Long Live the King!

"Long Live the King!" by Mary Roberts Rinehart is a novel likely written in the early 20th century. It introduces readers to Prince Ferdinand William Otto, a young royal who is bored with his life of privilege and rules, longing for adventure and genuine connection. The narrative revolves around his desire to escape the confines of royal expectations while navigating the complexities of childhood friendships, love, and the burdens of future responsibilities. The opening of the story sets the stage at the opera house, where Prince Otto, bored and restless, subtly schemes to escape public scrutiny. His escapade leads him out into the world, offering a glimpse into the joy and excitement he craves. Through his eyes, readers experience the wonders of freedom and the simple pleasures of life, contrasting sharply with his responsibilities as a crown prince. The initial chapters highlight his youthful innocence, interactions with cousins like Princess Hedwig, and early encounters with love and duty, illustrating the tension between personal happiness and royal obligation. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Mary Roberts Rinehart was an American writer, often called the American Agatha Christie. Rinehart published her first mystery novel The Circular Staircase in 1908, which introduced the "had I but known" narrative style. Rinehart is also considered the earliest known source of the phrase "the butler did it", in her novel The Door (1930), although the exact phrase does not appear in her work and the plot device had been used prior to that time. She also worked to tell the stories and experiences of front line soldiers during World War I, one of the first women to travel to the Belgian front lines.