Princess Adeline, Duchess of Clarence

Chapter Fifty-Two: Archie Mountbatten-Windsor

6 May 2019

The Duchess of Sussex went into labour in the early hours of this morning.

The Duke of Sussex was by Her Royal Highnesses' side.

An announcement will be made soon.

Kensington Palace

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York House

It was 2pm when the announcement came that Meghan had gone into labour, it was an odd occurrence since so little information was available to the press about what was happening. 

There was no news on which hospital that Meghan was at, there was no media presence outside of the hospital waiting for the moment that the baby was born. 

"What an odd occasion," Anne noted watching the coverage as the news broke, it was such a different feeling to what had happened only weeks ago when Adeline had birthed the twins. 

She didn't know what it was about the situation that set her on edge, there was this nagging feeling that something wasn't right about all of this that she couldn't shake.

"It truly is," Simon agreed holding Albert in his arms, he had never thought that it would come to this and it was clear what Harry and Meghan was doing was to upset the Palace and tear up the royal rule-book as much as they could. 

It had been originally planned was to have a home birth, helped by her mother and for a 37 year old, there was an element of risk in that. 

But once the baby was overdue, the plan had been ditched with Meghan apparently heading to Portland Hospital, a private clinic in central London to deliver; it was the hospital were the York sisters had been born. 

"Has she said anything?" Anne asked softly peeking around to see if Adeline was in hearing range, she didn't wish to upset her daughter-in-law and she knew that the present situation would be upsetting. 

There was no ignoring what was happening, her and Carole often spoke when they met up for lunch about the dark shadow that was cast over the family since Harry had married Meghan. 

"Not a word. I don't think they've spoken since he came to the house," Simon admitted knowing that it hadn't been easy, he hated that there was nothing that he could do to fix the situation at hand. 

It wasn't his problem to fix and he wished that he could take away the pain that Adeline felt, Harry was a prick for what he was doing to his family in the name of love and giving his wife everything that she wanted. 

Anne sighed, she reached over and took her son's hand wishing that there was something that she could do to help; she hated seeing him upset and wished there was something that she could do. 

Simon and Adeline hadn't done anything wrong, they had built their relationship on love and respect for one another; they had a beautiful family and now they had to deal with this mess.

"I really thought he was turning his life around when he got sober, that it was the start of something new for all of us," Simon murmured quietly, he had never said anything to Adeline but he had hoped that Harry would get better. 

The man had been his best friend, the one person that he could turn to before the drugs had consumed him and left nothing but a bitter shell; the two had fallen out but he had always been Adeline's brother. 

Then he had entered rehab, gotten clean and he had been getting better, he had been happier and turning his life around before Meghan had come into the picture.