Disclaimer: the Prince/King, Higgins and the children belong to me, everything else is history.

It's time to get ready for the big event!

Enjoy.

Chapter XVII

Greenwich

After all the planning and organizing the day had arrived, I woke up early but I hadn't really slept last night as I was so nervous. The previous day I had knighted fourteen boys as Knights of the Bath, it was my first official act as King.

Higgins was already up and sorting out my Coronation robes.

"Morning, Higgins." I said.

"Morning, Your Majesty. Your breakfast will be here soon." Higgins replied.

"Thank you Higgins." I said.

I got out of bed and dressed in a loose shirt and breeches. I went into my sitting room where breakfast was being set out. I ate sparingly as I wasn't very hungry and I was still nervous about what was to come.

After I had finished my breakfast I met with some of my Lords and council to reaffirm the events of the day, then I went back to my bedchamber. Higgins had had my bath brought in and it was being filled with water and rose petals. I undressed and stepped into the bath, Higgins washed me all over and then I stepped out and Higgins dried me, it was time to put on my coronation robes.

It took nearly an hour to get dressed into the first of my Coronation robes but when we were finished and I looked in the mirror I saw how stunning the robe was. It was a sea of Royal purple, I wore gold breaches with silver stitching, pure white stockings and soft shoes made of gold cloth. I was amazed at the quality of my clothing but that was only the bottom half, the top half was magnificent. I wore a pure white shirt with gold stitching round the collar, over the top was a doublet also made in Royal purple with diamonds stitched in and over the top a chain of silver with emeralds and sapphires embedded.

I still had to put on my cloak with its long train trimmed with ermine but even under the amount of clothing I had on I was getting hot. I left the safety of my bedchamber and went out to my presence chamber where my Lords were waiting for me, Higgins followed with my train but being so long had three squires help him to carry it. It would not be needed until the abbey.

The lords that had gathered included the Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolk and newly created Duke of Buckingham, Thomas Howard Duke of Norfolk and Edward Seymour Duke of Somerset all in their finest clothes. When I appeared they all bowed then the lords turned and formed into ranks with me in the middle and with a nod from me the procession started its journey.

We made our way through the maze of corridors to the great hall, through another door came Anne in her coronation dress, she looked amazing. Like mine it was made of Royal purple with the bodice covered with jewels and lined with pearls, the skirt was also lined with pearls and had intricate stitching running throughout the dress. Our procession's joined and we made our way out to the waiting barges.

Outside the court waited to meet us, everyone was dressed in their best and as we exited the palace they bowed and curtsied as we made our way to the barges. We had separate barges, both were brightly painted with our family crests in pride of place; the insides had cushions and rugs to soften the ride. We went to our barges and were helped in, then the barges were pushed off and we joined the river procession. At 11 o'clock precisely the procession started.

For about 10 minutes it was quiet and all you could hear were the paddles as they hit the water but soon the banks of the river were lined with crowds cheering "God Save the King!" "God Save the Queen!" throughout the planning I couldn't have imagined anything like this.

We had given the people plenty to watch. The barges in front were packed with musicians, singers and heralds. Behind us came Anne's ladies and the lords of my court.

Two of the barges held mine and Anne's emblems, both were giant and had been gilded with gold. Mine was the Kings Coat of Arms resplendent with the lion and dragon. Anne's coat of arms consisted of the Tudor coat of arms on the left half combined with the family coat of arms of her ancestors.

Up ahead I could see the landing platform where the barge procession would end and the procession through the streets to the Tower of London start. In the barge I hadn't worn my train as it was too long and heavy but on land I would wear something similar but much shorter so I could still ride my horse.

As we reached Wapping, the Tower began its gun salute, firing four guns simultaneously. One thousand rounds were fired, it was deafening.

We landed and disembarked from the barges at the Tower of London and then were led into the Tower, where we could refresh ourselves and ate a small meal before the afternoon's procession through the city.

At 1 o'clock in the afternoon we reformed and the procession through the city began. The streets from the Tower to Temple Bar had been lined with gravel to prevent the horses slipping, and barricades erected on one side for the throngs of spectators.

We started in Cheapside, the crowds cheered and waved to us. Soon we stopped at the first pageant where children sang to us then a child walked towards us with two bunches of flowers, with a little curtsy she presented the flowers to us which we accepted.

We moved on where many more pageants awaited us. The procession wound its way along Fenchurch Street as far as the junction with Gracechurch Street, then, up Lime Street as far as Leadenhall Street then we turned left into Cornhill, and then continued along Poultry into Cheapside as far as St Paul's. The procession then skirted the Cathedral to exit the City Walls at Ludgate. From there, Fleet Street led down to Temple Bar, which was the official end of the City of London.

The day had been a success but we were both tired and were in need of some rest. Once out of the City, the procession moved more quickly. We arrived at Westminster Hall where we were to spend the night before the coronation tomorrow. Anne looked tired and I was hurting from all the riding I had done today. We went inside where a small feast had been laid out, I ate little and both Anne and I retired early to bed.

Higgins and the rest of the servants were going to be up late getting things ready for the coronation.

Meanwhile in the nursery, the children slept peacefully watched over by a wet-nurse. She looked at the sleeping children thinking how lucky she was to have such a privileged position. She began to cough and tried to muffle the sound with her handkerchief, when it had stopped she pulled the handkerchief away and saw blood. She started to panic as this would mean the end of her employment and her life. She heard footfalls of the other wet-nurse coming back and quickly shoved the handkerchief in her pocket, maybe it would go away she thought.

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