Chapter 47 Alexander Gets Real
Alexander Gets Real
Harper leaned against the window frame in Alexander’s private study, arms crossed, watching as he paced back and forth.
“You know it’s time,” she said, her voice steady. “You can’t keep letting them control the narrative. Every day they’re twisting your words, your actions. You’re letting them paint you as either a rebellious child or a puppet. Neither is true.”
Alexander paused. “An interview is risky—”
“Look, at least this way, you get to speak for yourself. No palace spokespeople, no carefully crafted statements. Just you, unfiltered. I’ve secured Eliza Monroe. She’s fair, respected, and won’t edit your words to create drama. She won’t need to, if you’re honest.”
Alexander was silent for a long moment, weighing the merits. Finally, he looked up, a newfound resolve in his eyes.
“Alright,” he said. “Set it up. It’s time people heard directly from me.”
Harper nodded. “That’s the decision of a king, not a prince.”
The studio was carefully arranged. It was modern, elegant, yet intimate enough to feel conversational rather than confrontational.
The interviewer, Eliza Monroe, was known for her incisive yet fair questioning, someone who could make headlines without turning an interview into a spectacle. Harper had chosen wisely.
Alexander sat opposite Eliza, his posture composed, his expression unreadable. Beneath his collected facade, however, he recognized this as a pivotal moment. The public wanted answers. And for the first time in his life, he was determined to give them.
Eliza smiled, poised but sharp. “Your Highness, let’s address the elephant in the room… the marriage law. The people have been debating it fiercely. Some believe it’s an outdated relic of a different era. Others argue that tradition is what holds the monarchy together. Where do you stand?”
Alexander let out a slow breath, as if considering his words. But in truth? He already knew exactly what he was going to say.
“I think it’s ridiculous,” he stated plainly.
Eliza blinked, momentarily caught off guard. “Ridiculous?”
Alexander nodded. “Can you imagine anyone else being told they had to marry someone just to keep their job?”
The studio went silent.
Eliza recovered quickly, intrigued. “So, you’re saying you don’t agree with the law?”
“I’m saying no one should be forced into marriage for any reason, let alone as a requirement for leadership,” Alexander replied smoothly. “Not me. Not anyone. It’s unfair, outdated, and frankly, it shouldn’t be something we’re still discussing in a modern monarchy.”
Eliza leaned forward slightly, sensing the weight of his words. “Some would argue that it’s a safeguard. That it ensures stability.”
Alexander met her gaze directly. “If the stability of an entire nation depends on who I marry, then maybe we should be asking bigger questions about our system.”
Eliza’s lips twitched, impressed. “And what about Lady Genevieve? The assumption has always been that she would be your future queen. Do you think this situation is unfair to her as well?”
Alexander exhaled, carefully weighing his response. This was the most important part.
“She’s a good person,” he said at last. “She didn’t ask for this any more than I did. No one should be expected to play a role in a predetermined story they had no say in writing.”
He wanted to give Genevieve a way to step back without humiliation, without blame.
The entire country was listening. And now, they knew that he was not going to go along with this quietly.
Eliza let the weight of his statement settle before shifting gears. “That brings me to another point, Your Highness. There’s been a growing debate about your role. Some see you as a wildcard. A question mark.”
Alexander nodded. “Yes, I realize that I have not been as accessible as my father was. That I have been more removed from the public. Initially it was to protect me after his death. After a while, I suppose it just became status quo.”
Eliza arched her brow. “So tell me, why should people trust you to be king?”
For the first time, Alexander paused.
It would be easy to give a polished answer. To repeat the same diplomatic, neutral phrases drilled into him since childhood.
But he was done with that.
“I’m not going to sit here and tell you that I have all the answers,” he admitted candidly. “But I do know this, our country is changing. The world is changing. And I don’t believe leadership should be about maintaining traditions simply because they’re comfortable.”
Eliza watched him carefully. “And what would you change?”
Alexander leaned forward slightly, his eyes focused.
“First, I’d restore the educational and healthcare reforms my father began before his death.
The programs that were quietly shelved after he passed.
