The Princess Diaries, Vol. VI and a Half: The Princess Present is a novella occurring between the sixth and seventh volumes of the Princess Diaries series by Meg Cabot.
It was released in 2004.
Book Description
Mia would give all the jewels in Genovia for the perfect present.
Every year, Princess Mia spends the holidays in Genovia with Grandmère. This year, she's looking forward to the most perfect Christmas ever: her boyfriend, Michael, and her best friend, Lilly, are coming to Genovia, too. But even a princess's plans can go awry. Lilly has a lot to learn about palace protocol, and with all the state holiday functions Mia must attend, there's no time to linger under the mistletoe with Michael. Worst of all, Mia hasn't been able to find him the perfect gift.
Can Mia stop her (bah-hum)bugging long enough to see that the perfect present has nothing to do with international express courier-and everything to do with real love? (Though some shiny silver ribbon never hurts.).
Opening Quote
"It has been hard to be a princess today..." she said. "It has been harder than usual."
A Little Princess, Francis Hodgson Burnett
Timeline
Begins on Tuesday, December 22, 2004 and concludes on Friday, December 25, 2004. It occurs during winter break Mia's sophomore year.
Plot Summary
Mia is in Genovia for winter break. After throwing a fit about missing Rocky's first Christmas Phillipe agrees to fly Michael and Lilly to Genovia for Christmas. Mia leaves instructions for how Michael and Lilly's rooms are supposed to be set up, though they are not able to be set up to her standard. Mia is also trying to bid on an original Star Wars poster for Michael for Christmas, though she has to sell her Fiesta Giles action figure from Buffy the Vampire Slayer to afford it. Grandmère is planning her annual Christmas Eve ball. Mia finds a cat outside her window and feeds it some leftover food form the kitchen.
Michael and Lilly arrive in Genovia and Lilly has difficulty adjusting from New York life to royal life, starting with being willing to give her bags to the footman, Franco. Lilly is appalled by the riches of the palace, including the $17 million Faberge advent calendar that is a replica of the Genovian Palace. She tries to come to dinner in a t-shirt and low-rise jeans, but Mia sends her back to change with Franco and they are gone for quite a while. At dinner Pierre is enamored with Lilly, though she insults Prince René to the point that he moves to another seat, and she also insults Phillipe's girlfriend, Philomena.
After everyone goes to bed Michael comes to to Mia's balcony. They make out for a bit before they are interrupted by the cat from the other night, who has also brought 5 more cats with it. Michael does not want to feed them but Mia insists, so they sneak to the kitchens to get food, where they see Franco leaving Lilly's room looking flushed.
The next day Grandmère is tired of all the young people being around and sends them off on a yacht around the bay. Lilly spends time with Simon, Lord Mulberry which upsets Pierre, who also thinks that Franco is doting on Lilly an inappropriate amount. Mia talks to Lilly about Simon and Franco, but Lilly has an excuse for both. That night at the Christmas Eve ball Pierre runs in yelling at everyone to "Stop them" and leads the group to the bowling alley where Lilly is engaged in a game of strip bowling with Simon and a few other young royals. Pierre is extremely upset and Franco takes of his gloves to slap Simon with them. They begin to brawl, bursting out into the hall where they knock over the Faberge advent calendar. Grandmère faints and Michael helps to carry her out to the garden to get some fresh air - where they find Mia's little cat with a few dozen more friends. Franco is fired for his actions, though Lilly believes this is unfair as he was temporarily insane due to his feelings for her. All of the royals rush to leave the palace in hopes of keeping their children away from Lilly's bad influence.
Christmas morning the few that are left at the palace go around and open presents, but Lilly is so upset with Mia's gift to her that Mia has to drag her to the beach to keep everyone from hearing her screaming. Lilly tells Mia that she is jealous of the fact that she has only had one boyfriend while Lilly has had 3 in the past two days and accuses Mia of being elitist. Mia explains to Lilly why she doesn't approve of the 3 men that Lilly has been toying with, but Lilly counters that Mia is snobby when she is in Genovia. Lilly tells Mia that in New York she is insecure and self-deprecating but in Genovia she doesn't do anything but boss people, including Lilly, around. Mia explains that she bosses the staff around because she is their boss and it is her job, and she tries to be polite, and tells Lilly that she wishes she didn't have to boss Lilly around but Lilly keeps acting inappropriately.
While Lilly and Mia are arguing Mia notices a cruise ship in the harbor and realizes that it is sinking. She and Lilly rescue all the tourists and bring them back to the palace. Luckily, the kitchen had been expecting all of the royals for lunch so there is plenty of food for everyone. Grandmère is dismayed that Mia has dragged home tourists, but immediately goes into hostess mode while Phillipe finds out why the Coast Guard wasn't there to help the ship. The tourists all enjoy their time at the palace and one of them tells Grandmère that it has been the best part of their Mediterranean Cruise, which pleases Grandmère. As the tourists leave, Mia and Lilly give some of them their Christmas gifts that they do not want. Mia tells Lilly that this is what being a princess is all about.
Michael asks if he and Mia can be excused to open their presents to each other alone, which Grandmère obliges. Mia gives Michael the Star Wars poster she was able to win in the bidding war, but he reveals that he was the one selling it and has his dad take care of everything while he has been in Genovia. Mia is disappointed and tells Michael that she will get him something else, but he rebuffs her telling her he really wanted the poster and was only selling it so he could afford to get her something really good. Mia opens Michael's present to her and it is a Military Xander action figure - the only one she was missing before she sold Fiesta Giles. Mia tells Michael that she sold Fiesta Giles so she no longer has the full collection and Michael begins to laugh. He tells her they each sacrificed something they really loved to get something great for the person they love, and Mia kisses him.