# Is "The Prince and Betty" by P.G. Wodehouse a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Prince and Betty by P.G. Wodehouse (W.J. Watt, 1912) is identified by: Two substantially different book texts. The US Watt edition is the earliest book printing and carries the expanded text; the UK Mills & Boon edition is a distinct, shorter version.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Two substantially different book texts
- The US edition (W.J. Watt & Co., New York, 14 February 1912) merges the original romance with the plot of Psmith, Journalist and runs to thirty chapters
- The UK edition (Mills & Boon, London, 1 May 1912) keeps the shorter twenty-chapter text
- The US edition precedes the UK by some months
- Publisher imprint reads W.J. Watt
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | P.G. Wodehouse |
| Publisher | W.J. Watt |
| Year | 1912 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Two substantially different book texts |
| Book-club edition exists? | — |

## Points of issue
Two substantially different book texts. The US edition (W.J. Watt & Co., New York, 14 February 1912) merges the original romance with the plot of Psmith, Journalist and runs to thirty chapters. The UK edition (Mills & Boon, London, 1 May 1912) keeps the shorter twenty-chapter text. The US edition precedes the UK by some months.

## Is this the true first?
The US Watt edition is the earliest book printing and carries the expanded text; the UK Mills & Boon edition is a distinct, shorter version. Identify which text and printing you have before assigning precedence.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Text varies substantially between US and UK editions. Among Mills & Boon copies, a state with a 32-page advertisement catalogue exists; McIlvaine lists it after the no-advert state, though firm precedence between those UK states is not established.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Prince and Betty* by P.G. Wodehouse a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-prince-and-betty
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-04.