On His Majesty’s Secret Service

The story, without spoilers

Two days before the coronation of Charles III, Bond is sent to disrupt Athelstan of Wessex's attempt to seize power and rewrite Britain's history. Infiltrating his private army means stopping a threat tied to a very specific public event.

This is a short adult Bond adventure, separate from Higson's schoolboy novels. Its title echoes Fleming's On Her Majesty's Secret Service, but the 2023 coronation setting belongs to a modern Bond rather than the 1963 story of Blofeld and Tracy.

Can I start here?

Yes. It is a compact standalone modern mission. Readers choosing between Higson's books should distinguish this adult novella from the Young Bond sequence that begins with SilverFin.

What stands out

The real coronation provides a tight date and premise. The book was published in support of the National Literacy Trust, and the paperback includes revised text and bonus material.

Who wrote it

Higson, a novelist and co-creator of The Fast Show, was commissioned for the Young Bond books before writing On His Majesty’s Secret Service. His official Bond work covers both childhood adventures and adult missions.

Where it fits in Bond’s life

On His Majesty’s Secret Service is a present-day adult Bond mission. It is separate from Higson’s Young Bond school adventures and has no direct slot between Fleming’s novels.

Content notes

Adult readers. Extremist politics, a private army, threatened public violence and adult themes.

Setting

• Britain during the 2023 coronation

Main characters

James Bond, Athelstan of Wessex, Athelstan’s private army.