Running Around Royal (Prince Harry #4)

Chapter Twenty-Four

After the party, which went longer than expected, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor returned to the Brussels British consulate, where Meredith washed the night off and Harry climbed into bed. By the time Meredith was finally ready for bed, Harry was already fast asleep. He remained so until the alarm clock chirped in the morning. He woke up to the sun shining into the room, and Meredith already ready for the day. Even though the airplane didn't depart for Amsterdam until noon, Meredith was ready to go by ten with her hair and makeup done.

"What's the change?" he asked.

Meredith shrugged. Besides meeting three royals over three days that managed to rock the world with their style, grace and kindness managed to get her sidetracked. It was not a competition because they were going to win, but Meredith needed to step up to the plate even if everyone else saw them as equals.

"Jessica shifted your clothing too," Harry said aloud.

"Hmm?" Meredith glanced at herself in the mirror, and her dress, which she had happily stepped into in the morning, was brighter and more floral that usual. It was a fashion choice that Meredith wasn't going to make every day, but today, it was necessary. "I think she wanted to try something new. Maybe it will make me look happier."

"You always look happy." Harry kissed her cheek. "I'll meet you downstairs in a few minutes."

Meredith nodded and was happy to escape the room for a second in the consulate. With her shoulders back and head held high, Meredith tried not to look at the stairs as she went down. It was a challenge, especially wearing heels and not using the handrail, but she managed.

It was another short flight when hopping around Europe. If Meredith hadn't met Harry or if they didn't work out, Meredith had planned to move to Europe anyway so she had the ability to travel. It was fifty-five minutes from Brussels to Amsterdam, which was barely any time to do anything. It was up, and then it was down.

Meredith was prepared as soon as the the airplane landed, and Harry stood beside her. "Are you nervous?" he asked.

"Do I look nervous?" Her tone was concern as she smoothed down the jacket that was over her dress.

"No-- well, now you do."

She gave him a side-eye glance.

"Yeah, I know. It's my fault." He adjusted his jacket. "You look wonderful, very beautiful-- and smart-- and--"

"It's okay, Harry." She touched his arm.

The airplane came to a stop, and the stairs lifted to the edge of the airplane, where it locked in place. The door swung open, and Harry was the first off the airplane. It wasn't raining but clouds covered the sky. Only a slight breeze blew through in the above freezing weather. Meredith stepped out a few steps after her husband, and Union Jack flags waved. King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima waited at the end of the red carpet as trumpets blared. Their three daughters waited among them: Princess Catharina-Amalia, Princess Alexia and Princess Ariane. The eldest was only six years younger than Meredith, but it felt like a lifetime. 

Harry walked forward and bowed to the king, and Meredith did the same with a curtsy. Pictures were snapped, and bright lights made Meredith bat her eyelashes so she didn't get a migraine. Queen Maxima wore one of her famous hats, and Meredith's hair fluttered in the wind. While she wanted to be so much like these ladies of royalty, wearing a hat wasn't something she was willing to do. Meredith curtsied to the queen and then she did smaller curtsies to the three princesses.

When it was time to move on, Meredith finally learned that the three princess were joining them that day. Her eyes shifted over to Jessica, who gave her own look of didn't know. Meredith turned back to the situation and did it with grace. Trying to keep her shoulders back and head held high, Meredith tried to remain relaxed looking.

The event took place for a great cause in environmental issues with most of the concern going toward air and water pollution. At university, King Willem-Alexander had studied history but he found interest in water management. For a small country like theirs, it was easy to get lost within the bigger countries when it came to climate change, but the Netherlands did their part to fight back. A lot of the country was protected by dams and dikes since most of the Netherlands was below sea level. In fact, Meredith and Harry were able to get a close up look at the wind turbines that were going into the North Sea. This sea of wind turbines was able to power six million Dutch homes.

Meredith stared up at the thing. "They're massive."

"I guess you've never stood right beneath one, have you, your highness?" the king asked.

"No. I do not have much contact with them."

"It is a shame that more countries do not take an interest in them. While they are fast growing, there are some countries who continue to ignore the need." The king gave her a pointed look, which made her want to crawl back into her skull.

After the tour of the wind turbines, Harry and Meredith sat in on a discussion about climate change with different times of reusable energy and the Paris Agreement. Prince Charles pushed the clean energy movement in the British monarchy, and Harry grew up around it to speak openly about it. In the morning, before Harry had awoken, Meredith had done her research or as much as time and her understanding allowed.

When the event ended, a car took the British royal couple back to the consulate, where they both changed into formal wear. It was another fancy dress for Meredith, and it was another dress she wasn't able to breathe in. Harry wore his tux. It was the same tiara from last night, which Meredith didn't mind. It was small enough that she didn't have the fear it was going to fall off her head. Her hair and makeup were redone as well.

The shiny car took the duke and duchess to the Royal Palace of Amsterdam, one of the palaces that the monarch owned. Queen Maxima looked radiate as always, and her tiara grew her height be half a foot. Her dress matched the sapphires within the tiara itself, and it all brought out her eyes. She wore a large but polite smile. Meredith was taught to keep her mouth closed as much as possible when smiling because her teeth didn't line up and her upper lip disappeared.

Cameras flashed from all around, and Meredith found herself leaning against Harry a bit as if to shy away from them. Harry didn't mind, knowing the dark nighttime made the flashes only that much brighter. The quick and constant flashes always made it horrible for Meredith, but she pushed through it anyway. She kept a smile plastered on her face.

The large banquet hall opened up, and it was neatly set up. A formal dinner was included so that it wasn't just a party afterward. Like always, even with dinner included, Meredith ate before so she didn't stuff her mouth in front of everyone. Jessica kept a watchful eye on the duchess, who was still on a diet.

Meredith took a sip of her wine as another camera flash came close to her face. She wasn't used to being this up close and personal. The British monarchy liked to have that distance between them and the cameras, and Meredith had gotten used to it. She had dealt with it enough times when it was just dating Harry.

After dinner, the banquet hall was open to a proper ball. The cameras were invited for a few minutes but then left. There was something personal about balls and people dancing. It was vulnerable. It wasn't that people were bad dancers but what happened when the alcohol came pouring. The top royals from either family didn't lose themselves in the wine, but other guests did.

When it struck midnight, the party wasn't over yet. Soon enough, though, it came to a close. Meredith wished Queen Maxima a personal good bye, since the queen had always shown kindness and helpfulness toward the new royal. Harry and Meredith returned to the British consulate.