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.
It was an unusually quiet morning at Windsor Castle, and Matilda found herself sitting with her mother, Catherine, in the castle's expansive library. The gentle ticking of the clock on the wall, the occasional rustle of papers, and the distant chirping of birds from outside created a peaceful backdrop, yet the atmosphere inside felt anything but calm. Catherine was reading through some royal correspondence, her brow furrowed in thought, but it was clear her mind was elsewhere. Matilda noticed the subtle shift in her mother's demeanor—something was different today.
"Are we going to see Granny today?" Matilda asked, looking up from the book she had been reading. She had been excited about the visit, especially since her grandmother, the Queen, had always been so full of life whenever they were together. But lately, something felt off.
Catherine looked up from her papers, offering a small, reassuring smile. "Yes, darling, but your grandmother is resting right now," she said gently, choosing her words carefully. "She had a little health scare recently. She's been feeling unwell, so her doctors asked her to take some time to rest."
Matilda tilted her head, her young face full of concern. "Is she okay? Will she be better soon?" she asked, her voice laced with the kind of worry that only a child's heart can produce when someone they love isn't quite themselves.
"I'm sure she will be, sweetheart," Catherine replied, her voice soft but with an undercurrent of worry that Matilda couldn't help but notice. "The Queen is very strong, but even someone as strong as her needs to rest sometimes. She's been working so hard for so long—she deserves a little break."
Matilda nodded slowly, but the unease lingered in her heart. The Queen, her beloved Granny, always seemed so invincible. She was the matriarch of their family, the cornerstone of everything. The thought of her being unwell, of needing rest, was both foreign and unsettling.
Later that Day at Windsor Castle:
As the day wore on, the royal family kept a quiet routine. Matilda had been instructed to continue her schoolwork, which she dutifully did, but her thoughts kept drifting back to her grandmother. She had overheard her parents discussing the Queen's hospitalization the night before, though they had tried to shield the children from the full details.
She had heard whispers of something about "preliminary investigations," but no one had elaborated. Matilda had seen enough in her short life to know that when the adults were speaking in hushed tones, it usually meant something serious. Still, her natural curiosity kept her asking questions, hoping for some reassurance.
"Is Granny really going to be okay?" Matilda had asked again when her father, Prince William, came to check on her in the afternoon.
William smiled warmly and sat beside her, his hand resting gently on her shoulder. "She's doing much better, Tilly. She just needed a little time to rest. The doctors are taking good care of her. She'll be back to her usual self before long, I'm sure of it."
"Can I go see her?" Matilda asked, her voice full of the hope that children often have when they want things to be okay again.
"Not yet, darling," William said, though there was a tenderness in his tone that made Matilda feel comforted, even if she didn't fully understand why. "Granny is still resting, but I promise you, when she's feeling better, we'll visit her, okay?"
Matilda sighed softly but nodded. Her thoughts were heavy as she returned to her desk and tried to focus on her studies. She missed her grandmother. The Queen had always been a beacon of strength, an ever-present figure in her life, and the idea that she was unwell made Matilda feel small and uncertain.
A Week Later: Windsor Castle, May 28, 2021
As the week passed, Matilda's concern for the Queen continued to weigh on her mind. Though the royal family had made efforts to maintain a sense of normalcy, the absence of the Queen's usual presence at family gatherings and events was noticeable. It wasn't just that she wasn't physically there—it was that the family knew something wasn't quite right.
One afternoon, while playing outside with George and Charlotte in the garden at Windsor, Matilda stopped for a moment, gazing up at the window of the Queen's private apartments. She imagined her grandmother resting inside, probably reading or thinking about the next royal duty she would have to attend to.
"Do you think Granny will come back soon?" Matilda asked George, who had been kicking a ball with her in the garden.
George, always more composed and less given to open displays of emotion, glanced over at her and gave a slight shrug. "Mum says she'll be okay. She's just tired. But she's strong. She'll be back."
Matilda smiled, feeling comforted by George's words, even if they didn't fully ease the worry that had settled in her chest.
That evening, as the family gathered for a quiet dinner, William and Catherine sat together at the head of the table, their expressions soft but serious. It wasn't often that the mood in the family felt so subdued, but Matilda could tell her parents were concerned. She hadn't seen her grandmother in several days, and while she understood the need for rest, she couldn't shake the feeling that something more was going on.
As they ate, Catherine turned to Matilda with a gentle smile. "Your grandmother sends her love," she said, as if to reassure her. "She's just resting right now, but she's feeling much better. She'll be back with us soon."
Matilda nodded, grateful for her mother's reassurance, but the uncertainty lingered in her heart.
May 29, 2021: The Queen Returns to Public Duty
By the end of the month, the Queen had made a much-anticipated return to public life, though her engagement was much lighter than usual. She resumed light desk-based duties at Windsor Castle, continuing her royal work from the safety of her home.
It wasn't long before reports started to circulate that the Queen was recovering well. Despite the scare earlier in the month, she appeared determined to return to her royal responsibilities. And as she did, the family felt a quiet sense of relief.
Matilda, though she had only been allowed brief glimpses of her grandmother during her recovery, felt a deep sense of gratitude. The Queen's strength and resolve were evident to anyone who had ever been around her, but to Matilda, it was even more remarkable. The Queen wasn't just a figurehead; she was a real person, a beloved grandmother who had weathered many storms and would continue to do so for years to come.
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