Note: the characters of the Princess Diaries belong to Meg Cabot and Disney- but the story was my idea. Hope you're enjoying it!

The sound of an alarm clock roused Clarisse Renaldi Bonnell from sleep and, for a moment, she wondered why the alarm had been set. They normally never set the alarm, preferring to get up of their own accord, but today…..She glanced over to see Joseph still asleep- was there something so special going on today that she had set her rarely used alarm clock? Then it hit her…it was Mia's coronation day! Today, Clarisse would cease to be ruler of Genovia, and she was handing it over to her beloved granddaughter!

As she lay there thinking about it, she began to feel a little sad- she had been Queen Consort for nearly 35 years, and then had ruled alone for seven years. She would go down in Genovian history as the first widowed Queen to rule without a man…yet, it was definitely time to step aside.

For one, she knew that Mia had qualities and ideas that would invigorate Genovia, and take the country in a new direction.

Secondly, Clarisse wanted to spend much of her time with her new husband, her ever present former bodyguard, Joseph Bonnell. It was still a surprise to believe that they were married, after so many years of denying their ever growing feelings, but she continued to revel in the surprise. As she watched him sleep, she remembered with a smile how this had come about…..

Mia had come back to Genovia after graduation to complete her training at Clarisse's side, and be prepared to ascend the throne after Christmas that year- or that had been the plan. Clarisse had been more than confident that Mia would succeed, and even Mia had confessed her excitement about the future during the previous Christmas holidays, and that she had many ideas to introduce.

"Even if parliament doesn't like them," she said wryly after she had sat through a session with Clarisse.

"You must not let them intimidate you! You will be Queen, and you have the power to enact change, even if it may be tough on them. Don't forget that you will have support in the Prime Minister!"

So Clarisse had been hoping for a smooth transition, until the appearance of Lord Mabrey's mysterious nephew on the scene. For a moment, after his announcement of another heir, Clarisse had stood there looking stunned, and then came out with

"SHUT UP!" exactly as Mia had done six years previously, and had shocked the entire room, except for Prime Minister Motez and his assistants. Mia had to marry in thirty days, or she would be forced to renounce the throne- something Clarisse desperately didn't want to happen.

However, Mia had risen to the occasion admirably and became engaged within a week- yet, deep down, Clarisse had the feeling she wasn't fully committed to the marriage, particularly after several incidents involving Lord Devereaux. But she also knew that Mia was willing to go through it- for the sake of Genovia- but Clarisse wished that Mia hadn't been forced to choose duty over love…as she had done 40 years previously, and then only two days before the wedding, with the same man.


"You were never just my Queen, Clarisse. You were the someone I wanted to spend the rest of my life with." She tried to protest, but he continued. "But, if you prefer me to see you first and foremost as Queen, I will oblige…Your Majesty."

It had devastated her, losing the love of her life as she knew he had always been, but she had to rally for Mia's sake- once she was married and Queen of Genovia, Clarisse was going to take stock of her life. But, she thought to herself the evening before the wedding, perhaps by then Joseph wouldn't want to have anything to do with her…..

When it came to Mia, nothing was ever simple or undramatic, and the wedding proved no different. Mia simply couldn't do it- and Clarisse reassured her that it was alright to walk away. As it happened, Lord Devereaux wanted nothing more to do with the crown, and she successfully overturned the law. But then she did something completely different, and gave Clarisse her blessing to marry Joseph……

Clarisse smiled up at her- she was so very, very proud of her- but there was a moment's hesitation- what if Joseph didn't want to marry her anymore? What if she had hurt him so deeply that the wound would never heal? But there was only one way to find out……

"Dear Joseph," she smiled radiantly at him and his eyes widened- what was she going to do now? There had been so many surprises today- and he expected from Mia, but not Her Majesty…she was always so calm and deliberate in her decision making.

"Am I too late to ask you to accept my hand in marriage?" She was choking up with tears- she loved him so much it hurt, and she hoped that he still loved her.

For a moment he watched her carefully, her warm loving heart reflecting from her eyes.

"Well, I thought you'd never ask," he said gruffly.

Ten minutes later, they were married- and Clarisse had never felt as happy in her life and she knew, looking over at Joseph, that he felt the same way. After all these years, all these secrets and secret looks, they were finally, officially, a couple...!

Clarisse smiled at the memory- it had been the most joyous day of her life, and today would be another momentous occasion, but she didn't want to miss a moment of sharing in her granddaughter's joy. She began to slide carefully out of bed, not wanting to disturb Joseph, but he suddenly rolled over and pulled her back into bed.

"Where are you going?" he murmured sleepily as she leant down and gave him a soft kiss. "I hope that wasn't an alarm clock I heard before…."

"It was, darling. You know how big a day this is going to be, and I want to enjoy every moment of it!"

"Can't you stay in bed even for a little while- that celebratory dinner went on for far too long last night," he complained good-naturedly as he sat up in bed and leant back on his pillows, still holding Clarisse's hand.

"I suppose I could…" she sat back in bed, and looked over at Joseph. "But surely you might have had a few too many celebratory drinks last night?" she teased gently, running her hand down his cheek, a special sign of affection between them.

"Not as many as Shades had, I believe. Can you believe that he managed to get the night off- the head of security getting the night off? I never got a night off!"

"That's because I very rarely did anything extraordinary and, besides, would you have taken any time off?" She looked at him pointedly, and he laughed, bringing her hand up to his lips.

"But this is a special day, Joseph! My granddaughter is finally ascending the throne!" she looked at him eagerly, and he was more than touched to see her excitement.

"And you finally step down, is that it?" he teased, and she pulled away to mock glare at him before softening again.

