August 2027: The Coronation Part XIII.
As those in New York headed for bed, the streets of central London were not as empty and quiet as they usually were in the small hours of a Saturday. The first people had already staked their claim to the prime vantage points on the route that the procession would take to and from Westminster Abbey. Whilst those with the most coveted invitations in the world slept on, the most ardent of royal fans began to assemble, making sure that they had provisions, comfort and most importantly of all, protection from the rain that was now almost certain to fall…
There was also one extra guest at the hotel in St James that night, a practical arrangement being made. Carole had invited Miss Frobisher to make use of the empty second bedroom in the suite that she and Burt had been given, as it would cut her travel time the following day down to nothing. She had been reluctant at first, but when she did the math, and realised just how early she would need to be up to leave Kensington and get to the Abbey on time, she came round to the idea happily.
Across town, Adam had also made a decision which had surprised Lawrence a little, and that was that they would not head out to Surrey to watch the Coronation with his family there. He was a little disappointed, but he accepted it as practical, given that there would be a lot of people travelling and it would take them a long time to even get to the station to catch the train out of town, let alone get there.
Sam had then added to the surprises by saying that he had been asked to join Artie and Kitty, and had agreed. Initially they had thought of going out to the parade route, but they would now watch at their hotel instead, as the weather forecast was not conducive to sitting outside, and there was no guarantee that Artie would be able to get to the barrier to be able to see at all unless they headed out in the darkness before dawn… The forecast rain did not seem to be dampening the spirits of the British people they all talked to though; indeed some, including Hester Frobisher, saw it as a good omen.
Of course, Adam had an ulterior motive for not going home to his family; travel time was crucial, but it was the time it would take to get back that he was worried about. He had been able to make a slight change to his original plans with the filming work being done early; it had cost him a little money, but it was worth it. What he had originally planned as a Sunday night in Paris with his fiancé would now be a two night stay instead, a booking made for the Eurostar train later that afternoon…
For those staying in St James, it was a very early start that morning. The skies were overcast and grey, but at the moment it was still dry. Pam was the first to wake that day, as she had to be at the Palace for 6am, so that she was ready to attend to the Queen Consort and her two attendants as soon as she was required. The hotel had no issue in providing her with breakfast in her room, a meal that she kept light. She was feeling a little nervous, and she found it easier to cope with those potential butterflies in her stomach if it wasn't too full. She was not in the least bit surprised to feel a gentle draught as she ate, then to hear Blaine's voice, firstly giving her a weather forecast, and then telling her once more just how proud he was of her and what she had achieved.
"If someone had told me that my mom would be doing the make-up for a Queen on her Coronation Day at school, I would have told them they were talking nonsense, and asked them if they were taking drugs, but here we are, in London, just hours before the whole world will see how talented you are as the Queen Consort enters the Abbey…"
Pam smiled, and said, "I know, and the funny thing is that the notion is no longer as scary as it was just days ago. I seem to have woken up with an injection of limitless confidence…"
"That is because you believe in yourself, and you know that everyone around you believes in you too. There is no other woman that could possibly perform this task. The fact that dad has been neutralised is probably a big help too."
"I wish that you were still here, Blaine," said Pam suddenly. "I know that you are in the room, but I wish that you were sitting there on the bed, in a smart suit and bowtie, your smile broad as you and Kurt prepare to head to the Abbey as well as my guests…"
"I do too, mom," Blaine replied, but went on, "However, there are advantages to my not being here too. I can be at your side all day like this, even as you perform your magic on the Queen Consort; as an angel, I can be one of the first to witness your handiwork. Then I can be there in the Abbey, but with a view that few others will have, hovering above the throne as the crowning takes place. I won't be alone in doing that either; Kurt, Wes, Finn and Seth will all be there with me. None of us wanted to miss being present at this historic moment…"
Pam would be at the gates of Buckingham Palace before any of the others came down for breakfast. The hotel restaurant had opened up earlier than usual to accommodate the large number of guests staying there that had an invite to the Abbey. Everyone was still in casual clothing at 6am, but once they had eaten, they would be heading upstairs to change into their formal clothes. The little group of six had their plans finalised and would meet up in the lobby before heading to the Abbey on foot, the most practical way to go.
