Royally Screwed | Prince Harry

III

On the morning of his thirtieth birthday Harry woke in his bedroom at Nottingham Cottage in Kensington Palace. He was hungover from the closing night of the Invictus Games. The whole event had been a complete success and despite the growing headache he was feeling extremely proud of himself and the team. They'd help a lot of people and he could almost feel his mothers approval of the whole project. His alarm was still going off and he needed to get up and ready as he had a full day of events, there was no rest for princes on even on their birthday it seems. Then he remembered he had lunch with his Pa and 'Granny' the Queen at Buckingham Palace soon. He got up to get himself showered for the day.

Thirty. He couldn't believe he was thirty. He didn't feel thirty. He didn't feel any different. It was anticlimactic he thought as he stood in a towel in front of the mirror. His hangover was slowly disappearing as he dressed for the day.
He wished he could've postponed this lunch a day but his granny and father had been adamant and you can't refuse the Queen. He was curious tho, his father had sounded nervous on the phone. He hoped he wasn't dragging Granny into his schemes to get him with the Cavendish girl, on second thought he hoped the Duke of Devonshire wasn't going to be at his birthday lunch. His stomach dropped at the thought of their schemes, he also couldn't help but feel sorry for Gigi, his father was bad enough at times but he was glad Geoffrey Cavendish wasn't his father. He didn't now how she survived him. "Bullying git" he said to nobody at the thought of the pompous duke.

His protection officer drove him to the Buckingham Palace, the headquarters of the firm, otherwise known as 'Granny's house' the large white building loomed over London in grandeur, the royal guards wearing their 18inch bearskins stood guard at the palace gates no matter the weather. 

Once he arrived he was escorted by a footman towards the queens private dining room, reserved for informal family gatherings. It seems his father had already arrived and was waiting. Greeting his granny with a bow and a kiss on both cheeks and his usual debonair smile she wished him a happy birthday, he noticed his father seemed a little preoccupied before he came to his sense.

"Happy Birthday Harry" he said giving him a hug and patting his back "feels like yesterday... that I was visiting you at the Lindo Wing" and what an event that was Harry thought thinking back to his fathers disappointment that he'd inherited in maternal grandfathers red hair and that his spare wasn't the girl he dreamed off.

"Thanks Pa! Granny" he said brushing aside his negative thoughts. He'd been learning in therapy to let things go, to move forward and not wallow in the past.  "So it's just us? The Duke of Devonshire isn't hiding in the throne room ready to give me a child bride" he said jokingly

Granny shuffled her purse and looked towards the window seeming to leave this topic of conversation to his father.

"Georgina isn't a child Harry" Charles said "but no they're not here today" he continued after a moment

"No other other strange fathers and daughters then? Good"  Harry said with a smile as he sat down at the table and took a sip of water.

"You think Georgina Cavendish strange?" Granny asked slightly concerned

"No, Gigi is a pleasant likeable girl... a beauty too, I actually feel sorry for her having that odious man as a father"

"Oh good" Charles said absentmindedly not even noticing Harry had just insulted his friend and Harry was suddenly on edge. It was unlike his pa to reprimand when he said something like that

Harry sat opposite his father and glanced at the cutlery, just as his father said, "Wine?"
Harry grinned. "I don't think that's a good idea. It was the closing ceremony yesterday."
"Oh yes, I know."
"Well, the after party wasn't exactly alcohol-free."
Charles chuckled and shook his head to himself. "You've not been been alcohol free for years either."
"Must get that from Windsors," Harry teased.
"Us?" Charles raised his eyebrows and acted indignant, but he soon smiled. "So, what have you been up too?"