Princess Adeline, Duchess of Clarence

Chapter Eighty-Six: Platinum Party at the Palace

4th of June 2022 - Buckingham Palace

"Did anyone go to the party?" William asked walking alongside Adeline as they moved behind the stand and towards their seats; it had been a long day for them all and there was still the concert to sit through this evening. 

William, Catherine, George and Charlotte had been in Wales representing the Queen while Adeline's family had been in Scotland doing the exact same thing before they had hurried back for the concert. 

Of course, the family had wished Lilibet a happy birthday on social media but many of them had been busy with events planned for the jubilee there had been no chance for any kind of meeting to happen. 

"Eugenie and Jack took August," Adeline noted not surprised that Eugenie would have attended, it was becoming increasingly clear what side of the divide that her cousin was falling on as time moved by. 

It seemed like no matter what was done to overshadow her own special moments, Eugenie was firmly on the side of the Sussexes and they had been forced to keep things from her. 

The Queen had apparently met with the Sussexes when they first arrived back in the UK, denying them when they had asked for their photographer to take a picture of the Queen meeting her namesake for the first time. 

The Sussexes had been barely seen since they had arrived in the UK, keeping to themselves and only on two occasions had they been spotted by the public since they had no official role. 

Trooping the Colour had seen them relegated to the Major General's Office with minor royals, where they were photographed shushing children. 

And as they were met with some booing at their only public appearance at St Paul's on Friday, the couple were seeing the fallout from their acts and selfish acts that had turned a lot of people against them as they continued to profit from being a royal. 

William sighed knowing that they would need to keep an close eye on Eugenie going forward, she had been a wildcard since her father's fall from grace and it seemed she would continue to be so. 

Holding Daphne's hand as they climbed the steps to their seats, Adeline could only imagine what the next couple of days would hold especially with Harry and Meghan not expected to leave until next week. 

The crowds cheered at the sight of the Cambridges and Clarences arriving, the sight of George, Charlotte and Daphne sparking a lot of interest especially with them being seen so much that weekend.

Taking their seats, Daphne was allowed to sit beside her cousins with Adeline next to her daughter and Simon on her right; the atmosphere was electric and there were many artists expected to perform this evening. 

A ballot for 10,000 free tickets opened to the public on 24 February 2022, 7,500 tickets were reserved for key workers, volunteers, charities and members of the Armed Forces. 22,000 people attended the event. 

The concert stage design consisted of three stages, linked by walkways, which created a 360-degree stage in front of Buckingham Palace and the Queen Victoria Memorial. 

There were 70 columns linking the stages together into one overall design, representing the Queen's 70-year reign. Once everyone was seated, attention moved to the screens showing a sketch that had been filmed especially for the platinum jubilee. 

In the sketch, the Queen hosted Paddington Bear for tea in honour of the Jubilee, the Queen is seen patiently tolerating a tea-slurping Paddington who, upon realising his mistake, attempts to pour tea for her. 

However, he stomps over a pastry on the table and ends up covering a footman in cream.

As the bear offers the Queen a marmalade sandwich, and tells her that he always keeps one for emergencies, the Queen confides "So do I" and, prising open her handbag, tells him: "I keep mine in here".