times Bestseller list and won a Good Reads Choice award. Also over 30,000 people have reviewed it on Good Reads.

 This is such a comforting read. It’s an empowering queer romance story that takes place in a parallel universe where a woman with mixed-race children is president. And it has such feel good vibes.

The chemistry between the characters makes this book so special. And the addition of royalty adds an interesting level of nuance to the relationship. The banter is hilarious and I thoroughly enjoyed reading about them sneaking around. If you’re looking for lgbtq+ books with royalty you need to read this!

Red, White and Royal Blue has some of the best bisexual representation in a book! If you’re looking for books with bisexual characters then you’re in luck – I have a whole blog post full of bisexual books.

2. Her Royal Highness by Rachel Hawkins

Her Royal Highness is an incredible light-hearted romance with a Princess. Flora is intelligent, funny and sassy AF. While this doesn’t delve into the royalty in detail, it adds a funny layer to the relationship.

We follow heartbroken Millie, as she discovers her kinda girlfriend has been kissing someone else. After getting into a super elusive boarding school, she moves to Scotland. And this is where she meets Princess Flora.

Not only does this book include the enemies-to-lovers trope. But it also features the room-mates trope, royalty, an ex-girlfriend and a posh boarding school. Oh, and did I mention it’s all set in stunning Scottish highlands.

This isn’t accurate in any way. For a start, Scotland don’t have their own royal family. So it does require you to suspend your beliefs a bit. However, it is still a charming romance you could binge in one sitting. A great book to read on holiday.

3. Ash by Malinda Lo

A Cinderella retelling, this sapphic fantasy features royalty in the world. But the relationship is with the King’s Huntress, rather than a member of the royal family.

We follow Ash, as she deals with the grief of losing her parents. She falls in love with the king’s huntress.

I loved the cottagecore style descriptions of the world such as the woods and the fae. And I instantly loved the King’s Huntress. But, I wish that the romance had been a little better developed.

Ash was so ahead of it’s time. It was first published in 2009 and contains a wlw romance. While the main character struggled with mental health issues- the focus isn’t coming out.  

I love that it focuses on Ash recovering from grief. Mental health is a strong theme throughout and the romance feels secondary. This is a really cosy read and offers great escapism. It’s pretty short and you could easily read this in one sitting.

You can’t beat a good Sapphic Fantasy book. If you’re a fantasy lover, then you’re in luck. I have a whole blog post full of wlw fantasy book recommendations. You can check out my article on ya wlw fantasy books here.

4. Cinderella is dead by Kalynn Bayron

Cinderella is Dead is a Cinderella retelling with a sapphic romance.  This is another twist on the classic story that features BIPOC characters and a wlw romance. Again, it features royalty but with the King as the villain.

The premise is that teen girls must now appear at an annual ball where men select wives. But Sophia wants to marry her childhood best friend Erin. And isn’t a fan of the whole parade in front of suitors thing.

She decides to flee and decided to take down the king once and for all.

The dystopian twist on the classic Cinderella story makes this book so unique. The romance is a bit insta-lovey but it’s so well developed that it’s still engaging. 

The plot will keep you hooked throughout.  Women overthrowing a dystopian patriarchy. There is also a lot of cottagecore and woodland imagery. Kalynn Bayron writes cottagecore imagery so well. This book will 100% make you want to live in the forest. 

I also LOVE that it’s a standalone. Standalone ya fantasy books are hard to find. Let alone with lesbian representation. If you’re looking for a LGBTQ+ fantasy books  with royalty then I highly recommend Cinderella is Dead

5. A Dark and Hollow Star by Ashley Shuttleworth

If you’re looking for an LGBTQ+ fantasy book with royalty then you should read A Dark and Hollow Star. It features royalty, fae courts and an urban city setting.

A series of gruesome murders threatens to expose the faerie world to humans.  Four queer teens – Nausicaä, Arlo, Vehan, and Aurelian – each hold a piece of the truth. And they must track down the mysterious killer.

