Princess Adeline, Duchess of Clarence

Chapter Thirty-Four: Meghan's First Royal Christmas

25th of December 2017 - Sandringham

Walking alongside her family as they made their way to St Mary Magdalene Church, Adeline tucked some hair behind her ear as she linked arms with her husband. 

Simon in conversation with his mother as they made their way along the path, it was a rather chilly morning and Anne had been more than happy to join them today. 

In front of her walked William, Catherine, Meghan and Harry as they chatted pleasantly, smiles on their faces as they made their way towards the church with the crowds cheering at the sight of the royals. 

Meghan had a bright smile upon her face as she made her first appearance with the royal family, it was thrilling to be invited to spend Christmas with them. 

It was better than she could have imaged, details were quickly being finalised for her wedding in May; the date was set and she would marry Harry in St George's Chapel, Windsor as Adeline had done with the Royal Family paying for the wedding. 

Meghan had recalled getting up early on the 25th of May 2014, the wedding had started at eleven o'clock in the morning in London which meant she'd gotten up at 4am to watch it in Toronto. 

Everything about it had been so perfect, despite it not being such a grand event like Catherine's wedding to William, it was everything that Meghan wanted her own wedding to Harry to be. 

Of course there was one thing that Meghan had been thinking about since the planning for the wedding and that was the tiara that she would wear. 

Diana had worn the Spencer tiara, Catherine had worn the Cartier Halo tiara and then there was Adeline who'd been gifted her own personal tiara that had been made for her, the Clarence tiara. 

Meghan wondered if she'd be gifted a tiara in a similar fashion, a tiara of her own that she could wear and that everyone would know belonged to her. 

Titles were already being discussed from what Meghan had been told, she would be a duchess and people would have to respect what she said. 

The guest list was also coming together, Meghan had been eager to add to the process; so many celebrities invited and people of note would be coming to her wedding. 

Of course, her mother would be there as she was her greatest support although Meghan didn't want to think of the mess that would be her father. 

Doria had assured her that there were ways to make sure that Thomas Markle wasn't in the picture on the day of the wedding especially since they had managed to exclude him from her first wedding. 

The mood was jovial as they made their way to the church, Adeline rather relieved for that at least and it appeared that Harry wasn't holding grudgers right now over what her and William had said about Meghan back in September. 

The joy over getting his way over the wedding seemed to have pushed away any negativity at least on his part; he had asked William to be his best man and had thrown himself into the planning process. 

The car driving the Queen was ahead of them, pulling up to the church as the family finally arrived and the Queen climbed out; she was slow to move waiting for the last of her family to approach before they all headed into the church. 

The dowager Countess of Munster eyed the woman on Harry's arm, she had heard quite a bit about Meghan Markle as of late and a lot of it caused her concern. 

Anne didn't know what it was about the look on Meghan's face as they walked through the crowds but it made her uneasy, it wasn't the sort of look one expected to find on a nervous newcomer.