” There was a subtle shift in his tone, a controlled passion breaking through the diplomatic veneer. “But that’s just the beginning.”
He gestured with his hand, emphatic but measured.
“Our economy relies too heavily on industries that are becoming obsolete. I want to establish a Caledonian Innovation Fund to support our brightest minds in developing new technologies that will help us remain competitive in a changing global economy. We’re also a small nation with tremendous natural resources.
We should be leading in renewable energy, not trailing behind. ”
Eliza’s eyebrows rose slightly, genuinely intrigued.
“As for governance,” Alexander continued, “the monarchy should be more transparent and accessible. The palace walls have kept the royal family separate from the people for too long. I believe in open dialogues, not just carefully staged appearances.”
He paused, then added with quiet conviction, “And our diplomatic strategy needs modernization. My father saw this, he knew our future wasn’t in maintaining outdated alliances based solely on historical ties, but in forming new partnerships that reflect today’s global challenges.
Technological disruption, inequality. These don’t stop at borders, and neither should our solutions. ”
Eliza tilted her head, intrigued. “You want to modernize.”
“I want to build on our strengths while acknowledging our weaknesses,” Alexander replied, his gaze steady.
“Caledonia has nearly a thousand years of history, but I’m more interested in ensuring we have a thousand more.
That means preserving what works and having the courage to change what doesn’t.
Too many monarchs have ruled by looking backward. I intend to lead by looking forward.”
There was a long silence.
“Those are ambitious goals, Your Highness. Critics might say you lack the experience to implement such sweeping changes,” Eliza countered.
Alexander nodded, acknowledging the challenge.
“They might. But keep in mind, I haven’t had a typical upbringing.
I’ve studied under our best policy experts since I was sixteen.
I’ve met with world leaders, top business innovators, and attended most international conferences for years.
From my parents I’ve seen different approaches to governing, both the ceremonial aspects of monarchy and its potential for meaningful influence.
” His voice grew firmer. “I may be young, but I possess considerably more experience than people might assume.”
She studied him, her expression thoughtful.
“It’s clear you have a vision for the future, Your Highness.
But if I may be frank, the public isn’t only talking about policies and reforms. They’re talking about you and more specifically, a certain historian who has been seen by your side quite frequently. ”
Alexander’s grip on the armrest remained relaxed, but he felt the shift in the air. He had expected this. He had prepared for this. And yet, when it came to Emilia, nothing ever felt scripted.
Eliza leaned forward slightly. “There’s a great deal of speculation about Miss Emilia Carter. People want to know, who is she to you?”
Alexander took a measured breath, keeping his expression composed even as his thoughts spun. He had to be careful here. He had no desire to let the media reduce Emilia to just a headline, a passing rumor. She was more than that. More than what people assumed.
“She’s brilliant,” he said simply.
Eliza arched a brow, waiting.
Alexander continued, his voice steady but sincere.
“Miss Carter is one of the most intelligent, dedicated people I’ve ever met.
Her work on the historical exhibit has been nothing short of extraordinary.
She’s challenged the way we see our own history, she’s made us look at it, rather than just accept what’s been written.
That kind of insight, that kind of honesty, it’s rare. And it’s important.”
He paused, choosing his next words carefully. “But more than that, she’s her own person. I’d hate for her to be seen as nothing more than someone connected to me when she’s built an impressive career entirely on her own merit.”
Eliza tilted her head. “So, you’re saying there’s nothing personal there?”
Alexander hesitated just long enough for the pause to say more than his words ever could.
“I’m saying she deserves better than to be defined by speculation about me.
” His voice was calm but firm, a quiet insistence that this was not just another palace romance to be dissected for public entertainment.
“She’s earned her place in this project because of her talent and dedication not because of who I am. ”
Eliza considered his response, her gaze sharp. “That’s a very diplomatic answer, Your Highness.”
Alexander kept his expression even. “It’s the truth.”
The air in the studio felt different now. It was charged with unspoken things hanging between the words. And Alexander knew, without a doubt, that the world would read between the lines.
But if that meant they saw Emilia for who she truly was, not just a rumor, not just a name in a headline, then he had said exactly what he wanted to say.