There are not one but two romances in this book. And the characters are what make them so perfect. Arlo and Nausicaä have such amazing chemistry. Nausicaä is a grumpy, chaotic and sarcastic lesbian. Arlo and Nausicaä have a perfect grumpy/sunshine slow-burn vibe.

I listened to the audiobook version which you can find on audible. It features a full cast of narrators which made it really engrossing.

The voices of Vehan and Nausicaä are so spot on! And you can listen to it on Audible with a free trial.  It’s a great audiobook to put on  if you’re looking for some escapism while you’re cleaning or relaxing before bedtime.

This book has such an enthralling enemies to lovers romance! For even more wlw enemies to lovers books, you might want to check out my blog post on wlw enemies to lovers books. It’s full of recommendations for enemies to lovers romance.

6. Malice  by Heather Walter

This queer retelling centres a romance between the villain and a princess. This compelling fantasy features a morally grey main character, the grumpy/sunshine trope and dystopian worldbuilding.

Malice is a Sleeping Beauty retelling, told from the perspective of the villain. The book is set in a Kingdom called Briar. Once upon a time, a wicked fairy cursed a line of princesses to die. Only true love’s kiss can break the curse.

We follow the dark grace, Alyce. She was left abandoned in Briar from a dark kingdom. The dark magic that runs in her veins abhors residents in Briar.

Except for Princess Aurora who accepts her. And she encourages Alyce to accept herself.

This book is almost a cross between Wicked and The Hunger Games. But with fae. The world-building is darkly magical. And the residents of Briar reminded me of the residents of the Capitol. I LOVED the depiction of the Imps and goblins in Misrule. Plus both books reference fae.

The depiction of the Royal Family and the romance was captivating. Plus, the addition of the curse with the morally grey main character gave the story a feminist narrative. If you’re searching for queer fantasy books with royalty, you need to pick this up.

7. Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan

Girls of Paper and Fire is a dark, dystopian fantasy featuring corrupt royals. Alongside royalty, it has magic, a dystopian society and Asian mythology.

We follow Lei. She is a member of the Paper Caste. And the people of Ikhara persecute her.

 She sees the royal guards take her mother. Afterwards, Lei suffers with trauma. But the guards return and try to take Lei. She has to learn skills fitting of a King’s Consort. But she falls in love.

The worldbuilding in this book is seriously beautiful. Natasha Ngan was inspired by her own experiences growing up in Malaysia – a country with a mix of cultures. And Ikhara was heavily inspired by this.

The character development is  excellent. I loved the wlw romance in the book. The grumpy/sunshine trope was executed perfectly. The plot of the book is quite dark but it was handled really sensitively

The pacing did lapse a bit in the middle for me. But the character development was so good that I still enjoyed reading it.

8. The Dark Tide by Alicia Jasinska

I was unsure whether to include The Dark Tide in a post about lgbtq+ books with royalty. But it does include a witch queen. It also features witches, romance and a curse.

We follow Lina. She lives on a small island where the dark tide could cause it to sink. So, every year the Witch Queen lures a boy back to her palace and sacrifices her on the full moon. And so keeps the island city from sinking.

Lina is convinced her brother is going to be taken. She asks Thomas Lin to help. Thomas is the only person to survive the sacrifice. But they draw the Queen’s attention. And instead, Thomas is taken.

Lina offers herself instead of Thomas. But the queen is nothing like Eva expected. And they must choose between saving the island or themselves.

The premise of this book hooked me in straight away. A girl goes to save a guy but instead falls for the ‘villain’.  If you’re looking for a book with an enemies to lovers romance with a morally grey love interest – then this is the book for you.

It was such an angsty slow bur romance. And Lina and Eva had an amazing grumpy/sunshine dynamic. The cursed romance setup was so well executed and made the book so tragically romantic.