Across from them that morning was a large party of people from Australia, who had been chosen to represent their country at the event on the grounds of their achievements; as a result, not all of them were celebrities of even a minor kind, one of them being the Senior Australian of the Year. On the other side of the room was a similar group from New Zealand. Burt found himself exchanging nods of recognition, his face well-known from all the coverage of Congress on television. Carole pointed out quietly that they were probably wondering amongst themselves why he, the main representative of the United States at the Coronation was staying in a hotel and not in the ambassador's residence, as the Prime Minister's of their own countries were…
Wes was extremely animated for the time of day, sitting between his father and Miss Frobisher, chatting away non-stop between mouthfuls of cereal. On the other side of Nick was Jeff, and the brunet knew that his husband was having a mild panic attack; all of the signs he recognised were visible, and he knew that he would be going through all of the possible things that could go wrong that day in his head. That done, he would be mentally going through the contents of his satchel, worried that he had left something crucial out, even if he had packed and repacked it half a dozen times the previous night. Nick made a mental note to slip in the extra full set of pencils that he had brought in his own attaché case, and the two blank sketchbooks he had bought on Thursday without Jeff's knowledge; it was better he had too much paper than too little…
Their meal finished, they all headed back to their rooms to dress, a sense of excitement starting to build. Nick confirmed that his husband was distracted as his breakfast was half eaten, and he then ignored a miaow of greeting from Lady Alice, who looked at his retreating back with distain. He paused to stroke her instead, which mollified her a little, before he too hurried up the stairs to get dressed, ensure Wes was dressed, and if necessary, hold a paper bag to Jeff's face and tell him to breathe….
Those that were in London but not attending the Abbey itself were able to rise later naturally. It was just after 7am when Adam joined Lawrence and Sam in the living area of their rented apartment. The former was busy getting breakfast ready, bacon and eggs sizzling alongside each other in a frying pan. The television was on, the BBC already showing an outside broadcast from the streets of the city. There were already huge crowds building in The Mall and outside the government buildings that lined Whitehall, all prepared for the rain that was expected to fall. There were overhead shots of the roads around Westminster Abbey, which showed oblong patches of sand every so often in a seemingly random pattern; it puzzled them all until the presenter explained that the sand had been placed over the many manhole covers to protect the hooves of the horses and remove a potential trip hazard for the marching troops…
After they had finished eating, Sam headed off to get ready to walk over to Artie and Kitty's hotel, as to ensure he arrived in good time he was going early and eschewing public transport. It did not take him long to finish dressing, and he was soon off, winking to Adam behind Lawrence's back as he left. The former smiled, then turned to his fiancé. "My mother sent me a text just now and has suggested that we might go and stay with them tonight and tomorrow; there is a fete in the village tomorrow, which is always fun, even if I will probably be asked to open things as the local celebrity. I spoke to Sam, and he has no problem with us doing it."
"It would be nice to see a bit more of your folks," admitted Lawrence.
"Good. I will text mum back, tell her we will head up as soon as the balcony appearance is over. I will go and pack an overnight bag just now so we can head away as quickly as possible," said Adam, knowing that Lawrence would do the same once he had finished the washing up. He just hoped that he wouldn't call his mother to thank her in the meantime…
By the time that Sam headed off to walk across town to Artie and Kitty's hotel, the group that would be attending the actual service were also on the move, crossing through St James' Park in the direction of Westminster Abbey. The park was already very busy, people making their way from the tube stations on its southern edge in the direction of The Mall, a street that was already lined with people, even as the skies began to darken with clouds in the west. Nick had made a last-minute rush to the umbrella shop at the far end of Oxford Street and had ended up purchasing three of their finest; one for himself, one for Jeff, and one for Burt, who had been very impressed with the traditionally made black one he had been given. It was large enough to shelter himself and Carole when the grey clouds unleashed their worst upon them. Miss Frobisher had an umbrella of her own in her handbag, but as yet they all remained furled.
There had been the obligatory photos taken as they left the hotel, the concierge obliging by taking a group shot of them in the lobby, which was photobombed by Lady Alice. It had been posted on Facebook before Nick switched off his phone. The two parties from the antipodes were being conveyed to the Abbey by coach according to the doorman as they left, but as he said, they would still need to walk to Hyde Park Corner to board it, so it made little sense to them. Their walk would be a good way to stretch their legs, and they also had the advantage of having a Londoner in the shape of Miss Frobisher with them, who knew the best shortcuts.
