And how I found out it’s still there.

My dad had a bold streak.

Back in the early 2000s, he wrote a novel—a comical, alternate-history adventure in which Lord Nelson survives Trafalgar and sails on under a new identity. He called it Horatio?, and in true Dad fashion, he decided it should be read by none other than His Royal Highness Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh.

So he mailed it to Buckingham Palace.

Most people would expect silence—or maybe a polite form letter at best. But my dad received something better: a gracious reply from the Duke’s private secretary, saying that Prince Philip had enjoyed the book and placed it in his personal library.

He was very proud of that. Some of us weren’t sure we believed him.

After my father passed, I began revising Horatio?—honouring the spirit of his original work while reshaping it for modern readers. New structure, deeper character arcs, sharper conflict… the whole adventure, given new wind in its sails.

As part of this process, I reached out to the Royal Archives to ask whether the Duke’s copy was still part of the collection.

To my surprise and gratitude, I received a reply confirming that yes—the book was indeed kept in Prince Philip’s personal library, and it remains part of his collection today.

This little story means the world to me, not just because it connects our family’s book to royalty (although that’s delightful), but because it speaks to the lasting power of stories—and the bold, hopeful act of sending them out into the world.

Coming Soon: The Revised Edition

Horatio? returns this year in a new form, revised and expanded by me, Naomi Vondell, with a sharper story spine, deeper emotional stakes, and all the charm of the original. Whether on a royal shelf or in your hands, I hope this tale finds a place in your heart.