 The worldbuilding is also  really dark, moody and atmospheric. A sea wild tale.  it was beautifully written and I fell in love with the world. Full of bitter witches, sea, salt, blood and sacrifice.

9. Princess Princess Ever After by Kay O’Neill

If you’re looking for a lgbtq+ graphic novel with royalty then you should read Princess Princess ever after. It’s an insanely cute graphic novel about two princesses.  

Kay O’Neill writes and illustrates the most beautiful, cosy and enchanting graphic novels.

Princes Princess ever after is about two princesses who fall in love. We follow Sadie who is locked in a tower. She is rescued by another princess -Amira. Also, Amira rides a pink unicorn.  It’s just as queer and lovely as it sounds.

This is such a comforting book to read. It deals with some really important topics such as feminism, equality and abusive relationships. But it does it in such a lighthearted way.

This is insanely adorable and a really quick read. You can buy the absolutely beautiful hardcover from Amazon -get it here.

10. Never Ever Getting Back Together by Sophie Gonzales

Never Ever Getting Back Together is a fun, light-hearted romance. It features a toxic ex whose sister married a crown Prince.

We follow Maya and Skye. Their now-famous ex-boyfriend asks them to participate in a teen reality show. One is bent on revenge and the other is open to rekindling romance. But they get tangled up in an unexpected twist when they fall for each other instead.

I first picked this up because the title reminded me of Taylor Swift (hands up if you have the song stuck in your head now!) But once you start reading, this addictive romance is hard to put down.

The reality tv show is essentially The Bachelor. The idea of contestants ditching their slimy exes and falling in love with each other is captivating. It deals with privilege and toxic exes well. My only criticism is that I’d like Maya and Skye to have more characterisation.

11. The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri

The Jasmine Throne is a queer fantasy book about a captive Princess. It also features rebellion, political intrigue and beautiful worldbuilding.

It took me a couple of reads to appreciate this as the world-building is quite heavy at the start. So it’s not for beginners to fantasy. But if you’re a seasoned fantasy reader, you will love the political undertones and rebellion in this fantasy novel.

Malini has been imprisoned by her dictator brother and spends her days isolated in Hirana, an ancient temple. 

Priya, a maidservant,  makes the treacherous journey to the top of Hirana every night.

She cleans Malini’s chambers. And she is thrilled to be anonymous. Especially if it keeps her dangerous secret safe. 

But Malini accidentally witnesses Priya’s true nature. And their destinies become irrevocably tangled.

This book is full of epic worldbuilding, magic and morally grey lesbians.  If you like magic, rebellion and court intrigue then you should pick this up.

12. Criers War by Nina Varela

Criers War is a completely unique urban fantasy. This royal romance features an automate Princess and a commoner.

Set in the Kingdom of Rabu and follows Ayla. A War has ravaged the kingdom of Rabu. The Automae took over the estates of their owners and bent the human race to their will.

Ayla is a human servant rising the ranks at the House of Soverign. She dreams of avenging the death of her family… by killing the Sovereign’s daughter – the beautiful Lady Crier.

Now, Ayla, a human servant rising the ranks at the House of the Sovereign, dreams of avenging the death of her family… by killing the Sovereign’s daughter, Lady Crier. Crier was Made to be beautiful, to be flawless. And to take over the work of her father.

 But that was before her betrothal to the enigmatic Scyre Kinok, before she discovered her father isn’t the benevolent king she once admired, and most importantly, before she met Ayla

 It features a dual pov. The plot focuses on the battle between humans and automae. And the book benefits from the dual pov. Reading from both perspectives gives you a unique insight and adds to the plot.

The start of the book does feature a chunk of world-building. Something typical of fantasy books. But after the initial worldbuilding, the plot is engaging and the writing style is easy to read.

The romance between Lady Crier and Ayla was a slow burn ( and I mean a slow burn) but also engaging. The plot and the battle between humans and automate was intriguing. A compelling queer royal romance.

This post was all about lgbtq+ books with royalty

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