The park crossed, she led them up a path called Cockpit Steps, into Dartmouth Street and then Dean Farrar Street, bringing them out on Victoria Street at the checkpoint they had to pass through. Their invitations were shown, and the two protection officers allocated to Burt and Carole, who had been walking along a little behind them with a degree of nonchalance now joined the party properly. They would not be in the main Abbey with them for the service, but had been assigned a place, along with other men and women of their ilk, in one of the buildings of the choir school. They would thus be close at hand if there was an emergency, but far enough away to feel off-duty. With the first hurdle passed, they headed along the path to the spot where the world's media waited…
Over in Dublin, Trent and Rory were sharing a late breakfast, Agnes having been up for longer, fed the children, and now had taken them to the bathroom for supervised tooth brushing. Outside it was raining and had been doing so since just after midnight. That had made their decision not to head out that morning and instead stay in and watch the Coronation coverage on the BBC all that more sensible. When they had made it, they had issued a tentative invitation to Sister Mary Agnes to come and join them, and she had accepted, intending to arrive at around 10.30am and stay for a couple of hours.
"I have to be on duty at the cathedral at 1.30pm today, but the morning is my own once we have finished morning prayers. I have to say that it will be a fascinating watch, even just to see what has been altered in the ceremony since his mother's Coronation back in 1953. I believe that the senior Roman Catholic in the country, the Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster, has been invited to take part in the ceremony, which would have been unthinkable to the majority back in 1953. The new King did see that he wanted to be the defender of all faiths, not just the Anglicans, or indeed, just Christians. That was quite a statement at the time, but it seems that he means it wholeheartedly, as some in his position would not," she had said to Rory on the phone as she accepted.
He had not said anything, but he knew that the current Archbishop of Westminster was indeed to be part of the group of clerics of the Christian faith that would stand with the Archbishop of Canterbury and offer prayers for the new King. It would be a nice surprise for the good sister and indeed his nana.
His thoughts that Saturday morning were then distracted by the buzzing of his work phone with two messages. The first was to confirm that Jonathan Anderson was now back at his home, and was under observation by the authorities; the second was from Burt, who wanted to inform him that he was about to be interviewed live on the BBC, and he had the speech that Trent had prepared for him in that eventuality ready to use….
A quick glance at the screen saw that Burt was indeed now in vision, smiling as the presenter talked to the studio, Carole standing behind him quietly. He did not need to alert Trent, as he was already glued to the screen. "Where do you think Nick and Jeff are hiding?" asked Rory, and then Trent laughed as, almost on cue, a familiar blond head of hair passed quickly behind Carole, not looking in the direction of the camera even for a second. Rory smiled, then turned the sound up again so that they could hear what Burt was saying…
"It was a great honour to be chosen by the President to be here at this important event as the representative of the people of the United States. Our two nations are linked by historical ties of friendship that will never weaken; our shared ancestry and ideals cannot be denied by anyone. I was blessed with the good fortune to meet the late Queen on a previous short visit to this country, and she impressed me greatly with her knowledge and the fact that she seemed to defy her age. She was as loved in America as here in the United Kingdom, and she will always have a place in our hearts…"
"His Majesty is also as popular with many of us in the United States; he had great foresight into those environmental issues that now dominate the geopolitical world, and his work on the issue of climate change, alongside his son, have elevated him greatly on the global stage. Many say that he has big shoes to fill as the new sovereign of the United Kingdom, but I think that he will do so admirably, aided by his family and by the good wishes of people from around the globe." As the presenter smiled and thanked Burt, Rory looked at his husband in admiration, knowing that once again he had written something that fitted the mood perfectly, and had given Burt the means to show the correct gravity and tone for the day…
His brief interview over, Burt and Carole headed for the Abbey doors, only to discover that Jeff had been caught by the crew from NBC; the female correspondent had been the one to report on the first success of The Judging Angel many years before and had recognised him at once. The fact that he had his OBE medal pinned to his chest had made him all the more obvious a person to target. Nick saw the panicked look on his husband's face as he was called over, and so leaving Wes in the care of Miss Frobisher, he went over to join the blond. Having dealt with Jeff before, the veteran reporter knew of his aversion to interviews, so she had no issue with Nick standing at his side.
