The Princess Diaries, Vol. V: Princess in Pink

**The Princess Diaries, Vol. V: Princess in Pink** is the fifth volume of the Princess Diaries series by Meg Cabot.

It was released in 2004.

## Book Description

Even princesses have dreams.

Things are looking up for Mia: She's the newest staffer on the school paper, and her miraculous completion of freshman Algebra is just around the corner. Plus she's about to get a new baby brother or sister. Could things possibly get any better?

But in her heart of hearts, Mia has one wish: an evening spent with Michael in a tux and a corsage on her wrist-in other words, the PROM. Michael, however, does not seem to share the dream that is the prom. Worse still, a service workers strike (with Grandmère and Lilly at the heart of it and on opposite sides) threatens the very existence of this year's prom.

Will the strike end in time? Can Michael be dissuaded from his anti-prom views? Most importantly, will Mia get to wear her pink prom dress?

## Opening Quote

*"Onct I see a princess... she was pink all over - gownd an' cloak an' flowers an' all."*

A Little Princess*, Francis Hodgson Burnett*

## Timeline

Begins on Wednesday, April 30, 2004 and concludes on Sunday, May 11, 2004. It occurs during Mia's freshman year.

## Plot Summary

Mia has joined The Atom but she is relegated to only covering the cafeteria menu, as she has not paid her dues. Mia and Shameeka pass notes in class and Shameeka is concerned that Michael has not yet asked Mia to prom, as it is in less than two weeks. Mia doesn't want to ask Michael herself as she thinks it will ruin the romance. Mia is also lobbying her father to let her stay in New York for the summer, to be with her future baby sibling, which is due in a little over a month, and Michael. Phillipe agrees to let her stay until the baby is born in June but wants her to come to Genovia for July and August. Due to the pregnancy Helen feels constant pressure on her bladder, which she tells everyone she comes in contact with.

Mia makes a list of what she wants for her birthday for Grandmère, including a cure for world hunger and Michael asking Mia to the prom. Grandmère does not know what a Prom is, so Mia explains. Grandmère asks why Mia doesn't just go without Michael, like she did for the Nondenominational Winter Dance and Mia explains that the prom is only for seniors. Grandmère tells Mia that she just has to find the right incentive to get Michael to go with her to prom.

Mia gets lots of e-mails for her 15th birthday. In class Shameeka reveals that Josh Richter asked Lana Weinberger to the prom. During G&T Michael's band, Skinner Box, shows up to play a new song, Princess of My Heart, to Mia for her birthday, which gets all the members detention.

Mia, her mom and Mr. G, Phillipe, Grandmère, and Michael go out to dinner at Les Hautes Manger, where Mia gets a cell phone and a fountain pen from her parents (though the phone is only for her mom to contact her when she goes into labor). Grandmère surprises Mia by giving her something she actually wants by sponsoring an orphan in Africa. Michael privately gives Mia a snowflake necklace to commemorate their first kiss at the Nondenominational Winter Dance before Mia goes into the restroom, but does not ask her to prom. Rommel escapes Grandmère's bag while Mia is in the restroom and causes a scene, with many patrons mistaking the small, hairless miniature poodle for a large rat. Rommel trips a busboy and causes him to spill lobster bisque all over Grandmère. Mia returns to the table just in time to see the manager fire the busboy, Jangbu, for spilling the soup and begs Grandmère to stop them from firing Jangbu but Grandmère refuses.

All of the news stations cover the Les Hautes Manger story, though none mention Rommel as dogs are not allowed in restaurants, and Lilly (knowing the real story from Michael) decides to protest. Leslie Cho asks Mia to cover the story for The Atom. Grandmère refuses to accept any responsibility, so Mia dramatically turns on the TV to reveal, to her surprise, that the news is covering Lilly and some other AEHS students that are protesting alongside many busboys. Lilly IMs Mia about her new organization, SATWDOJP, Students Against The Wrongful Dismissal of Jangbu Panasa, and is impressed to find out that Jangbu is only 18 (and is also very attractive).

Mia is having a birthday party on Saturday and Tina suggests they organize a game of Seven Minutes in Heaven so that Mia can ask Michael about the prom, Mia strenuously objects to this plan to seemingly deaf ears. Saturday morning Mia stays in bed watching Lifetime movies while her mom and Mr. G go to New Jersey to get party supplies. Tina arrives and has a plan for the game: Ling Su will distract Helen by asking about her art and Tina will contrive a way to get Mr. G out of the house. The other guests arrive and Mia is nervous about Tina's plan. Lilly shows up a little bit late with Jangbu by her side and her arm wrapped around his waist, which shocks Mia. Tina and Ling Su put their plan into action and give Mia and Michael the first turn. They make out for a bit and Mia pauses to ask Michael about prom, and he tells her that he thinks prom is lame and would rather go bowling. Right as Mia is about to start crying Tina opens the door. Lilly rushes in calling "next," but pulls Jangbu in rather than Boris, who she has been dating for the last 8 months. Boris seems devastated and Mia is shocked that Michael doesn't plan to do anything about it. Mr. G returns with more Coke (Tina had hidden all of it in the nursery) and goes to put his coat away, finding Lilly and Jangbu inside. He abruptly ends the party and sends everyone home. The next day Mia stays in bed all day, getting IMs from her friends. Because of the game of Seven Minutes in Heaven, Helen comes in and attempts to give Mia sex talk, which makes her uncomfortable.

