Die Königin (The Queen - A Prince Harry story)

Prequel 001: October 2002 (Ingeborg)

October, 2002

St Andrews, Fife, Scotland

Ingeborg remembers meeting her cousin for the first time on 16 September, 1988. Inge had been six at the time and was thrilled to hold the little baby in her lap while Inge's mother took a photo. Inge's sister, four year old Sigrid, was allowed to hold the baby next even though Inge insisted Sig was too young.

One year later, her uncle announced that he would be changing the rules for the line of succession on 1 January 1990, meaning that the little baby Inge remembered meeting (which couldn't be said for all her cousins, especially the ones close to her age) was going to be Queen one day. Seven year old Ingeborg thought that was pretty cool. Probably not cool enough to bring in the photo of her holding the day old baby to school and shove it in people's faces saying 'this is me and our future Queen!' She'd only just learnt the phrase 'future Queen' and was fond of saying it several times a day.

Inge's cousin became the Crown Princess at one year, three and a half months of age. On 15 September 1990, one month before Mecklenburg was made whole and expanded to include Vorpommern, Ingeborg spent the day with her family at Schloss Ludwigslust celebrating the first Karolina Augusta Day. Ingeborg remembers running through the fountain with her bigger cousins. She remembers the people of Ludwigslust singing their Crown Princess Happy Birthday. She remembers her uncle Wilhelm carrying his daughter high on his shoulders through the crowds of people, bouncing on his feet to make his little girl squeal with delight.

Inge's cousin became the Queen at three years and four months of age when Uncle Wilhelm died. Ingeborg, aged nine and a half, and her family had been on holiday with Uncle Wilhelm in Switzerland when Uncle Wilhelm died in a skiing accident. Ingeborg remembered her mother screaming for her big brother, clinging to his lifeless body in the hospital room. She remembered her mother refusing to leave the hospital room. She remembered going with her father to greet Wilhelm's very pregnant wife, Eleonora, and their daughter at the nearest airport.

Ingeborg remembers meeting her Queen for the first time. Dressed in a black satin dress, Karolina Augusta the First fussed and struggled in her mother's arms, begging to be put down. The cries and sobs of those around them were distressing, even to those who didn't understand what death meant, what Wilhelm Franz the First being dead meant.

She remembered the long, quiet car ride from the airport to the hospital.

Karolina Augusta would never remember her father, would never remember becoming the Queen, but Ingeborg would. She would remember Uncle Wilhelm for his children, tell stories and show photos to the daughter he adored and the son he never got the chance to meet.

It was because of this, because Ingeborg had been there in the hospital room when Wilhelm died and Karolina Augusta became Queen, because of the memories and stories shared, there had been times when Ingeborg felt more like a sister than a cousin to Karolina Augusta. They had always been very close and as Karolina grew older, they'd been able to create a relationship where the six year age difference didn't seem so big.

So it had come of no surprise to Ingeborg when her cousin insisted on visiting Inge at the University of St Andrews in late 2002.

"Will's there as well. I can see you both," Lina had explained over the phone a few weeks earlier. "I'll speak to Ritter Bernhard."

Ritter Bernhard Lange, Principal Private Secretary to Her Majesty The Queen of Mecklenburg since 1998, was incapable of saying no to Lina and a visit was quickly arranged.

Unfortunately, Ingeborg lived on campus and both the University and the Royal Court was concerned about the disruption an extended visit from a reigning monarch would cause. Lina turned to their distant cousin and dear friend, Will, with a request: that after a quick tour of the campus, Ingeborg and Lina would have lunch at Will's flat. William had freaked out a little "I have no food" but was quickly talked down by Kate who promised to help him make a lunch 'fit for a Queen'.