Not a Typical Princess (Princess Diana's Daughter)

Chapter 16: And They were Roommates!

Gwendoline smirked, thinking of course, Buckingham Palace didn't give a heads up. If they had, then someone would've known this was a cover up.

"Buckingham Palace has decided to let it play out, especially because you are a... lesbian," Charles said. "Tomorrow, we will make a response on the media platforms. From there on, Buckingham has decided that you should take more events on LGBTQ+ campaign. Diana would be so proud of you for it."

"Yes, she would be," Camilla said.

"Liney, if I may ask, who is this girl on the cover with you?" Charles asked. "She should be warned what's coming next for her."

"That's Margo."

"Your roommate?"

"We actually sleep in the bed. We have for a while."

Charles swallowed. "Of course. Of course." He took a sip of his tea. "Then, we let this play out. Eggs, dear?" he asked his daughter, and Gwendoline replied yes. Her plate was filled up.

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It was distinctly easy to see how quickly this spread like wildfire. Clarence House, since it the base of operations, was in a flurry once again. The princess heard them down below. Every once in a while, the Clarence House private secretary came up to give the princess a briefing, which she didn't ask for nor want. Because it spread like wildfire in the modern age of technology, it was pretty easy to measure the temperature of the people: people liked that there was a gay princess; people liked that she was gay; people liked the princess more; people liked the monarchy more; what people did not like was the paparazzi and how they had distributed the information.

The television was on in her bedroom on a low hum while the princess read books about robots that take over the world. Every so often her eyes glanced up at the scene, and every time, the princess was the main story. Apparently, it was slow media day. There was also an outpouring of celebrities support, even though the princess felt none of this support. Trying to get in touch with the monarchy through social media, as most of the celebrities did, wasn't going to get you far.

Her phone dinged, as it had been doing, and she glanced at it again. She had been waiting for a call from Margo, but that never came. Instead, she received an invitation from William to come over for dinner. Gwendoline considered stating straight out no, but she had no good reason to say that. "I'll be there," she replied.

When the time came, a car took the princess over Kensington Palace. If she wasn't all over the news right now, then the princess could've walked or taken the Tube. Gwendoline had done that enough times, and no one had realized it was her. Now that her face was on everything, it was harder.

The car pulled into the back Kensington Palace. George and Charlotte had been waiting for their aunt, and they came racing off the steps to greet the princess. They wrapped their bodies around her legs, and she hugged them back, rubbing their backs. "How are you two?" asked Gwendoline as she bent down. "Are you getting enough sleep with the baby?"

"Can we give him back?" George asked. "I've already got a sister. I don't need another."

"I love him," Charlotte said defiantly. "He's my favorite brother." She stuck out her tongue at George, and he returned the favor.

"George! Charlotte!" Kate called. "Come back inside." The duchess appeared on the doorstep with Louis in her hands. The two small children ran back inside. Her smile broadened. Her brown hair was pulled back into a ponytail. "Hello, Gwen. How are you?"

"Good. And you?" Gwendoline bent down to see little Louis.

"Do you want to hold him?"

"I think I'll pass for now." Gwendoline went inside the flat, even though this "flat" stretched out and was massive. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex's flat was still being renovated.

William was in the kitchen cooking, and when he saw his sister, he dropped all of that and gave her a big hug. Gwendoline hugged him back. He pulled back. "You're very brave, Liney," he said. "The world is watching, and by being outed like that, the world is on your side."

"Hmm." Gwendoline looked around the flat. Every time she was here, which wasn't often, something always changed.

"That is what I was saying," Catherine stated after she put Louis down. "We wanted to have you over to show our support. Whatever you need, Gwen, we will be there. We love and respect you."

William nodded. "Whatever it is." The future king went back to cooking or at least trying to cook. His skills weren't strong as his wife's, solely because at one time she was a commoner. "So, when did you find out?"

"Since I came out of the womb, I guess," Gwendoline asked.

"No, about Buckingham Palace's plan," William clarified. "They had to know those pictures were coming out. I guess they couldn't stop them, which was a shame. You should've had a choice."

Gwendoline shrugged as she sat down at the island. Catherine poured her sister-in-law a glass of wine.

"So, who is the girl?" Catherine asked. "Give me all the details."

"Margo," Gwendoline said, taking a huge gulp of the wine.

"And they were roommates!" William commented, stirring the sauce. Gwendoline gave him a look. "Harry called about the tabloids, and he said that. He called it a Vine."

"He's definitely down with the kids," Gwendoline commented dryly.

"How did Harry know?" William asked his sister. "Did you tell him? I know you two were closer than I am with you, but--"

"I didn't tell anyone." Well, Gwendoline told Louise, but she could trust Louise well with this information. Louise had her friends at school, but that was it. She promised not even to tell her mother, who she was very close with.

"How did you two meet?" Catherine asked.

"Class."

"Oh, Wills," Catherine said. "Do you remember when we met in class? We were put in a group together, and it was just love at first sight."

"I remember thinking she was way out of your league," Gwendoline replied.

"You were, like, eight years old," William commented.

"Harry said it first."

William ran his hands over his buzzed head. Someday he was just going to have to shave it off, but he held out hope that the magic hair fairy would come back and return his hair. "Harry wants you to know that he supports you too-- so does Meghan. They wish they could be here with you, but--"

"They prefer their honeymoon with all that privacy and love making?" Gwendoline mocked.

"Don't make it sound like that." William shook his head. "I do not want to think about it." Gwendoline laughed. "Come help me with this, Liney. You and I both know I can't cook to save my life."

"Do you think I'm any better?" Gwendoline asked as she stirred the sauce for her older brother.

"No," he said honestly, "I just need to get out of this heat." William ducked out of the way, and he took her place and milked his drink. "Liney," he said sincerely, "I really am here for you. Whatever comes next or whatever happens, we're here."

"We're also very happy for you," Catherine said. "Do you love Margo?"

"With everything." Gwendoline didn't say much of anything else about Margo. In some ways, she wanted to keep Margo as far away as possible from this. Margo wanted a normal life, but that wasn't going to happen now.