#The Chapel Royal at Hampton Court Palace

[dlyarchitecture]

[ctyguidelondon]

Back in the 1530s Henry VIII was putting up palaces like we put up sheds. Whilst he was living in Whitehall Palace he also had Richmond Palace and Greenwich Palace on the go, built Nonsuch and St. James's from scratch, and stole Hampton Court from Cardinal Wolsey. St. James's is the second-best preserved after Hampton Court with a four-story gatehouse and Chapel Royal.

[edmundhoward]

“By September, it was clear that the birth was imminent and, on 16 September, Jane took to her chamber at Hampton Court, shutting herself away from the world with only her ladies for company. Royal women traditionally took to their chamber a month before the birth and Jane spent the weeks quietly with her ladies, praying that her child would be healthy and that it would be a son.”

— Elizabeth Norton, Jane Seymour: Henry VIII’s True Love

“By September Jane believed herself to be around a month away from giving birth, so she set about making her final preparations for the birth. She chose Hampton Court Palace for her ‘lying in’, perhaps because it had recently been renovated. Some of the renovations were specifically requested by Jane herself; in fact a gallery that became known as the ‘Queen’s Gallery’ was built on Jane’s request, perhaps influenced by the Long Gallery she had known growing up at Wolf Hall. Hampton Court was also outside London which meant less crowds and more fresh air, where hopefully no disease could flourish and as a country girl Jane may have felt and wanted the familiarity and comfort of home – there was quite the landscape surrounding the palace and it may have been a favourite of hers.

‘Lying in’, ‘taking to her chamber’ or going into ‘confinement’ was the occasion the queen officially quit public life for the rest of her pregnancy and retreated to her chambers with only her women for company; no man was allowed to enter, not even the king. Any household duties that were usually performed by men were performed by women for the remaining weeks of the pregnancy. This was not just a routine process; it was a strict ceremonial occasion that had been set down by Henry’s own grandmother, Lady Margaret Beaufort, the mother of Henry VII. Margaret had given birth at only 13 and never became pregnant again. Contemporaries and historians today believe giving birth at such a young age did irreparable damage to her health. Margaret may have agreed with them and the rules set out, which became part of the ‘Royal Book’ on court etiquette, were designed to protect both mother and child in the future. Once the location had been chosen by the expectant mother, the chambers needed to be prepared to receive her; her rooms were decorated with tapestries and carpets, the ceiling and all windows were to be covered barring one in case the queen wanted a little light. Any cupboards were to be covered and most importantly she would need her bed and a pallet. It is believed the idea of this was to create a womblike environment in order not to shock the newborn baby and also protect the mother from any harm, so everything was covered and ‘padded’ in order to create a safe environment. By 16 September everything was prepared. Jane attended Divine Service in the palace’s beautiful chapel before she was escorted by the lords and ladies of estate to the Great Chamber which had been splendidly decorated for the occasion. A chair of estate was provided in case she wished to sit, and then she and the guests were served spices and wine. Afterwards Jane was escorted to her chamber where the king, the lords and ladies took their leave of her. She would not emerge until after the birth.”

— Carol-Ann Johnston, Jane Seymour: An Illustrated Life

[grandmaster-anne]

Court Circular | 21st March 2023

Buckingham Palace

The King, Sovereign of the Order, was present this morning at a Service of the Royal Victorian Order held in St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle. The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, The Princess Royal, Grand Master of the Order, accompanied by Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, and The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester were also present. His Majesty was received by the Dean of Windsor (the Right Reverend David Conner) and the Chaplain of the Order (the Reverend Canon Thomas Woodhouse). Detachments of His Majesty’s Body Guard of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen at Arms, The King’s Body Guard of the Yeomen of the Guard and the Military Knights of Windsor were on duty in St George’s Chapel. Afterwards The King gave a Reception at Windsor Castle for those who attended the Service. The King and The Queen Consort, Patron, this afternoon visited the Royal School of Needlework at Hampton Court Palace, East Molesey, Surrey, and were received by the Chief Executive of Historic Royal Palaces (Mr John Barnes) and the Chairman of the Royal School of Needlework (Ms P Wood). Their Majesties, escorted by Dr Susan Kay-Williams (Chief Executive, Royal School of Needlework), viewed the progress of work being undertaken for the Coronation by embroiderers and other members of Royal School of Needlework staff, before viewing displays of objects from past Coronations from the Royal School of Needlework Archive and Collection and objects from the Historic Royal Palaces Collection.

Kensington Palace

The Prince of Wales, President, the Earthshot Prize, this morning held a Meeting. The Princess of Wales, Joint Patron, the Royal Foundation of The Prince and Princess of Wales, this morning held a Meeting to launch a Business Taskforce for Early Childhood, NatWest Head Office, 250 Bishopsgate, London EC2.

St James’s Palace

The Duke of Kent, Patron, St Mungo’s, this morning visited the Grange Road Service at 41-43, Crimscott Street, London SE1, and was received by Colonel Simon Duckworth (Deputy Lieutenant of Greater London).

[scotianostra]

On January 17th 1926 Moira Shearer, ballet dancer and film star was born in Dunfermline.

Moira was born the daughter of Harold Charles King and Margaret Crawford Reid, née Shearer She was educated at Dunfermline High School, Ndola in Zambia (formerly Northern Rhodesia) and Bearsden Academy.

She began studying dance at 10 under Russian teacher Nicholas Legat, spent a year with International Ballet then at 16 joined Saddlers Wells Company touring with them for 4 years then became Prima Ballerina at Covent Garden. She made her film debut in Powell and Pressburger's The Red Shoes. Moira  then returned to Saddlers Wells. In 1948 she danced 'Giselle for the first time, created the role of Cinderella in Frederick Ashton's production and made her first tour of America.

She toured as Sally Bowles in "I am a Camera" in 1955 and appeared at the Bristol Old Vic as "Major Barbara" in 1956. Although these performances were the start of her secondary career as an actress, she continued her primary career as a ballerina. She has appeared on TV as a ballerina and as an actress.

Moira was married to the journalist and writer Ludovic Kennedy, who admitted when he saw her in The Red Shoes he said that he knew instantly that she was going to be the girl he would marry. He actively sought her out and married her two years later, in February 1950 in the Chapel Royal in London's Hampton Court Palace, they had four chidren.

In 1972, Moira presented the Eurovision Song Contest when it was staged at the Usher Hall in Edinburgh. I've posted a link at the bottom, the co-comemtater was the voice of the BBC broadcasts of The Edinburgh Military Tattoo for over 40 years. It's bit of a shame sMoira had the standard BBC English accent, as was the norm in those days, I much preferred the French she used in the clip!

She also wrote for The Daily Telegraph newspaper and gave talks on ballet worldwide.

Arthur Freed wanted her to play opposite Fred Astaire in Royal Wedding in 1951, but Astaire was reluctant to dance with a ballerina. Gene Kelly asked for her for the 1954 film Brigadoon. She turned it down much preferring the classical stage in those years. She went on to play "Titania" in "A Midsummer Night's Dream" in her Broadway debut and the title role in "Major Barbara".

The joint portrait of Moira and Ludovic, by the Israeli artist Avigdor Arikha, i part of the permanent collection of the Scottish National Portrait Gallery.

Moira Shearer died at the Radcliffe Infirmary, Oxford, England at the age of 80, she is buried at Durisdeer Parish Churchyard, Durisdeer, Dumfries and Galloway, her husband, who passed away in 2009 is also buried there.

[fideidefenswhore]

Over the period from 1529 to 1545, Henry spent some £62,000 on Hampton Court, amounting to as much as a quarter of the total expenditure on all his 50 or so houses. The project was designed and supervised by the king's master mason, John Moulton, in collaboration with his master bricklayer and master carpenter. At the peak of building in 1535, a workforce of over 400 craftsmen and labourers were employed, with masons and bricklayers from across southern England pressed into service. The king rebuilt the great hall, remodelled the chapel, and created royal lodgings around a new court which later became the Fountain Court. The result was the grandest of all the royal palaces of the Tudors.

A Wealth of Buildings: Marking the Rhythm of English History, Richard Barras

[allthingshorror111]

The hauntings of Hampton Court Palace

Let's begin with some background history of this royal palace. Hampton Court is located in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, United Kingdom. The building of it first began in 1514 by a man named Cardinal Wolsey. He was the chief minister of Henry VIII. This same Henry took over the beautiful palace and proceeded to marry six women. In order, they go, Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anne of Cleves, Catherine Howard and lastly, Catherine Parr (Divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived).

The first ghost story I came upon; was the figure in the Queen's gallery. One night, several staff members were patrolling the palace after close and began preparing for an evening function. Some colleagues were huddled together in the Queen's Gallery when they heard one of the grand doors open. The palace was shut and only a few employees remained. They then heard footsteps approaching them, but no one was there. Well, no one in a physical form at least. They ran out of the room in fear but when they returned, still no one was to be seen. Who knows who this could have been? Maybe Queen Elizabeth I having a stroll through her gallery.

Catherine Howard is said to haunt the palace too; Henry the 8th's "rose without a thorn". Catherine Howard was executed, by Henry's request, in 1542 at the Tower of London. She was named an adulterer and Henry wanted her head. Howard broke free when she was caught by guards and ran to the Chapel Royal to seek her husband's help and appeal her case. Just outside the chapel is where her pleading ghost can be seen, 470 years later. They named this area, the Haunted Gallery in 1918. Visitors of the palace have reported seeing apparitions, and feeling chills and strange sensations when they pass along the corridor. In 1999, two female visitors fainted in the same spot in the haunted gallery within thirty minutes of one another. Maybe you're overcome with the feelings that Howard felt when she knew there was no persuading her husband to clear her name and soon her head would be gone?

In the winter of 2003, every night for three days, the security staff of the palace were alerted that a fire door by the Clock Court had been opened. CCTV footage showed the doors being swung open with a mighty force. You can watch it on youtube, just search "Hampton Court CCTV ghost". On the second night, a figure can be seen. It appears to be a larger man wearing period dress, he comes along and shuts the fire doors. Later that day a visitor had left a description of the same figure in the visitor book, stating that they had seen this man walking around the castle. He could have been a worker, dressed like Henry VIII for a show, or it could have been the spirit of Henry VIII closing the doors to keep the heat in. Watch the video or check out the image below and let me know who you think it is on my Instagram @allthingshorror111.

