This is the story of Princesse Matilda Victoria Eleanor de Galles. The Eldest daughter of Princess Catherine and William of Wales. The futur queen of England.
Date: April 9, 2021 Place: Kensington Palace, London & Windsor Castle
April brought a heavy sadness to the royal family as they mourned the passing of Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, at the age of 99. For Matilda, the news was a shock that left her feeling a deep, unfamiliar ache in her chest.
Though she had never spent as much time with Prince Philip as she had with her other grandparents, she had always admired him from afar. Matilda remembered his sharp wit, his unwavering dedication to the family, and his countless stories from his time in the Navy. He had always seemed like a towering figure, someone whose presence commanded attention. She would often listen, wide-eyed, as he recounted tales from his adventures, his voice carrying the authority of someone who had lived through both triumph and tragedy.
Now, as the news of his death spread throughout the world, a sense of quiet disbelief settled over the family. It was a blow no one could have prepared for, though it had been evident that Prince Philip's health had been failing in recent months. Still, the reality of his passing was something that was hard to grasp, especially for someone as young as Matilda, who had only recently started to understand the weight of family loss.
That Afternoon: In the Garden at Kensington Palace
It was a sunshine April afternoon when Matilda found herself in the garden at Kensington Palace, sitting cross-legged on the soft grass next to her father, Prince William. The atmosphere around them felt subdued, the air heavy with an unspoken grief. Though the sun shone down and the birds chirped in the distance, there was a somberness to the day that Matilda couldn't ignore.
"Papa, will Great-Grandpa Philip have a big funeral like in the stories?" Matilda asked quietly, her voice tinged with the confusion of a child trying to make sense of something too big to understand. She had often heard tales of grand ceremonies, royal funerals, and the rituals that came with them. But this one felt different. It was a time of pandemic, a time when things were not done as they once had been.
William looked down at his daughter, his face somber but kind. "It'll be smaller, Tilly," he explained, his voice soft but steady. "Because of the pandemic, we can't have a large gathering. But it will still be very special. He was a great man, and we'll honor him properly."
Matilda nodded, trying to absorb her father's words. She understood, of course, that this would be a different kind of funeral, but the idea that it would be "smaller" didn't seem to match the importance of the man who had passed. To her, Prince Philip was a giant—a man whose legacy couldn't possibly be contained by a small ceremony. She didn't fully grasp the meaning of it yet, but her heart ached for the loss just the same.
The wind picked up, rustling the trees in the garden, and Matilda glanced up at her father, her brow furrowed in thought. "Are we going to meet again Meghan and Uncle Harry?" she asked hesitantly, unsure if that was something she was allowed to ask. The strained relationship between her parents and the Sussexes had been much discussed in recent months, especially after Harry and Meghan's interview with Oprah.
William sighed, the sadness in his eyes deepening. "Yes, darling," he replied softly. "We'll be seeing them soon, for the funeral. But right now, it's important that we focus on Great-Grandpa and remember the incredible life he led."
Catherine appeared beside them just then, her expression gentle but sad. She crouched down to Matilda's level, placing a hand on her daughter's shoulder. "We'll all be there together, Tilly. It will be a time to remember him and to honor the man he was."
Matilda nodded, feeling the weight of her mother's words. The idea of being with Harry and Meghan again made her feel uneasy, a mix of confusion and uncertainty swirling in her heart. She didn't quite understand why things were so strained between the family members, but she had overheard enough conversations to know that something was different.
April 17, 2021: The Intimate Funeral in Windsor
The day of Prince Philip's funeral arrived, and though it was smaller than usual, it was no less poignant. Matilda, along with her siblings, George and Charlotte, stayed at Windsor, not attending the service itself but participating in their own way. The family had decided to keep the ceremony intimate, in line with the restrictions of the pandemic, with only close family and friends present.
Matilda spent the morning in the quiet of the Windsor estate, sitting at a small wooden table in one of the rooms, with Charlotte beside her. They worked in silence, each lost in their own thoughts. Matilda had decided to make a card for her great-grandfather, a way to express her love and honor him, though she wasn't sure how to say goodbye.
She carefully drew a dove—symbolizing peace—on one side of the card, adding a small boat beneath it, to represent the navy that had been such a big part of Prince Philip's life. The sun rose above the water, symbolizing new beginnings, though she knew in her heart that it would never be the same without him.
"Do you think he'll see it?" Matilda asked, looking up at Charlotte, who was drawing her own tribute.
Charlotte looked over at her sister and gave a small smile. "I think he'll see it, Tilly. Wherever he is, he'll know you love him."
Matilda nodded, but the lump in her throat made it hard to speak. She finished the drawing, her fingers tracing over the pencil lines one last time.
Later, she joined her father, who had been overseeing the final preparations for the family's tributes. She handed him the card, her eyes searching his face for a hint of approval.
"This is beautiful, Tilly," William said softly, his voice thick with emotion. He crouched down to her level, gently taking the card from her hands. "He always said you had a good eye for detail," William continued, his eyes softening with a quiet pride. "He'd have loved this."
Matilda smiled a little, her heart lifting at the thought. Prince Philip had always been a man of few words when it came to praise, but whenever he did acknowledge her talents, it made her feel special in a way she couldn't fully explain. It was as if his approval was the highest form of recognition she could receive.
Later that day, the family gathered together in a small, private moment of reflection before the service began. The children remained close to their parents, holding onto the comfort of family in the midst of loss. George, ever the quiet observer, seemed particularly withdrawn, his eyes reflecting the somberness of the day. Charlotte, though young, seemed to grasp the sadness, her face pinched with concern.
As they walked together toward the church, Matilda couldn't help but feel the gravity of the day—the weight of saying goodbye to someone who had been such an integral part of their lives. She didn't understand all of it, not fully, but she understood the importance of family and the bond that tied them all together, no matter what challenges or changes lay ahead.
It was a day for remembrance, for honoring a great man, and for the quiet solace that came with being together as a family, even in the face of sorrow. Matilda had learned many things that day, but perhaps the most important lesson was that, no matter what happened, the love and legacy of those who came before them would never truly fade.
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