#c: Prince Henry of Wales

[immortalmuses]

i cannot with this man

[immortalmuses]

ㅤㅤㅤHenry doesn't comment on Alex's concerns (the other man could never waste his time, but it's too telling of a thing to admit). He simply keeps playing through the melody of the song in half tempo, feeling out each note and harmonization as it comes. Slowed down, the Brit's appreciation deepens for the song Alex has written, swiftly turning to wonder. Hen's lingering smirk becomes a true smile, glancing over at the other musician to admire the way he seems immersed in his own lyrics.

ㅤㅤㅤAlex had been right, the song was too fast before. It needn't be slowed to a ballad, but something in-between could be remarkable, if he and Henry can just find that sweet spot. Coming to the end of the song, the Brit lets his fingers linger on the final chord, piano gradually fading out in its own time. He looks up at Alex with quirked eyebrows, "…. Alex, you must know this song is quite brilliant. I'm not just saying that, I truly think you've written something wonderful."

ㅤㅤㅤThe song could be huge, given the opportunity. If the right people hear it. And Henry is determined to ensure that the right people hear it, that Alex gets his shot at showing the world what he can do. He knows the other band doesn't really need his help to succeed, but sometimes... well. If Henry can use his own privilege to open even one closed door for someone as talented as Alex, he'll gladly do it.

Alex takes a moment to try and reign himself back in. His music means a lot to him, sure, but that shouldn't mean that his manners should suffer; Henry's doing him a favour, after all. The storm just isn't helping his mood, putting him right on edge with its ferocity - so much for productivity, then. Pulling a hand through his curls - and making them even more wild than they already were - Alex inhales and exhales with forced slowness until he feels steadier where he sits.

"It just seems too fast right now," the American murmurs, feeling like he needs to try and justify his opinion in front of the more experienced musician. Taking things note by note seems like a good idea, though; picking things apart into their smallest pieces is something he does regularly ( mostly to himself, if he's honest --- he's always been his own harshest critic ).

He's yanked out of his thought cycle by the way Henry says his name, by his smirk. It's honestly a little overwhelming to have that kind of one-to-one attention in such a small space - Alex flushes and glances away, fidgeting with the strings of his guitar. "Just feels like I'm wasting your time right now."

At the end of the day, though, they're both here to make music --- so when Henry begins to play the piano, Alex joins in with the beginning of the chorus of his song.

[brf-rumortrackinganon]

“Editing Archie's birth certificate.”

How?

When Archie was born, the birth certificate identified his father as His Royal Highness Henry Charles Albert David Duke of Sussex and his mother was identified as Rachel Meghan Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Sussex, as shown below:

Identifying Meghan this way (with her first and middle name) follows the then-Cambridges' birth certificates, where Kate was identified as Catherine Elizabeth Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge.

On 6 June 2019, Archie's birth certificate was amended. Harry's name was corrected to "His Royal Highness Prince Harry Charles Albert David Duke of Sussex and Meghan's name was corrected to Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Sussex.

Identifying Meghan this way follows William's and Harry's birth certificates, where Diana was identified as Her Royal Highness The Princess of Wales.

The updates to the birth certificate were not made public/known until January 2021 (hence why, in the image above, it's dated 1/21/2021 - someone requested a copy of the birth certificate and the copy was certified on 1/21/2021.

When this first leaked in public by The Sun, chasing a scoop by Lady C, everyone assumed the Sussexes made the change but Meghan hit back pretty hard insisting it was the palace that made the changes. Which I believe...partially.

The palace absolutely would've insisted on an amendment to change Harry's name so that he's properly identified as Prince, which had been left out. That's something they're all over.

I don't believe that the palace demanded changing Meghan's name on the birth certificate because they had no issue with Kate having her names identified. I think that particular request came from the Sussexes, specifically to give homage to and link to Diana.

