Princess Adeline of Wales

Chapter Seventy-Six: Big Decisions

There had been quite a bit of negotiations to obtain the place between them and the Historic Royal Palaces charity that looked after key buildings such as the Tower of London and Hampton Court Palace. 

The plan was for the place to be done up for the Cambridges, releasing their home on Nottingham Cottage and they would make Kensington Palace their residence in London. 

"We did, we should be able to move in before baby arrives," Catherine said smiling at the idea, she longed to have everything sorted before the little one arrived. 

It was strange to think that in a few months that she would be holding her baby in her arms, despite how ill she felt right now it was something that she really looked forward to. 

"How are things with you and Simon?" Catherine asked eager to hear about the Earl of Munster, she had not seen him in a little while with everything that was going on right now. 

Catherine liked Adeline's boyfriend, he was good for her and provided Adeline with the support that she needed; the fact that he was seeking to be discharged from the military in the coming months. 

"Things are good. We're actually going to move together," Adeline gushed thrilled with the development, it was a step in the right direction and she looked forward to making FitzClarence House her home. 

It would certainly be a new situation with the two of them moving in together, she'd never lived with a partner before and she looked forward to doing so especially with Simon who was her everything. 

Catherine smiled at the news, she remembered what it had been like when she and William had lived alone; it allowed them to grow closer as a couple and she was certain that the same could be said about Simon and Adeline. 

The two of them were well matched afterall, nothing could bring them down it seemed and Catherine knew that they'd always have each other's backs. 

There was no ignoring the media speculation on when the youngest Wales would be making her own way down the aisle, they'd been together for seven years now after all. 

Despite the speculation, there seemed to be no rush for the young couple who were determined like she and William had been to do things on their own timetable. 

"Anne's staying at the manor for at least another year with Rupert and Susan but we've reassured her that there's no need to vacate in a hurry," Adeline said knowing that Simon's mother had already set her eyes on her next residence. 

Montgomery House was the place that Anne would eventually call her home, she had bought the place shortly after the death of her husband last year with plans to make it her own.

Anne had restated her plans to move out once all her children had flown the nest, she longed to escape the negative memories of her marital home.

"I can't imagine how hard that is for her," Catherine admitted, she knew that she would never force her child into marriage; it never truly seemed to work out for anyone involved it seemed. 

Charles and Diana were more than proof of that, the unhappiness of the couple had been hard to ignore for William who had done his best to shield his siblings from what was going on. 

Even in the brief moments that she had seen the late Earl and the Countess, it was clear that their marriage of convenience had not worked either; sure they'd had four kids but they weren't truly happy. 

"She's coping, I think. She's seeing a therapist and dealing with the whole thing as best as she can," Adeline said knowing that she would support Simon's mother as best as she could. 

They had lunch once a week, something that Adeline enjoyed even if her schedule was starting to fill up with more patronages and charities being added to her line up. 

The Carer's Trust was just one of many patronages that she now had, she liked meeting people and hearing their stories about what they had been through.

Anne had been raised knowing that she would be the wife of Edward, everything about her had been moulded to his tastes by her own father and while she had started to come into her own during their marriage. 

Anne now had to discover who she was now that her husband had gone, it was time to be Anne again instead of the Countess of Munster; she was free to discover herself and grow as a person. 

"How are the younger children taking it?" Catherine asked knowing that she had met Simon's younger siblings at her wedding, she had enjoyed finally meeting his family and her heart went out to the younger two. 

Susan had been finishing school when this had happened and Rupert had finished school this year, she couldn't imagine how they felt losing their father when their lives were already going through so much change. 

"Rupert's decided to go to the University of Edinburgh, he wants to study Finance... although we think it's because Ellie is going there," Adeline said smiling, Ellie was Rupert's girlfriend of a year who he was spending his gap year traveling with. 

It was Susan that had people worried, she had dropped out of her course at university and didn't seem to know what she wanted to do with her life. 

Despite her gap year ending over the summer, she still had yet to make a move towards finding her path; she stayed home with her mother most days.

"I'm sure he'll enjoy it in Scotland," Catherine said knowing how close the Munster family were to the country, it would also be the space away that he needed especially after losing his father. 

Her own time in university had been life changing, she never thought that she'd be in this situation when she had attended St Andrews. 

Now she was married to William, expecting their first child and the future looked so bright to her; nothing could ruin things for them now. 

The couple had been thrilled to find out that they were expecting, Catherine planned to remain in London with her doctors during her pregnancy while William still had work in Wales for a while. 

They would make this work, they'd been apart for longer than this and it was for the best with her severe morning sickness playing havoc with her. 

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Double Update for the Coronation Weekend!

Sorry if there's any confusion. 

Adeline and Simon have been together since 2006 for some reason I keep thinking 2005. So they've been together for six years by this chapter.