Running Around Royal (Prince Harry #4)

Chapter Thirty-Six

In May of 2018, Prince William made the first royal state visit to Israel and Palestine. While it had gone fine for him, tension had risen still between Israel and Palestine with no end in sight.

The airplane landed. Meredith followed Harry off the airplane. Three steps behind him at all times, she walked. It was relatively warm with sunny skies and a slight breeze. The Duke of Windsor greeted the prime minister and his wife. The duchess followed behind, smiling at them kindly while shaking their hands. Lots of photographs were taken, and Meredith was surprised by this. It made Meredith nervous that her dress might fly up in the breeze.

It was a long trail of cars, black and sleek, and Harry and Meredith stepped into one beside the prime minister and his wife away. Jessica was long gone in the back with Bella. Bob was at least able to come with the, even thought it didn't seem like they needed it. Security lined the streets, making Meredith uneasy.

Jerusalem spread out in front of them, showing off the rich history of the religious region. With only the morning into in Jerusalem, the prime minister took them out for breakfast at a local restaurant, where Meredith kept her mouth closed about most things. Trying something new, Meredith wasn't going to step on any toes-- the question was: how long was it going to last?

Meredith managed to do well, keeping her small talk on topic of weather, fashion and design. Those three topics Meredith had to get better at, especially with the constant media attention. Photographers pushed up against the glass window of the restaurant, and it had been a while since they had one this. Of course, the last time they did this, the police officers chased them off. The military watched from all sides. With cameras on her at all times, this time Meredith felt uncomfortable with them.

After the breakfast of original Jewish food, the president and first lady wished them good luck with the rest of their time in Jerusalem as the royal couple went off to Yad Vashem. With the literal translation of "A monument and a name," it was Israel's memorial to the victims of the Holocaust. The memorial was dedicated to remembering the dead, honoring those who fought against the Nazis and researching the Holocaust. The memorial contained a museum, a Children's Memorial, Hall of Remembrance, Museum of Holocaust Art,  sculptures, outdoor commemorative sites such as the Valley of the Communities, a synagogue, a research institute with archives, a library, a publishing house and an educational center-- the International School/Institute for Holocaust Studies. Over a million people visited Yad Vashem every year.

Standing in enclosed room, the ceiling spiraled up to become a cone, closing off at the top. Pictures of just some of the Holocaust victims echoed within the chamber as Harry and Meredith stood there. The tour guide explained the chamber, and Meredith already felt uneasy. It was the whole point; how else were people supposed to learn? The Hall of Names showed six-hundred pictures and testimonies. As some of the only royals that ever visited Yad Vashem, it was historic.

After Yad Vashem, Meredith switched into a new outfit as their next step was Palestine. Newly covered, it didn't seem to matter too much. Not all the women wore scarves, and not all the men seemed to care about the protocol of clothing either. The armored car drove into the West Bank, surrounded by Israeli soldiers.

Meredith knew that when this whole tour was being planned, going to Israel and Palestine was a back and forth. As hotly contested by some communities, it was an odd place for the new duke and duchess to go. Personally for the monarchy, especially Jessica and the security, they didn't much like the idea of Israeli special forces being in charge of the duke and duchess. Whenever traveling to a country, the monarchy accepted help from the local military and police to keep the royals safe; now, it seemed like a mistake.

Whether or not Palestinians were here to see the royals, even as the royals were accepted by a leader of Palestine, most of the eyes rested on the forces that surrounded them. Desperately trying to keep the plastered smile on her face, Meredith tried to focus on the task at hand, which was trying to bring smiles to faces of the people she greeted. It didn't seem to matter because all eyes came to the forces with big guns, watching the crowds. All eyes looked to them-- well, at least not a little girl's.