The Queen

Long before America Singer arrived at the palace, another young woman entered the same royal competition, hoping to win the heart of a different prince. This short work tells that earlier story and serves as a prequel to the Selection series, taking place before the events of its first book.

The narrator is Amberly, who would later become Prince Maxon's mother. Through her eyes, readers see how Maxon's parents came together and how a young woman from an ordinary background rose to become queen. Originally released as a digital-only novella, it offers a close look at the courtship that shaped the royal family at the center of the series.