Alice Windsor | BRF Story

3.

Balmoral Castle, Scotland

August 1997

Alice loved Scotland, or the idea of it really. Where she could come and go as much as she pleased, without having to worry as much, without having to be in constant alert mode. 

Grandpa Philip, William and Alice had been off hiking through the endless open fields of the Balmoral estate the afternoon before, and although she could feel her feet still aching from the miles upon miles they had done, she couldn't be more than happy to be up here again. She had then decided to wake up early, take her breakfast with her nanny before going to play with Granny's many dogs. 

And that day wasn't different. She had a full breakfast, changed into clothes that wouldn't restrict her movements and was off to find her nanny, who normally waited for her in the entrance hall of the ancient castle. However, this time, as she came down the wooden staircase, she didn't find her nanny, but instead she found her father, who was wearing one of his black ties, Alice noticed, something he normally never did. 

"Papa? Where is Nanny Tiggy?" 

"She is coming back soon, Lily, I just needed to have a talk with you and your brothers first."

"But we were going to feed the corgis."

The Princess was stubborn, but the Prince of Wales wasn't in the mood for plays that morning. 

"You can go later, Alice, now do come with me to your brothers' room."

She had an unhappy expression fixed in her features, she didn't react to anything her father said or anything she saw as they made their way back upstairs and knocked on her brother's shared room. The princes had barely woken up and were still wearing their pyjamas when the Prince of Wales sat his three children down on Prince William's bed, with the prince himself sitting towards them on Prince Harry's bed. 

Harry and William didn't seem to notice their father's tie or the restless expression on their father's face. They just sat there, William in the middle, with Harry to his left and Alice to his right, waiting for whatever their father thought the children desperately needed to know so early in the morning. 

The Prince of Wales took a deep breath, playing aimlessly with his signet ring, one Alice herself played whenever she held her father's hand for a longer period of time. However, Alice's attention was stolen from the ring when the words left her father's mouth. For the first minute no one spoke, and Alice just couldn't believe her ears. The person who broke the silence first was Harry, with a deep sob, making Alice jump on her seat and hug William's arm. Next came William. 

"When? How? Where?" 

Those were the three words that left the prince's mouth, but Alice truly couldn't pay more attention than she had to. She heard a few words afterwards, as their father explained to them more or less how and when it happened. 

After silence took control of the room once again Alice got up, wiping away the tears still escaping her eyes, and looking directly at her father. 

"May I be excused?"

"Lily..." 

"I want to go and see Granny. I want to speak with her." 

A part of her, later in life, would come to regret that decision due to its consequences, however 10-year-old Alice wanted to hug her grandmother, now more than ever. Nanny Tiggy was waiting outside the closed door, like she expected something like that to happen, but she did seem somewhat surprised when the youngest Wales came out of the room. 

"I want to see Granny, Nanny Tiggy. I want Granny." 

"Of course, sweetheart." 

The nanny took her charge's hand and in complete silence they walked holding hands through the sun lit rooms and corridors to the Queen's study, where she was waiting for news from her son before she could even have her breakfast with the rest of the family. 

Two knocks on the door a few seconds of silence seemed excruciating to a young girl, but Alice was holding strong, tears still spilling and rolling down her redden cheeks, and a rather tight grip of her nanny's hand, but stronger than many children her age.

"Come in." 

Alice didn't wait for her nanny to open the door, she did it herself the moment the words were heard from inside the room. The little princess sprinted inside the room and through the furniture, and straight into her grandmother's arms, who, although a little shocked of the surprise visit, just embraced her granddaughter and they were both silent for the next minutes. And after the princess released her tight hug the Queen guided the young princess to one of the sofas, putting the ten-year-old on her side, while still keeping her arms around the seemingly fragile girl.