Meg Cabot
The author who transformed a teenage girl's secret royal life into a global literary and cinematic phenomenon.
Born 1967 (age 59)·American novelist·Birthday: February 1·Generation X
Biography
Before she was Meg Cabot, bestselling author, she was Meggin Cabot, an aspiring illustrator and assistant dorm manager in New York City. Writing in secret, she channeled the universal anxieties of teenage life into a deceptively simple premise: what if an ordinary girl discovered she was the heir to a European throne? The result was 'The Princess Diaries,' a series that reshaped young adult fiction with its witty, first-person diary format and relatable heroine, Mia Thermopolis. The books' massive success, amplified by the Disney film adaptations, established Cabot as a powerhouse. She has since built a vast literary empire spanning multiple series and genres, from paranormal romance to adult mysteries, all characterized by her sharp dialogue, romantic tension, and a deep understanding of her readers' inner lives.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Meg was born in 1967, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Meg Was Born
The biggest hits of 1967
#1 Movie
The Jungle Book
Best Picture
In the Heat of the Night
#1 TV Show
The Andy Griffith Show
Meg's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1967Born
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1972Started school
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1980Became a teenager
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1983Could drive
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1985Could vote
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1988Turned 21
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1997Turned 30
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2007Turned 40
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 50
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 59 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Authored 'The Princess Diaries' series, which has sold tens of millions of copies worldwide and was adapted into two successful Disney films.
- Has written and published over 80 novels across young adult and adult genres.
- Her books have consistently appeared on the New York Times Best Seller list.
- Received numerous literary awards, including the American Library Association's Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers.
Did You Know?
She initially pursued a career as an illustrator before turning to writing full-time.
The idea for 'The Princess Diaries' was inspired in part by her mother's death from cancer, exploring the theme of a girl navigating life with a single parent.
Cabot writes under several pseudonyms, including Patricia Cabot for historical romances and Jenny Carroll for the '1-800-Where-R-You' series.
She is a passionate advocate for animal welfare and often features pets in her stories.
“The nice part about writing is that you don't have to get dressed, you can just sit there in your pajamas and write.”
