Chapter Ten
Ana gritted her teeth as her eyes scanned the passage of another newspaper. She'd been horrified to learn someone had already leaked details of her wedding, and her disgust had been flamed by the media who were making a song and dance about her decision not to have a state wedding. The stuff the journalists had come out with hurt, such as that Ana and Christian were disrespecting the office and the people by not having a wedding they could join in on.
The press had turned on her. She'd been the People's Politician, her face splashed on front pages for weeks leading to and following the election. Now, she was embroiled in some kind of national scandal because she wanted an intimate wedding. Didn't she, as a woman, have the right to have the wedding day of her dreams?
"You ok?" Christian asked stepping into her office.
"Jesus have you seen this?"
"It will boil over." Christian said taking the paper from her hands. He didn't need her stressing out about this.
"It's horrible, they're saying I'm being disrespectful to the country." Ana sighed turning to look at the next paper. They were always delivered to her office and she'd grab a look at them when she had the chance, she'd come in to do prep to go and see The Queen this evening and taken a peek, but after she'd read the negativity in one, she couldn't stop going from one to another reading the same rubbish.
"Well, you're not. It's your wedding. You're televising it, that should be enough." Christian said slipping the paper away from her. "Don't read it Ana, it's rubbish. They're making out the public own you, but they don't."
Ana dropped her head into her hands, it was draining to read such horrible things about herself. She didn't understand why it was happening. She'd relented on televising the event, she had said there could be a press pit outside the Church for pictures, she'd agreed to have a designated spot for any public who chose to turn up. She wasn't excluding the people from her day, she wanted to have a private and intimate ceremony with her nearest and dearest. That wasn't too much to ask for was it?
"Don't beat yourself up about it, Ana. It's a slow news season. That's why they're doing this. By tomorrow there will be something more news-worthy to report and they'll forget about this." He said running his hand through her soft hair. She needed to let this go, if she became this stressed over the public perception of her because of the wedding how on earth would she handle it if the public turned on her because of a mistake or something they didn't like her Government doing?
"I need to carry on with prep." Ana said pulling her notebook back towards her, Christian was right, she needed to stop reading the papers.
"I'll leave you to it. I'll come to get you when dinner is ready?"
"Sure." Ana grimaced before returning her attention to her work, trying to keep her mind off the newspapers.
"Maybe you should work without any knickers on." Christian said opening the door. Ana gasped, Christian smirked. She wanted more submission in her daily life, this is what she'd asked for.
Ana slipped her knickers off when the door clicked closed behind Christian. She squirmed in her seat. This was exactly what she needed in her life! She popped the lace into her top drawer and clenched her core before getting back to work, knowing she'd be wet and wanton for the rest of the day!
A few hours later and she was shown into the audience room to meet The Queen who warmly greeted her, after the formalities of curtsies and handshaking. Ana took the seat opposite, trying to look calm and relaxed, and as though she had knickers on. Christian hadn't told her to put them back on and so she remained bare beneath her dress.
"So, this week we've finalised the draft bill on transgender and non-binary rights, we hope to get it through both houses as soon as possible." Ana started, though she knew it would take a while to get the Bill through the Lords, they had more prejudice towards transgender people than The Commons did. "We've also started the takeover of the southeast railway, so we're hoping it will be in full public ownership by Christmas." Ana explained.
"Do you think the Government will profit from the renationalising of the railway?" Her Majesty asked, she took a keen interest in the work of the Government and Ana loved that, as it showed how she took her role as monarch seriously.
"Well, our predictions say that by the end of the first year of Parliament we will start seeing an income from the line, then we're hoping to continue to invest it into renationalising other services to eventually have them all once again in the hands of the public. We had the North-East line in the past and before the last Government sold it off again it brought in half a billion in profit. I think that means we should make enough income to continue to upgrade the service, develop the lines, and maybe even have some money left to put into other things. Though, the Government's priority is to ensure the railway at least pays for itself and its own improvements. We've had private companies making billions from passengers while we've continued to subsidise the tracks, it can't go on anymore, the way it's been has been too costly."
"Hmm." The Queen nodded. "It sounds like you have it all worked out."
"We ensured we had our projections checked and double-checked before we placed it in our manifesto. That's why we're taking a staged approach rather than just renationalising all at once."
"I heard you'd also started lifting the caps on public sector wages." Her Majesty continued, she'd kept a close eye on her Government.
"We have, everyone is in the process of getting an increase while we have caused some outrage by placing caps on the high earners, but I personally think it's about time. Local Government officials earning hundreds of thousands of pounds while cutting services, I don't think that's right, no one needs a hundred thousand to live on but people rely on their public services. I mean many chief executive officers get paid more than I do and I think my wage is too high!" Ana tried to joke knowing The Queen liked her sense of humour.