Sybil Penn; the nurse of Prince Edward and Elizabeth I. She is also known as the Grey Lady and sightings began in 1829 when the tomb she was buried in was desecrated and her remains scattered. Sybil Penn died from smallpox after caring for Elizabeth I while she had the same disease. Penn allegedly haunts the Clock Court and State apartments. The first account was from the Ponsonby family who lived at the palace. They were constantly disturbed by the sound of a spinning wheel. A legend roamed the palace, it was said that a small sealed chamber was discovered close to the family's apartment, and when it had been opened, a spinning wheel was found.

These few stories are all that have been publicly mentioned however, I have some of my own. My dad and I used to visit Hampton Court every other weekend, we were members. One Saturday we were having a hot chocolate in the member's room. We were the only people in the room. Nature called and we both needed to use the WC which was located upstairs but the stairs were roped off. We snuck up there anyway, my ten-year-old self nervous about the dim lighting and whistling sounds of the wind. As we were climbing the Tudor stairs a small black ballbarian rolled down the stairs. I can see it now. It was almost like someone threw it down the stairs from the top. My dad shrieked and so did I so I hid behind him. He hesitantly made his way up. I wanted to go back downstairs but he needed to spend a penny. We took turns to do our business when all of sudden we heard faint whispers. I can hear them now, man and woman laughing and whispering. It sounded like what I imagined the servants of the palace to sound like, sharing the secrets of the castle. My dad and I have always been interested in the supernatural so we put on our big boy pants and wanted to investigate. Maybe it was the actors of the palace in their dressing rooms? We searched the four rooms that were upstairs. One was locked, the others filled with dusty furniture. Not a soul was seen. The whispering stopped once we began searching. Maybe it was other members downstairs. Still, no one had entered. So who knows what that could have been?

When I turned thirteen we went back to the palace with a family friend. A photograph was taken of me in the barrel room. This photo, seven years later, I have still not seen this. My dad never let me see it, he said it was like death was standing behind me. It was taken on our family friend's camera. Years later, a photo came out, the one I wrote about at the start. My dad said the figure behind me looked very similar to that in the photo. Lastly, seven years later, I visited the palace with my boyfriend. We were in the gallery and went to investigate this small room that no one was in. There was nothing there, just a roped-off staircase. My boyfriend was mocking being a ghost when all of a sudden the heavy, thick door slammed shut. There was no wind, the windows were shut and the door was heavy anyway. We struggled to open it for a few minutes but my boyfriend managed to get it open. No one was walking through the gallery at the time, the only people being a german couple far up the corridor. If you have any explanations for these personal experiences, let me know!

[intriguingpeoplebyangelafloyd]

HAMPTON COURT PALACE GHOST

2003

CATHERINE HOWARD?

            In 2003, CCTV footage showed the doors on Hampton Court Palace flying open, on the second day the same occurrence took place but this time they could see a ghost figure in a Tudor style dress that is seen closing the doors. The doors opened again on the third day but the ghost didn’t make reappearance.

            Those who have worked at Hampton Court Palace as well as visitors have recalled hearing or seeing ghosts inside the palace.

            Many believe the ghost in the video is Catherine Howard, King Henry VIII’s fifth wife who was beheaded at the age of 18. Howard wasn’t a virgin when she married the king and was having an affair with Henry’s favourite male courtier, Thomas Culpeper. The king was at Hampton Court when Howard was to be arrested. It was said that she ran down the gallery of Hampton Court to try to reach Henry who was praying in the Royal Chapel. She was stopped by his guards, and she called out his name, screamed and cried. Howard would never see the king again and lost her head in 1542. It is believed that Howard’s ghost still haunts Hampton Court Palace to this day and people can still hear her screams.

            There are those who don’t believe the footage is of a ghost, and it was possibly just a joke created by those who were working at the palace. There are also those who believe the ‘ghost’ is actually just somebody working at the palace who is dressed up in costume, who went to close the doors.

#hamptoncourtpalaceghost #hamptoncourtpalace #catherinehoward

[briannet]

References

“Audiences.” Shakespeare’s Globe. Accessed April 8, 2024. https://www.shakespearesglobe.com/discover/shakespeares-world/audiences/.

Berg, Timothy. “Hampton Court – Activities Day 2.” King James Bible History, October 2, 2022. https://kjbhistory.com/hampton-court-activities-day-2/.

“Cantiones Quae Ab Argumento Sacrae Vocantur 1575.” Digital Commons at Cedarville. Accessed April 1, 2024. https://digitalcommons.cedarville.edu/sing_william_byrd/1/.

Collector, Print. “Interior, Chapel Royal, St James’s Palace, 1900. London’s Oldest And...” Getty Images, January 18, 2014. https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/interior-chapel-royal-st-jamess-palace-1900-londons-oldest-news-photo/463995179.

“Conference Conclusions.” The National Archives, January 5, 2022. https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/resources/james-i/conference-conclusions/.

Donovan, Blair. “Inside the Famous Churches Where Royal Couples Say ‘I Do.’” Brides, January 26, 2022. https://www.brides.com/gallery/inside-the-royal-wedding-venues.

“Hampton Court Conference, London, 1604.” Look and Learn History Picture Library. Accessed April 8, 2024. https://www.lookandlearn.com/history-images/B000143/Hampton-Court-Conference-London-1604.

“Hardwick.” National Trust. Accessed April 1, 2024. https://www.nationaltrustcollections.org.uk/place/hardwick#:~:text=Hardwick%20Hall%20was%20built%20in,greatest%20of%20all%20Elizabethan%20houses.

“London: Globe Theatre. /Ndrawing (Reconstruction) of the Second Globe Theater. from a Conjurer’s Circle on the Floor Cloth, Faustus Is Raising Mephistopheles, 17th Century. Poster Print by Granger Collection - Item # VARGRC0009894.” Posterazzi. Accessed April 8, 2024. https://www.posterazzi.com/london-globe-theatre-ndrawing-reconstruction-of-the-second-globe-theater-from-a-conjurers-circle-on-the-floor-cloth-faustus-is-raising-mephistopheles-17th-century-poster-print-by-granger-collection-item-vargrc0009894/.

“Our Musical Heritage.” The Chapel Royal. Accessed April 1, 2024. https://www.chapelroyalhamptoncourt.org.uk/music/musical-heritage/.

“Performing Shakespeare in the 17th Century.” Royal Shakespeare Company. Accessed April 8, 2024. https://www.rsc.org.uk/shakespeares-life-and-times/performing-shakespeare-in-the-17th-century.

“Shakespeare’s Associates Buy Property: Bargain and Sale of a ‘Tenement’ in Blackfriars to Cuthbert and Richard Burbage, Vendor’s Copy.” Shakespeare Documented, June 26, 1601. https://shakespearedocumented.folger.edu/resource/document/shakespeares-associates-buy-property-bargain-and-sale-tenement-blackfriars.

“Shakespeare’s Theater.” Folger Shakespeare Library. Accessed April 1, 2024. https://www.folger.edu/explore/shakespeares-theater/.

“Sights, Sounds, and Smells of Elizabethan Theater.” Folger Shakespeare Library, December 13, 2017. https://www.folger.edu/podcasts/shakespeare-unlimited/sights-sounds-smells-elizabethan-theater/.

“The Golden Speech.” The National Archives, May 21, 2019. https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/resources/elizabeth-monarchy/the-golden-speech/.

“Thomas Tallis & William Byrd: Cantiones Sacrae (Excerpts).” YouTube, March 8, 2024. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1DIRtzBxis&ab_channel=calefonxcalectric.

Wertman, Janet. “November 30, 1601 – Elizabeth’s Golden Speech.” Janet Wertman, November 30, 2016. https://janetwertman.com/2016/11/30/november-30-1601-elizabeths-golden-speech/.

[legends-of-time]

Thorn Bush (Doctor Who Story)

Chapter 9: The Day of the Doctor Part One

Masterlist

A/N: While this chapter is predominantly The Day of the Doctor episode, it will be covering part of The Power of Three 7x04 at the beginning.

——

Kathy keeps busy over the next century.

From messing about in the War of the roses to the renaissance era in Florence and meeting the Medici family in the late 15th to early 16th centuries as well as travelling to meet the Aztecs, who end up trying to sacrifice her when she mentions her on her life span. Thankfully she was able to get herself out of that situation.

——

1537 AD/CE

Kathy follows the chaos of Amy, Rory and the Eleventh Doctor as they flee the Chapel Royal at Hampton Court and into the Duke of Suffolk's bedroom.

Take a guess at what happened.

Kathy had been spending the last 11 years living in the Tudor court in England because how could she not? Plus, that date was the beginning of King Henry and Anne Boleyn's explosive relationship. She had been obsessed with the Tudor dynasty for years so of course, now she has the chance, she's going to try and meet them.

She had arrived at the English court at Hampton Palace, which was where they were currently stationed at the time, and introduced herself as a wealthy but widowed English woman known as Lady Joan Davazat from Venice, Italy and needing shelter and support from King Henry VIII and his then wife Catherine of Aragon. Kathy was given a position among the Queen's ladies and that is when she met Anne Boleyn. Now Kathy didn't exactly plan this but she may have gotten a bit closer to Anne than she meant to. She really didn't intend to be involved in an affair but things happen.

The King's next wedding, to Jane Seymour, was going well until someone, as the vows were being spoken, says "yes". It doesn't take Kathy long to realise that it was Amy and watches the three flee the room with Kathy barging through the crowd to chase after them.

Kathy gets distracted when she spots what appears to be a phone charger lying on the floor and picks it up before continuing on her quest. She sees the King ahead of her. She gets into the room as the King does. She knows that the three time travellers are under the bed. Suddenly there is a sneeze from that direction, the Doctor, and a whispered "Sorry", causing the King to pause.

"Your Majesty!" Kathy cries barging into the room. "There you are!"

"Yes Lady Joan?" The King asks irritably.

"The uh... the Queen is asking for you. I-I'm sure you can leave this mess for someone else to sort."

