Advance Review: The Exorcism At Buckingham Palace #1
From IDW Publishing
Out in March 2026 from IDW Publishing, I had an advance look at The Exorcism At Buckingham Palace #1. Following the previous The Exorcism at 1600 Penn, this series crosses the pond to the UK and the royal family…
From series creator and writer Hannah Rose May (The Exorcism at 1600 Penn, Rogues’ Gallery) and Kelsey Ramsay (Moon Dogs, Godzilla: Heist) comes the next installment in the dark series that dared to possess a nation. First, it was America... now, England.
It’s 5:00 a.m. at 10 Downing Street. The prime minister gets a call that bolts him upright out of bed: The royal family has been lost at sea. Parliament and Buckingham Palace explode with action in the aftermath. Some suspect the prince and his wife, the princess, were attacked. Others whisper their tragedy was the result of a long-standing family curse…
Either way, playboy and recovering addict Theo Belmont is next in line to the throne. Can he step up to the role? Or will he be consumed by his demons?
Author: Hannah Rose May, Artist: Kelsey Ramsay
Building off the initial series is a tough ask, but at the beginning of a new story, it looks like all of the aspects are in play. After the disappearance of the Royal Yacht, the succession is brought into issue: if the King survives, the question is who is next in line to the throne.
The King has his own issues to deal with, and that is why the next in line is so important. It is a little mysterious, but we do get some answers as to why he wants to move so fast.
Then there is the heir - the black sheep of the family, who has a long and troubled past of his own, but seems to be on the right track now. That is, until there is a call to the palace!
This does an excellent job not only of building tension but also of bringing together the politics, family issues, a curse, personal demons, and something sinister lurking in the background. There is a number of characters to take in, but the main ones are all there, and there are some clever and dire hints towards something darker happening within the royal residence and the effect it has had on all of those there. The scenes with the royal yacht are excellent, and throughout, dark shadows follow the royals and affect them.
Of course, there is more to learn, but as a creepy beginning, this does an excellent job of getting us set up for what follows.
The artwork portrays the characters well, with a full range of emotions. The dark shadows claw at the characters, and it’s worth a second read and a peek at these shadows to give more emphasis to the story. I loved the colouring, with clever use of brighter colours, while the darker parts really delved deep into the story's suspense.
Out on the 11th March 2026, pre-order it at Forbidden Planet:
