The Princess Diaries, Vol. IV: Princess in Waiting

**The Princess Diaries, Vol. II: Princess in Waiting** is the fourth volume of the Princess Diaries series by Meg Cabot.

It was released in 2003.

## Book Description

Never before has the world seen such a princess.

 Nor have her own subjects, for that matter. Mia's royal introduction to Genovia has mixed results: while her fashion sense is widely applauded, her position on the installation of public parking meters is met with resistance.

 But the politics of bureaucracy are nothing next to Mia's real troubles. Between canceled dates with her long-sought-after royal consort, a second semester of the dreaded Algebra, more princess lessons from Grandmère as a result of the Genovian parking-meter thing, and the inability to stop gnawing on her fingernails, isn't there anything Mia is good at besides inheriting an unwanted royal title?

## Opening Quote

*"If I was a princess," she murmured, "I could scatter largess to the populace. But even if I am only a pretend princess, I can invent little things to do for people. I'll pretend that to do things for people is scattering largess."*

A Little Princess, *Francis Hodgson Burnett*

## Timeline

Begins on Thursday, January 1, 2004, containing details as far back as Sunday, December 21, 2003, and concludes on Saturday, January 24, 2004. This book occurs during winter break and the beginning of the spring semester of Mia's freshman year.

### Chronology

Though this book is followed by *Project Princess,* the events of *Vol. VII and 3/4ths: Valentine Princess* actually occur between this novel and *Project Princess.* *Valentine Princess* is framed as a journal Mia finds while on a flight to Genovia on June 5 of her sophomore year, which is between *Sweet Sixteen Princess* and *Princess on the Brink,* hence it's numbering as *VII and 3/4ths* instead of *IV and 1/4th.*

## Plot Summary

Mia is in Genovia for her winter break, while Michael and his family are in Boca Raton visiting his grandparents. Mia has a packed schedule with many events each day and finds it difficult to contact Michael. Mia embarrasses herself during multiple events by making jokes and being clumsy. During her formal introduction to the people of Genovia on Christmas Eve, Mia strays from the script and begins talking about how she believes parking meters would be beneficial to the economy and infrastructure of Genovia, which causes disagreements across parliament. Mia's cousin, Prince René, is also in Genovia and is a playboy.

Mia and Michael attempt to contact each other but keep missing, and Mia keeps track of how many days it has been since she last saw Michael. Mia becomes concerned that Michael will fall in love with someone else in Florida and calls Tina for support. Tina has also been having relationship problems with Dave ever since she told him that she loved him. Mia finally gets a hold of Michael and realizes she missed his birthday, they catch each other up and Michael tells her he is starting a band. They spend all night catching up which makes Mia very tired the next day. Lilly is upset about her portrayal in the Film of Mia's Life that aired on TV which depicted Lilly as unsupportive of Mia being royal, which, though accurate, Lilly does not believe. Lilly plans to write to the producers for an apology or she will sue.

Mia thinks that Grandmère is trying to set her up with him, and reminds her that she is dating Michael. Grandmère says that if Mia wants Michael to continue to like her she needs to play hard to get, and gives her a copy of Jane Eyre to illustrate her point. Mia and Tina both read Jane Eyre and decide to put Grandmère's method to the test, though Lilly refuses as she says she and Boris are more mature than to play games.

Mia flies back to New York, accompanied by Grandmère and Rommel. Phillipe has to stay in Genovia to resolve the parking meter issue, though he increases his donations to Greenpeace on Mia's behalf to $200 a day. When Mia arrives home she sees that Michael has called, but she doesn't want to chase him. Helen, who has started to show in her pregnancy, tells Mia that though it is admirable not to chase boys it is rude to not call them back. Mia is just about to call him back when Grandmère calls for Helen and she misses her chance. She IMs Michael instead, who asks her out on their first official date.

