The Prince's Secret (Prince Harry Fanfic)

Part 56 - A Summons from Her Majesty

Harry

The summons came during breakfast, though it was worded as a polite request.

Now that you are back in London, could you please come to see me at your earliest convenience? It was written on official stationary, but signed, Your Granny.

As I dressed in a blue suit, I pondered over her signature. Did this mean that she was not angry with me? The fact that she had sent a note at all, after already sending word through my secretary, was not a promising sign, so I had my driver stop and buy a bouquet of early daffodils and tulips on the way. My grandmother loved springtime flowers and looked forward to walking in the gardens as soon as they began to bloom, which, considering our cold and gray February, was some weeks away.

This time there was no waiting around. As soon as I gave my name to one of the footmen, I was shown upstairs to one of the drawing rooms where the Queen was already seated on a sofa. I bowed my head, following protocol, then offered her the flowers and a kiss on the cheek.

"These are lovely, aren't they?" she said, breathing in their scent. She laid them on the sofa next to her and motioned me to sit down. "I have been hearing some rather unpleasant stories about you, Harry."

Straight to the point. Despite her soft lead-in, I knew she was not pleased. Still, I could not help myself.

"Really? I didn't know you read the scandal sheets, Granny."

Her stern look quelled my attempts at humor. "When we met last month we agreed to postpone your wedding until the fall so that you would have some time to work out your difficulties with Meg, and I was set to announce that this week. However, these latest...escapades...of yours make it difficult for me to make such an announcement now without it seeming to be in response to your...antics. I have discussed this with Meg and—"

"You've talked to Meg?" I spat out in surprise.

The Queen's lowered eyebrows plainly said You did not just interrupt the Queen, did you? before she said, "Yes, Meg and I have had tea since her return to London."

"She's back in London?" This was news to me, since Meg hadn't returned to Nottingham Cottage, or even contacted me.

The Queen looked even more grim at the surprise in my voice. "We had a nice long talk about your relationship. She is very concerned about you."

Meg was probably concerned about our marriage, but I wasn't convinced that she was actually worried about me. However, the Queen continued speaking.

"I have come to the decision that perhaps it is best that you marry in May as originally planned, so you can focus on building your life with Meg without so many...distractions."

For a moment I sat in stunned silence. My thoughts ran back and forth between Samantha, secretly wearing my ring and carrying my promise, and a media circus wedding in a few short months to Meg in a long white dress, and I knew the time for delicate speeches was over.

"I don't love her."

"You have been dating Meg for almost two years, and given every indication that you did. You gave her a ring and asked her to marry you, and she accepted. You asked my approval to marry her, and I gave you my blessing."

My nails dug into my palms as I tried to figure out how to explain the situation to my grandmother. "I know Meg loves me. I care her for her. But I can't marry her. I'm sorry."

"Why not?"

"I'm not in love with her, Granny. I don't think I ever was. There was so much pressure to give it all up and get engaged. I knew it wasn't perfect but I thought it was good enough. Now I know differently."

"Are you seeing someone else, Harry? While you are engaged to be married?"

Bang. The Queen hit me right between the eyes with that one. I weighed my options swiftly and decided maybe it was time to come clean with my grandmother.

"Yes. And I am in love with her. Samantha's the one, Granny. I know that now. I look at her and see everything that I don't have with Meg. When I asked Meg to marry me, I knew I was settling but I thought I would never find the right one. And now I know that I have found the right one."

Just saying the words to my grandmother made me feel a thousand times lighter. It was the truth, and now that I had revealed my love for Samantha, the Queen would have to see reason and let me break off my engagement with Meg.

The Queen looked at me a long time without speaking, and if I hadn't known better, I would have thought that she was at a loss for words.

"That is unfortunate," the Queen said finally. "I did not want to be the one to tell you this, because it was told to me in confidence, but I see that it must be said. Meg is pregnant."