"Partly but, more importantly, this is Mia's day and I want to be there with her. I'm sure I would have done the same thing with Phillipe." She looked sad for a moment, and then brightened. "But, in some ways, this is his day too- she's his daughter!"

"I'm so happy for all of you," Joe said softly, happy that his wife would finally have a private life, but also happy that she was looking forward to the day. She looked tenderly over at him and then leant forward for another kiss.

"Thank you- but I'm mostly happy that I've got you!"

They kissed for a long moment, and then broke apart when they heard noises out in the sitting room. "Oh! That will be breakfast!" Clarisse leapt out of bed and reached for her dressing gown, before turning to Joseph with laughing eyes.

"Do you want me to bring you your breakfast in bed, dear?" she said jokingly.

"No, thank you. I'll be alright to get out of bed- but, tell me, is there going to be another late night tonight? I think I'm going to have to have a nap this afternoon!"

"Of course it's going to be another late night, my love. But, I may join you for that nap!"

They walked out, hand in hand, out to the sitting room where their breakfast was set up for them, Joseph sat down immediately and began pouring two cups of tea, while Clarisse stood there watching him for a moment. The mention of her son had brought an idea to her- she suddenly had the urge to visit the throne room….this was a moment in history.

"Joseph," she began slowly. 'Do you want to go for a walk to the throne room?"

"Sure. When?" He looked up from his toast and then groaned when he saw the look on her face. "Don't tell me, you want to go now?"
"Yes, but you don't have to come with me…."

He stood up and walked over to her, taking her hand.

"I want to come with you…..but, like this?" He looked down at his bathrobe and slippers, and she only smiled.

"Like that."

Someone had obviously been in the throne room that morning, as the curtains had been pulled back from the windows. Clarisse and Joe wandered slowly around the room looking at all the portraits, before stopping at the paintings of her sons, Rupert and herself. There may have been over 300 years of history here, but for Clarisse, there were a lifetime of bittersweet memories in this room.

"It was a glorious day when Rupert was crowned," she said softly, almost to herself. "The boys were watching from the top of the stairs, and I thought that Phillipe would try and throw something at the people- he didn't thankfully."

"How did you feel when you were crowned?"

Clarisse gave a deep sigh, and there was a long pause as she thought over the question.

"I had expected it, and we had had so many rehearsals, but…the weight of the crown that day was enormous. I thought I would collapse, I was so nervous and scared…"she smiled wryly and then sobered, looking at Rupert's painted face. "But Rupert, he never cowered at all. He stood there, proud and tall, and never gave any indication of nerves. I suppose he had been trained not to show any emotion in public….not that it wasn't much different in private…"

Her eyes lingered over their portrait for a moment before she moved onto the painting of the boys, looking long, lean and elegant in their uniforms. Both of them had been in the Navy for several years, and looked so handsome in their dress uniforms. Neither had particularly wanted to be sitting there, she remembered with a smile, but had been good natured enough to do it anyway.

"One of them could have had all this," she said reflectively, looking at their open happy faces- about two years after the painting, Pierre had abdicated, which had pained her deeply, but that was nothing compared to Phillipe's death four years after that.

For a moment, standing there and looking at his smile, she was overwhelmed by pain and grief- if only he hadn't died, he would have been King….but, then again, his daughter may not have had the chance to show the world what she was made of.

"Everything happens for a reason, Clarisse my love," Joseph said softly behind her, and she turned to smile at him, tears glistening in her eyes.

"I know that. It sometimes just seems so hard to believe that hes' gone- and Mia will never know how wonderful he was. But he still lives on- in her."

"And in you," Joe said tenderly, putting an arm around her and giving her a tender kiss on the cheek. "The three of you are more alike than any of you could ever realise. Even I noticed that almost as soon as you and Mia were together!"

After a slight pause, she stopped in front of her own portrait, commissioned 4 months after Rupert's coronation. She had been 25 when that had been done, she realised sharply, four years older than Mia was now. Yet, after seven years of marriage she had felt so much older- Rupert had already begun to be unfaithful again by that time, although very discreet, and his kind behaviour towards her had never changed.

"I remember you posing for that," Joseph said from beside her, and she turned to him in surprise.

"Really? Were you already working here by then?"

"Of course, don't you remember? I was the first guard hired after the coronation. But…you were very patient standing there all that time, and you never flinched."

"My feet and back paid for it afterwards, believe me," Clarisse said, laughing, before turning and walking around the room again before sitting down on the throne..

"Are you going to miss that?" Joseph stood in front of her as she leaned back, as Mia had done an hour before, and looked around the room.

"I might, for a little while, but I've been on this throne, literally and figuratively, for a long time and I'm ready to let it go. It may seem painful to say goodbye to all of this, but I'm ready for my new life," she smiled lovingly at him and he stepped forward.

"If I could get down on my knees and pay homage to my Queen, I would, but since I can't, I will bow to you. Your Majesty." He did just that, before continuing. "I'm going to be the last person to pay homage to Queen Clarisse Renaldi who is, by coincidence, my wife."

"How does that make you feel?" she looked at him mock seriously, and he pretended to be deep in thought for a moment.

"Relieved, that I don't have to do that anymore!" he joked, and Clarisse looked around in vain for something to throw at him.

"Remind me to throw something at you later," she said light-heartedly before looking around the room one last time.

"You're really not going to miss this, my love?"

"No," she looked at him, smiling blissfully. "It's not as if I'm not going to be in here anymore, and besides, I'm always going to be here- in portraits!" She waved airily at the two portraits on the walls. She stood up briskly then.

"Let's go- I'm hungry!"

"Finally!" Joseph pretended to moan gleefully, before pulling her in for a kiss, and then taking her hand and walking out of the room.