The King lets an irritated huff. "I suppose you are right." He leaves the room and Kathy turns to the bed.

She then dips down to face the three under the bed. "I think you dropped this." She holds up the phone charger that one of them, Rory most likely, had dropped while running.

"Kathy!" The Doctor cries happily.

Kathy rolls her eyes. "Come on we need to get you guys out."

Rory reaches out to take the phone charge from her hand. "Um... thanks that was mine."

"You should know better than to leave things like this around, you know." Kathy admonishes. "Why are you carrying it around in the 16th century anyway?" Kathy grabs a candle and guides them down the corridors that are out of view of the public.

"I thought I might need it." Rory defends.

His wife lets out a huff. "Yeah right."

"When was the last time you saw us?" The Doctor asks.

"Those two," Kathy points at the two humans, "when we left them on their honeymoon," she points at the Time Lord, "you I last saw was that thing with the Shansheeth."

"Oh, so you haven't been—"

Kathy rolls her eyes. "Spoilers!" She knows that these three are during season 7, nearing the end of Amy and Rory's time on the TARDIS and Kathy wonders what happened to her during their adventures.

"Right."

"Why here?" Amy asks later on.

"You are talking to the girl who, as a history nerd, was and is obsessed with the Tudors. Of course I'm here!" Kathy retorts.

"She's got a point." Rory tells his wife.

"Thank you, Rory." Kathy says. "Ah, the TARDIS should be down here if you've remembered rightly where you put her."

"When am I ever wrong?!" The Doctor whines. The other three just stare at him. He huffs and they continue.

It's only a few more moments before they find the TARDIS and with a quick goodbye, they leave and Kathy turns back to sorting out the mess left behind though she's planning on leaving soon anyway.

——

1562 AD/CE

Kathy sits on a hilltop on a chilly English day. The sound of the flag flapping in the wind behind her as she folds the skirts of her Tudor style dress. A large blanket and pillow get up with goblets of drinks, fruits, cheeses, and other such things are next to where she currently sits.

She glances over when hearing the galloping of a horse's feet going across the grass. Coming up the hill was the Tenth Docotor and Queen Elizabeth I, riding on a white horse and laughing together. Kathy raises an eyebrow at the two. She knows the Doctor is investigating the signs of Zygons present in this time period as he had asked her to help and she is in the area so she thought why not, but he seems to be enjoying himself a little too much. The Doctor's way of avoiding things as it is near the end of his run. It is weird seeing Ten again as she has not had much experience with him, not since the first time she met him.

She had left the Tudor court in 1537 and did not return until the beginning of Queen Elizabeth's reign in 1558. This is so no one is none the wiser over her not ageing and Elizabeth does not know as she had been young when Kathy had last been at court.

Kathy stands up, going over to the horse as they ride up to the hilltop. She smiles lightly at them, finding their laughter funny. It is nice seeing the Doctor enjoy himself so much. Even if it is with a suspected alien invading Zygon. Though it is funny to watch him being uncomfortable and fidgety as when he was forced to stand for a painting with Elizabeth. He had pouted and itched at the outfit Queen Elizabeth had practically ordered him to wear the whole time.

"Enjoy the TARDIS, your Majesty?" Kathy asks Elizabeth politely as they approach, holding out a hand to help the Queen down from the white horse.

"Oh, it was splendid!" Elizabeth laughs merrily once she has hopped down, smiling at Kathy gracefully as she adjusts her golden dress from all the horse riding. The ginger Queen then smiles slyly at the Doctor as he hops down from the horse. "That, and other things." The Doctor glances at Kathy when seeing her raise an interested brow at him. He clears his throat nervously.

"Uh... picnic time!" The Doctor suddenly exclaims, dashing over to the food.

——

Kathy sits awkwardly to the side as the Doctor spreads himself over the blanket, leaning against the cushions with the Queen slumped across his lap. She seriously feels like she's third wheeling. It's more Elizabeth that's been making her feel like this and not the Doctor though. Kathy keeps herself happy by stuffing her face with the food.

"Tell me, Doctor, why I'm wasting my time on you. I have wars to plan." Elizabeth says.

"You have a picnic to eat." The Doctor replies. "Though Kathy is eating most of it."

"Shut up." Kathy quips and stuffs a few more grapes into her mouth. She watches the horse from the corner of her eye, knowing that the creature is the real Zygon.

"You could help me." Elizabeth replies to the Doctor's statement after a quick laugh.

"Well, I'm helping you eat the picnic." The Doctor feeds her a grape. Kathy wrinkles her face at the adoring gaze on the Queen of England's face.

"But you have a stomach for war. This face has seen conflict, it's as clear as day." Elizabeth strokes his face.

"Oh, I've seen conflict like you wouldn't believe. But it wasn't this face. But never mind that, your Majesty." The Doctor leaps up. "Up on your feet. Up, up."

"Christ." Kathy mutters, she knows where this is going.

"How dare you? I'm the Queen of England." Elizabeth exclaims in disbelief.

"I'm not English."

"Funny cause you sound it." Kathy retorts as the Doctor drops to his knees.

"Sssh!" The Doctor hisses before turning to the royal. "Elizabeth, will you marry me?"

"Oh, my dear sweet love. Of course I will." Elizabeth replies happily.

"Oh Lord." Kathy hopes she is there when the fallout happens when he's with Martha and Shakespeare.

"Ah, gotcha!" The Doctor yells triumphantly, leaping to his feet again before she has the chance to grab him for another kiss.

"My love?" Elizabeth asks. She turns to Kathy in confusion but Kathy just shakes her head. She's really not explaining this one.

The Doctor ignores this. "One, the real Elizabeth would never have accepted my marriage proposal. Two, the real Elizabeth would notice when I just casually mentioned having a different face. But then the real Elizabeth isn't a shape-shifting alien from outer space. And," he holds out a clockwork gizmo, "ding."

"What's that?" Elizabeth questions now more bewildered.

"It's a machine that goes ding." The Doctor replies. "Made it myself. Lights up in the presence of shape-shifter DNA." He pulls out a very long, metal antenna from it. "Oooh. Also, it can microwave frozen dinners from up to twenty feet and download comics from the future. I never know when to stop."

"No, you don't." Kathy winces.

"My love, I do not understand." The Queen utters desperately.

"He's being an idiot, your Majesty." Kathy remarks.

The Doctor looks at her confused. "Why are you still calling her that? She's a Zygon, she doesn't need an explanation!"

"No, she isn't." Kathy replies. "My hint was that it isn't who you think."

"A Zygon?" Elizabeth questions, bringing their attention back to her.

"Oh, stop it. It's over." The Doctor shoves the gizmo into his pocket. "A Zygon, yes. Big red rubbery thing covered in suckers. Surprisingly good kisser. Think the real Queen of England would just decide to share her throne with any old handsome bloke in a tight suit," Kathy doesn't like the look on Elizabeth's face at that comment, "just cos he's got amazing hair and a nice horse? Oh." No more white horse. Instead, there's the Zygon. "It was the horse. I'm going to be King."

"Told you so. Run!" Kathy cries and the three of them bolt.

"What's happening?" Elizabeth cries.

"Zygomatic, shapeshifter, big suckers, angry alien from outer space, wants to kill us." Kathy replies.

"What does that mean?"

"It means we're going to need a new horse." The Doctor replies. They run into a ruined building, hiding behind the arched walls of what is left. The Doctor and Kathy on one side and Elizabeth on the other. They hold their breaths as the shapeshifter wonders about and then goes off into the woods instead.

"Where's it going?" Elizabeth asks fearfully.

"I'll hold it off. You run. Your people need you." The Doctor urges.

"And I need you alive for our wedding day." Elizabeth kisses him though it doesn't look like a comfortable feeling for the Doctor, then runs.

Kathy slow claps causing him to turn to her. "Great work Doctor. Not one for preserving history, are you?"

"Shut up." The Doctor mumbles and wipes his mouth. "Right, you go one way, I go another. That should corner it."

Kathy rolls her eyes and lets out a snort. "Yeah, cause splitting up always works.

"Just do it!"

——

Kathy runs through the woods and eventually finds Ten talking to a lop-eared rabbit.

"I am the Oncoming Storm, the Bringer of Darkness, and..."

"An idiot as that's just a rabbit." Kathy calls causing him to look at her. "You're really bad at this."

"No, I'm not and I knew that! Just a general warning." The Doctor defends. "Though maybe I should have calibrated this with a few less side features." He whacks the device.

"Whatever." Kathy picks the rabbit up. "Oh, you're a lovely one, aren't you? Yes you are!"

"Kathy put the rabbit down."

Kathy clings to the rabbit. "No! I can't leave Franklin!"

"Franklin?" The Doctor echoes disbelievingly.

"Yep!"

"Doctor!" Elizabeth yells.

"And now let's save another Queen." Kathy mutters. They bolt and run to the noise.

"Elizabeth!" They find her lying on the ground in a clearing and the Doctor helps her up.

"That thing. Explain what it is. What does it want of us?" The Queen questions.

"Probably just your planet, your Majesty." Kathy tells her.

"Doctor." A voice calls. They turn to see another Elizabeth emerge from the woods.

"Jesus." Kathy mumbles, rubbing her forehead.

"Step away from her, Doctor. That's not me. That's the creature." Elizabeth 2 declares confidently.

"How is that possible? She's me." Elizabeth gasps looking astonished at what's in front of her. "Doctor, she's me!"

"I am indeed me. A compliment that cannot be extended to yourself." Elizabeth two remarks.

The Doctor tries to use his gizmo by extending the antenna and waving it around the two women. The thing merely whirled, just as bewildered. All the while the two Elizabeths circle one another, throwing retorts at each other. A time fissure then appears in the air.

"Finally!" Kathy exclaims.

"Back, all of you, now!" The Doctor tries to get the three women behind him but Kathy doesn't and steps forward as she knows what's going to happen and therefore doesn't worry. "Are you ever going to listen?"

"Nope!"

"Kathy that's a time fissure!" The Doctor contends. "A tear in the fabric of reality. Anything could happen!" A red fez drops out of it.