She began her interview by asking Jeff if it was true that he was an official Coronation artist, appointed by the King himself; the blond knew that the full list was well known in the United Kingdom, but realised that it probably wasn't known about by the bulk of the audience back home. "Yes, that is true; I was selected by His Majesty as a pair of safe hands, I guess. I was a favourite artist of his late mother, so he knows that the works I will produce will be in keeping with the solemnity of the event. I am both honoured and proud to be here."
"And speaking of honour, I see that you are wearing one…"
"Yes, it was quite a surprise when the late Queen awarded me an honorary OBE, and it feels so appropriate to be wearing it today."
"It certainly does make you look the part. Now, we do have to mention the weather…"
"Well, a lot of people have said that a day of bright sunshine, cloudless blue skies and warmth would make the Coronation even more special, but I have to disagree with them. The heat would make life more difficult for everyone, from the Royal Family in their ceremonial robes to the troops that will be marching through the streets in dress uniform; it isn't that long ago that a guardsman collapsed due to the heat at the Trooping of the Colour, and we don't want a repeat of that. I am also reliably informed that it rained for the last three Coronations at least, so why break with a tradition?"
That comment made the reporter laugh, and Nick grin; she thanked them, and Jeff smiled as he walked on. He rejoined the others at the door to the Abbey, where their passes were being checked again before they stepped inside. Once through those doors, Jeff knew he would have to part from them again for a few hours…
Jeff's brief moment on NBC was the first thing that Thad saw in Manhattan as he switched on the television at 5.15am; he laughed as Caleb left the fridge door to run across to the television to miaow at the screen. Naturally, Jeff did not respond to him, and with his tail raised, Caleb stalked back to look pointedly between Thad and the fridge door once more. Thad shook his head, changed the channel to BBC America, which was showing the UK coverage, and then went to feed the expectant cat. Only then did he make his own breakfast, thinking as he did so about what the day would bring.
Unlike for the Queen's funeral in January, there would be no mass assembly of the residents of the street in the house that he was minding. The consensus was that it was better for them all to stay in their own homes, as it meant there was no need for sleepy children to get dressed and leave home, nor indeed for their parents to do likewise. Thad suspected that there might also be the fact that there was no Nick catering for them all this time, as he was in London…
Thad therefore did not hurry over his breakfast, listening to the dignified and respectful commentary on the BBC, where the presenter had been joined by the veteran broadcaster David Dimbleby, the now retired reporter that had been the voice of gravity that had commented on the committal service at Windsor for the previous monarch, and whose father had anchored the commentary for the last Coronation in 1953 on the fledgling BBC television service. The fact that he had been approached to actually anchor the commentary that day was no surprise, given that past connection, but he had declined, as advancing age made such long days all the more onerous now.
Thad smiled at those words, as he could understand exactly where he was coming from; he was only in his early thirties, but even he felt the pangs of age when the day was a stressful one. Then there was his back, which ached at times, just as it was that morning, but he knew it would fade soon enough. As the time approached 6am, the monarch on his way to the Abbey in the modern gold coach, he performed his ablutions, dressed in suitable attire, then with a thermos flask of coffee at his side, he settled in the high-backed armchair that Nick favoured, having moved it slightly so it was looking right at the screen. He watched as the coach approached the Abbey, light rain falling as it did, but the crowds cheering none the less. He was not in the least surprised to feel a sudden weight on his lap, and he gently stroked Caleb as he made himself comfortable. Meanwhile the television showed that even in the rain, Britain could still deliver all the pomp and pageantry that the world expected on these state occasions…
By that point, Westminster Abbey itself was full. After Jeff had headed for his privileged and secret viewpoint, a verger in black cassock had guided the rest of the party to their seats; they were good ones, close to the arch that gave entrance into the choir, with a view into that area as well. There was also a television screen mounted high up on the wall opposite, which was already showing an image of the currently empty St Edwards' throne, and that would save them from having to sit with their heads turned to stare through the archway.
The other guests were filing in, and on their left they discovered they would have two of the German princes that were relatives of the King on his father's side; they recognised Burt of course, and Nick found himself acting as a translator between them and the congressman so that they could discuss complex matters in comfort. On their right side they discovered that they would be joined by a trio of actresses; Dame Joanna Lumley, a long-time friend of the new monarch, was joined by the veteran Dame Judi Dench and Dame Maggie Smith. It would be Dame Judi that would make the introductions to Miss Frobisher and Carole, and then start a conversation amongst the group of women. Miss Frobisher felt a little overwhelmed to be in such illustrious company, whilst Carole felt underdressed, as she was the only one not wearing an honour of some sort.
