章 37: Chapter 116 Coronation of the English King (2)
Entering the room, Elizabeth lifted the hem of her dress and curtsied. "Greetings, Prince Wilhelm."
"Elizabeth, it's been a while." Wilhelm walked forward, smiling. "Why so formal?"
The little princess immediately revealed a happy smile. "Big Brother Wilhelm."
"Very obedient." He reached out to pat the little princess's hair and then looked at the slightly shy girl hiding behind Elizabeth. "I presume this is Princess Margaret?"
"Margaret, don't forget your manners." Elizabeth nudged Margaret forward, and she also curtsied. "Greetings, Prince Wilhelm. Can I call you Big Brother Wilhelm too?"
"Of course. You came at the right time. Originally, these were meant for the evening, but since you're here now, let me give them to you. Miss Ina, where are the gifts I brought?"
Ina brought a suitcase, and Wilhelm took out four exquisite gift boxes. "These two are for Elizabeth, and these two are for Margaret."
"Thank you, Big Brother Wilhelm." The two girls carefully opened their gift boxes. Elizabeth received a book titled "Elizabeth's Fantasy Journey" and a set of Mickey Mouse pajamas. Margaret's gifts were a Snow White comic book and a slightly larger Mickey Mouse pajama set.
"Wow!" The two little princesses were overjoyed, unable to close their mouths. Just then, the doorbell rang again. Ina went to open the door, revealing Elizabeth and Margaret's mother, the Duchess of York.
"Mom!" Seeing their mother enter, Elizabeth and Margaret ran over to show off their gifts.
"Go find your dad, okay?" After ushering her two daughters out, the Duchess of York glanced at Ina standing nearby. "Prince Wilhelm, I'd like to speak with you alone."
"Miss Anna." Yannick nodded at Anna, who then left the room. Now, only the two of them remained. "Duchess of York... I suppose I should address you as Queen Elizabeth now."
Queen Elizabeth frowned, her face cold, and spoke sternly. "Prince Wilhelm, I hope you show some restraint in the future and refrain from writing me letters!"
"... Ever since I saw Queen Elizabeth last time, her beauty and grace have captivated my heart, even though my aspirations for the kingdom always take precedence. If not for the kingdom holding a more significant place in my heart, I might succumb to lovesickness and perish."
He recited a Chinese poem. Queen Elizabeth, of course, didn't understand and looked at him with a puzzled expression.
Wilhelm gave a self-deprecating smile and translated the poem into English. "You should resonate with this poem, after all, your relationship with Edward VIII..."
When Elizabeth was 5 years old, she met Edward VIII, then known as Prince Edward, at a party. In 1920, 19-year-old Elizabeth had become a noble young lady and met Albert (later George VI), Prince of York, at a party. Queen Mary knew that her second son, Albert, had an ambiguous relationship with musical actress Phyllis Monkman. So, she decided to have Albert marry Elizabeth. However, Elizabeth was actually infatuated with Albert's brother, Prince Edward.
Due to the flirtatious relationship between Edward and Elizabeth, in January 1923, a London newspaper, believing in rumors, announced on the front page that Elizabeth and Prince Edward were engaged. Buckingham Palace immediately denied this rumor. Shortly afterward, the royal family announced Elizabeth's engagement to Prince Albert. It wasn't until a year later that she married Albert under the pressure of the royal family.
Even after marriage, Elizabeth's relationship with Prince Edward remained very close. In a letter she wrote to him, she said, "Dear David (Edward VIII), you are very, very naughty and interesting."
"Don't you think you're being harsh on others but lenient with yourself? Didn't you, as a married woman, also get involved with..." Before he could finish, Queen Elizabeth abruptly approached, raising her hand to slap Wilhelm's face fiercely.
"Snap—" This slap was forceful, and Wilhelm even sensed a metallic taste in his mouth. Seeing another slap about to come, he suddenly grabbed her wrist. Ready to reprimand, he noticed a misty look in Queen Elizabeth's eyes.
"... Sorry, I shouldn't have brought up your painful past." Wilhelm, feeling somewhat guilty, released her hand and apologized. "I'm sorry."
Elizabeth had harbored resentment towards Mrs. Simpson for most of her life, not because she caused Edward VIII's abdication but because she took away the man she had once loved. When Edward VIII, now the Duke of Windsor, married Simpson in 1937, no members of the royal family attended their wedding. Simpson claimed that Elizabeth "hated us both".
Around 1970, according to Soames, he met the Duke and Duchess of Windsor at their residence in the Brenners Park Hotel in Paris. The Duke told Soames, "She (the Queen Mother) will never forgive me." Simpson added, "Because I married him." The Duke stated, "My sister-in-law loved me. I initially liked Elizabeth, but she would not forgive me for falling in love with Wallis. That's why she made our lives so miserable all these years."
The atmosphere in the room became awkward. Queen Elizabeth took a deep breath, calmed her fluctuating chest, and turned to walk towards the door.
Just as she reached the doorway, Wilhelm suddenly stopped her. "Your Majesty, as long as you nod, I can make that woman disappear." He clearly saw a tremor in Queen Elizabeth, who didn't turn back or leave, seeming to be caught in inner turmoil. "This little matter is within my capabilities. How would you like her to disappear? Locked in a lightless dungeon, enduring torture, or a swift and fatal blow? As for the reward, it's simple; you only need to reply to me, even with just a few words."
"... " Watching the silent departure of Elizabeth through the door, Wilhelm raised an eyebrow slightly. Did this count as approval? Women are indeed terrifying when they get ruthless!
As for Mrs. Simpson, Wilhelm wasn't seeking revenge for Queen Elizabeth; it was for Edward VIII. After all, Edward VIII's pro-German stance made it more advantageous for him to be the King of England than George VI.
Wilhelm didn't want Edward VIII to remain ensnared in Mrs. Simpson's gentle world without making progress. He needed to strive to regain the throne that rightfully belonged to him!
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