"A fez!!" Kathy cries happily and shoves it on her head. She honestly feels as if all her life goals have been completed. She makes sure there's a distance between her and the fissure so that the Eleventh Doctor doesn't land on her.

A cry of "Geronimo!" is heard and then Eleven flies through the fissure and lands face first, flat on the ground. "Oof!" Eleven then lifts himself back to his feet and blinks as if adjusting his eyesight for a moment before grinning. "Hello!"

"Hi!" Kathy waves.

"Who is this man?" Elizabeth one demands to know.

"That's just what I was wondering." Ten mutters.

Eleven observes his past self. "Oh, that is skinny. That is proper skinny," he looks his past self up and down. "I've never seen it from the outside. It's like a special effect." He looks down at his own body as if to do a comparison then charges toward Ten. "Ha! Matchstick man."

The two stare at each other. "You're not." Ten mutters.

They both get out their sonic screwdrivers, ready to do another comparison. Each held them in hand, making the devices pulse. Eleven flicked his out, extending it to full size. Ten frowns for a moment, sliding his up all the way. Eleven's is bigger and better.

"I wonder if I should whip mine out." Kathy mutters to the Elizabeths, who both give her a look of disgust.

"Compensating?" Ten remarks sarcastically.

"For what?"

"Regeneration. It's a lottery." Ten replies slickly, trying not to show his smirk.

Eleven takes offence. "Oh, he's cool. Isn't he cool?" The Doctors flip their sonics and put them back in their pockets. "I'm the Doctor and I'm all cool. Oops, I'm wearing sandshoes."

"Sandshoes?" Kathy had to laugh at that. "Is that really the best you can come up with?"

"Shut up."

"What are you doing here? I'm busy." Ten points behind him to the Elizabeths.

"Oh, busy. I see. Is that what we're calling it, eh? Eh?" The Doctor grabs the fez from Kathy's head, causing her to pout, puts it on his head and turns to the two Elizabeths. "Hello, ladies."

"Don't start." Ten grumbles at his future self.

"Listen, what you get up to in the privacy of your own regeneration is your business." Eleven remarks.

"One of them is a Zygon." Ten explains.

"Urgh. Kathy how could you allow this to happen?" Eleven accuses.

"Oi! Don't blame me! I tried to stop him!" Kathy defends.

The time fissure reappears and the three time travellers turn their full attention towards it as it swirls in the air. The two Doctors frown at it while Kathy just observes it as she knows she doesn't need to do anything right now. They both put on their glasses, then notice each other and go "Oh, lovely!" at each other. Kathy gives Franklin, who's still in her arms, a rub on the head.

"Your Majesties... probably a good time to run." Eleven suggests as he turns to them, placing his glasses in his inner pocket.

"But what about the creature?" Both ask in perfect sync.

Ten puts his own glasses away and turns to them. "Elizabeth, whichever one of you is the real one, turn and run in the opposite direction to the other one." Eleven mimics that with his hands.

"Of course, my love." Both say.

The first Elizabeth steps forward. "Stay alive, my love. I am not done with you yet." She pulls Ten down for a hard kiss. Once done, she takes off to their left. Kathy pulls a face at the scene.

"Thanks. Lovely." Ten mutters.

The next one comes up. "I understand. Live for me, my darling. We shall be together again." There's another kiss and a run to the right.

"Well, won't that be nice?" Ten grimaces.

"One of those was a Zygon and the other the Queen of England from 1562." Kathy remarks.

"You forgot the that a Zygon is a red rubbery thing covered in suckers." Eleven points out.

Kathy looks at him with a deadly straight face. "Oh yes, I forgot. I should also mention the venom sacs in the tongue."

"Yeah, I'm getting the point, thank you." Ten snaps irritably while the two next to him grin. "Kathy please put down that rabbit."

Kathy looks at him aghast. "He's not just a rabbit! This is Franklin!" Ten rolls his eyes while Eleven nods in approval.

Kathy then remembers that Clara and Kate Stewart are currently on the other side of the fisher. She turns away from the two Doctors and yells, "Hi Clara!"

"Kathy, is that you?" Comes Clara's voice.

"Ah, hello, Clara. Can you hear us?" Eleven asks.

"Yeah, it's me. We can hear you. Where are you? And how is Kathy there?" Clara calls.

"Where are we?" Eleven asks Ten.

"England, 1562." Ten calls.

"Who are you talking to?" Clara asks.

"Myself." The Doctors say in unison before grinning at each other.

"Can you come back through?" Kate asks.

"No, that'll be difficult but we do need to let them know we're here and ready for them." Kathy grabs the fez from Eleven's head, after having reluctantly put down Franklin to let him chew on the grass, and throws it into the fisher. "There that should do it."

"Who were you signalling?" Ten asks curiously.

"Was it Clara?" Eleven asks.

"Nothing here." Clara calls.

Kathy shakes her head. "No someone else but don't worry you'll see soon. Trust me."

Ten turns to his future self. "Okay, you used to be me, you've done all this before. What happens next?"

Eleven shakes his head. "I don't remember. Kathy?"

"Spoilers!"

"How can you forget this?" Ten gestures between them.

"Maybe it's the paradoxes at work?" Kathy suggests.

"Yeah!" Eleven violently points at Kathy. "And also, it's not my fault. You're obviously not paying enough attention. Reverse the polarity!"

They both aim their sonic screwdrivers at the fissure. Kathy doesn't bother to bring hers out as there'd be no point.

After a moment of nothing, Eleven leans towards Ten. "It's not working."

Ten lets go of the button in his sonic, frowning. "We're both reversing the polarity."

"Yes, I know that."

Kathy snickers as she watches before pulling herself together to speak, "There's two of you. He's reversing it, you're reversing it back again. You're confusing the polarity."

"Oh."

Suddenly the fissure makes a swooshing sound and out comes the War Doctor and in his hands is the fez that Kathy had thrown.

"Ah, hello." Kathy greets.

"Anyone lose a fez?" The War Doctor politely asks but Kathy can see he's curious as well. Her eyes flickering around him, wondering if the interface for the moment is nearby.

"Yes, thank you." Kathy cheerfully takes it from him and puts it on her head. She turns to the other two Doctors. She frowns when she realises Franklin had hopped off. Rude.

The two Doctors stare at their previous self with a mixture of awe and disbelief with their jaws slack and eyes wide but Kathy can see the anger growing. This is a man that the two of them have tried to forget.

"You." Ten breathes. His tone changes as his teeth grit together. "How can you be here? More to the point, why are you here?"

"Good afternoon. I'm looking for the Doctor." The youngest, which is funny as he physically appears the oldest, Doctor says politely. Kathy snorts while the two older Doctors glance at each other with raised eyebrows.

"Well, you've certainly come to the right place." Ten mutters.

"Good. Right. Well, who are you boys?" The War Doctor asks curiously. "Oh, of course. Are you his companions?" Kathy barks out a laugh at the looks on Ten and Eleven's faces.

"His companions?" Eleven mutters in disbelief.

"They get younger all the time. Well, if you could point me in the general direction of the Doctor." Ten and Eleven both demonstrate their sonic screwdrivers.

"Really?" The newcomer utters in surprise.

"Yeah."

"Really."

The War Doctor looks at Kathy. "Who's she?"

"Oh, I'm Kathy." She replies. "And these two next to me are you."

"Even that one?" The man gestures to Eleven.

"Yes!" Eleven exclaims offended.

"You're my future selves?"

"Yes!" The three in front of him cry.

"Am I having a midlife crisis?" He steps forward, but his future selves stumble back and pull out their sonics, pointing them at him so he doesn't move any further, and shove Kathy behind them. Kathy shakes her head at them but in a way she can't blame them, not with what they believe. "Why are you pointing your screwdrivers like that? They're scientific instruments, not water pistols. Look like you've seen a ghost."

"Still, loving the posh gravelly thing. It's very convincing." Ten mumbles snidely.

"Brave words, Dick van Dyke." Eleven scoffs. A troop of soldiers run up from out of the woods shouting and clanking, led by a nobleman and surround them.

"Encircle them." The nobleman orders as the soldiers lower their pokes and swords at the group of four, forcing the two Doctors to lift their sonics once more in a defensive manoeuvre with Kathy pressed between them. "Which of you is the Doctor? The Queen of England is bewitched. I would have the Doctor's head."

"Well, this has all the makings of your lucky day." The War Doctor remarks.

"There's a precedent for that." Comes Kate's voice from the time fissure which still swirled above their heads. All the humans stare in shock and horror at the sight of it.

"What is that?" The nobleman asks fearfully.

The War Doctor glances back and sees what his future selves are doing and scoffs, "Oh, the pointing again. They're screwdrivers! What are you going to do, assemble a cabinet at them?"

"You heard the man." Kathy pipes up. "Put them down." Eleven and Ten glance at each other before reluctantly lowering their arms and slipping their sonics away.

"That thing, what witchcraft is it?" The man in charge of the Queen's men demands.

"Ah, yes. Now that you mention it." Eleven speaks rapidly, stepping away from the group, which Kathy takes as her chance to follow him, "that is witchcraft. Yes, yes, yes. Witchy witchcraft. Hello? Hello in there. Excuse me. Hello! Am I talking to the wicked witch of the well? Clara?"

"Hello?" Clara calls after some muttering.

"Ah, Clara there you are." Kathy remarks, having walked over. "Could you possibly tell these prattling mortals to get themselves begone?"

"What she said."

"Yes, tiny bit more colour." Eleven prompts.

"Right. Prattling mortals, off you... pop, or I'll turn you all into frogs," comes Clara's voice. The armed men flinch and take a step back, now seeming fearful as to them the weak threat feels very real.

"Oooh, frogs. Nice." Eleven mutters, turning to the men around them and pointing at them. "You heard her." Kathy nods with a completely straight face but on the inside, she's laughing at the whole situation.

"Doctor, what's going on?" Clara asks.

"It's a timey-wimey thing." Eleven answers offhandedly.

The War Doctor looks at his future self in disbelief, as if Eleven had lost his marbles. "Timey what? Timey-wimey?"

"I've no idea where he picks that stuff up." Ten tries to deflect with a shake of his head as if disapproving as well.

Kathy snorts. "You know full well where he got it."