However, she was the one that mentioned knowing Artie Abrams since childhood, and that lead to the discussion moving on to the Bond franchise, in which two of the three actresses had played a part. Of course, the subject of the calls for a female to play the titular character came up… "I have never understood that," remarked Miss Frobisher. "I think that the earnest ladies who cry for that have forgotten who his boss was for nearly twenty years; he had a woman as his superior, which is surely what the feminists really want…"
As Dame Judi nodded, one of the other ladies remarked that perhaps what those women wanted was to see a lot of speedo clad Bond boys by a swimming pool instead of a bevy of bikini clad Bond girls…
"On a different note, do you have any idea who should be sitting in that empty chair," asked Dame Joanna. "I can positively feel every eye in the place staring at it, wondering who has the audacity to be so late today of all days."
Carole looked across the aisle then, and realised that the actress was right, every eye in the place seemed to be focused on the empty chair beside her. "I do know, as it happens, and I am sure they will be here in just one moment. In fact, her arrival will signal that the two main guests have arrived as well," she whispered, as she saw that the Prince and Princess of Wales were now walking down the aisle towards them, their children behind them. She had to stifle a chuckle as Prince Louis saw Wes in the front row and waved to him, before Princess Charlotte could stop him. She also saw that Nick was ensuring that his son did not compound the situation by waving back…
Turning her attention back to the three Dames, she saw confusion writ large upon their faces at her words, so she added a few words. "Her youngest son was the fiancé of my stepson, until they both lost their lives in the most tragic of circumstances. Pam Anderson remains a close friend even now…"
"Not the Pam Anderson of Bloomingdales!" gasped Dame Joanna. When Carole nodded, she added, "Well that is simply marvellous! Do you think that she might possibly have time before she heads home to give make-up advice to three Dames of the British Empire?"
Obviously, Carole could not say one way or another whether that would be possible, but she had the feeling that Pam would oblige. It would make her employer very happy, and that was the perfect way to get even more revenge on the man that she had once been married to…
Back across town at that moment, in their rental apartment near Holborn station, Adam and Lawrence were curled up on the sofa together, glasses of lemonade in front of them as they watched the Gold Coach pull up outside the main entrance door of Westminster Abbey. The rain was now falling steadily; earlier, as the procession had passed the spot where he and Sam had been filming the previous day, Adam had laughed, and said, "Ah well, all this makes filming that third take and getting soaked to the skin in the process worthwhile. It was one of the worst acting moments I have ever had in my career, but no-one will be able to question the accuracy of the scene now."
The more modern of the two Gold Coaches had now reached the end of its part in the ceremony, and it would be replaced for the return trip to the Palace by the older and much less comfortable Gold State Coach, so that tradition could be observed. The temporary canopy that had been erected outside the Abbey was now also being shown to be justified, as the royal couple were able to step out of the coach in their ceremonial robes onto a bone-dry red carpet. Their robes would also remain dry as they organised themselves to enter the Abbey, which was a good thing as they were heavy enough when dry…
Prince George was at the door, his role as one of the pages charged with carrying the train of the King's robes already well known of. He would be one of four carrying that heavy train, another four in charge of carrying that of the Queen Consort, all of the boys known to the couple personally in some way. As everything was organised, Adam glanced at the clock on the wall and smiled. "The trains in this country have a reputation for being unreliable and perpetually late, but the Royal family is always on time for the big formal occasions. The Coronation ceremony is due to commence at 11am, and there they are, about to step inside, with just 30 seconds to go! I am just glad that the service today is not the three-hour marathon that they had in 1953…"
Adam stopped talking as the clock hit 11am, and the bells of Big Ben rang out across the city to confirm that the time had come. In the Abbey, the organ music that had been playing out for some time came to a natural close, also timed to the exact second, and that was the moment that Pam slipped discretely into her seat, smiling broadly and looking as glamorous as all of the other guests. All was well, the make-up she had applied for the Queen Consort still perfect; she could relax for a little bit now, her job done, now able to be just a spectator as a moment in history took place in front of her…
