Royal Duchess | BRF Story

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James was a very different baby from his older sister. While Victoria had cried whenever she needed something James cried for almost everything and at the same time nothing at all. A sound outside his nursery window, Victoria playing outside with Nanny Harriet, a bit of sunlight coming through his curtains during his day naps.

Yes, he could be very demanding, and sometimes Amelia felt it was all her fault and that she wasn't doing something right, but with her mother's help during the day, and her husband's during the night, she pushed through, her love for him would always come first.

Victoria after a few weeks became the most helpful little big sister, helping her mother whenever she could and was allowed, and sometimes even staying with her brother while her mother took care of herself for ten minutes, of course with supervision.

George went back to work after only five days, attending to all his already planned engagements and the ones he had to postpone due to his son's arrival.

Victoria's birthday, and Prince Philip's, was the first time after her son's birth that Amelia took more than five minutes to get ready since they would be having lunch at Buckingham Palace with other members of the Royal Family, and the birthday prince and princess would be leading the birthday song afterwards.

James and Victoria were taken by Nanny Harriet to another part of the palace where they would be having lunch with the other children, while the adults headed to the main dining room, where the rest of the family was already waiting for the final arrivals.

"Amelia, George. How are you both?"

"Very good, Camilla, and you?"

"Very well, a wonderful day for birthday celebrations, don't you think?"

"Absolutely." Amelia says, as the doors open to reveal the Queen with the birthday prince.

"Hello. Happy Birthday." Amelia greets her grandfather-in-law with kisses and a small curtsy, after the Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall and her husband had finished their compliments.

"Thank you, it feels good to be 94. How is the birthday girl?"

"She can't wait to see her great-grandfather and wish him a happy birthday."

"And so do I. Lilibet told me we will be having cake afterwards. Will Victoria be joining?"

"I believe so, yes."

"Lovely."

Amelia loved her grandfather-in-law, something about him always made Amelia smile, and she had a deep respect for him from the beginning. He was, after the Queen, one of the most hardworking royals and, along with his humour and easy-going manner, he conquered everything he has today. And the feeling was mutual, Philip was supporting of his firstborn grandson the minute he met the lovely girl George was clearly so in love with.

He absolutely adored every second he spent with the Clarence's and, with time, he thought that the couple and their children would make the perfect Royal Family; one could even dare to say they were the Duke's favourites, and you wouldn't be wrong.

The meal was a grand affair, being arranged by the Duke and containing Philip's favourite meals. Of course, it wasn't as strict as a State Banquet or a Gala, even though the rule where when the Queen finishes everyone does too still stands, and so the table was filled with great food and chats, laughter, and stories from the Duke's life.

Afterwards, as the Duke requested, Victoria was brought to her parents and family, while the children stayed behind. Two small round tables were set up in the middle of the room, one with a beautifully decorated green cake with '94' candles on the top, and the other another beautifully decorated pink cake with a '3' candle on the top. Needless to say that when the Princess saw the pink cake she started screaming, running to the table to see her cake.

With a little help from her father Victoria and the Duke lead the birthday song, with Victoria almost screaming the words and making everyone inside the room, even the butlers, laugh. The Duke was the first to blow his candles, and couldn't contain his laugh when his great-granddaughter tried as hard as she could to blow her own single candle.

"Happy Birthday!" The princess screamed, almost jumping out of her father's arms, and onto her great-grandfathers, who was quick to grab the little princess onto his arms.

"Happy Birthday to you too, V."

- - -

After trooping, and Amelia's first big official engagement after James' birth, the planning for the christening had commenced. Catherine had told Amelia during Trooping that the Queen had given approval for Charlotte's christening to be carried out at St. Mary's Church in Norfolk, where they had been staying since William began his job; they lived in a Manor not even fifteen minutes away from Sandringham.

So an obvious decision was made by the Clarences, their son's christening would have to be a few days later so that the Queen could attend before she and the Duke travelled to Scotland for the summer. And as much as she hated admitting that, James was not the heir, he was his father's spare, and so they didn't need a big event.

The approval of the Queen and the confirmation of the Royal Couple's attendance came right after they expressed their intentions to have the christening in Norfolk. Wills and Katie also confirmed their presence, and so did the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall.

And with that the family traveled north for the summer, where the last adjustments to the Christening would be taking place as well as a time off for the parents, before the family traveled to Scotland and later on back to London.

"Your Royal Highnesses will travel to St. Mary's Church from Sandringham House by car and will leave afterwards on foot. After the ceremony Her Majesty The Queen will be hosting a afternoon tea for Prince James' christening." The Duke's Private Secretary explains over the video call. 

"Thank you, Simon, is there anything else we will be needing to know beforehand?"

"No, sir. That should be all. And if there is I am also sending Your Royal Highnesses the overview of the day via email."

"Thank you, Simon. Have a good weekend." 

"Thank you, Your Royal Highnesses. You too." 

The video call comes to an end and the couple relaxes, at least as much as they can considering the situation they found themselves at the moment. 

"James will be up in a few minutes, I should probably go." The Duchess says, closing her notebook, leaving it at her desk, and making her way out of the office. 

"Why don't I go, and you stay with Vicky."

"You know that is not possible, as much as I would love to James needs me."

"And so does our daughter." 

They were both tired, and stressed and even though they had just had a baby their offcial engagements and duties had been increasing for both the Duke and the Duchess. They hadn't had the time to even be together or talk since their baby was born, and so one can imagine how much the pressure and stress was weighing in on their relationship. 

"I am also tired, George! And you cannot tell how I should be feeling or how I should be right now, because you don't know how it feels to be a new mother of two!" 

"I may not be a mother, Amelia, but I am my childrens' father! I am also tired, I am also stressed so you don't get to say I don't understand how you are feeling!" 

"I wake up countless times every night to feed and check if our baby is ok. You don't get to say you know how exhausting that is because you don't know." The Duchess makes her way out of the room, almost running back to the couple's bedroom, being followed by her husband.

"Amelia, please, we are both tired, let us just talk about it please." 

"No! And honestly the last thing I want to do right now is look at your face." 

"Amelia, you don't..."

"I do mean it, George! Now, if you don't mind, get the he*l out of my face."