"The Queen." A soldier cries and Kathy sees Elizabeth enter calmly as if she had just been on a walkabout. "The Queen." The soldiers fall to their knees, bowing while the time travellers continue standing. Kathy notices the odd behaviour, the smirk on the woman's face, but she knows that there's nothing to worry about as it's the real one and not a Zygon.

"You don't seem to be kneeling. How tremendously brave of you." Elizabeth remarks coolly.

"Which one are you?" Ten narrows his eyes as if trying to determine it. "What happened to the other one?"

The Queen smirks darkly. "Indisposed. Long live the Queen." She grins as the soldiers echo her words.

"Arrest these men and that woman." Elizabeth eyes Kathy in distaste, "Take them to the Tower."

"That is not the Queen of England." Ten declares, jabbing a harsh finger at Elizabeth, "that's an alien duplicate."

"And you can take it from him, cos he's really checked." Eleven mutters.

"Oh, shut up."

"Venom sacs in the tongue." Kathy adds.

"Seriously, stop it." Ten grumbles. Eleven and Kathy smirk and give each other an under-hand high five.

"No, hang on." Eleven calls, his eyes widening as he realises what Elizabeth had said and steps forward with a grin and immediately starts flapping his hands about as he speaks. "The Tower. Did you say the Tower? Ah, yes, brilliant. Love the Tower. Breakfast at eight, please. Will there be Wi-Fi?"

"Are you capable of speaking without flapping your hands about?" The youngest of the Doctors asks gruffly, probably still feeling baffled that he would become this.

"Yes."

"No." Kathy says easily, smiling slyly at him.

Eleven then proceeds to continue to flail his arms around as he speaks, spinning around to Elizabeth, "I demand to be incarcerated in the Tower immediately with my co-conspirators Jesus, Sandshoes and Granddad."

"Granddad?" The War Doctor exclaims, looking put out.

"Jesus?" Kathy murmurs to herself.

"They're not sandshoes." Ten sighs.

"Yes, they are." The youngest retorts.

"Silence. The Tower is not to be taken lightly." Elizabeth barks crossly, appearing annoyed that they all were not threatened in the slightest. "Very few emerge again."

——

"Come on, you lot, get in there." The Warder orders as he shoves the four of them into the cell.

"Ow." The War Doctor complains, straightening himself and tugging on his jacket.

The Warder leaves, shutting the door behind him though Kathy knows it hasn't been locked. Kathy, the only one that hadn't been manhandled, looks around the floor for a piece of a metal bar, finds it and hands it to Eleven, who starts scratching on a stone pillar. The War Doctor starts using his sonic screwdriver on the wooden door. Ten leans up against a wall with his hands in his pockets.

"Three of us in one cell? That's going to cause some nasty anomalies if we don't get out soon." Ten comments, he turns to his future self. "What are you doing?"

"Getting us out."

"The sonic won't work on that, it's too primitive." Ten calls to the War Doctor.

"In other words, it doesn't work on wood." Kathy smirks.

"Shall we ask for a better quality of door so we can escape?" Eleven tries to joke. He continues scratching.

"Okay," Ten shakes his head, "so the Queen of England is now a Zygon. But never mind that. Why are we all together? Why are we all here? Well, me and... Chinny," he waves a hand at Eleven, "we were surprised, but you," his eyes narrow, "you came looking for us. Kathy already knew, obviously, but you knew it was going to happen. Who told you?"

Kathy knows that the Moment Rose is holding a finger to her lips

Eleven saves his youngest self from answering when he realises what Ten had just called him, "Oi, Chinny?"

"Yeah, you do have a chin."

"Remember that you're the leggy one." Kathy warns Ten with a smile on her face. The man lets out a huff of annoyance. Eleven is still scratching his message.

The War Doctor is still scanning to get them out and while Kathy knows that it isn't locked and they could just leave, but the youngest Doctor needs to see this, needed to see this future.

"In theory, I can trigger an isolated sonic shift among the molecules, and the door should disintegrate." Said man says.

"We'd have to calculate the exact harmonic resonance of the entire structure down to a sub-atomic level." Ten disagrees. "Even the sonic would take years."

"No, no," the War Doctor shakes his head and lets out a long sigh, "the sonic would take centuries. Oh, we might as well get started." He sits on the bench beside the door. "Help to pass the timey-wimey. Do you have to talk like children?"

"Trust me, if you think this bad, just you wait." Kathy comments.

The War Doctor glances at them all with an odd look. "What is it that makes you so ashamed of being a grown up?" Kathy notices that while the other two Doctors had turned to look at him, both seem unable to actually hold his gaze and look away, returning to their scratching and fiddling with the sonic. "Oh, the way you both look at me. What is that? I'm trying to think of a better word than dread."

"It must be really recent for you." Ten finally manages to hold his past self's gaze for more than a few seconds. Eleven stops scratching.

The War Doctor seems confused about what he is speaking of. "Recent?"

"The Time War." Eleven clears his throat, tensing. "The last day. The day you killed them all."

Kathy feels sorrier for the War Doctor as he hadn't actually committed the atrocities that these two had believed he had done and hopefully he will not if everything continues as it should.

"The day we killed them all." Ten corrects.

Eleven winces as if having to actually remind himself that they are the same people is painful for him. "Same thing."

Elevens goes back to scratching and Ten paces while Kathy observes the third Doctor in the room. The War Doctor's expression grows harder as he hears that he did apparently kill them all. Kathy wishes she can tell him otherwise but not yet.

"I don't talk about it." The youngest Doctor suddenly says. Kathy's flicker to next to Ten and next to the War Doctor, knowing Moment Rose is in either place.

"You're not talking about it." Ten casts him an odd look. "There's no one else here other than Kathy and she either already knows or won't tell."

"Did you ever count?"

"Count what?" Eleven's voice is slightly muffled as his back is towards the rest of them.

"How many children there were on Gallifrey that day." Both men freeze in their workings. Kathy feels herself tense.

"I have absolutely no idea." Eleven remarks as if he doesn't know and the question hadn't affected him but Kathy can tell he's trying to force emotion out of his voice. She watches as Eleven resumes his scratching, putting more effort, force and concentration than is strictly needed.

The War Doctor frowns. "How old are you now?"

"Ah, I don't know. I lose track. Twelve hundred and something, I think, unless I'm lying. I can't remember if I'm lying about my age, that's how old I am." Eleven replies casually.

"Four hundred years older than me." The War Doctor muses, "and in all that time you've never even wondered how many there were? You never once counted?"

"Tell me, what would be the point?" Eleven spins round to angrily face him.

"Two point four seven billion." Ten says, contradicting his older self.

"You did count!" The War Doctor exclaims. Kathy hears a hint of an amused laugh, which makes her frown. Eleven lets out a disgusted noise at both of his past selves and turns back to the pillar to finish scratching.

"You forgot? Four hundred years, is that all it takes?" Ten snaps at Eleven.

"I moved on." Eleven says gruffly, glaring back.

"Where?" Ten barks. "Where can you be now that you can forget something like that?"

"Of course he hasn't forgotten!" Kathy snaps at Ten, honestly, he irritated her at this bit. "How could he? Just leave, him alone." She sees the misty look in Eleven's eyes.

Ten frowns contemplatively then shakes his head. "No, no, no, no. For once, I would like to know where I'm going."

"No, you really wouldn't." Eleven retorts.

"I don't know who you are, either of you." The War Doctor half throws his hands up in the air in surrender. "I haven't got the faintest idea."

After a few moments, the youngest Doctor murmurs, "No."

Kathy knows he's just talking to the Moment interface but Ten looks at him in confusion. "No?"

"Just... no." The War Doctor shakes his head. Eleven lets out a laugh, drawing their attention.

"Is something funny? Did I miss a funny thing?" Ten snidely quips.

"Sorry." Eleven turns around with a smile on his face causing Kathy to smile herself, happy to see him in a better mood. "It just occurred to me." He looks at Kathy and nods to the two men. "This is what I'm like when I'm alone."

Kathy lets out a slight chuckle. "Yeah, tell me about it."

"Four hundred years." The War Doctor suddenly says.

"I'm sorry?" Ten asks.

"At a software level," the War Doctor pulls out his sonic in demonstration, "they're all the same device, aren't they? Same software, different case."

"Yeah."

"So..."

The War Doctor beams and strides to the door. "So, it would take centuries for the screwdriver to calculate how to disintegrate the door." He quickly flicks his sonic on, moving it along the edges of the door, getting a full scan. "Scanning the door, implanting the calculation as a permanent subroutine in the software architecture and," he spins around and points at the men, "if you really are me, with your sandshoes and your dickie bow," Kathy snorts and he shoots a smile at her, "and that screwdriver is still mine, that calculation is still going on."

Kathy turns to Ten. "Go on. Check."

Ten blinks at that and quickly brings the sonic up to examine the readings, holding it to his ear to listen, "Yeah, still going."

Kathy looks at Eleven. "And you?"

"Calculation complete." Eleven cheers.

"Hey, four hundred years in four seconds. We may have had our differences, which is frankly odd in the circumstances, but I tell you what, boys. We are incredibly clever." As soon as Eleven finishes speaking, Clara opens the door and nearly falls in. Kathy tries not to laugh at the Doctors' shocked faces.

Eleven gapes at her, "How did you do that?"

"It wasn't locked." Clara explains.

"Right."

"Hi Kathy!" Clara waves.

Kathy smiles. "Hi Clara."

"So, they're both you, then, yeah?" Clara then asks Eleven in a mixture of curiosity and excitement.

"Yes. You've met them before. Don't you remember?"

"A bit." Clara glances at Ten. "Nice suit."

"Thanks." He frowns, staring at Clara intently. "Wait, she looks a lot like—"

Kathy's confused as Ten didn't have this reaction to Clara in the show, maybe he's noticed her echoes. Ten looks to Eleven who quickly shakes his head, glancing at Kathy.

"Hang on. Three of you in one cell, and none of you thought to try the door?" Clara questions.

"It should have been locked." The War Doctor defends near petulantly.

"Why did you assume that for?" Kathy asks smirking.

"You could've said." Ten complains.

Kathy shrugs. "You needed to chat."

