Sandringham House, Norfolk
December 2012
PRINCESS ALICE'S EX BOYFRIEND, EDWARD, MARQUESS OF DORSET, FILES FOR DIVORCE FROM WIFE ANASTACIA AFTER JUST 8 MONTHS OF MARRIAGE
The news were announced by the Duke of Suffolk's spokesperson just after eight pm last night that Edward, Marquess of Dorset, 30, and Anastacia, Marchioness of Dorset, 21, have come to an agreement that their marriage has come to an end and that they will be starting divorce proceedings immediately. These news comes just a few days after Princess Alice made her debut at the Remembrance weekend, and just a few days before the Marquess of Dorset's own birthday.
It is unknown if the Princess was aware of the couple's intention to divorce, however, she was seen having dinner with the Duke of Suffolk in London at the end of October, so maybe the Duke informed her of the news.
The spokesperson also informed the media that the couple have been separated for a couple of months now and that this wasn't a decision they made lightly. The statement ended with the Marquess wishing the Marchioness all the happiness as they begin the process to officially part ways.
The Daily Mail contacted the Marquess' attorney who declined to comment on the divorce proceedings but did say that it should be swift since both parties are in agreement on the decisions that will be made. We can also imagine that he was also the lawyer of wrote the couple's prenuptial agreement, which means there won't be much left to decide upon.
The couple lived with the 10th Duke of Suffolk at Clare Hall, in Dorset, for the majority of the year, spending a few months of the summer at the Duke's two other residences in Andover and Suffolk; they also spent a month in London during the month of June and were photographed together around the capital. And maybe this was also something that put a strain in their relationship, after all the Marchioness had said before how much she loved her life in the capital.
The Daily Mail also approached the Marchioness' family for comment but hasn't received a response. The Daily Mail approached the Palace for comment over the Marquess and Marchioness' divorce; the Palace informed the Daily Mail that "although we feel sad to see Duke of Cambridge's friend's marriage coming to an end, this situation has nothing to do with the Royal Family and we won't comment on something that we have no authority over, however, the Royal Family wishes the Marquess and Marchioness all the luck on their journeys." Upon questioned if the Marquess and Princess Alice had rekindled their relationship the Palace's spokesperson simply said that "Princess Alice's relationships are private and the princess intends to keep it that way. Nonetheless, I was asked to reaffirm to the press that Princess Alice is single."
That puts an end to the speculation on the matter of the Marquess of Dorset and Princess Alice's relationship. We don't know how possible it is for the noble and the princess to rekindle their relationship, however, we do know that the couple would have many supporters if they did decide to continue their relationship.
- The Daily Mail
It was a cold and rather cloudy night after it had rained the whole afternoon and Alice was forced to stay inside the whole day. Everything seemed like it should be, everyone seemed content and ready as the last evening of 2012 was coming to a close and soon they would all gather at the entrance nearest to the lake to they could all ring in the New Year.
Everyone seemed happy, but for Alice something just seemed wrong about that evening. It was already past seven thirty when she finished getting ready and dismissed the maid that had been assigned to helping her get ready while they stayed at Sandringham with the Queen and Prince Philip. Alice wanted to get out, and it wouldn't be wet grass that would stop her, so she did the unthinkable, she put on her Wellington boots and one of her many outdoor coats and walked into the gardens without anyone being able to stop her. They would be having drinks in half an hour so Alice had a little while before she had to actually go back and find an excuse to why she was late.
The moon was almost fully visible behind the clouds, and when she wasn't her presence was still felt by the moon light that was cast between a rather dark and lonely open field. Near the lake, many miles away from where Alice was standing, the man were preparing the fireworks for the celebrations, while inside the princess knew everyone was rushing to put the final details on their meal and drinks.
The Royal Family wasn't alone this time of year, however. With the absence of Alice's brothers and sister-in-law every corner of the big house seemed a little emptier, so the Queen asked if her children wouldn't like to invite a few of their friends to feel the extra seats on New Years eve. Each children of the Monarch invited some of their noble and important friends, however, it was Alice's father who actually surprised Alice with some guests she wasn't actually thrilled to be sharing the same roof with.
The Duke of Suffolk, his son, his eldest daughter, Lady Jane Asquith, and Lady Jane's husband, arrived on early hours of the morning of the thirtieth, to Alice's great surprise. She was happy to see Hugh, as well as Jane and Sebastian, but her stomach dropped when she laid her eyes on the tall figure of the Marquess of Dorset. They were amicable, exchanging simple greetings before the Prince of Wales ushered the family of four away into one of the sitting rooms and Alice was left behind with her stepmother who just smiled, quietly acknowledging that she was aware how Alice was feeling about Charles' decision.