The news declares that the busboys have decided to strike and this is all Lilly will talk about, even when Mia asks her point blank about Boris. During Gifted and Talented, Boris can no longer stand not having an explanation. He picks up an extremely heavy globe that is being stored in the classroom, holds it above his head, and tells Lilly that if she won't take him back he is going to drop it on his head. Lilly disgustedly tells him to do it, and just as he changes his mind and goes to put it back down it slips and falls on his head. Lars runs to get Mrs. Hill while Mia takes off her sweater, orders Boris to sit down, and shoves her sweater against his bleeding head. Michael talks to Boris in a calm, soothing voice until the nurse arrives. The whole school finds out about Boris' behavior and Tina finds it romantic.

Grandmère has put a dress on hold for Mia for prom, but Michael still does not want to go. Grandmère says that Mia has not found the correct incentive, and Mia realizes that Michael said he would go if the guys from his band were there and decides to find out if the band can play at prom. Before she leaves, Mia tells Grandmère that she needs to fix the situation with Les Hautes Manger and Grandmère calls her ungrateful. Lilly and Mia get into a fight because Mia thinks she is being cruel to Boris, while Lilly says that Boris was manipulative. She tells Mia to stop watching to many Lifetime movies. Mia finds out the head of the prom committee is Lana and asks her if Skinner Box can play at prom, getting shut down immediately.

During French Mia gets a call on her new cell phone (it takes her a minute to realize it is hers) and finds out that her mother has passed out at the grocery store. She rushes from class, grabbing Mr. G, to check on Helen. Helen passed out from dehydration as she was drinking less water due to the pressure the baby has been putting on her bladder. Hearing from Tina that Mia rushed out of french, Michael shows up at the hospital after calling Phillipe to find out what was going on.

Mia's article on Les Hautes Manger is published in the Atom, mentioning Rommel, as well as a personal ad from Boris asking Lilly to meet him. At princess lessons Grandmère is upset as the hotel workers have joined the strike, however she points Mia to her bedroom where she has had the perfect prom dress delivered from Chanel. Mia is sad she will be unable to wear it, as she has not found a way to convince Michael to go to prom. Lilly reads Mia's article on the news, infuriating Phillipe and Grandmère, who want to ground her, but Helen vetoes this as she is on Mia's side.

The next day it is announced that due to the various strikes the prom has been cancelled. The entire senior class is furious at Mia, as they perceive it to be Grandmère's fault. Shameeka tells Mia that Tina went to Meet Boris after he posted his personal ad and she has subsequently seen them holding hands. They corner Tina to ask her about it and she tells them that they are dating, as Boris checks off everything she wants in a boy, even if he isn't as cute as she would normally prefer. Due to the wrath of the senior class Mia has to go home early. Lilly later comes over and cries about Boris and Tina being together as she and Jangbu are no longer together due to his selling his story to the media.Grandmère comes to stay at the loft as she can no longer handle conditions at the hotel during the strike, which turns out to be a nightmare for Mia, Helen and Mr. G.

Mia goes to school on Friday, as it is Senior Skip day and most of the people that hate her will be gone. Lilly is not at school as the Drs. Moscovitz found out about her skipping school and treatment of Boris and decide to keep her home to psychoanalyze her. Grandmère calls and tells Mia she has found a place for AEHS to have their senior prom. Mia tells Lana, on the condition that Skinner Box plays prom, and Lana agrees. Mia rushes out of algebra to tell Michael, who had no idea she really wanted to go to prom, but agrees.

Mia spends the day of prom getting ready with Tina, who is able to go because Boris is in the band. Prom is held on the observation deck of the Empire State Building and they go and enjoy watching their boyfriends play. In the middle of prom Mia gets a call that her mother has gone into labor. Helen's water broke at the apartment and Grandmère recruited Ronnie to call a cab, and their neighbor Verl to find Mr. G, who had run out to "buy lotto tickets" just to get away from Grandmère. Mia meets them all at the hospital with Lars and Michael, Phillipe showing up shortly after with Hans, and Lilly appears after Tina calls her to tell her what's going on.

Rocky Thermopolis-Gianini is born on at 12:01, perfectly healthy. Tina tells Mia what happened with the rest of prom, Josh ruining Lana's night by hocking loogies over the side of the Empire State Building and getting an in-school suspension from Mr. Wheeton. Mia begs her dad to let her stay in New York for the summer with her new baby brother, but Phillipe reminds her of the Thermopolis-Renaldo Compromise, but Michael interjects and says that in New York minors cannot enter into contracts if they are under the age of 16.