A new James Bond novel will be released to mark the coronation of King Charles III in May, in which Britain’s most famous spy tries to prevent an attack that disrupts the royal ceremony, the book’s publisher announced on Friday, AFP reported. and Variety, reports News.ro.

Ian Fleming Publications, which owns the literary rights to the character created by Ian Fleming, has announced that it has tapped Charlie Higson to write this new adventure.

The 64-year-old British writer and actor, a big fan of 007, is already on the verge of creating five novels that tell about the adventures of a teenage James Bond, written for a youth audience.

The new novel is due out on May 4, two days before King Charles III’s coronation on May 6.

The novel will be called On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, a male version of Ian Fleming’s tenth novel, published for his 60th birthday: On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.

“The coronation of King Charles III is an important event for the country,” explained Corinne Turner, managing director of Ian Fleming Publications.

“We asked ourselves how we could celebrate this and the answer seemed obvious. Ian Fleming’s On Her Majesty’s Secret Service was first published on 1 April 1963. What better way, 60 years later, to mark this new chapter in history than by publishing a brand new story?” she said.

James Bond novels cause controversy in Britain

The new novel is set in the present day, two days before the king’s coronation, and Bond is tasked with preventing a last-minute attack aimed at disrupting the ceremony.

All royalties from the sale of the book will be used to support the reading and writing association for underprivileged children.

The announcement comes after it was revealed in late February that Ian Fleming’s James Bond novels would be re-edited to try to “adapt” them to the 21st century, with several racial references that could be considered offensive removed.

The books are due out in April for the 70th anniversary of the first James Bond novel. Fleming’s thrillers – from Casino Royale to The Octopus – will be reissued this spring after Ian Fleming Publications commissioned a review by a group of “sensitive readers”.

Reprinted James Bond books will also include an explanatory text: “This book was rewritten at a time when terms and attitudes that modern readers might find offensive were commonplace. Several updates have been made to this edition, as close as possible to the original text and the period in which it takes place.”

The announcement to republish Fleming’s books for a modern audience follows an equally strong controversy in the UK over the rewriting of books by beloved children’s author Roald Dahl.

Several literary figures, including author Salman Rushdie, strongly rejected the idea of ​​rewriting Dahl’s books.