A second chance at life is a golden opportunity that is not easy to find, except in isekai anime or manga. The main character dies, and sometimes they have the chance to be reborn in an alternate or fantasy world. The main character could be an average person in their new world, but one thing is most likely certain: they get special powers as compensation.

Some protagonists hit the jackpot by reincarnating as royalty or part of a royal family as a prince, princess, king, or queen. These characters with recollections of their previous lives tend to live their new lives to the fullest since they have resources at their disposal.

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Updated November 22, 2024, by Oluwatokiloba Folami: The beauty of the isekai genre is that it believes in second chances. In this genre, protagonists who are reincarnated get the chance to live as anything, and while some might get the short end of the straw and reincarnate as the weirdest creatures, others get lucky enough to be reincarnated or called into royalty. Protagonists reincarnated as royalty offer a rich tapestry of narratives blending fantasy, adventure, and the complex dynamics of power. These stories typically follow characters from our world who are reborn into positions of influence in fantastical realms, confronting not only the challenges of their new royal roles but also the intrigues and responsibilities that come with them.

16 Hercule

Santairiku Eiyuuki

Santairiku Eiyuuki

Japanese Title

Santairiku Eiyuuki

Genre

Action, Fantasy

Author(s)

Sakuragi, Sakura (Story), Kamiya, Yuu (Art)

A young boy from Japan dies and is born into a declining royal family. With everything going bad, from the empire filing for bankruptcy to the military declining, the young boy named Hercule has no choice but to take over the empire, hoping to restore its lost glory.

Although Hercule is young with this great burden, what helps him greatly are his past memories from his time in Japan. This manga dwells on Hercule’s journey to restore the Lemurian empire. He is able to do so, and he is so successful that he becomes known in history as the great monarch as Hercule the First.

15 Ellen

Reincarnated As The Daughter Of The Legendary Hero And The Queen Of Spirits

Reincarnated as the Daughter of the Legendary Hero and the Queen of Spirits

Japanese Title

Chichi wa Eiyuu, Haha wa Seirei, Musume no Watashi wa Tenseisha

Genre

Fantasy

Author(s)

Oohori, Yutaka (Art), Matsuura (Story)

Ellen Vankrieft, reincarnated as part human and part spirit, possesses the ability to materialize objects using her knowledge of the periodic table, and this is partially due to the fact that she was a scientist in her previous life. For 8 years of her life, Ellen has been living with her father, Rovel, but after sustaining injuries during a fight with the neighboring city, Ellen makes contact with her mother.

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Ellen realizes her mother is the queen of spirits, Lady Origin, and her parents have to reunite. Although there is a bit of family drama in Ellen’s new life, an unfortunate accident reunites her royal mother, who happens to be a spirit with her father, Rovel, the hero of the kingdom and also a human. The injury that Rovel sustains causes him and his Lady Origin to reconnect and try to strengthen their bond as a family of three while trying to uncover dark secrets tied to the royal family and a centuries-long curse affecting them.

14 Princess Alicia

This Reincarnated Cross-Dressing Princess Won't Be Looking for a Fiancé

This Reincarnated Cross-Dressing Princess Won't Be Looking for a Fiancé

Japanese Title

Tensei Dansou Oujo wa Kekkon Aite wo Sagasanai

Genre

Comedy, Fantasy, Romance

Author(s)

Shiina, Akino (Art), Tsukigami, Saki (Story)

A Japanese girl dies and reincarnates as Princess Alicia, a character from one of her favorite romance novels. Living as Princess Alicia, she is required to get married, but as a sucker for love and romance, she does not want an arranged marriage. Rather, she wants to marry a man she is in love with.

Princess Alicia’s mother is impatient and wants her to get married, so they make an agreement. Princess Alicia has to go undercover in an all-boys school where she meets all the approved candidates her mother has selected for her, and she has to meet and fall in love with one. However, she falls for someone who is not on her mother’s approved list and has to figure out a way for her mother to accept him.

13 Bertia Ibil Noches

An Observation Log of My Fiancée Who Calls Herself a Villainess

Bertia Ibil Noches

Japanese Title

Jishou Akuyaku Reijou na Konyakusha no Kansatsu Kiroku

Genre

Comedy, Fantasy, Romance

Author(s)

Hasumi, Natsume (Art), Shiki (Story)

Reborn into an otome game, Bertia has memories of her past life. Bertia was born into royalty, as she is the daughter of Duke Noches. Her royal status does not end there, as she goes on to marry the prince of her kingdom, Alphasta Kingdom.

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The plot of this story is quite simple and romantic, as it tells the story of Bertia and Cecil, the prince. Their presence in each other's lives changes them, especially the prince, who now cares about things around him since Bertia came into his life. Bertia, who is supposed to be the villain of this story, cannot seem to do an evil deed. Everything she does turns out to be good, which warms Cecil’s heart even more.

12 Yuri Shibuya

Kyou Kara Maou!

Yuri Shibuya

Japanese Title

Kyou kara Maou!