"But why wasn't it locked?" Eleven realises.

"Because," a familiar voice begins and all of them look to see Elizabeth sauntering up to the door, "I was fascinated to see what you would do upon escaping. I understand you're rather fond of this world. It's time I think you saw what's going to happen to it." She crooks her finger and turns to walk away.

——

Kathy looks over a small balcony and down into a deeper part of the Tower's basement where the Zygons have set up some sort of base. There's a great quantity of machinery, 3D paintings and Zygons walking about in their own skin

"The Zygons lost their own world. It burnt in the first days of the Time War. A new home is required." Elizabeth explains as she walks along the balcony with them following her.

"So, they want this one." Clara concludes.

"Not yet. It's far too primitive. Zygons are used to a certain level of comfort." Elizabeth replies.

"Why do they always want the earth?" Kathy sighs.

They are interrupted by a hissing voice. "Commander, why are these creatures here?"

Kathy turns around with the others to see a line Zygon had joined them and is glaring at the five of them. She grimaces when she sees a sort of yellowish green slime coating the Zygon's mouth.

"Because I say they should be." Elizabeth lifts her chin, giving the Zygon a hard look, challenging it. Kathy has to give her credit for this performance. "It is time you too were translated." The creature growls but abruptly turns and stalks off down to where a glass cube is sitting on a small table before a 3D portrait. It places its hand on the cube and closed its eyes, waiting. "Observe this. I believe you will find it fascinating."

They, other Kathy who knows what's going to happen but follows along, move to the edge of the balcony to watch curiously. The cube begins to hum and rattle, the Zygon fades then vanishes as it is sucked into the painting and becomes a shadowy figure in the painting.

"That's him!" Clara exclaims stepping forward, closer to the picture. "That's the Zygon in the picture now."

"It's not a picture, it's a stasis cube." The War Doctor explains. "Time Lord art. Frozen instants in time, bigger on the inside, but could be deployed as..."

"...suspended animation." Ten realises, Eleven snaps his fingers at him then Ten steps closer to the painting. "Oh, that's very good. The Zygons all pop inside the pictures, wait a few centuries till the planet's a bit more interesting, and then out they come."

Eleven follows with the War Doctor and Kathy. "You see, Clara, they're stored in the paintings in the Under Gallery, like cup-a-soups. Except you add time, if you can picture that."

"I doubt you could, Doctor." Kathy says.

"Right." He agrees. "Forget I said cup-a-soups."

"And now the world is worth conquering. So, the Zygons are invading the future from the past." Clara concludes.

"Exactly."

"And!" Ten cheers, rounding on Elizabeth, spinning on his heel. "Do you know why I know that you're a fake?" He saunters over to her, grinning as though he's worked out some fantastic mystery but really he hasn't. "Because you're such a bad copy. It's not just the smell, or the unconvincing hair, or the atrocious teeth, or the eyes just a bit too close together, or the breath that could stun a horse. It's because my Elizabeth, the real Elizabeth, would never be stupid enough to reveal her own plan. Honestly, why would you do that?"

Elizabeth seems unimpressed, quite offended and a tad murderous when she responds, "Because it's not my plan. And I AM the real Elizabeth."

Kathy snorts. "You just insulted Queen Elizabeth I."

"Yeah, thanks, got that." Ten clears his throat and steps back from a displeased Elizabeth. "So... backtracking a moment just to lend context to my earlier remarks..."

"You should never insult a woman, no matter their species." Kathy chastises him. Ten winces.

"My twin is dead in the forest. I am accustomed to taking precautions." She produces a small bejewelled dagger from the garter beneath her skirts. "These Zygon creatures never even considered that it was me who survived rather than their own commander. The arrogance that typifies their kind."

"Zygons?" Clara guesses.

"Men." Elizabeth huffs.

"You killed one dressed like that?" Kathy knows she did but looking at Elizabeth in that big dress makes her feel doubtful.

"I may have the body of a weak and feeble woman, but at the time, so did the Zygon." Elizabeth smirks before turning serious. "The future of my kingdom is imperilled. Doctor, can I rely on your service?"

"Well, I'm going to need my TARDIS." Ten replies.

"It has been procured already." Elizabeth tells him, smiling.

"Ah."

"But first, my love, you have a promise to keep."

Kathy stifles her giggles at Ten's fearful look.

——

A/N: Living my life vicariously through Kathy during the Tudor stuff at the beginning 😅

Please leave comments on how you're enjoying this story and what you think.

[blueorchidhotels]

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· Festival14 July 26–30 — Canary Wharf

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July 2023 in London promises an array of events, shows, and activities that cater to diverse interests. Whether you are a film enthusiast, a sports fan, a music lover, or someone seeking cultural experiences, London’s July calendar has something special in store for you. Embrace the vibrant atmosphere, immerse yourself in the city’s offerings, and create unforgettable memories during this exciting month. Blue Orchid Hotel’s accommodation Packages, Wellness & Dining Experiences provide the perfect complement to your London adventures, ensuring a comfortable and memorable stay.

[thetrip2018]

April 9, 2023

In the morning we walked to Brick Lane Market, about 10 minutes from our hotel. Seeing three markets—Camden, Borough, and Brick Lane—really highlights the different atmosphere of the various London markets. The goods sold and brick lane were a little lower end, such as second hand/thrifted clothing. The food stalls all looked delicious though. We walked through the market until we reached a fancy shop alongside the market selling artisanal chocolate. It was a wonderful shop with many different types of chocolate piled high in wooden carved bowls. E**** bough an assortment while L*** bought a cappuccino.

We continued walking through the market, passing through an area where people were sitting on the ground and seemed to be selling what basically looked like trash—old cables, cell phones from the early 2000’s, old batteries, door, etc. in the same area there was a used book seller, and we perused the books for a while. Then we watched a man spray paint a wall for a couple minutes (there’s a lot of street art in the area). Eventually we headed to the food stalls and settled on a Caribbean roti place. We chatted with the man running the stall, Sharif, while he made the food. He was very pleasant to talk to and told us about his favorite parts of the city and what it was like to run his stall moving between various markets. We sat on a curb nearby and the food was delicious. After we ate we went back to tell him how good it was and he gave us a coconut.

We drank the coconut while we walked to the overground station nearby. We took the overground to Clapham Junction where we switched to another train which we took to Hampton Court. On the train we sat behind a woman who works for an AI related start up and a man who is finishing school to become a therapist. They seemed like high school friends catching up on the Easter train home.

When we got to Hampton Court station, we stepped off the train and immediately saw the palace on the Thames. We used an audio tour to navigate through sections of the palace, including Henry VIII's kitchens and apartments, as well as William and Mary's baroque style apartments, and the later Georgian area. I could especially imagine the gluttonous feasts in the Great Hall. We had been to Tower of London and seen Six the musical, so we were well refreshed with Henry VIII's story.

It was interesting to hear about William and Mary. William didn't like the pomp and ceremony of being King and spent much of his time in private quarters with close friends. Since he wasn't English, people already disliked him, and this made people really dislike him and call him standoffish. He was an intellectual and liked to spend time with the military campaigns. E**** especially liked the William’s guard room with its artful decoration of weapons. We then walked around the gardens, which were too regimented in my opinion. The maze was funny because parents were trying and failing to help their children get out of the maze.

We also saw the "real" royal tennis court, which is still in active use. It's fairly different from modern tennis. L*** was angered anew reading about the kings having many mistresses, but it being unacceptable for the queens to do the same (in the case of Catherine Howard, she was beheaded for it). We weren't allowed into the Chapel Royal because there were Easter services. A stern man told us we couldn't even poke our heads in (not very Christian, in our opinion). There was also a reenactment in the courtyard for children of some dancing. Also, we noticed a lot of hasidic families were visiting the palace.

Eventually we headed back to London to find some dinner. We got food at a slightly overpriced Asian noodle place. The food was good and we stopped at a tesco to buy magnum ice cream bars for dessert. After that we made our way back to the hotel for an early night because of an early flight home in the morning.

[ctyguidelondon]

Here's a tip if you're on a budget: if you attend the Sunday service at the Chapel Royal then you can get inside Hampton Court for free. They don't charge people to pray so if you walk up to the side entrance around 10.30 AM and say you're there for the Sunday service then they'll let you walk to the Chapel Royal. But don't mess around - you are obliged to actually attend the service, and if you want to see the rest of the palace then you're supposed to buy a ticket.

[hrhduchessoflancaster]

Epilogue: Onwards

Disclaimer: see Prologue.

A/N: Here we are guys. This is the end of Fates Intertwined. It took me 8 years to finish this story. There are more than 760 pages (before the epilogue) written and it’s been a pleasure to share it with all of you. Yes, there’s editing to be done because there’s been misspellings and grammar errors here and there throughout the story but I’m really glad I’ve been able to really put pen to paper and bring my characters to life. So, to all of you, my dearest readers, my most humble thanks. The old and new, I couldn’t have finished this work without your love and support. Thank you, thank you, thank you! 

 All my love, Bea.

Ps: RIP HRH Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh (10/06/1921 - 09/04/2021)

____________________________________________________________________

June 2022

The twins were christened a few months after their birth in the Chapel Royal at Hampton Court Palace. The eldest of their daughters was named Sophia Alexandra Louisa Mary while the youngest, was baptised Elizabeth Victoria Frances Alice. Both girls’ name paid homage to the important women in their lives. A set of twins was something so rare in the Royal Family that their arrival was celebrated immensely by both the family and the public. For their christening, Sophia’s godparent’s were Beatrice, Peter Philips, Elle’s cousin Michael, and Melissa while Elizabeth’s godparents were William, her cousin Alice, Zara, and Trevor.

A second set of the christening gown had to be made due to it and the babies looked absolutely adorable side by side. Sophia had a a very distinct red tint to her hair, quite similar to Elle’s and her eyes were bluish green, like Harry’s. Elizabeth on the other hand, had very light blond hair, almost white, and her eyes were the most beautiful emerald green, just a tiny bit darker than her mother’s. The Prince and Princess of Wales held their girls with pride, with their boys by their sides as they left the church, surrounded by photographers and paparazzi who snapped picture after picture of the happy family. 

