What do you think you're doing?!

Chapter 1

A gloomy October day brought a kind of inexplicable gloom to almost everyone at Kensington Palace. The young Princess Diana, who had recently returned from an overseas trip, suffered most from the rainy weather. She loved the rain, it soothed her and distracted her, but on that day she wished more than anything else in the world that she was not at home. However, the thundering outside the window left no hope that the weather would improve anytime soon, so she decided to try to entertain herself.

Going to Charles or to members of his family was a futile exercise, she was well aware of that. Two and a half months as the Prince of Wales's wife was enough to get her used to the way of life in the palace. The basic rule was not to pester anyone, she had to learn that right away. Even her own husband preferred to spend his time working or hunting rather than in Diana's company.

The princess sighed heavily, but decided that today she would spend the day the way she wanted. Dancing was too boring, and there was no mood for it, neither was playing the piano or watching television (it was like the news from morning till night anyway), so she decided that for once in her life she could indulge in some mischief.

Walking over to her wardrobe, she pulled out the rollers from the depths. As she did so, she smiled in a way that not even treasure hunters from films smile when they find treasure. No one in the palace knew that she had brought them with her, but she assumed that the reaction would be far from approving. Charles had already hinted endlessly at the deplorability of his wife's mental faculties, not shying away from guests, one could only guess at the epithets he would award her upon seeing the clips.

Diane felt her fervour waning, but was determined that no amount of her husband's foolish antics would spoil her mood today. From the drawer of her nightstand she took out her old Walkman and lovingly stroked it. The princess often said to herself that it remained her only friend in the palace, a memory of her old life, a memory of freedom. Closing her eyes and listening to the music, she imagined that she was still nineteen, that she still lived in her flat, that Caroline and the other girls were coming over, that they would cook dinner together, laugh, and at the end of the day everyone would watch TV and argue about who the protagonist of the next soap opera should be with.

Diana smiled sadly. She had an unpleasant lump in her throat and most of all she wanted to run away now, but with an incredible effort of will she managed to pull herself together and began to go through the tapes.

- Duran Duran? Too many memories, I want to have fun, not hang myself... At least today," she said in a half-whisper, "The Beatles...better now, but still not the same...ABBA! Exactly! Exactly the right thing.

With confidence she inserted the tape into the player, put on the rollers and, lacing them on as tightly as possible, slowly rolled towards the door. Poking her head out, Diana looked around carefully and listened, just in case. It was as if the palace was deserted. Even the servants weren't moving back and forth through the corridors.

"What luck," Diana rejoiced and smiled.

Closing the door behind her and putting on her headphones, the girl at first hesitantly and then faster and faster rolled through the corridors and rooms of the palace. One of her favourite Super Trouper songs was playing, and the mood was rising right before her eyes. Diana even performed a few tricks: she jumped up and down over the threshold, she skirted the table and the surrounding chairs and decorations at high speed, and to top it off she lifted her right foot and drove down the corridor about three metres with her left.

Throughout the entire trip Diana laughed until she cried like a little girl, although she was sure that even as a child she had never had so much fun. It seemed to her that the air tasted better and life was brighter. Even the thunderstorm outside the window no longer depressed her. With cheerful laughter and shouting she raced through the halls, saluting the portraits, jokingly asking the statuettes if they were all right, and asking the crystal vases not to fear for their health.