Cleo Davenport is an orphan living at the Shepheard’s Hotel in Cairo, Egypt. At the time when readers begin her story, she is 16 years old and preparing for her debut among the social elite in 1900’s Europe. Soon she’ll be making her way to Paris and then London with her Aunt Serafina and childhood friend Brodie to begin her lessons and fittings. While she has expected this path for some time, she’s also struggled with not knowing who her real parents are. Even more intriguing is the rumors she has heard all her life – that she is actually the illegitimate child of the Prince of Wales, heir to the British throne. With these unanswered questions and dreams of becoming a jewelry designer, becoming a housewife and mother is the last thing on her mind. The Royal Windsor Secret by Christine Wells is a historical fiction novel that follows Cleo as she searches for her parentage – although she might not expect what she finds. 

Before Cleo leaves Cairo, she continues to ask questions about who her real parents are, or who found her on the hotel steps as a newborn long ago. While she doesn’t get very far, she does get a name – Aimee Pain. Aimee was allegedly the maid who found her on the doorstep at the Shepheard’s Hotel. And soon she learns about Aimee’s employer, Marguerite Fahmy. Yet no one seems to recognize the names (or at least refuses to admit it). So Cleo navigates the clues and locations to track Marguerite down and hopefully find the answers she desperately wants.

What she learns is that Marguerite was actually a high-class courtesan whose clients included men in high places. One of those affairs was with the young Prince of Wales. Closer to finding the truth, Cleo is convinced that the affair resulted in her birth. But with wars and unrest going on, her ambitions to learn jewelry design, and her obligations to her chaperones, Cleo doubts she will ever be able to confirm the rumors. Even so, she doesn’t give up. And soon she will find out the truth of The Royal Windsor Secret. 

Wells proves once again that she has a knack for historical fiction. While the pacing was a bit slow, I enjoyed traveling across the continents with Cleo and her companions. And of course I ached for her to learn the truth of her parentage. The Royal Windsor Secret is an interesting interpretation of true events, and imagines what could have happened with such a scandal during a time of conflict. Wells has done her research and I can tell she had fun while fleshing this story out for readers. Fans of her debut novel, One Woman’s War, will undoubtedly enjoy this one. 

Christine Wells returns to The Nerd Cantina Show podcast for another Cantina Conversation. She discusses her research into jewelry and plans for more writing. Tune in for an upcoming episode and preorder The Royal Windsor Secret, available September 12.