Although it is actually the second cooperative effort between Persephone and myself, 'God Save the Queen' is the third of our works to be published on Kindle under the names HW Coyle and Jennifer Ellis. It started as a lark but took on greater importance when Crewman Number Six decided to take a more important role. More on that later.

We both hope you enjoy it.

Nancy Cole
a.k.a. HW Coyle

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Inspired by Anthony Hope’s ‘The Prisoner of Zenda,’ ‘God Save the Queen’ retells the story, but with a twist.

The tiny Alpine kingdom of Schwarzburg Immenstadt is plunged into crisis following the death of its King and the abduction of the sole heir, Crown Princess Fredericka whilst she is returning from England where she had been a lady in waiting to Alexandra, Princess of Wales. The former King’s spymaster, Colonel Ernst von Hartmann, suspects Duke Michael, the Crown Princess’ cousin is behind the abduction in a bid to seize the crown for himself. Desperate to play for time, he devises a royal deception, one involving a most unlikely hero, Lieutenant Rupert Woodson of Her Majesty’s White Hussars, a soldier who is as brave and daring as he is unconventional.

In the wake of a desperate rescue mission on the Northwest frontier Rupert, along with Sergeant William Bryce and Bugler Neil Hayes, find they have become heroes. Summoned home to be decorated by Queen Victoria, Rupert takes advantage of this opportunity to indulge his passion for mountaineering only to come face to face with Colonel von Hartmann who is stunned by the young officer’s resemblance to Crown Princess Fredericka.

Hartmann manages to convince an unsuspecting British government to offer him Rupert’s services to play a role that he is uniquely qualified for, taking on the guise of Crown Princess Fredericka von Hoehental. Unwilling to abandon their officer, both Bryce and Hayes also manage to work their way into von Hartmann’s deception.

Ably assisting Hartmann is his dutiful daughter Gabriela, a woman who is appalled by Rupert’s capricious manner and irreverent humor. Only slowly does she come to appreciate his behavior is yet another disguise, one carefully crafted to hide a deeper secret Rupert is desperately unwilling to face.

The sudden appearance of Rupert in Schwarzburg Immenstadt, where all believe he is the true Crown Princess, forces Duke Michael to resort to increasingly desperate measures in an effort to undo von Hartmann’s counterplot. This eventually leads to him abducting Gabriela and results in yet another daring rescue by Lieutenant Woodson of the White Hussars.