The Sun's article:

Archived Link

[une-sanz-pluis]

Father and Son

Henry Bolingbroke recognized as king by the parliament, his son the Prince of Wales beside him (BL Harley Ms. 1319 f.57r, detail) | Oscar Wilde, A Woman Of No Importance | Henry IV of England and his son, Henry, Prince of Wales (later Henry V), from the Great Cowacher of the dukes of Lancaster, c. 1402 (The National Archives, DL 42/1-2) | Ollie Schminkey, Dead Dad Jokes | Stained glass at York Minster, depicting Henry IV (right) and Henry V (left) | Sophokles, Elektra (trans. Anne Carson) | Kings Screen at York Minster, depicting (l-r) Richard II, Henry IV and Henry V

[gardenofbookworms]

week #24 recommendation: rose

Red, White, & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

▪︎ romance novel ▪︎

alex and henry have never been friends, but they've always had to maintain an outwardly amicable relationship. because, you see, alex is the son of the president united states, and henry is the prince of wales. a public fight between them would probably make british-u.s. relations take a turn for the worse.

so when the two nearly come to blows at a wedding and knock over the extremely expensive cake in the process... well, let's just say that it's time for damage control. alex and henry have to establish a (fake) friendship, purely for the purpose of showing the world that it was just a huge misunderstanding. of course, alex still thinks henry is the stuffiest, fakest person in the world, and henry... really, only henry knows what henry thinks. but as the two are forced unravel things that keep them apart, they find they're not as different as they think. and maybe, just maybe, they're diving deep into something that takes them long past "just friends"—something which neither of them can turn away from.

▪︎

for as long as i've known a) what "gay" means, b) how to read, and c) that this book existed, i wanted to read it. i finally got around to it earlier this year, and i have to say—holy fucking shit. if i could leave it at that, i would. but. words. first off, this is, hands down, one of the best enemies-to-lovers romance novels out there. the witty banter, the ridiculous enemies-establishing-fight, that time they ended up in a closet together... ah, it's all beautifully written. and the progression from reluctant allies to friends to confidants to something more is perfectly slow and fast at the same time. and the forbidden romance. i literally have no words. nor do i really have much more to say about this, except: witty humor, tender emotional moments, general spiciness, and the best romance tropes out there. that's what you're getting into with this book. and it sure as hell is amazing.

[immortalmuses]

          Pausing his investigation of the refrigerator's contents, Henry half turns to shoot Alex a rueful look. Hot Cheetos, he thinks incredulously. It's a miracle Americans have any stomach lining left at all...

          Fortunately, Alex follows up with a far more reasonable suggestion, and Hen's expression brightens. The prince is still working on establishing his (nonexistent) skills in the kitchen, so a recommendation for takeaway comes as no small relief. Not to mention that some time spent out of the Brownstone would do them both good.

          "That sounds brilliant, love." Henry says, swing the fridge closed and redirecting towards their living room, boiled kettle all but forgotten. "Let me just put on my shoes and grab my wallet."

          He makes quick work of getting ready, pulling on a cashmere jumper over his button down for good measure. The seasons are changing in New York and Hen finds himself looking forward to the holidays in a way he hasn't since... well. Since his father passed.

          Things just look brighter, with Alex at his side.

          And speaking of... Henry emerges from the hallway in search of his boyfriend, still tucking his wallet into his trouser pocket while simultaneously holding up Alex's well worn leather jacket. "...all set? I thought we might sit on the sidewalk patio, do some people watching." Nobody masters scathing commentary on random strangers quite like Alex.

By some miracle, a great bit of effort, really, that's betrayed by the way his fingers fiddle with his notes, Alex manages to keep himself quiet as Henry speaks. It's praise, pure love, that still manages to surprise him even if they're variations of words and phrases he's heard from Henry before; after all this time, he's not sure he'll ever come to expect it and he's not sure he's want to, fearful of what'll happen should he start to take this enormous love for granted.

"I -" Alex fights against ingrained habit, the urge to argue and push back. He still wants to tell Henry that his assessment is partially incorrect. He'll never be sure if the effort, days and days of obsessive study with breaks only for other pressing assignments and readings, is purely driven by his own motivation to excel or because he knows he'll be judged against his parent's successes and failures. Sometimes, he thinks it'd be simpler to fail and be left with the pieces of broken expectations.

"Thank you," he says quietly. The words sound small compared to the passion Henry spoke with but Alex is exhausted, surprisingly exhausted like it's only caught up with how now, and sometimes showing strength is knowing when to let things be. He hopes this is one of them.

"I ate half of bag of hot cheetos," Alex proclaims proudly, forcing all the anxiety and the things he hasn't said into his voice. He sits up straighter, pushing his notes back, as he aims a megawatt smile at Henry's back.

"Actually," he draws out the word as he takes in the sight of Henry snooping through the fridge. "I think I could with some fresh air. And those pork dumplings a few block over sound amazing right now..."