“ Mama… we go home, now?”, asked Owen, tugging on his mother’s soft cream dress. Elle looked down at her youngest son, whose hand she was holding while balancing Sophia in her arms. 

“ Yes, my darling warrior. We’ll be going home very soon. We’re having a party with grandad Charles and everyone. In the garden… remember?”, she said. Owen smiled and nodded his head happily.

“ Yes, mama. With cake!”, he replied. Elle giggle and nodded her head. “Yes, sweet boy. With cake. Now, come along.”, she urged her son to walk in the same direction as other family members were going and he tumbled over to where Harry was. The proud dad of four was holding Elizabeth in one arm and Arthur’s hand with the other, all the while talking to William and Kate.  

“ Darling? Your youngest son is desperate for some cake.”, said Elle to Harry, who laughed. Will and Kate followed suit and chuckled at their nephew’s antics. Arthur, George and Charlotte also got excited at the thought of cake and began chatting happily with Owen about all the sweets and delicious things they’d have at the party. 

“ So… double the trouble… how have they been?”, asked William as the group began walking together towards the cars, with the children walking in front of their parents, under their watchful eyes. Ed, who by now had everyone convinced would die a bachelor and was, perhaps for that reason, considered London’s catch, was entertaining his nephews and other children with his antics. 

“ They’ve been well. Very different temperaments though.”, said Elle. “ Sophia is definitely the more observant, quiet one. Elizabeth on the other hand, loves attention and can be really loud when she wants to. But they are both very sweet babies and the boys dote on them.”, she continued, caressing Sophia’s cheek, who had fallen asleep on her mother’s arms. 

“ That’s wonderful to hear.”, said William, smiling at his nieces. “ I’m happy we’ve even out with the girls now. And I have two nieces to spoil.”, he continued chuckling.

“ Oh yes… I can’t wait for them to be toddlers so they can run around with the boys around the gardens. Oh they’re gonna love our home in Sussex. They already do, actually. As does sir Lancelot.”, said Harry and Elle nodded her head, agreeing with her husband.

“ And please, don’t hesitate on calling on us for babysitting duties so you can have some alone time. We’ll more than happy to share the load.”, said Kate. “Beside, I miss having a baby around.”, she smiled then looked at her husband, who chuckled.

“ Baby fever, poppet?”, he asked her and winked at him, making the couple in front of them chuckle.

************

In the following months, Elle and Harry got visits from Mary and Richard, Valerie, Trevor and Luc and Elle’s parents. The twins now looked more like their brother had when they were around a month or two and were growing beautifully well. Their support system had been amazing, in particular Victoria and Rupert who, one afternoon as they had been spending some time with them at their home, had insisted on babysitting the kids for the evening so that they could finally get some time for themselves and go out. So, on the following evening, Harry and Elle took the car out, with Ingrid, Alfred and Leo along with them and drove through London on a scenic ride.

“ Where are we going?”, asked Elle, watching carefully where they were going. She keep on the lookout for anything she could recognise until she finally did. It had been years since they’ve been there but she smiled at the thought of the first time they both had stepped foot on The Garden.

“ I can’t believe we’re here.”, she said and her husband chuckled. Getting off the car, he rushed to get her door then took her hand in his. 

“ Come on, love. We have it all to ourselves.”, said Harry. Hand in hand, they ascended to the 7th floor. The place remained pretty much the same as Elle remembered but the decor and flowers were a little bit different. They sat together in the corner, with the London skyline in front of them, in the very same spot they did almost a decade ago. They were met with non-alcoholic beverages since Elle was nursing the twins — and Harry always shared on the no-alcohol policy whenever Elle had been pregnant or nursing — followed by the same food they had eaten on their first time there, chicken filet. 

“ You remembered…”, she said, taking a bite of the buttery and juice piece of meat. “Hmm, that’s just what I needed.”, she continued and Harry chuckled. They kept eating and reminiscing about the first months of their relationship.

“ Gosh… I was so nervous when I met you here for lunch that day.”, said Elle.

“ Tell me about it… I knew I had deep feelings for you, loved you even then, but I had no idea if you felt the same.”, said Harry, taking her hand into his once again. She smiled at him and kissed his cheek.

“ We’ve come a long way ever since that day, haven’t we, my darling?”, she said and he nodded his head. “Oh, speaking of which, I have something for you. To add to your collection.”, she said handing him a square box. Inside, two bracelets with the coordinates and dates of their daughter’s birthday. Harry smiled and put the on immediately. Then, reaching for his jacket pocket, he took off a square box of his own.

“ And this, is my something for you.”, said Harry. Curiously, Elle took the smaller box in her hand, with the familiar jeweller’s logo in it, and carefully opened it. Inside, there were two eternity rings: one with London blue topaz gems and diamonds, alternated in a white gold band and the other with Brazilian aquamarine and diamonds, alternated in a white gold band. Elle’s eyes widened and she looked up at her husband. 

“ Harry…”, she muttered. He smiled softly at her and took the rain band into his hands and slowly pushed it into her fourth finger, on her right hand. 

“ It’s only fair that the girls are represented as well. Topaz for Sophia and Aquamarine for Elizabeth.”, he replied. Indeed, when she had given birth to Arthur, Harry had given her a pair of emerald and diamond earrings that matched her engagement ring. When Owen was born, she got a diamond and sapphire pendant necklace that resembled Kate’s engagement ring.

“ They’re beautiful, my darling. Thank you.”, said Elle smiling lovingly at him. He smiled at her and pulled her closer to him, kissing her lips softly. She encircled her arms around his neck and deepened their kiss, urgency pouring over them. 

——— NSFW 

“ As much as I’m loving this… I’d like us to go somewhere else. And that, is my other surprise for you. Let’s get our things and get out of here, ok?”, said Harry, pulling away from Elle. However they were still close enough that their foreheads were touching. She smirked and nodded her head. The couple was giggling and teasing each other like a pair of teenagers as their RPO’s drove them to yet another familiar site: the Claridge’s hotel, the very same place Elle had spent the night before her wedding. Her eyes widened and she smirked once again at him.

“ We’ve got the Mayfair Suit for the night. Not the same you had but we don’t need that much space anyway.”, said Harry. “ Your parents are staying over so don’t worry. Leo, Ingrid and Alfred are gonna be in a suit down the corridor. Now… where were we?”, he continued and she giggle, smirking at him. They always been very passionate with each other, but it had been a while. He looked into her eyes and licked his lips, as she bit her lower lip, the familiar hint of mischief glowed in her eyes. Elle pushed him towards the bed and smirked, slowly peeling off her coat.

“ I see my temptress wants to tease me…”, said Harry, also smirking. Elle chuckled, now in her lingerie. She walked slowly towards him, crawling in bed and straddling him. Unable to keep his hands off of her, he took hold of her waist, pulling her closer to him and crashed his lips on hers, passionately. 

“ God I want you…”, he whispered to her as they pulled away. “ I want you now”, he continued in a firmer tone, looking once again deeply into her eyes. She lustfully looked at him and started undoing his clothes, kissing and licking each inch of skin as she took the items off of his body. Harry’s breathing became uneven, and she could see he was becoming desperate for her. She lightly scratched his skin with her teeth and nails, drawing heavy breathes from her husband. Once she reached the waistband of his boxer briefs, he had enough. In a sudden movement, he rolled them over and now he was on top of her, smirking smugly. 

“ My turn…”, he said, running his hands all over her body, tracing every line, bump and curve, kissing and worshiping her body as she breathed heavily. 

“ Harry….”, she moaned, pleading him. 

“ You took your sweet time. Now let me please you…”, he replied smirking.

——— end of NSFW

They spent the entire night enjoying each other’s company and being in each other’s arms, basking in the little peace they had at that moment, inside their little bubble. With all their duties and work, it was rare for them to have time for themselves, specially with four young children. Being able to escape all the fuss had been their saving glory, and much of it could be attributed to their home in Sussex. Their little safe haven. 

************

Fifteen Years Later

Elle could barely believe the day had come. It felt like something out of a fairy tale. And though it also carried a somber, solemn tone to it, it was day of celebration throughout Britain. Charles had passed away on the previous year and now, here she was, dressed in a white ball gown, with tiny gemstones, lace and gold thread with symbols from each part of the United Kingdom and all Dominions overseas. The set of coronation necklace and earrings glistered in the lights, as did the other jewels she had on her person. The deep purple cloak laced with ermine was draped and attached over her shoulders and Elle felt as if the weight of the world was on her shoulders. She thanked her ladies as both she and Harry were helped into the special royal garments that would forever change their lives. Reaching the White Drawing room at Buckingham Palace, which had become their residence since Charles’s passing, she was met with her sons. 

“ Mother… you look so beautiful.”, said Arthur, dressed in his military uniform, in the very same style as his father had worn before. Now 20 years-old, he had grown into a handsome young men, and was following into both his parents footsteps: he was studying Political Science and Diplomacy at Oxford and was also training with the Blues and Royals, in order to pursue his military career as well. 

“ Artie is right… you really look like a queen.”, nodded Owen. The youngest of their sons, now eighteen, had just started university at St. Andrews, like his mother. He was just as handsome and talented as his brother but but being a more soft-spoken person than his brother, he decided to take his time and do one thing at a time on joining the military.

“ Oh, thank you, my sweet boys. You both look very dashing in your uniforms.”, said Elle, beaming as the proud mother she was. “Do you know if your sisters are ready?”, she asked them, as she adjusted her cloak. Her sons also wore distinctive red robes and had their coronets in hand: Arthur’s had crosses and fleurs-de-lis and and arch, since he was the heir apparent. His siblings wore the same style but without the arch. 

“ Last I saw them, they were on their way to see dad. But they were ready.”, said Owen and Elle nodded her head. Her daughters were polar opposites but at the same time, very in tune with each other. While Sophia, now soon to be the Princess Royal, was quiet and more bookish, Elizabeth was very talkative and extroverted. Now at fifteen, they had been given more and more duties and often came along with their parents to engagements and celebrations. 

