The Prince and the Girl

Harry remained still on the bed for a moment before his hand slid over his face. He was unreadable. Gillian seated herself next to him and placed one hand on his back gently.

“Harry?”

A small moment of silence and stillness passed before Gillian found herself enveloped in Harry’s arms. His hands were in her hair, stroking her gently. She listened closely to Harry and she heard that he was laughing quietly into her shoulder as they rocked back and forth. Slowly, his arms relaxed around her and he pressed his nose to hers.

“This is good.” He said and they both laughed.

“So you’re alright with it?” Gillian asked tentatively.

“Of course I am!” Harry smiled and stroked her hair. “I’ve wanted this for … a very long time.”

“And you realise we’ll be getting married?” Gillian posed.

A small smile spread on Harry’s face. “We are going to throw one of the best parties the world has ever seen.”

•••

Gillian could hear chatter in the room next door. Harry was talking quietly to his father as he smoothed his hair down. She looked at herself in the mirror, examining her reflection. She felt so unlike herself.

Three days had passed since Harry had arrived home. Clarence House had been abuzz with activity; there were press conferences, interviews and other appointments to be arranged; Gillian had to visit the stylists’ again; both of them had to be briefed on what was and wasn’t appropriate behaviour for their announcement.

It was difficult to grasp her current situation and how it would affect the rest of her life. She knew that everything would be different from now on; that she would have to act like a different person than she really was. She hoped that somehow, the person she really was would manage to survive.

“Gillian?” Harry called. She turned to look at him tentatively. “We need to go now.”

He crossed the room to her and put a hand on her back as she turned back to the mirror. Her hair had been pulled back into a loose updo, curly and classic. The stylists had coloured it slightly so that it was the colour of tea with milk.

Nervously, Gillian put on her best smile and linked arms with Harry. Her left hand, heavy with the ring, rested on his arm. Suddenly, a giddy feeling rose in her stomach. This was the beginning of a true fairy tale. She felt blessed to be here, with the man she loved more than anything in the world, about to take the biggest step forward she had taken in a long time.

As the door was opened for them and they proceeded down the hall towards the room where the press were waiting, Gillian could hear the chatter quiet down. Obviously, the clacking of her heels against the hardwood floor had alerted them to her approach. She steeled herself and finally, she and Harry emerged.

The camera flashes were nearly blinding and Gillian struggled to keep her eyes open. Her grip on Harry’s arm tightened; they had prepared her for this, but the effect was still shocking.

As she and Harry settled in front of the crowd of cameras, she heard someone shout out “Tell us how it happened!”

Both she and Harry laughed charismatically as they had been instructed. Harry was to answer all questions unless Gillian was directly addressed.

“It was very sudden, really.” He said. “We were eating dinner and I simply asked her.”

“How did you ask her?” There was a shout from the crowd.

“I think it went something like, ‘Are you game?’, and she just nodded.” Harry replied cheekily.

There was a chuckle among the crowd as Gillian thought back to how that moment really occurred. Of course, Harry was telling the truth; he was simply leaving out the part that she was pregnant and that his father had been standing by.

“Gillian, how do you feel about it?”

Gillian gave her best Royal smile and took a deep breath, trying to remember all the things they had told to include in her answer to this question.

“Obviously, I’m very excited. It’s a very exciting time for me, Harry and our families. I look forward to becoming a part of the family and having the opportunity to make a difference in the world. Not to mention, we’ll be able to start a family as soon as possible.” She replied smoothly. She looked up at Harry who smiled back at her.

The flashing subsided slightly and soon they were escorted into a smaller room for their first interview. It went by smoothly and quickly and before she knew it, Gillian was posing for one last photograph.

•••

They spent the night at Clarence House with Kate and Will, who were not due to return to Anglesey for another two weeks. Kate was staying to help Gillian with the wedding preparations and so, Will had decided to stay too.

They talked late into the night about where and when they would be married, although they would not have many options. Westminster Abbey was what would be expected, but they could also marry in the church where Gillian’s grandparents had held their ceremony. Gillian’s mother called around 14.00 to congratulate her.

“It’s wonderful, darling.” She said cheerily. “And your sister has just informed me that she is willing to be your maid of honour, but only if she looks as good as Pippa did.”

Gillian laughed. There was so much planning to be done and so many decisions to be made. She only hoped that she would not be showing by the time the wedding came around in two months.

As the morning sun rose, Gillian sat wrapped in Harry’s arms. They had not slept all night and Gillian felt her eyes falling slowly closed as Kate walked in.

“You’ve made the front page.” She smiled and Gillian sat up tiredly. Kate held out a newspaper to Gillian. “I had it delivered specially.”

Gracing the front cover was a picture of her and Harry. She examined the photo and realised that she had never been happier in her entire life.

THE END