“It’s just that we got so invested in them and their relationship and they’re just… gone.” He tilted his head until it rested on top of hers.
“They may not be gone for good,” she told him. “No spoilers, but this is a magical land. Anything could happen.”
“You make an excellent point. I may need to find the books.” He pressed play again.
“They’re not the same,” she warned. “I think the books are better, but if you see the movies first, you might have a different opinion.”
“Duly noted.” He pulled her a little closer, and they settled in to watch the rest of the movie.
Snuggled in next to him, Catherine had an epiphany.
She could get used to this.
It wasJake's first official meeting as a member of the royal family. The PR team needed to figure out how to make the announcement about their marriage and how to spin it so the general public would understand why it was a good thing there wasn't a big royal wedding for the queen.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, sir." The head of PR, a lady in her early-forties with salt-and-pepper hair named Jessica, gave a small curtsy toward Jake and Catherine at the same time.
He looked at Catherine. "I'm probably going to have to get used to being addressed as 'sir' all the time, aren't I?"
She smiled and nodded. "Most likely." Catherine motioned to the conference table. "Please take your seats so we can get started."
The head of PR clicked to start thepresentation. "We all know we're going to have to release information about your marriage in the next few days, and ideally no later than tomorrow. We need to turn it into a way for the people in general to understand why it's a good thing."
"We can make the announcement and turn the birthday ball into a combination celebration," Catherine suggested. "I could even wear a wedding dress if that would help."
Jake wondered if that would be enough to pacify the royal watchers. "Could we do some sort of wedding-type celebrations? A drive through the city in a carriage in a wedding dress and tuxedo, a first kiss on a balcony somewhere, or other things of that nature."
Jessica nodded. "That's the conclusion we came to as well. We can start a couple of hours before the arrivals begin for the Ball. We can do a first look of sorts with the balcony at the cathedral then a parade of sorts through part of the city. When you return to the palace, we can do a turn on the balcony here with a first kiss and all of that."
"I like that idea," Catherine agreed with a nod. "Then maybe change into my actual birthday gown? My designer has worked hard on it for months, and I don't want it to go unused."
"I agree." Jessica's aide jumped in. "There's already been plenty of speculation on who the designer is and what the dress will look like. But it will be much easier to sell the public on the marriage if there's at least some wedding celebration."
"Then let's go with that." Catherine closed the folder in front of her. "Is that all?"
"Is what all?"
They all snapped their heads around at the sound of the voice behind them. Jake started to stand and noticed the others, except Catherine, did as well, but Catherine's father motioned for them to stay where they were.
"My apologies for being late. I had a phone call that couldn't wait and took longer than expected." He leaned over to kiss hisdaughter's cheek then took a seat next to Catherine. "Can you give me a brief rundown of the discussion to this point?"
Jessica did just that.
The Dowager Prince Consort nodded, but tapped his pen against the closed cover of his tablet. "There's something missing, but I'm not sure I can put my finger on what it is. Overall, I think it's a very good plan and likely the best option we have given the rest of the circumstances, especially since it won’t cost much more - at least compared to a full wedding."
"What do you think it might be?" Jake asked the question. He didn't know enough about what was expected from a royal wedding.
Jessica's aide pulled up something on her tablet and appeared to be scrolling. "The grand entrance."
"What do you mean?" Jake still didn't know.
"The queen and her father arriving a carriage or other vehicle and exiting outside the cathedral. Walking down the aisle. The first look by the groom. Those things." The aide closed the cover on her tablet. "The appeal isn't in the actual wedding itself. The appeal is the pomp and circumstance before and after. The guest list. The dresses. The fasteners and hair pieces. Who's seated where and what that might say about a particular person's relationship with the couple or their hierarchy in the family itself."
"All of that isn't an option," Prince Anthony told them. "But can we incorporate some of it, somehow? Perhaps..." He appeared to be thinking it over.
"What if we did an abbreviated version?" Catherine seemed to have an epiphany of some sort. "The family and I can leave from the west entrance and take one route to the Cathedral. There we get out of the vehicle and do a walk and first look on the side balcony there. Sort of like it would be inside but... not. Much shorter. Perhaps Jacob waits inside while we arrive and walk in through the main doors. Jacobemerges onto the balcony. It's positioned in such a way that many on the ground should be able to have a good view of it. That can be the end of the 'aisle.' We have a little moment, wave, perhaps do a very, very short ceremony of some sort, then Jacob and I take the carriage back to the palace by a different route and come in the front gate."
"That's an excellent idea." Jessica looked quite proud of the queen. "Perhaps exchange rings since I don't believe you did that at the first ceremony?" She looked at them for confirmation.
