Royal Duchess | BRF Story

Family Dinner

"What happened?"

"Harry called, a few minutes ago while I was in a meeting with Simon."

"Is everything okay? Does he need anything?"

"He left a voicemail, and I called back. He wants to meet, have dinner."

"He wants to meet for dinner?"

It was normal for the brothers and their respective partners to meet at least once a week to have dinner, to talk, see how everyone was doing. So the Prince's request did not come as a surprise.

"Yes, but without Wills or Katie. Or our children."

"Why?"

"He wants us to meet his girlfriend."

"Oh... So soon?"

They family knew of the young princes propering romances, and so when the media cought up to the new romance between the third Wales Prince and the American actress, it was nothing new to the family or the palace. 

"He says they are serious. And after he came begging me to release a supporting statement on his decision to release a statement after she had security concerns over the media, I wouldn't be surprised if they got engaged soon."

"I guess it is better if we met her now rather than later when the media will be all over them." Amelia says, putting the vegetables inside the now very hot water. "We will be leaving for Sandringham on the twenty-second, after Elizabeth's Christmas luncheon. They could come before that."

"Any specific date?"

"The sixteen? It is a Friday."

"The sixteen is fine. I will call him back." He says, and then kisses his wife's cheek. "Thank you, Bee."

- - -

"They will arrive thirty minutes past seven, Harry just called," George says, entering the dining room, where his wife was finishing to set the table for dinner.

"Harriet is getting Jamie and Vicky ready for bed. I will be going up in a few minutes, just need to finish this."

"I will be going up now, to say goodnight to the children."

"Okay, love you."

"Love you too, Bee."

- - -

Amelia impatiently awaited for her husband next to the stairway; her watch marked the last few seconds before thirty minutes past seven, and her children were already in bed.

"Are they here?" The Duke asked, closing his tux and stepping beside his wife.

"Not yet. Aren't they staying at Nottingham Cottage?"

"From what I know, they are."

The formal dinner had been scheduled to start at seven forty-five after they had plenty of time to mingle and get to know each other beforehand. And at seven thirty-five, the doorbell rang, announcing the new couple's arrival.

George opened the door with Amelia right behind him, to reveal Prince Harry with his new girlfriend on his arm.

"George, brother! How are you?" Harry says, hugging his older brother before they made way for the couple to step inside the Clarences' home.

"Harry."

"Amelia, how are you?" Harry asks, smiling to his sister-in-law, after kissing her on both cheeks. "Oh, I guess you haven't met my girlfriend yet, at least not in person anyway. Amelia, George, this my girlfriend, Meghan."

"How do you do, Meghan?" Amelia asked, smiling towards the woman.

"Amazing, you?"

"Never better."

"Meg, this is George, my older brother, and his wife, Amelia."

"Nice to meet you, Meghan."

"You too, George."

There was a split second where no one said anything. Prince Harry was still holding tight to his girlfriend's hand while George analysed the new couple from behind Amelia's shoulder, leaving her at the front line of combat. 

"Well, why don't we go to the siting-room, we will have more time to talk and get to know one another." Amelia says, leading the way to the formal siting-room, where one of the butlers from BP was already waiting with drinks.

"Thank you."

The Duke and Duchess of Clarence sit on one of the sofas, in front of the new couple. You could see that both parties were nervous in some way, but the Clarences were keen on making Harry's girlfriend feel welcomed.

"So, Georgie told me you are an actress."

"Yes, I am. I play Rachel Zane on Suits. You may have seen me."

"Sorry, I don't have much time for series and TV shows. But my cousin tells me you are splendid on your role."

"Thank you, I try. But we can get together sometime to watch it if you want."

"Yes, of course."

"How have you been enjoying London, Meghan?" The Duke asks after a few seconds of silence where looks where exchanged between the royal couple. 

"London is a beautiful city, a lot busier than Toronto."

"Yes, it can take some time to adjust to that, with traffic and so many people on the streets. It took me almost a year after our wedding to get accustomed to sitting in traffic."

"Yes."

"And where are Vicky and Jamie?" Harry asked, drinking from his champagne glass.

"Asleep." George says, this time with him taking a sip from his glass.

"I was so looking forward to seeing them. I told Meg how wonderful they are, I think they would love her."

"You can come to visit and meet them after Christmas, I assume you will be spending Christmas with your family."

"Yes, I will, and I would love to meet them."