“That’s beautiful. Sisterhood,” he says, sighing and nodding. Tilting his head, he gives me what I imagine is his best attempt at a sympathetic look (although to me, it looks like he’s holding in a toot). “You lost your mum when you were only three months old. Tell me, Your Highness, is it as hard as one would think to be without a mother at such a momentous time in a woman’s life? Is there a mum-sized hole in your life that simply cannot be filled?”
Oh for… “Of course I wish my mother were here. Always. But I’m so fortunate to have my gran, who stepped in to fill that void. I’m also very close to my father, my brother, and to Princess Tessa, who truly is like a sister to me.”
“But still…” he says, leaning forward. “You must think about what lullabies she would have sung to you as a child and what kind of advice she would give you now as you prepare to become a wife, and perhaps a mother?”
Bastard. I swallow the lump in my throat and nod.Don’t tear up, you ninny.“Certainly those thoughts come to mind at times, but again, I find focusing on what I do have is infinitely better than wasting time feeling sorry for myself about things I can’t change.”
“If she were here now, what do you think she would say?”
I give him a wry smile. “I imagine she’d tell you to stop trying to turn this interview into a melodrama.”
Nigel looks taken aback, then says, “Touché.”
He reaches down and has a sip of water, then sets the glass down, hopefully ready to move on. "I understand Mr. Banks has been away for several weeks now. You’ll probably recall seeing footage of Lady Diana Spencer crying when she had to bid farewell to Prince Charles when he left for six weeks in Australia before their wedding. Your situation reminds me so much of that. Did you cry when he left?"
Ignoring the question, I pivot. "It's always difficult when the person you love has to go away for lengthy periods of time, and we’re so very fond of each other.”
“I take that as a yes,” he says triumphantly.
“Take it however you like.”
“Have you spoken to him recently?”
“Yes, we speak every chance we get.”
“But I’ve heard that you aren’t able to speak often because his filming locations are so remote that there isn't even phone reception for the most part. Do you lie awake worrying? And if so, do you resent him for making you lie awake at night just so he can go off on another adventure?”
I scoff and roll my eyes, completely abandoning proper decorum. “Not a bit. Having experienced that life with Will out in the jungle, albeit for a short period of time, I do have an understanding of what he's going through out there, and knowing how much he loves it makes it much easier for me to be happy for him while I anticipate his return."Hmm, I wonder if I could have a career in politics if I hadn't been a princess?
“Do you think his frequent travelling could negatively impact your relationship over the long haul?”
Shaking my head, I say, “No, I do not. One of the things I love about him is his commitment to and passion for his work. Besides, I’m hardly sitting at home all day bored and pining. I’m also very busy with fulfilling and important work as well, such as my ambassadorship with the Equal Everywhere Campaign. Our goal this year is to…” I drone on about it while Nigel shuffles his papers, then realize all of this is going to be cut, isn’t it?
Yes, yes it is.
When I stop, Nigel re-engages. "As you know I’ll be meeting Will at his home in Paradise Bay on Santa Valentina Island to offer our viewers an exclusive look at the latest royal groom’s childhood home and to get to know his family. Give me the inside scoop, if you will, Your Highness. What can I expect?"
"Expect to absolutely love it there. Paradise Bay is aptly named. It's a terrifically gorgeous part of the Caribbean and there are many untouched natural areas to enjoy. And William’s family is most hospitable and incredibly fun."
"Are you looking forward to joining the Banks clan, then?"
"I am. It would be impossible not to feel comfortable with them — they're just such good people."
“Lovely,” he says, looking utterly bored. “And will you be having a hen’s party?”
“No,” I say with what I know is a rather condescending head shake. “That’s for much younger women than me.”
“So, you’re not doing any sort of celebrating with your girlfriends?” Nigel asks, looking skeptical. “Say, maybe a trip to Ibiza like you took with Princess Tessa a few years back?”
My cheeks warm up as my mind flashes back to her, Nikki, and me in a jail cell. “No, nothing like that. They want to take me for a quiet dinner, which suits me perfectly.”
“Any idea where you’ll be dining?”
“I think they said something about French food but I want them to surprise me.”
“Well,bon appétit!”
“Thank you.”
