Festina Lente

Chapter Twenty-Nine: Celebrations

29th of February 1532 - London, England

"Anne is the Queen of England and our grandson will be King one day. Mary is to be a Countess once she marries the Stafford boy and George is a Duke in his own right," Thomas mused handing over a drink to his wife with a smile. 

Never in his life had he thought that they would rise like this, secure in their positions now that Anne had given the King a healthy son who appeared to greatly favour his father in looks. 

The new Prince of Wales was a blessing and the celebrations had continued long after his birth, though there were no doubts in Thomas's mind that a daughter would not have been celebrated like this. 

So secure in the birth of his son, the King had announced that his natural daughter by the Dowager Princess of Wales would be honoured and titled as the Marquess of Winchester. 

"Our children have done well. We have been blessed with four healthy grandchildren," Elizabeth agreed with a smile, they had four grandchildren now and she adored each of them even if Thomas was only focused on Anne's son right now. 

Mary had two children from her previous marriage while George had been blessed with a daughter a month before the arrival of Anne's little prince; their children had all been lucky in their marriages thus far. 

Thomas was silent for a moment at her words, he had been most pleased with how his daughter's had done but he would not hide the fact that he was greatly disappointed that George's first child had been a girl. 

Contessina had been named for her great, great, great grandmother on her mother's side, her name unique to the English court and she would certainly stand out for years to come. 

He had not been to see his first grandchild to bear his name and the current heiress to the Boleyn family fortune; he would pray in time that if Clarice could give George a healthy daughter then surely sons would follow in time. 

Afterall he and Elizabeth had been blessed with Mary and two short lived boys before George had been born followed by Anne; their three children had done so well and Thomas couldn't have been prouder.

Perhaps he was being too harsh on Clarice and she had been nothing but loyal since she had married into the Boleyn family; though he remained uncertain of the Italian, he had noted how quickly she had supported their family. 

Clarice had taken a personal risk when she had sided with Anne against the might of the Pope, the Emperor and the Dowager Princess of Wales; if it weren't her brother's arrival with such damning evidence then Anne would not be Queen now. 

There had been no end in sight with Katherine succeeding in stalling and holding steadfast to her lies that she was King Henry's true wife and now the widow of his brother; it might have taken years for Anne to be able to marry. 

Time that would have worked against her in proving the King with a son, a son that was desperately needed; the King wasn't getting younger and if they were lucky then they might not need a regent for Alexander. 

"Here's to our Boleyn Prince. Prince Alexander," Elizabeth stated holding her cup up with a smile, she had been in awe of the young Prince and already could see that he had inherited his father's colouring. 

Alexander's Godfather had been named as the King in France, a snub against the Emperor for his actions that had delayed in King in marrying Anne. 

The French King had been thrilled and had quickly accepted the role of Godfather to the Prince of Wales; expressing his pleasure at being able to act as Godfather to the boy and hoping for an alliance between them.