Wartime Princess (16 page)

 

 

Lots of engagements – Trooping the Colour yesterday, for the first time since 1939, and the crowds were out in force.

Lilibet has been given the freedom of the City of London. I went to the ceremony with her on Wednesday. She inspected a guard of honour first, then received the most gigantic bouquet. You could hardly see her behind them. ‘No gardenias,' she whispered to me. After photographs, we went inside. The prime minister was there. The declaration announced that she's the first royal princess to accept the honour. It was formal, but friendly at the same time.

We have both (me, too!) been appointed by Papa to the Imperial Order of the Crown of India. I imagine we're the very last members, as India is shortly becoming independent. The insignia has the letters VRI (Victoria Regina Imperatrix) set with jewels, and it's on a pretty light-blue bow. Maybe one day I might go to India, and wear it there.

Lilibet has so many engagements now. She's happy to do them, because they relieve Papa of a lot of duties. She's always glad when I go along, too.

Papa usually has Mummy to accompany him. How could Lilibet face the prospect of being queen without having somebody of her own to help and support her. She needs her Philip. She loves him.

 

 

The moment came when Papa was ready to talk about Philip. He sent everyone away except Lilibet and Mummy. I practically wore a groove in the carpet, because I paced up and down so much. I trod on two paws and was so anxious that I wouldn't have noticed if the poor dogs hadn't yelped.

Finally everyone came out, and I dived for the sofa so it wouldn't look as if I was lurking. They smiled at each other as they talked about it being time for coffee, but there was something in the air.

As soon as I could get her alone, I said to Lilibet, ‘Well?'

‘I just don't know,' she said miserably. ‘Papa said he's thought of nothing else, and seemed to have come round to the idea, but Mummy's clearly still not sure. She said she's fond of Philip, but…'

‘But what?'

‘That's just it. She didn't seem able to express how she feels. Oh, Margaret, I can't bear it.'

 

 

I managed to get Mummy and Papa alone this morning.

‘You love Mummy, don't you, Papa?' I said.

‘Of course I do.'

‘You had to ask her to marry you more than once before she accepted, didn't you?'

‘Yes, but I'd rather you didn't tell anyone that.'

‘I won't, but why wouldn't you take no for an answer?'

He smiled at Mummy. ‘I knew she was right for me.'

‘Well, then,' I said. ‘Lilibet knows Philip's right for her. Don't you see?'

They looked at each other.

‘She'll be queen one day,' I said. ‘She needs Philip. I know him. I know he'll never let her down. He'll be the best consort ever. You have to let her marry him.'

Slowly, Mummy raised a finger to her lips. I knew what she meant. Nobody, not even a princess, tells a king what he must or mustn't do. But I dared.

Papa came over to where I sat. He crouched in front of me, and said, ‘Margaret, Lilibet is a very lucky young woman. She'll never want for love and support while she has you.'

My eyes became teary, but I held it back.

‘Trust me,' he said. ‘l'll do whatever's best for Lilibet's happiness.'

And he did.

 

 

Today, I watched proudly as the King and Queen announced the engagement of their dearly beloved daughter, the Princess Elizabeth to Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten, RN.

And they'll live happily ever after – my sister Lilibet and her prince, Philip.

 

THE END

 

 

Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip have indeed lived happily ever after. They were married in Westminster Abbey on November 20th, 1947, and celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary in 2007.

Elizabeth's father, King George VI, died on February 6th, 1952. The young princess, now Queen Elizabeth II, moved into Buckingham Palace with her husband and two children, Prince Charles and Princess Anne, and she has reigned from there ever since. The couple have four children, eight grandchildren, and are now great-grandparents.

Queen Elizabeth is only the second monarch, after Queen Victoria, to reach her Diamond Jubilee year. Throughout their marriage, Prince Philip has proved to be a strong, loyal and supportive consort who, in partnership with Her Majesty, has spent his life in service to the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth.

For my grandson, Eddie with all my love

 

While the events described and some of the characters in this book are based on actual historical events and real people, some situations have been altered for the purposes of the narrative.

 

 

 

 

 

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First published in the UK by Scholastic Ltd, 2002

This electronic edition published 2012

 

Text © Valerie Wilding, 2012

Cover illustration © Richard Jones, 2012

 

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eISBN 978 1407 13292 1

 

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