[harryofderby]

Thomas Hoccleve dedicating the Regement of Princes to Henry, Prince of Wales ( the future Henry V) from a manuscript c. 1420

[wanderlandgracie]

LONDON

Hello friends! So beginning my trip to Europe, we landed in London at 12:30ish on May 23, 2023. After the unfathomably long plane ride, which I thankfully slept through, we were all exhausted, yet hopeful for the weeks ahead of us. The rest of that day was spent resting and mingling in the hotel.

The next day, we went to Hyde Park, a beautiful expanse of green space much like Central Park in New York City, although much older and history-rich. With its sprawling green and luscious plant life, the park was originally used as a hunting reserve by King Henry VIII, yes that one. Interestingly enough though, James I opened it to the public in the early 17th century, and since then it has been a sight of great popularity in London. One location of particular interest in the park is Speakers Corner, a set apart bit of the park specifically designated, by parliament, for free speech. Since its designation in 1872 due to a forceful takeover of the park by a men's suffrage group, the corner has been used by many free speakers in an attempt to rally change amongst the masses. In the early 1900's suffragettes used the corner as their place of protest. Since its designation many orators, such as Karl Marx, Vladimir Lenin, and George Orwell have used the corner to speak their thoughts. This sight has such specific value because it continues to hold captive peoples attention and birth reform where it is most needed. Also an interesting place to visit in the park is the Rose Garden, a beautiful, as the name would suggest, rose garden. The garden has a wide variety of flowers and plant life, and it is absolutely stunning to look at.

Westminster Abbey is another place I had the privilege to explore when in London. With its sprawling architecture and truly astounding number of graves, Westminster Abbey is set apart as one of the most beautiful and most disturbing buildings in London. Impressively, the Abbey is the final resting place to over 3000 native britons, but despite this, the Abbey has been the location of many coronations in the country's long history. "Since William the Conqueror in 1066, every British Sovereign has been crowned in the Abbey except for Edward V and Edward VIII, who were never crowned." (Britannica) For literally just under a millenium, british kings and queens have begun their official reign here. Also cool to note, royal weddings have been held in the abbey, the most recent of which was the marriage of William and Kate, the Prince and Princess of Wales in 2011. On an entirely different note, the Abbey is the final resting place of over 3,000 native britons, including William Shakespeare, C. S. Lewis, and Jane Austen. This fact seems super cool until you realise that the majority of the graves are part of the floor, requiring you to walk over them to get around the massive Abbey. Apart from the staggering number of graves in the Abbey, it is also home to beautiful stained-glass windows, most of which picture apostles, saints, or the Savior Himself. Westminster Abbey and its beautifully detailed architecture has been integral to the culture, society, and rulers of the United Kingdom for almost a thousand years, and it continues to have such significance in culture as well as religion. Christian worship has been held here for as long as the building has stood, and even today as people are touring the Abbey, occasionally a priest will come on the intercom and ask people to be still and silent while they pray. It is a holy place of solemn worship, even today.

The final culturally significant location I visited was Big Ben and the House of Parliament. Just from an outside look, which is all the looks we got to have, the gothic-style spires and towers of the House of Parliament are one of the more eye-catching buildings in London, as it has been since its construction in the 11th century for Edward the Confessor. It was then expanded by William the Conqueror shortly thereafter. The building had been previously used as a palace until a fire in 1834, after which the palace was rebuilt in its current gothic style. Inside, the House of Lords and the House of Commons meet and make decisions for the country, which is why when we visited these buildings, there were small yet loud groups of protestors standing outside of it. Accompanying the House of Parliament is the famous, iconic, beautiful, Elizabeth's tower. Now you might be thinking, "wait, isn't it called 'Big Ben?'" No, dear reader, you silly goose, you. Big Ben refers to the bell inside of the tower, which is well known for its accuracy and loud toll on the hour, as most bells are. Elizabeth's Tower, and subsequently Big Ben, have been iconic structures seen in British centric pop-culture for ages, such as Peter Pan, V for Vendetta, and Enola Holmes. Overall, these two iconic buildings have been amongst the most recognizable buildings in all of history, but not only that, they have been the center of political circuits for generations.

Overall, London was a beautiful whirlwind of history and awe, combined with the pure wonder of being able to walk or take public transit wherever you wanted to go. All these factors combined makes this city one of my top favorites of the trip.

[immortalmuses]

          Henry had hoped he’d been wrong, that it had just been paranoia preying on his mind. But now Bea is giving voice to his very fears, and the youngest prince cannot help how he tenses in her comforting embrace.