Genre

Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy

Studio

Studio Deen

Yuri’s life was quite normal — until it was not. He saw a classmate being bullied, and like most people who cannot stand bullies, Yuri intervened. His intervention freed the bullies' victims, but he drew the attention of the bullies to himself, and they began bullying him. Yuri’s head was shoved into a toilet, but the toilet turned into a portal and swallowed him, freeing him from his bullies and taking him to another world.

In this new world, Yuri finds himself in the midst of royalty, as his appearance makes the inhabitants of this world, the demons, see him as their next Demon King because of his appearance.

11 Ein Roundheart

Magic Stone Gourmet: Eating Magical Power Made Me the Strongest

Ein Roundheart

Japanese Title

Maseki Gourmet: Mamono no Chikara wo Tabeta Ore wa Saikyou!

Genre

Action, Adventure, Fantasy

Author(s)

Sugawara, Kenji (Art), Yuuki, Ryou (Story)

Things started off great for Ein as he was reborn into a noble family. But unfortunately for him, unlike most isekai characters that are overpowered, Ein’s new skill was plain, simple, and not quite powerful, which made his family make fun of him. However, things start looking up for Ein as he discovers that he has more royal blood in him and is the prince of the neighboring country.

Not only is he the prince, but he now has a suitable environment where he can train, be strong, and avoid being mocked by his peers and family for being weak. Ein realizes that he can eat the magic stone of monsters, absorbing their skills and powers, which makes him stronger. Things are looking up for Ein as he journeys to become the king of his country.

10 Aileen Lauren Dautriche

I'm The Villainess, So I'm Taming the Final Boss

Aileen From I'm The Villainess, So I'm Taming the Final Boss

Japanese Title

Otome Game no Hametsu Flag shika Nai Akuyaku Reijou ni Tensei shiteshimatta...

Genre

Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Romance

Author(s)

Hidaka, Nami (Art), Yamaguchi, Satoru (Story)

Aileen is the main protagonist of I’m The Villainess, So I’m Taming The Final Boss and the daughter of Duke d’Autriche. Before she became Aileen, she was a sick Japanese teenager who died and reincarnated as the villainess of the otome game she was familiar with. She realizes that she is the villainess and that her death is inevitable at the end of the game, but she is determined to rewrite her fate and avoid dying.

With the help of her memories from her previous life, Aileen has a great chance of avoiding her inevitable doom. Nothing comes easy, which means that as much as she has her memories, she still has a hard time trying to get Claude, the final boss, to love her.

9 Lloyd De Saloum

I Was Reincarnated As The 7th Prince So I Can Take My Time Perfecting My Magical Ability

Lloyd De Saloum

Japanese Title

Tensei shitara Dainana Ouji Datta node, Kimama ni Majutsu wo Kiwamemasu

Genre

Adventure, Fantasy

Author(s)

Kokuzawa, Yousuke (Art), Kenkyo na Circle (Story)

Lloyd was never always a prince; he was once a sorcerer who lacked skills and sense. He died senselessly after a duel, but luckily for him, his luck picked up as he got reincarnated as Lloyd, a young prince who had little to no responsibilities.

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As a prince, Lloyd plans to use his time and resources well, learning magic and improving his skills as a sorcerer from his previous life. Since he has his memories, he knows how best to improve himself, and he plans to do that while enjoying and living his new life as a young prince to the fullest.

8 Iris Lana Armelia

Accomplishments Of The Duke's Daughter

Iris Lana Armelia from Accomplishments of the Duke's Daughter

Japanese Title

Koushaku Reijou no Tashinami

Genre

Fantasy

Author(s)

Reia (Story), Umemiya, Suki (Art)

When it comes to Isekai, it is quite common to see the character get reborn as someone in their favorite novel or game, and Iris’s situation in Accomplishments of The Duke’s Daughter is similar. Iris enjoys playing games, but she, unfortunately, has an accident and dies. But her life does not end there; she finds herself in one of the otome games she plays as the villain. This villain is also named Iris, and she is engaged and ready to be married to the prince of the world.

As the villain, Iris’s life does not have a favorable end, but with her memories from her previous life, she knows exactly how her new life is going to end, and she wants to avoid it. Iris uses her status and resources as a duke’s daughter to carry out her plans and make good use of her second chance.

7 Haruto

The Reborn Prince Wants To Be Lazy

The Reborn Prince Wants To Be Lazy manga

Japanese Title

Tensei Ouji Wa Daraketai

Genre

Comedy, Fantasy

Author(s)

Asahina Nagomu (Story), Horishiro Shishamo (Art)

Haruto is a college student who is tired of working and studying. He just wants to eat and be lazy without any form of responsibility, and in modern-day Japan, this is almost impossible, except the individual is from a wealthy home. An encounter with a truck kills Haruto and puts him in an alternate world where he can live out his dreams.

Haruto reincarnates as Phil Gleshart, a young prince, and with memories of his previous life as Haruto, he wants to make sure he is as lazy as he can ever be. As a young prince, this seems possible since he has servants at his beck and call to bring him food and do things for him. However, this manga takes a turn as Phil is unable to relax because there are so many things happening around him.