A Princess of Wales

Chapter Ten: Beginning of the End

20 December 1995

After considering the present situation, the Queen has written to both the Prince and Princess of Wales earlier this week and given them her view, supported by the Duke of Edinburgh, that an early divorce is desirable.

Her Majesty and His Royal Highness will continue to do all they can to help and support the Prince and Princess of Wales, and most particularly their children, in this difficult period.

Buckingham Palace

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Sandringham House

"There you are duck," Prince Philip stated finding Adeline curled up in the corner with a book on her lap, he had wondered where the young girl had disappeared to. 

It was a hard time for them all right now, there was no escaping the news that had broken this morning that the Queen had instructed Charles and Diana that it was time to divorce. 

The interview had been a horror story in the making, the headlines were terrible and it had been decided instead of allowing the children to return to Kensington Palace or York House in the city it would be better if they came straight here after school had broken up. 

There was no hiding how upset each of the children were and how the interview had affected them, the Queen nearly ordering Diana to stay away while they dealt with the fallout. 

William had been a mess, crying and asking why his mother would do such a thing; he was the worst affected by the emotional fallout of her interview and had refused to see her let alone take her calls. 

Adeline had been the one force to deal with the sudden uprising in rumours about her paternity, many asking if she was Hewitt's kid and the press were posting pictures of her next to Hewitt and his mother trying to work out if they looked alike. 

Then there was Harry, he had been so quiet in the aftermath and none of them were sure how to approach him on any of this especially as he too seemed to have been stained by the confirmation of Diana's affair with Hewitt. 

It was all nonsense as far as the Duke of Edinburgh was concerned, he didn't believe for a moment that any of the children weren't Charles'; there might have been early concerns about Adeline but she was a Windsor and no one in the family denied it. 

"I bet all this nonsense with your parents has gotten you down," Philip mused moving to take a seat beside her, he didn't know what Charles and Diana had been thinking speaking to the press. 

It was bad enough that their every move was followed, why on earth you'd invite them into your private life was a question that he'd never understand. 

Now everyone else in the family was left to deal with the consequences of their actions, the Queen Mother certainly had quite a bit to say about all this nonsense and she was not happy. 

Adeline nodded her head, she didn't look at her grandfather as she turned the pages of her book; not really reading it as she went but it was better to be out of sight than deal with her great grandmother as far as she was concerned.

"You shouldn't believe a word those vultures say about you not being your father's daughter, you look more like him than Harry does," Philip joked smiling, he thought Harry looked rather like a younger Charles or himself but he knew that the rumours continued all the same. 

The media would say what they liked but it wouldn't change a thing, Adeline was the daughter of his eldest son and his very silly wife. 

Diana was a fool not to consider what her actions during that interview would mean especially for her youngest daughter, the royal family had helped her cover her affairs in the past in the best interest of the children.