          “..He can’t do that… can he??” Hen asks incredulously, sitting up slightly from where they're both slumped against the pillows. But then he thinks of the months their mother has spent in seclusion, her apathy in matters regarding the crown, how broken she has seemed since their father died…

          Henry can hardly bear it, but it seems Philips is not so affected.

          “He would hide us away, if he had his choice…” Hen mutters bitterly, shifting to look at Bea directly, “… act like we don't exist, rather than risk us embarrassing the Firm.”

"Philip's getting worse, isn't he..." Henry says it quietly, carefully, knowing how the walls have ears even here in Kensington Palace. He rests his temple on Bea's shoulder, their feet tucked together under the blankets of his bed, Bake Off a comforting white noise playing in the background. For now, it's just them, which means Henry can be honest in a way he can't be with anyone else.

He sighs, taking Bea's hand and fiddling with the rings on her fingers, "... he's starting to sound like Gran when he talks to me. If he talks to me."

Its so rare they get moments like this, or entire afternoons, and Bea is making the most of it, just getting to spend time with her favourite person. One arm is wrapped around Henry, her fingers playing with the strands of his golden hair, the other letting him play with the rings of her fingers as Bake Off plays in the background.

"I heard him talking yesterday," she murmurs in agreement, "ever since mum threatened to tell the council about granny, he's.... been getting worse." She moves a tad closer to her brother, if that's even possible, keeping her voice low. "Hen, I think there's a real chance he's going to try and force mum into abdication."

[immortalmuses]

This is how I know that HRH Henry George Edward James Fox-Mountchristen-Windsor has the hots for Jeff Goldblum, and you cannot convince me otherwise

[theroyalfanzine]

British Line of Succession

C. King Charles III

The Prince William, The Prince of Wales

Prince George of Wales

Princess Charlotte of Wales

Prince Louis of Wales

The Prince Henry, The Duke of Sussex

Prince Archie of Sussex

Princess Lilibet of Sussex

The Prince Andrew, The Duke of York

Princess Beatrice, Mrs. Eddo Mapple Mozzi

Miss Sienna Elizabeth Mapple Mozzi

Princess Eugenie, Mrs. Jack Brooksbank

Master August Philip Hawke Brooksbank

Master Ernest George Ronnie Brooksbank

The Prince Edward, The Duke of Edinburgh

James, The Earl of Wessex

The Lady Louise Alice Elizabeth Mary Mountbatten-Windsor

The Princess Anne, The Princess Royal

Mr. Peter Mark Andrew Philips

Miss Savannah Anne Kathleen Philips

Miss Isla Elizabeth Philips

Mrs. Zara Anne Elizabeth Philips Tindall

Miss Mia Grace Tindall

Miss Lena Elizabeth Tindall

Master Lucas Philip Tindall

[queens-an-tings]

Elizabeth Stuart, Queen of Bohemia.

Portrait by the Workshop of Michiel Jansz. van Mierevelt, c. 1623.

Elizabeth was known as ‘the Winter Queen’, and her husband Frederick V as 'the Winter King’, due to their brief reign as monarchs of Bohemia. They were officially crowned in 1619, but were driven into exile after just one winter [Note: Henry VII, father of Henry VIII, was also known as 'the Winter King’. See documentary here.]

Her biographical details and regal connections are far too complicated to go into here - I suggest a read on Wikipedia and then further afield if you are sufficiently interested. Essentially, she was the second child and eldest daughter of James VI and I, King of Scotland, England, and Ireland, and his wife, Anne of Denmark, and became second-in-line to the throne when her elder brother, Henry Frederick, Prince of Wales, died at the age of 18 of typhoid fever. However, he was eventually succeeded by his younger brother, Charles, as Charles I, as mentioned in previous post here.

Elizabeth’s grandson by her daughter Sophia of Hanover succeeded to the British throne as George I, initiating the House of Hanover, when Queen Anne failed to produce any offspring despite 17 pregnancies.

ADD MORE INFO/EDIT.

[lavelled]

she, illustrated.

Quick news: Isabelle Vezina-Dykema, 14, in Vermont, killed herself. There’s considerable aggression from unfamous dads who misread and lecture wishful signage. I didn’t ask for interference in a literary system. You can stop reading. My decision-making is mine alone. My knack for technology includes poetical child suicide data and attainable proof of the man who took my life.