"You look tried." The Queen stated taking Ana by surprise. "I take it the work is starting to take its toll?"
"No, Your Majesty, I…" Ana broke off, she didn't need to go into details about her personal problems with the Queen.
"It's a lovely evening, I think I'd like to take the dogs out." She said. Ana jumped to her feet as The Queen rose and she glanced unceremoniously around the room, unsure what to do with herself as the personal secretary came in and The Queen expressed her intention to take the dogs out.
"We'll go this way." The Queen said, signalling that Ana should go with her. Ana hurried behind her, ensuring she stayed one step behind, as she shuffled through the palace. Even though she was with Her Majesty it felt intrusive.
They went out into the gardens of Buckingham Palace with the Corgis who seemed excited to get out into the fresh air. Ana smiled, the garden's of Buckingham Palace was a peaceful place where Ana could forget they were in central London and she was transported into the tranquil countryside.
"Now tell me, what's on your mind?" The Queen inquired. Ana's eyes widened, the cogs of her mind racing to find words to answer with. She'd been dragged for a walk so the Queen could push her further about whatever it was she didn't want to discuss. Business was for the audience room, but the Queen had figured this was not business, it was personal.
"The press are turning on me." Ana rubber her hand on her forehead. "I've been their golden girl since before I was elected, the former Prime Minister, Mrs Lincoln, having made an enemy of them but now I want to have a private wedding and they're in uproar about how I am being disrespectful and as the first female Prime Minister to ever get married in office and as the People's Prime Minister I owe it to them to include them in my wedding day. I guess I'm just finding it all very frustrating." Ana explained, babbling a little because as soon as she'd started she couldn't stop. The Queen said nothing, listened to every word and considered what Ana had said a moment. Her silence made Ana wondered if she had crossed a line, gone too far in what she had shared.
"When the Princess of Wales died, I made the mistake of believing that my family could grieve in private. It too caused a bit of a public uproar." The Queen explained as she shuffled along, her feet crunching on the path. She didn't look at Ana while she talked but still Ana knew to listen as these words were for her ears only. "Mr Blair named her the People's Princess and true enough the people were grieving too. I didn't understand then what I do now, time had changed, and people could grieve in public the way they did. I also learned to understand that as media became more instantaneous and accessible that people felt more connected to my family and I. I am the Queen of England and the Commonwealth; the people are my subjects, but I have learned, I am their servant." Ana didn't know what to say, so said nothing and gave the Queen every piece of attention she deserved. Her heart soared at the words being shared by the older woman, they were full of honesty and sincerity and were more personal than anything Ana had expected. "As their Queen, they feel as they own a piece of me, but I didn't understand that at the time."
"I don't think anyone could own you, Your Majesty." Ana quipped, taking away some of the awkwardness that seemed to fall between them.
"Well, the public believe they do. And they're right in a way." A soft smile graced her lips. "Since then, I have seen how much the people love my family, they care about us and feel connected to us. Whenever there is a wedding or birth they want to feel involved because they care. It was hard for me to accept. I mean when I had my wedding and my coronation yes, the public came out, but it was different, it was the heir getting married, the coronation of a new Queen. When Diana died, the public mourned the loss of someone they loved, then when Harry and Meghan married it was as much of a public event as the marriage of William and Catherine. It's not so much that the people own you though it may be how it can feel sometimes, but they do love you, it's why they elected you, it's why they want to share in your special day."
Ana stared at The Queen in awe. She was completely speechless. The loss of Prince Diana had been a dark time in Royal history, yet The Queen spoke candidly about things she learned at that time about her own subjects. This was a peak into the private life of the Monarch that so few people would ever get to witness. Ana's heart soared as she came to terms with the privilege being afforded to her.
"So, a sort of state wedding would be thanking them for loving me?" Ana asked finally finding words and hoping she'd understood what The Queen was getting at.
"I'm sure your family loves you and they will be there yes?"
"Of course, ma'am." Ana replied.
"Then why shouldn't the people who elected you, who also love you, not be a part of it too?"
Ana beamed. The Queen was right. It had nothing to do with the people owning her. They believed they had a right to be there because they loved her. If she loved them too, she'd want to include them.
"I'll speak to the team at Downing Street when I get back." Ana grinned, feeling like the whole wedding issue made so much sense to her now.
"A nice ceremonial state-like wedding would be a wonderful event this year after all the highlights of the previous years, it will be nice to have something for the country to look forward to. No one is pregnant or getting married in my family this year after all." The Queen said and for a moment Ana wondered if she was inviting herself to the wedding though if she was having a State Wedding there would be an invite for a representative of the Royal Family The Queen wasn't the person she would expect to attend.
