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“Do you believe that one day, you and His Majesty will divorce?”

“No. As I’ve said, we’ve always taken our duties seriously, and in this family…in this institution, happiness always comes second to the crown. Sometimes third or fourth, and occasionally it isn’t a consideration at all. We both know that, and we’ve both accepted it. And I expect—I hope, rather—that we’ve both found the relationships that will see us to our graves, but our friendship and partnership haven’t diminished.”

“What would you say to those who might feel…uncomfortable with knowing that the head of the Church of England is living such an…unconventional lifestyle?”

“I would say to them that we have both—that we have all made the best of what has been an unbearable and suffocating situation for the past two decades, and that I hope a loving and compassionate God would understand. And that the good people of the United Kingdom will, too. Our past mistakes, and what we do now in our private lives, will never affect our love and our devotion to this country.”

“And Princess Mary? How do you believe this will affect her?”

“We’ve never lied to her about the situation, and I rather think she’s relieved. While it may seem like we’re setting a poor example for her in the present, I believe the poor example was set during those first eighteen years of her life. She’s only now had the opportunity to see both her parents truly content, and that, I feel, will only make her a better queen when the time comes for her to take the throne.”

“Do you have any regrets?”

[pause] “I regret it all. But time only goes one way, and no matter who we are or what lives we lead, the only thing we can really hope for is the chance to find our happiness any way we can.”

—Excerpt from Katharine O’Donnell’s interview with Her Majesty Queen Helene, 11 January 2024

AS THE HOUR-LONG INTERVIEW ENDS, the lights in the Windsor Castle conference room go up, and every single one of my father’s advisers looks utterly shell-shocked.

None of it was new information to me, or at least nothing so significant that I’m speechless. But the fact that Helene has said it—openly, willingly, and in front of the entire world—is jaw-dropping. Alexander is completely still at the head of the table, while my mom, who sits to his right and my left, has tears in her eyes. Maisie’s on his other side, so pale that she seems ill, and Kit’s hand is on my good shoulder, gently massaging the tension from my neck.

“How did we not know about this?” says Alexander as the screen that descended from the ceiling slowly retracts with a faint whir. He’s holding my mother’s hand beneath the table, and Jenkins, who stands behind us, silently offers her a tissue.

Doyle, the royal press secretary, clears his throat. “It seems that part of Her Majesty’s agreement with the BBC included keeping us in the dark until the day the interview aired,” he admits. “Sir, if I may, we’ll need to issue a statement—”

“More than a statement,” says the dark-haired woman sitting beside him. Yara, whose title I still don’t actually know, but she’s the only person who ever challenges Doyle. “The claims Her Majesty has made could be extraordinarily damaging to the monarchy, and the sooner we refute them—”

“The problem is,” says Alexander, “they’re all true.”

Silence. Several advisers glance between one another, clearly not knowing what to say, while Doyle sputters indignantly. But I shake my head.

“They’re not, though,” I say, looking at Alexander. “The timeline’s wrong. Her affair with Nicholas started before—”

“A trivial detail,” says Alexander quietly. “And if we go after her for it, it will come off as a personal attack when, arguably, Helene went out of her way to make it clear that no single one of us is at fault for what happened.”

“Your Majesty,” says Yara carefully, “if we’re able to point out one inconsistency, then that would throw her entire interview into question—”

“And how do we prove that the timeline is wrong?” says Alexander. “More photographs? Personal testimony from the staff? Whispers from courtiers? I will not wage a war in the media against Her Majesty. Not when there’s nothing to be gained from it, and so very much that we could lose.”

“Sir, if we do nothing to contain the situation, we already stand to lose a great deal,” argues Doyle. “The people expect the royal family to uphold the values of the Church, to offer consistency and stability when the country is in turmoil—”

“We certainly haven’t been living up to our side of the bargain lately, have we?” says Alexander wearily. “But perhaps this is the moment we need to get back on track. Ripping off the plaster, so to speak.”

“Sir,” says Doyle, appalled. “You cannot possibly suggest that this could be good for the country.”

“No,” says Alexander, a hint of steel in his voice now. “I expect we’re in for a rather bumpy ride. But the fact remains that Helene’s spoken the truth—in far more detail than we would’ve liked, admittedly, but it is still the truth. She did not demonize me, she did not demonize Laura, and in the end, all she was trying to do was exonerate herself from the claims that the media has been making against her—and I certainly can’t blame her for that.”

The throng of advisers and senior staff members exchange yet another round of baffled glances, and for a long moment, no one seems to know what to say.

“What would Your Majesty prefer we do, then?” says Jenkins at last, as cool and levelheaded as always. “If you do not wish to speak out against Her Majesty or condemn the interview, then it will be accepted by the public as fact. Which will come with consequences we cannot predict.”

“I am aware,” says Alexander. “But they are consequences we must live with regardless.”

“And the consequences that will be directed toward Ms. Bright and Evangeline?” says Jenkins, and only now does Alexander’s resolve seem to waver.

My mother sits up a little straighter, still holding his hand. “I’ve known the risks from the start,” she says. “I knew it would be bad if we were caught, and we were—when Evangeline’s identity was revealed. What Helene’s interview gives us is context. It lets the world know that Alexander and I have been together for a very long time, and that Evangeline isn’t…”

“The bastard product of a one-night stand?” I supply, and amidst the soft gasps from around the room, my mother’s lips thin.