The same night, when they were all having dinner, Alice couldn't push away the feeling that her father was trying to bring the two back into speaking terms, especially because he had somehow managed to sit Edward to Alice's left. For the first half of the dinner she talked with Sebastian, who had been assigned the seat to Alice's right, and even if the conversation was a little boring it would be much better than talking to Edward. But the tides changed, and not in Alice's favour, although she knew she would have to talk to Edward during dinner at some point.
They were silent as the butler finished serving the members of the family as well as their guests, and they stayed that way until dessert was served and Edward small, inpatient coughs became one too many for Alice to keep quiet.
"So, Lord Dorset, how is the divorce going?"
It was a low blow, Alice was aware, not a very nice thing to say especially during dinner. But Alice didn't seem to have a lot of nice things to say to many people these past few months.
"Well, I think. The lawyer says it should be finalised by the end of February."
Edward seemed a lot more bothered by the fact that Alice hadn't made eye contact than by the fact that Alice was asking about his divorce, nonetheless his answer was polite and almost too cool for someone who was divorcing his wife.
"Will you lose many things for the Marchioness?"
"No. Not in my opinion anyways. She's moving to Los Angeles in March. Or is it New York? I can't remember right now, but she's leaving England."
"You must be thrilled, being a bachelor again."
"Not really, no."
The Marquess cleared his throat as the butler took their plates away and the Queen got up, being closely followed by everyone else. They were all moving into different rooms of the house now. Women would go into one of the sitting rooms, while the men would follow the Duke of Edinburgh into the library. Alice, on the other hand, would do neither. The Princess would go back to her room, to enjoy her own company before someone came knocking, looking for her so that she could partake on the ringing in the New Year celebrations.
"Then you must be worried she is going to open her mouth to some TV producer and spill all your family's best kept secrets."
There was irony in Alice's tone, but neither of them was very doubtful that the future former Marchioness was capable of that, especially because she had said before how she would love to give an interview about her life.
"No. One of the clauses on the pre nuptial agreement was that before the marriage Anastacia would sign an NDA, and if she ever broke it she would pay dearly for it."
"Your lawyer is a very clever man."
Edward let out a humourless laugh as the stepped into the corridor, the last of the guests to leave the dinning room.
"Yeah, and so is my father, he was the one who insisted on that."
"It does seem like something Hugh would do."
After that there is silence between them, their eyes locked and their breaths quick and heavy, like it was becoming increasingly harder to breathe in the corridor. Alice was the first one to break the eye contact, turning towards the end of the corridor that would take her to the stairs and then to her bedroom. She demanded her feet to move but they seemed stuck and Alice's heart was begging her to stay just a while longer, just enough to give them the opportunity.
But the opportunity would never come and Alice couldn't give in to senseless temptation. So she turned to Edward one last time, with a polite smile on her face.
"I'll see you at the countdown, Edward."
She didn't wait to see or hear his response, her feet taking her up the stairs and into her bedroom in just a couple minutes. She could breath a little easier when she heard the door click and turned the key, locking the door for now.
Alice took her heels off, putting on one of her comfy, and rather old, slippers, and sat down on the sofa in front of the lit fireplace. It was then that her brain announced that she had spotted something on her nightstand as she walked inside the room. With a grumpy expression from having to get up from the comfortable position she was in, Alice walked the few feet over to the side of her bed and immediately knew what that was.
It was a small bouquet of white daffodils that was waiting for Alice with a note attached to it. Her heart was pounding in her ears but she picked the card up and was greeted by a rather familiar handwriting.
There was no need for any type of signature or formal acknowledgment of who this person was. This had been written for Alice by only one person, someone who knew her all too well.
Her mind was running wild as the clock announced that another hour had passed and eleven thirty was looming in between the shadows of the clocks around the house. Alice had many questions. Should she go, should she just stay in her room and go to sleep. She knew that it would be rude to not abide to such intimate invitation, and she also had to admit that her curiosity would end up getting the better of her in the end.
It was five minutes after the suggested time of the meeting that Alice rushed down the stairs, making sure no family member or guest would see her, and started walking rather slowly through the formal gardens and to the agreed meeting spot.
At the end of the flowery corridor, and near the statue, that Alice spotted the large frame of the Marquess of Dorset. He was surrounded by a few lit candles, which didn't illuminate the space enough but it made it a little less scary, and was dressed in the same suit he was wearing at dinner, however, this time around Alice was able to fully appreciate it without feeling like people were watching her.
The Marquess noticed her arrival and took a few steps towards her, a smile appearing on his face like he had just let out a sigh of relief, and maybe he actually had, but Alice would never truly know.
"I thought you wouldn't come."
"You know me better than that, Edward. My curiosity won in the end."
They shared a laugh and Alice actually felt comfortable around him, even if the memory of the night she stupidly opened her heart to him was still looming in the back of her mind.