"Thank you, Your Majesty, I didn't think I'd come here and leave feeling lighter than when I arrived." Ana grinned, grateful for the wisdom shared because it had opened Ana's eyes to a perspective only years of experience had taught The Queen.
"I'm pleased to hear that." The Queen smiled. "Now, what are your plans for the coming weeks?"
Ana filled The Queen in on the plans of Government, with it being Whitsun recess the following week there would be no standing appointment between the two women. Ana was flying to Europe to meet with Heads of State to discuss a climate change arrangement and spending the end of the week in Chesham planning her wedding.
"What's it like in Chesham?" The Queen asked when Ana mentioned going home.
"It's home." Ana sighed, she missed Chesham so much. " I know you are well versed in your Royal History so you may know about this but when I bought my house, they told us our driveway was done the way it was for Princess Alexandra, apparently she was a frequent visitor in the early twentieth century."
"Oh, the rhododendron driveway? Knolly's?"
"Yes, that's where Christian and I live Ma'am." Ana smiled, amazed the Queen knew of the property.
"Viscount Knolly was King Edward the seventh's Private Secretary and his sister Charlotte I believe was Alexandra's Private Secretary and yes I understood she spent a lot of time there. I've never seen the driveway myself, but I have a vague memory of Alexandra telling me about it once, she said it was the most beautiful driveway in the world."
"Maybe we'll steal you away one day so you can come to see it." Ana teased making The Queen chuckle. "It is beautiful, it was the big selling point for me. I insisted we have a house set back from any main road and when I saw it, I knew it was the one." Ana smiled, she did love that driveway and she was overjoyed to know the person it was created for had fond memories of it too.
"I'll have to tell her that you live there, she will be pleased to know the driveway still exists I'm sure." The Queen smiled, she spoke regularly with her cousin and she knew Princess Alexandra would be thrilled to know someone still loved the driveway.
"Well, the evening seems to be running away with itself." The Queen said looking at the setting sun.
"I'm sorry Your Majesty, I took so much of your time with my own personal problems." Ana said feeling terrible, their standard appointment was scheduled for an hour but it was clear to her she'd been there longer.
"Not at all." The Queen smirked, if she didn't want Ana there, she would have dismissed her a long time ago, but she enjoyed counselling the young Prime Minister, a girl not so unlike herself who had been thrust into a position of power with little choice about the matter and not much preparation behind her. Her Majesty knew what that was like and therefore took great pleasure in being able to hand her wisdom on. She'd been counselling Prime Minister's for years, Ana was her thirteenth, but while her first few seemed to counsel her more than she counselled them, and latter Prime Ministers seemed to listen yet not often take any of her advice. Ana was a refreshing change, someone who appreciated Her Majesty's time and wisdom.
They strolled back to the Palace in silence, enjoying each other's company without needing to talk, the Corgis running around their feet. It was such a calming atmosphere and Ana relaxed more and more knowing she had been given the advice she needed in regards to her wedding but also to her role as Prime Minister.
When she climbed back into the car and sped off for Downing Street security grumbled about how much longer the meeting seemed to have gone on for. Ana didn't care though. The military operation it took to get her to and from the Palace was the same whether she was there half an hour or five hours. Her heart was lighter now things were clearer.
She rushed through the door, flying by the police officer who greeted her. She sprinted through the main central office, into the office of the Private Secretary with one thing on her mind.
"Prime Minister?" He said jumping to his feet in surprise at her sudden entrance.
"State wedding." Ana said. "Let's do it." She smiled.
"What?" He asked.
"The people, they love and care for me. If I loved and cared for them too, I would invite them to my wedding. So, I know it's short notice, I know it's going to be a lot of work to pull it off but let's do it, full state wedding at Saint Margaret's."
"I don't know if Saint Margaret's will seat everyone." Hugo replied, he'd thought of there for an intimate family wedding. Now for a state wedding, they may have to consider alternatives.
"Then where?"
"Westminster Abbey or St Paul's Cathedral but we would have to get permission. History dictates only those who are Royal or have a connection to them can marry there. Again, there are no rules in regards to a Prime Minister getting married so it may be that we could get permission and start a new tradition."
"A Westminster Abbey wedding?" Ana asked horrified, she hadn't even considered the possibility of a wedding there.
"Or St Pauls. We'll ask both if they'd be willing and see what they come back with, chances are it will be Her Majesty's choice as head of the Church though." Hugo explained.
"Ok, ok, let's ask." Ana smiled before hurrying off to speak to Christian and tell him what conclusion she had come to with a little help from a friend.