London poet Rebecca Perry has won the 2026 Waterstones Debut Fiction Prize with May We Feed the King, described as a "dream-like" novel blending a modern museum curator's life with that of a medieval king20:00, 16 Jul 2026London-based poet Rebecca Perry has won the 2026 Waterstones Debut Fiction Prize for her first novel, May We Feed the King, published by Granta Books.‌A clever twist on the historical fiction genre, the story moves playfully between a contemporary curator dressing the rooms of a medieval palace and the reluctant monarch whose chambers she is recreating. As the curator becomes transfixed by this forgotten ruler, the puzzle box-like novel examines what makes a king great and a life truly meaningful.‌Winning the prize brings Perry a £5,000 cash sum and the promise of ongoing commitment to her career, a platform that propelled last year's winner, The Artist by Lucy Steeds, to become the 2025 Waterstones Book of the Year.‌Announcing the victory, Bea Carvalho, Waterstones Head of Books, says: "We are delighted to announce that Waterstones booksellers have named Rebecca Perry the winner of the 2026 Waterstones Debut Fiction Prize. From a shortlist of six stunning debuts, May We Feed the King stood out for its crisp, cool prose, and its playfully enigmatic approach to storytelling."With a poet's eye for detail and a keen sense of humour, Perry grapples with the slippery nature of memory and the burden of power. To read May We Feed the King is to creep behind the scenes of a museum and witness its exhibits come to life.‌"It is a delicious and dream-like tale seeped in curiosity and nostalgia, and a heartfelt ode to history and its custodians. Rebecca Perry is an author to be seriously excited about and we can’t wait to see what she does next."Perry is the author of two full-length poetry collections – Beauty/Beauty and Stone Fruit – and four pamphlets, as well as On Trampolining , a work of creative non-fiction. Her poetry has been shortlisted for awards including the T.S. Eliot Prize and her first collection won the Michael Murphy Memorial Prize.She drew on her lyrical background to write the book. Perry says of the inspiration behind her debut novel: "In writing this book, I wanted to press at the edges of both historical fiction as a genre, and how we narrate history, testing what gives and what holds. But I also wanted to explore the capacities of loneliness and imagination, and ultimately what happens when a person defies what is expected of them, refusing to step into the tyranny of power."‌The decision has been met with warm praise from frontline shop staff across the country. Jack from Waterstones London Victoria describes May We Feed the King as "an incredibly unique debut, executed with richness and perfection".Selected by a panel of passionate booksellers, the 2026 Waterstones Debut Fiction Prize shortlist celebrated six exceptionally diverse and bold first-time novels. The outstanding selection featured Madeline Cash's satirical family drama Lost Lambs, Jiyoung Han's intergenerational magical realist epic Honey in the Wound, and Tara Menon's moving exploration of grief Under Water.Also nominated were Stephanie Sy-Quia’s Rome-set exploration of forbidden faith A Private Man, and Angela Tomaski’s gothic family story The Infamous Gilberts. Together, these six remarkably varied books represent a vibrant future for contemporary fiction, showcasing the immense talent of this year's emerging literary voices.Article continues belowLove reading? Join Dr. Aimée Walsh and our community of fellow readers in the Mirror Book Club to dive deeper into the books everyone is talking about.