The sickbed Prince who inherited childhood letters, tried to enact a forcible rape clause, created squared digital spaces to publish anatomically and spy in a Bird Cam, impersonated celebs with a sense of belonging, chatted as gal-pal Japanese housewife, Celica, bypassed exquisitely soft NDA laws all while he experienced marriage and fatherhood, says I can’t have readership?

Prince Henry uses cultural appropriation to tweet as Antonio Brown and recently erupted in a disgusting c-word rant. On Sep 29, 2019, Harry wrote:

My English paper do by tonight 12am need a prof reader make sure As and Bs #Eng303

google. This is linguistic racism. The married Englishman boasts the daft sexual legalese of a writer.

The Lunchbox Fund. A meal charity for children in South Africa. A charity that Sentebale, founded in 2006 by Harry, in the Lesotho language means forget-me-not—subtly mocking 9/11 victims—teams up with. Meg had fans donate to it at her baby shower, even though it’s his signature boinking code, specifically, a lesbian slur, of how a second child was boxlunched.

Anti-Social is a 2015 Hungarian-British crime film with the characters: Marcus, Philip, Emma, Kwame, and Rochelle. Knowing my well-publicized waystation, Duchess Meghan acted in it and a year later, fucked the Brit jailer. Google who the actress, Zita Téby, plays.

Speaking of Irishness, the regal derelict has affected social factors sans punishment for decades and it seems kid-glove young adult deaths are due to a non-code barcode that makes them feel helpless and strangely complicit: Shane Lunny, 17—Erin Gallagher, 13—Patrick McDonagh, 12—Lara Burns Gibbs, 12—Milly Tuomey, 11—Cathriona White—Dara Quigley—the pact of Kieran McKeon and Alexandra O’Brien.

Jamel Myles, a fourth grader at Joe Shoemaker Elementary in Denver told his mother he was gay then hanged himself on August 23, 2018, three months after the royal wedding. He was 9. Youngest suicide on record.

On May 15, 2018, Magyar Kozmetika Spa in California exploded from a homemade package bomb, killing Hungarian employee, Ildiko Krajnyak. From her boyfriend. FOUR DAYS before the royal wedding.

“Harry goes and heads to London.” You walked out your front door. Harry lives alone in England. Prince Harry was actor-writer struck out of California. His wife was megxited from England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, India and the East Coast of the United States. The diapered jobbing princess vaudeville wedding tour has killed more girls, more students than the Sandy Hook shooting.

The TIG, her sex and wellness workshop. Cookbook ideas for a Hempseed Stew, Ginger Berry Crumble, and Awards Season Entertaining Tips because everyone can relate to it. I don’t want to seem dramatic or a justifiable age, but we’ve wandered into Single White Female when I say booklist Meg is ill. She’s yearned to be a princess for a long time. She poses near a British car wheel, types Spencer and London in knots, and this beaut: Just like a scene in When Harry Met Sally, you would look at Hikari and say, “I’ll have what she’s having.” What about a 1989 film?

Another link of output. On google her photo is shown with Misan Harriman, hence she’s the essayist. Catty remark to Princess Kate four years before her own bloody pulpit wedding.

Copy and paste; put tippity top of computer page:

https://thetig.meghanpedia.com/tig-talk-with-princess-alia-al-senussi/

Did a productive wife blog cause a media stir? In math lingo, she coughs up the pedo age of 17, trumped 4, Spencer at 3, she’s six:

https://thetig.meghanpedia.com/food-for-thought-2/

Rapper Lucas Coly, 27, the Prince of France, just shot himself.

I want a perfectly rational couple who don’t love each other to divorce.

K

[ifreakingloveroyals]

19 May 2018 | Queen Elizabeth II arrives at the wedding of Prince Harry to Ms Meghan Markle at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle in Windsor, England. Prince Henry Charles Albert David of Wales marries Ms. Meghan Markle in a service at St George's Chapel inside the grounds of Windsor Castle. Among the guests were 2200 members of the public, the royal family and Ms. Markle's Mother Doria Ragland. (c) Chris Jackson/Getty Images

[une-sanz-pluis]

