“There’s something I heard in a very old tale – a test you can do that will work without fail.
Under her mattress I’ll slip a small pea. A princess who’s perfect will feel it, you see.”
Prince Fred is twenty-one and the old family rule means it is time he got married – to a genuine proper perfect princess. His best friend, Prince Zac, warns him that such a bride might be hard to find….
Enter Princess Ardwenna, who turns up at the palace to ask for shelter from the storm. Prince Fred tells Zac that can’t believe she’s a real princess – she’s not fussy or proud AT ALL! – but he knows a way to find out, which he learned from an old tale. It means simply putting a tiny pea under her mattress….
But Ardwenna overhears Fred’s plan and decides to play a trick on him – involving a massive rainbow mountain of mattresses! In the end, Ardwenna gently suggests to Prince Fred that it might not be a princess he needs after all. Perhaps his own handsome prince has been there all along….
A retelling of Hans Christian Andersen’s classic fable with an KGBTQ+ twist and a universal message that if the old rules about who to love aren’t right, they can always be changed.
“A heartwarming and joyful twist on the classic fairytale — featuring two princes, a royal test, and a story full of love, acceptance, and happily-ever-afters. A perfect picture book to celebrate kindness and being true to yourself.” – Authors Aloud UK
Shortlisted for the Queens Knickers Award for illustrated books for young children, part of the Society of Authors Awards 2026