Tuesday is the first day of school and Mia cannot find her lucky underwear. She becomes paranoid that her whole life will be ruined by bad luck. Michael comes in to Mia's algebra class to confirm schedules, which reveals to everyone in her class that they are dating. Mia fears that though each of her friends is good at something she has no discernible talent. Lilly tells her she does have a talent but she won't tell her if Mia can't figure it out for herself. After school Mia passes out from jet lag and sleep until she has to get up for school the next day.

The producers from the film of Mia's life (which Helen thinks is the funniest thing she has ever seen) ask Lilly to meet them for a breakfast meeting at the end of the week. Mia is pulled out of school by Grandmère who says Phillipe is ill, but really is just taking Mia shopping for Contessa Trevanni's Black and White Ball, which Mia does not want to go to as she would have to cancel plans with Michael. Mia returns to school but cannot tell Michael why she left, though she does tell Lilly, who agrees that Grandmère is the worst. Dave breaks up with Tina via text for not calling her back and tells her he is going out with a girl named Jasmine.

Mia decides to try to compromise with Grandmère and asks if Michael can be her escort to the ball, but Grandmère reveals that René is in New York and will be her escort. Mia asks Helen to get her out of the ball and Helen says she will try and ask Phillipe, but she tells Mia that if she thinks she is going to have to cancel on Michael she should cat-on-the-roof him now, meaning she should start to slowly hint that she might not be able to make it so that when she cancels he won't be as hurt or surprised.

On Thursday Mr. G reveals he is missing a pair of pants and Helen is missing a shirt, which causes Mia to panic that their laundry has been stolen and her Queen Amidala underwear will end up on the news or the cover of a magazine. Helen is repeatedly unable to get through to Phillipe due to the ongoing parking meter debate. Tina announces at lunch that she hates Jane Eyre for ruining her life and is giving up romance novels. Lilly and Mia convince her not to. Due to one of the cheerleaders injuring herself over winter break and the alternate transferring to another school there is an opening on the cheer team, which Shameeka tells the group she is going to try out for as cheer combines two of her favorite things: dance and gymnastics.

Parking meters finally win in Genovia and Phillipe tells Mia that she does not have to go to the ball. When Mia arrives at princess lessons after she receives this news, Grandmère has covered all the lamps with purple scarves and look disheveled. She tells Mia that Contessa Trevanni was her rival at school and was born into a richer family than her. She now has a granddaughter who is a disappointment and Grandmère only wanted to take Mia to show her off to her former rival. Mia reluctantly agrees to attend the ball, even though she thinks Michael might break up with her because of it.

Mia tells Michael that she cannot go to the screening room with him to see Star Wars as she must attend the ball, and Michael tells her that he understands her duty comes first and to come to his house whenever she is able to leave the ball, but seems distant afterward. Shameeka makes the cheer team, but Lana tells Mia that just because her friend is on the team it doesn't mean that anything will be different between them, which Mia uses as an opportunity to slam Lana's hair in her algebra book without getting in trouble. The producers of the movie want to option Lilly Tells It Like It Is. At lunch it seems like everyone has something to celebrate except Mia.

Mia attends the ball, but to her horror Grandmère introduces René as her boyfriend. She tells Grandmère not to and Grandmère agrees, but says Mia must share at least once dance. Mia objects, but Grandmère blackmails her by revealing that she knows Mia took something from the palace. Mia dances with René and she suggests that he dance with Contessa Trevanni's granddaughter, Bella, since she seems miserable. René devises a plot to get Mia out of the ball so that she can catch up with Michael.

Mia arrives at Michael's house and finds he has planned a private version of the date they were going to have at the Screening Room by ordering dinner in, which he reheats, and watching Star Wars with Mia in the TV room. Mia is happy that Michael isn't breaking up with her and confirms that he likes her as more than just a friend. Mia gives Michael the gift she stole from the palace - moon rocks from the Apollo 11 moon landing. Michael is shocked. He loves the gift but tells Mia he has no idea how he is going to top this for her birthday, and she coyly tells him he can write her another song. She also suggests he name is band Skinner Box. Michael tells Mia that her talent is writing. At home Ronnie gives the Thermopolis' their laundry bag, having grabbed it by mistake before going on vacation and not noticing until she returned.