Closely linked to Richard's fortunes are those of Edward, Prince of Wales, the son and heir of Henry VI and Queen Margaret who was killed in the Battle of Tewkesbury in 4 May 1471. This eighteen-year-old was the subject of an exclusive posthumous cult. The chronicle of Tewkesbury Abbey tells of the Prince's death in battle and of his burial 'in the mydste of the covent quiere in the monastery ther'; the short paragraph describing his death ends with the words 'for whom god worketh', a reference to miracles performed at the tomb. Further evidence of interest in the Prince includes an annual commemoration, bequests at his tomb, and pilgrimage to it. Queen Elizabeth of York offered, in March 1502, 'to Prince Edward 55.', though it was not indicated where exactly she offered them. The saintly Henry VI was of course being promoted in those years; indeed, on that year she offered three times at Henry VI's shrine in Windsor. There is no reason to assume that Henry VII opposed Prince Edward's cult; Queen Elizabeth of York offered at the tomb, presumably with her husband's permission, if not encouragement. Edward, Duke of Buckingham (d. 1521) may have been influenced by Queen Elizabeth's attention to Prince Edward, when in 1508 he visited the tomb at Tewkesbury.Buckingham also obtained a license to endow Tewkesbury with land worth £60 a year, and provided it with alms throughout his life. By honouring Prince Edward Buckingham may have hoped to advertise his Lancastrian connections, which made him a potential claimant to the throne. The fact that Buckingham's first name was also Edward may have also attracted him to the cult at Tewkesbury. There are further indications of a cult. The prince's obit (4 May) was added in red ink during the fifteenth century to a psalter commissioned by the de Bohun family c. 1380. During the fifteenth century, however, the manuscript was probably in possession of one of Buckingham's predecessors, John Stafford, Archbishop of Canterbury (d. 1452), whose arms were added on the first folio, next to those of Henry VI and Queen Margaret. Support and then commemoration of the last Lancastrians seem to have run down the Stafford family: Edward Stafford's offerings at Tewkesbury should be seen as familial as much as political. Despite the apparent dominance of exalted folk amongst the cult's adherents, however, less aristocratic followers existed too: in his will from 1513, one Richard Cokkes from East Harptree (Somerset) asked his wife Alice to offer 4d. to 'Prince Edward at Tewkisbury'.

Danna Piroyansky, Martyrs in the Making: Political Martyrdom in Late Medieval England (Palgrave, 2008)

[immortalmuses]

ㅤㅤㅤThe gently spoken 'Baby' cuts through Henry's false bravado like a particularly sharp blade, leaving him stripped bare for the question that follows. He visibly deflates, eyes sliding away from where they watch Alex's lips on his knuckles.

ㅤㅤㅤIs that really what you want? He doesn't reply, knowing the answer must be written all over his face regardless.

ㅤㅤㅤ"It rarely matters what I want" Hen says finally, taking a measured breath, "...to my Grandmother, anyway." He lifts his gaze back to Alex, the lines around his eyes softening as he takes in the other man's earnest features, his glasses, the way his curls frizz slightly at the end of the day.

ㅤㅤㅤThe Prince's expression turns wistful... "She would have me come alone." Which isn't surprising, really. It's always been far easier for the Queen to browbeat Henry into compliance when he's isolated. And she would expect to have her exact wishes followed... to the letter.

ㅤㅤㅤWell. Perhaps the Prince cannot ignore such a summons. But that doesn't mean he has to play by Gram's rules...

ㅤㅤㅤTightening his fingers around Alex's own, Henry gives him a tender smile. He leans forward to rest their foreheads together, exhaling. "... I would love for you to come with me, Alex. If you can spare the time away from Uni, that is." He swallows. "It would mean a great deal to me..."

This... is not small potatoes; this is the potential loss of Henry's family ties and everything that goes with it ( it's kinda big potatoes, really ). But Henry doesn't seem to be too concerned yet --- perhaps the rumours are just rumours, the tabloids trying to stir up trouble on a slow news day. Or maybe he is - the way Henry's reaching onto his hands signals that something about this is playing on his mind.

Alex turns his palm face up, captures Henry's fingertips in his own and lifts them to his lips to press a kiss against each knuckle. He maintains eye contact even as he uses his free hand to shove his glasses back up his nose, giving Henry a small smile as he does.

"You want me to come with you?" If they went together, at least Alex would know how it all turns out. At least if they go together, it'll be harder for Henry to... disappear for some inexplicable reason. At least if they go together, he can hold Henry's hand through whatever shit the queen's cooked up.

"Baby," Alex begins with a pained expression; as much as he hates the British Monarchy ( and monarchies in general, actually ), he hates the idea of Henry being disowned and cut off from his family more. "Is that really what you want?"