The Tin Princess — Philip Pullman

A Cockney Queen...

After witnessing a mysterious explosion, three young Londoners -- Becky, Jim, and Adelaide -- journey to a tiny country high in the mountains of Central Europe. They're an unlikely trio to lead a country, but when Adelaide's husband, the new king, is assassinated, they have little choice. Adelaide, a Cockney commoner, is crowned princess -- then queen -- of Razkavia. She rises to her new station, playing international politics with the help of Becky and Jim. But before long, ominous forces threaten the balance of power, thrusting Adelaide and her friends into a fight for the crown -- and their very lives!