Chapter 18 It’s Live
It’s Live
For Immediate Release—
Her Majesty and The Duke of Edinburgh along with Their Royal Highnesses Prince Lars and Princess Sanne of Norway and Queen Alexandra of Neandia are pleased to announce the engagement of His Royal Highness the Duke of Inverness to Her Royal Highness Princess Ingrid of Neandia.
The Duke is a decorated pilot in the Royal Air Force, scheduled for an official retirement ceremony in two weeks at RAF Marham.
Princess Ingrid is a dedicated equestrian who recently qualified for the Olympics next year in Washington D.C.
The two were introduced by HRH Crown Princess Cecilia of Norway, who is The Duke’s cousin and The Princess’s dear friend and fellow equestrian.
The Duke proposed to The Princess at the European Eventing Championships in Hamburg last weekend where the Princess placed second.
The Princess’s engagement ring was the one given from the Duke’s late father to HRH Princess Sanne.
The Princess and Duke return to the UK shortly for the Burghley event but will move to the U.S.
along with the British, Danish, and Norwegian eventing teams in preparation for the Olympics.
When back in the UK, they will reside at The Duke’s new apartment at Kensington Palace.
The couple intends to wed in the United Kingdom in late summer or early autumn next year.
Keir
Ifound myself more in love with Ingrid than I could ever imagine in the days following our engagement.
This was the woman I wanted to spend the rest of my life with.
Doubts long faded, I longed to spend the next year with her, travelling and playing support staff.
I knew the transition to civilian life would shake me, but if I had a job, I’d be happy.
I bought myself a little present to soften the blow.
Arriving in Ellos, I was excited to see why we’d come so far.
My Uncle and Aunt’s yacht docked. It wasn’t the first time the Norwegians had graced this part of Sweden—not even under peaceful conditions.
The Norwegians often travelled to Sweden to see their Swedish cousins.
We were all seafarers. My Norwegian mother and British father taught me to sail at a young age.
My stepfather only continued that trajectory in memoriam as a promise to my father.
But this was different—and maybe not for the reasons I would have preferred.
I was here to see my new toy but was greeted by the Swedish press.
Thankfully, we weren’t yet in the UK. Ingrid was immediately overwhelmed, even if her older sisters didn’t bat an eye—used to the hubbub.
While Ingrid projected a tough exterior, she was a sensitive mess deep down.
“Gentlemen, if we could make way,” I bellowed.
Photographers pushed us all at the docks, annoyed and in our faces immediately.
I elected to go first with Ingrid to get the photos out of the way, so they didn’t bother the children.
The kids didn’t need to be hassled all because I proposed to their wonderful aunt.
Ingrid clung to me, unwilling to show off her ring and pose for photos.
My fears kicked in—she wasn’t ready for primetime before the British press.
We hustled to the line of Volvos waiting to bring us to cabins nearby.
“They’re vultures,” Ingrid groaned.
Looking at my stepbrother, Lars, I shook my head. He knew this was only the tip of a massive iceberg.
“They’re just excited to see us happy, Ingy. The more they get of us now, the more they leave us alone in the future.”
She rested her head on my shoulder, comforted. “I don’t want to give them any face. I want to soak this time up.”
I kissed the top of her head. “Oh, my love, I wish it were that simple.”
She didn’t protest. We arrived soon after, tucking into a cosy cabin in the hills. We’d share it with Cecilia and her husband Isaak.
Cecilia threw her arms around Ingrid, protective like a mother hen. “You’ll get used to it. Smile. Think of it like this. They want to be happy for you. It’s all their readers want to see. After a bit of good PR, you’ll be in Florida training, and it will all calm down.”
Ingrid nodded and walked over to wrap her arms around me. “I suppose I cannot complain. I love you too much.”
I kissed her. “More than either of us could say in any language.”