Soon, the whole family had met in the room for their final get together before their ride to the abbey. The children would arrive first as the couple had a longer journey through some of London’s most famous landmarks such as The Mall, then though Admiralty Arch, and down Whitehall, before entering Westminster Abbey. Elle stood there for a second, staring at Harry. After more than 20 years of marriage and a lifetime of knowing each other she often found herself looking at him, admiring him and seeing the changes, some more subtle than other, in his appearance. He looked so different from the young brash prince she got to know and love in their young adulthood. Now a father of four, a husband, a leader and soon-to-be king, Harry had matured and grown into much more than the man she knew he’d always been underneath that same brashness. She watched as each of their children hugged and kissed him, wishing him luck. The same smile and proud eyes looked at them all, something that had never changed since the very first moment he had seen them as newborns.

“ Mummy, you look so beautiful. And you’ll be even more so with that stunning crown.”, said Elizabeth, as she kissed her mother’s cheek. 

“ Thank you, my love. You look stunning yourself. And so do you, Sophia. My girls… so beautiful and clever. How did I get so lucky?”, said Elle, caressing Sophia’s cheek, who smiled lovingly at her mother.

“ Liz is right. You do look amazing. I hope one day I’ll be just as beautiful as you.”, said Sophia. 

“ Oh my darling…”, said Elle cupping her daughter’s cheeks with both hands and smiling at her. “ You already are. Inside and out.”, she finished, giving her a kiss on her forehead. 

“ Now come on you lot, you have to be at the abbey soon. Ofd you go. We’ll see you there.”, said Elle and her children nodded their head, making their way to the main hallway. 

“ Wish us luck!”, shouted Harry. He too watched them go then walked beside Elle, taking her hand into his, gentling brushing his fingers on top of hers. She looked at him and smiled lovingly at her husband.

“ Nervous?”, she asked. He sighed and nodded his head.

“You know, I never really thought about this day. And for the most part of my life it has been an impossible day. It had never crossed my mind William would abdicate. That was something I’d never even considered happening. And yet, here we are.”, said Harry.

“ Here we are indeed. And what a journey it has been.”, said Elle and he nodded his head again. “ We’re going to be fine, aren’t we?”, she asked. He turned his full body to her and grinned.

“ Of course, my love. We have each other. We have our children. We’re always going to be fine. More than that, we’re going to be happy. Til death do us part and even then.”, he replied and she chuckled. Leaning closer to her, he kissed her lips gently as she met him halfway, her hands holding onto the lapel of his robes. They were then suddenly interrupted by Ronald, Daniel and Lisa, who were looking very eager.

“ Your majesties, the carriage is ready. We should get going.”, said Ronald. The couple nodded their heads and, hand in hand, walked towards the State Coach which would bring them to one the most important cerimonies of their lives.

************

The morning of July 3rd 2037 would be remembered forever in British history. The procession of Prime Ministers, Members of the Royal Family, members of the nobility and aristocracy, politicians, the military and close friends filled the abbey, which was surrounded by a huge mass of people who had come to watch the coronation of their new king and queen. Inside the west door, members of their family, the young children as well as Elle and Harry’s own children took their place. William, Catherine, Beatrice and Eugenie would be among the peers escorting Elle and Harry to the throne as page and maids of honour. 

With the cheers and bells getting louder and louder, the royal couple entered the abbey. A guard of honour was formed at either side of the entrance as Harry and Elle stepped into Westminster Abbey. They were greeted by the Archbishops of Canterbury and York and the peers bearing the regalia — the crowns, sceptres, rings, etc — that they both would wear in a matter of minutes. I was glad, the traditional coronation anthem was played as they walked towards the choir. Elle walked in first, her ladies holding onto her long cloak, with the acclamations of Vivat Regina Alienora, by the King’s Scholars. Her heart was pounding, as she remembered walking the same path on her wedding day. She walked past the thrones and Saint Edward’s chair — the coronation chair — as she was presented to the peers and other members of the church who stood there and was taken to a smaller throne. Soon after, Harry walked in, with much more pomp and ceremony, with his acclamation Vivat Rex Henricus. He took his place beside her on the smaller throne as they waited for all the ceremony to proceed. Stabdibg up, they waited for the Archbishop of Canterbury to begin the recognition and then the oath.

“Sirs, I here present unto you King Henry, your undoubted King: wherefore all you who are come this day to do your homage and service, are you willing to do the same?”, said the Archbishop. And the assembly replied:

“ God save King Henry!”. Elle smiled and a single tear fell from her cheek as Harry bowed his head to the Archbishop. Sat in the Chair of the State, Harry was took the Coronation Oath.

“Will you solemnly promise and swear to govern the Peoples of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and of your Possessions and other Territories to any of them belonging or pertaining, according to their respective laws and customs?”, said the Archbishop.

“ I solemnly promise so to do.”, replied Harry.

“ Will you to your power cause Law and Justice, in Mercy, to be executed in all your judgments?”, continued the Archbishop.

“I will.”, said Harry, firmly. 

“ Will you to the utmost of your power maintain the Laws of God and the true profession of the Gospel? Will you maintain and preserve inviolable the settlement of the Church of England, and the doctrine, worship, discipline, and government thereof, as by law established in England?”, he finished.

“All this I promise to do, perform, and keep. So help me God.”, ended Harry. He then signed the oath. Harry was then disrobed and taken to Saint Edward’s chair. There, the canopy was placed on top of his head, he was anointed and cloth of gold were placed on his body. He was then given the regalia, the Sceptre with the Cross, the Sceptre with the Dove, the Sovereign’s Ring, the Sovereign’s Orb and most importantly, St. Edward’s Crown. Zadok the Priest was sung as the Archbishop of Canterbury lifted the crown and said the prayers.

“"Oh God, the crown of the faithful; bless we beseech thee and sanctify this thy servant our king, and as thou dost this day set a crown of pure gold upon his head, so enrich his royal heart with thine abundant grace, and crown him with all princely virtues through the King Eternal Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen”, and then the crown was placed on Harry’s head. The peers the put on their coronets, including their children, as shouts exclaimed:

“ God save the King! God save the King! God save the King!”

Harry, now crowned and adorned, was sat on the throne for the homage of the members of nobility, a custom that dates back to the Medieval period. One by one, they gave their homage. William, among them. Kneeling in front of his younger brother, he smiled and said:

“ I, William, Duke of Cambridge, do become your liege man of life and limb, and of earthly worship, so help me God.”, he finished, before kissing Harry’s cheek, smiling proudly. 

After the homage was complete, it was Elle’s turn to be crowned. She kneeled in front of the altar, next to Saint Edward’s chair, while the canopy was placed above her head. She was then anointed, given the Queen’s ring, the Sceptre and crowned as Queen. Her crown was similar to those who came before her, minus a very particular diamond that had been given back to its people. It was, nonetheless, still encrusted with jewels and pearls, beautiful mounted on a platinum circlet with crosses pattée and arches on top of it. Elle then bowed before Harry then took her place beside him, on the throne at the centre of the abbey. 

With Harry at the front and Elle after him, the newly crowned King and Queen left Westminster Abbey at the sound of God Save the King. Entering the carriage again, they sighed and smiled widely to each other. 

“ I can’t believe that’s just happened.”, said Elle, lightly touching the crown on her head. They could hear the shouts on the streets as they made their way back to Buckingham Palace for the traditional balcony salute. Once at the palace, they hugged their children and they smiled widely at them.

“ You both did splendidly!”, said Owen grinning. “ More than that, it was perfect!”, exclaimed Sophia. 

“ Thank you, my darlings. I’m sure I speak for your mother and I when I say how relieved we are this is over.”, said Harry smiling.

“Well… at least this time, I didn’t have two small children to entertain during the ceremony.”, said Elle looking at her sons. The boys chuckled and nodded their heads.

“ I can barely remember papa’s investiture… I was so little.”, said Arthur.

“ I just remember the carriage ride afterwards.”, said Owen.

“ Well, you were asleep for most of the ceremony, sweetheart.”, commented Elle.

“ What about us?”, asked Elizabeth. Elle and Harry smiled at each other. 

“ Your mother was pregnant with you both then. Though she didn’t know it at the time.”, said Harry, smiling affectionately at his wife then at his daughters. 

“But soon after that, I discovered we would be having twins.”, said Elle, linking her arms with her husband’s as they waited in the room that led to the balcony. The girls grinned at their parents.

“ And soon, we’ll have to start planning your investiture, son.”, said Harry, looking at Arthur. The older of their children smiled and gulped, knowing full well the amount of responsibilities that would come with his new title.

“ And although you don’t get a fancy investiture, Sophia, you’ll also have a celebration here as you receive your new title of Princess Royal.”, said Elle, smiling at her oldest daughter, who smiled at her mother.

Their little family gathering had been cut short when Ronald announced the time had come for them to greet the public. And so they did. Together, the six members of the inner Royal Family stepped into the balcony — the princes and princesses with their connotes placed in their heads, shining under the summer’s son, while the newly crowned King and Queen waved in all their majesty to their subjects. 

“ I hope I’m up for the task ahead of me.”, said Harry, waving at the people.

“ Don’t worry, my darling. You are.”, said Elle smiling. “And I’ll be with you every step of the way.”, she continued, now looking at him. He turned to her and their shared a brief kiss before turning to their children and asking them to step closer to them. In all their widest dreams, neither Elle nor Harry had ever considered this would be what the future had in store for them. And yet, it seems their fates had long been intertwined and their destinies, set on the stars. 

The End.

[fideidefenswhore]

Although little of the original flooring remains in the surviving royal chapels, a small area of sixteenth-century tiling at Hampton Court suggests that it was floored in a white and black chequerboard pattern. The chapel windows were filled with stained glass. The east window at Hampton Court, installed by Cardinal Wolsey, is known through a surviving vidimus [...] and was subject to several important modifications by the king, who removed the image of the Cardinal and, after the fall of Anne Boleyn in 1536, ordered the removal of the image of St Anne: 'for the translating and removing of an image of Saint Anna and another of Saint Thomas in the high altar window off the chapel.'

Royal Palaces of Tudor England, Simon Thurley

[judi-daily]

Centenary Order of the Companion of Honour, 2017 Photographer: Max Mumby

*Evensong at the Chapel Royal Hampton Court Palace, to celebrate the Centenary of the founding of the Companions of Honour