Princess Adeline of Wales

Chapter Ninety-One: Marital Bliss

25th of May 2014 - Frogmore House

Climbing out of the carriage upon their arrival at Frogmore House where their reception would be held that afternoon, Adeline couldn't quite believe that she was now a married woman.

It all felt so unreal and she could not believe that so many people had come to see her get married, the streets had been filled with people all cheering for the new Duke and Duchess.

Hotels across the city of London had been turning people away because they were full with people from around the world descending on the city wanting their chance to see her and Simon get married.

"I can't believe that so many people came to Windsor," Simon said climbing from the carriage, he was in awe of how celebrated their wedding had become.

This wasn't what he had imagined when he had asked Adeline to marry him, he didn't even want to consider how it compared to the state event that had been William and Catherine's wedding.

"Neither can I, there were so many people on the route," Adeline agreed holding the skirt of her dress as they climbed the stairs of Frogmore House; there was classical music already playing as part of the welcoming reception and there were already guests inside.

They had come straight from the chapel while the couple made their first appearance via carriage, many guests from the chapel had been invited to the luncheon that the Prince of Wales was hosting for the couple.

"His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales requests both of your presences in the gardens," Edward Fox said to the couple as they entered, his time serving as Adeline's joint private secretary was coming to an end now.

He would remain with Harry but when Adeline returned from her honeymoon, her new private secretary would be in place ready to take up their position.

Adeline and Simon shared a concerned look, unsure why Charles was asking to see them like this; he hadn't mentioned anything to them and they hoped that nothing had gone wrong when they had left the chapel.

It had been mentioned as a concern that Harry might act out at the wedding, showing his disapproval in some way for their marriage but they'd thought he'd been talked out of it by sitting him next to Catherine.

His good bond with the Duchess of Cambridge was what they had been counting on to keep him in line, Catherine wouldn't allow him to do anything that would detract from their wedding.

The Duke and Duchess of Clarence made their way to the gardens that Edward Fox had directed them to, it was a beautiful day and neither of them could have asked for better weather for their wedding day.

It wasn't too hot and there was a lovely breeze that kept the weather just right for a wedding, Adeline had worried that her wedding dress might have been too heavy for the summer weather that they had been expecting.

Once they stepped out into the gardens, Adeline was surprised to see her father in conversation with a young woman who was stood at a painting easel that she had clearly been working on.

"Dad?" Adeline greeted rather confused by all this, she wasn't quite sure what to make of all of this; she didn't recognise the woman who had a kind smile on her face as she stepped back to the painting that she was working on.

"I hope you don't mind one more little surprise from your dear old dad, this is Claire," Charles said introducing the woman, who he had been talking to about her work.

He found it all rather fascinating and he was hopeful that Adeline would like what he'd planned as a surprise for the couple.

"Claire is a live wedding painter," Charles explained with a smile, he had heard about it from a friend and had thought that it might be something nice to commemorate the marriage of his only daughter.