Epilogue

Epilogue

I helped Meg into the boat. It wobbled, but I quick-stepped to the middle, got it righted in time.

As she found a seat in the stern, I took up the oars¹. They didn’t work.

We’re stuck.

The thick mud of the shallows had us in its grip.

Uncle Charles came down to the water’s edge, gave us a little shove. We waved to him, and to

my two aunts. Bye. See you in a bit.

Gliding² across the pond, I gazed around at Althorp’s rolling fields and ancient trees, the

thousands of green acres where my mother grew up, and where, though things weren’t perfect,

she’d known some peace.

Minutes later we reached the island and gingerly stepped onto the shore. I led Meg up the path,

around a hedge, through the labyrinth³. There it was, looming⁴: the grayish white oval stone.

No visit to this place was ever easy, but this one…

Twenty-fifth anniversary.

And Meg’s first time.

At long last I was bringing the girl of my dreams home to meet mum.

We hesitated, hugging, and then I went first. I placed flowers on the grave. Meg gave me a

moment, and I spoke⁵ to my mother in my head, told her I missed her, asked her for guidance and

clarity.

Feeling that Meg might also want a moment, I went around the hedge, scanned the pond.

When I came back, Meg was kneeling, eyes shut, palms against the stone.

I asked, as we walked back to the boat, what she’d prayed for.

Clarity, she said. And guidance.

—

The next few days were given over to a whirlwind work trip. Manchester, Dusseldorf, then back to

London for the WellChild Awards. But that day—September 8, 2022—a call came in around

lunchtime.

Unknown number.

Hello?

It was Pa. Granny’s health had taken a turn.

She was up at Balmoral, of course. Those beautiful, melancholy⁶ late-summer days. He hung

up—he had many other calls to make—and I immediately texted Willy to ask whether he and Kate

were flying up. If so, when? And how?

No response. Meg and I looked at flight options.

The press started phoning; we couldn’t delay a decision any longer. We told our team to

confirm: We’d be missing the WellChild Awards and hurrying up to Scotland.

Then came another call from Pa.

He said I was welcome at Balmoral, but he didn’t want…her. He started to lay out his reason,

which was nonsensical, and disrespectful, and I wasn’t having it. Don’t ever speak about my wife

that way.

He stammered⁷, apologetic, saying he simply didn’t want a lot of people around. No other

wives were coming, Kate wasn’t coming, he said, therefore Meg shouldn’t.

Then that’s all you needed to say.

By now it was midafternoon; no more commercial flights that day to Aberdeen. And I still had

no response from Willy. My only option, therefore, was a charter out of Luton.

I was on board two hours later.

I spent much of the flight staring at the clouds, replaying the last time I’d spoken with Granny.

Four days earlier, long chat on the phone. We’d touched on many topics. Her health, of course.

The turmoil⁸ at Number 10. The Braemar Games—she was sorry about not being well enough to

attend. We talked also about the biblical drought. The lawn at Frogmore, where Meg and I were

staying, was in terrible shape. Looks like the top of my head, Granny! Balding and brown in

patches.

She laughed.

I told her to take care, I looked forward to seeing her soon.

As the plane began its descent, my phone lit up. A text from Meg. Call me the moment you get

this.

I checked the BBC website.

Granny was gone.

Pa was King.

I put on my black tie, walked off the plane into a thick mist, sped in a borrowed car to

Balmoral. As I pulled through the front gates it was wetter, and pitch-dark, which made the white

flashes from the dozens of cameras that much more blinding.

Hunched⁹ against the cold, I hurried into the foyer. Aunt Anne was there to greet me.

I hugged her. Where’s Pa and Willy? And Camilla?

Gone to Birkhall, she said.

She asked if I wanted to see Granny.

Yes…I do.

She led me upstairs, to Granny’s bedroom. I braced¹⁰ myself, went in. The room was dimly lit,

unfamiliar—I’d been inside it only once in my life. I moved ahead uncertainly, and there she was.

I stood, frozen, staring. I stared and stared. It was difficult, but I kept on, thinking how I’d

regretted not seeing my mother at the end. Years of lamenting¹¹ that lack of proof, postponing¹² my

grief for want of proof. Now I thought: Proof. Careful what you wish for.

I whispered to her that I hoped she was happy, that I hoped she was with Grandpa. I said that I

was in awe¹³ of her carrying out her duties to the last. The Jubilee¹⁴, the welcoming of a new prime

minister. On her ninetieth birthday my father had given a touching¹⁵ tribute, quoting Shakespeare on

Elizabeth I:

…no day without a deed to crown it.

Ever true.

I left the room, went back along the corridor, across the tartan carpet, past the statue of Queen

Victoria. Your Majesty¹⁶. I rang Meg, told her I’d made it, that I was OK, then walked into the

sitting room and ate dinner with most of my family, though still no Pa, Willy, or Camilla.

Towards the end of the meal, I braced myself for the bagpipes¹⁷. But out of respect for Granny

there was nothing. An eerie¹⁸ silence.

The hour getting late, everyone drifted off to their rooms, except me. I went on a wander, up

and down the stairs, the halls, ending up at the nursery. The old- fashioned basins, the tub,

everything the same as it had been twenty-five years ago. I passed most of the night time-traveling

in my thoughts while trying to make actual travel arrangements on my phone.

The quickest way back would’ve been a lift with Pa or Willy…Barring that, it was British

Airways¹⁹, departing Balmoral at daybreak. I bought a seat and was among the first to board.

Soon after settling into a front row, I sensed a presence on my right. Deepest sympathies, said

a fellow passenger before heading down the aisle²⁰.

Thank you.

Moments later, another presence.

Condolences, Harry²¹.

Thanks…very much.

Most passengers stopped to offer a kind word, and I felt a deep kinship with them all.

Our country, I thought.

Our Queen.

—

Meg greeted me at the front door of Frogmore with a long embrace, which I desperately²² needed.

We sat down with a glass of water and a calendar. Our quick trip would now be an odyssey²³.

Another ten days, at least. Difficult days at that. More, we’d have to be away from the children for

longer than we’d planned, longer than we’d ever been.

When the funeral finally took place, Willy and I, barely exchanging a word, took our familiar

places, set off on our familiar journey, behind yet another coffin²⁴ draped in the Royal Standard,

sitting atop another horse-pulled gun carriage. Same route, same sights—though this time, unlike

at previous funerals, we were shoulder to shoulder. Also, music was playing.

When we got to St. George’s Chapel²⁵, amid the roar of dozens of bagpipes, I thought of all the

big occasions I’d experienced under that roof. Grandpa’s farewell, my wedding. Even the ordinary

times, simple Easter Sundays, felt especially poignant²⁶, the whole family alive and together.

Suddenly I was wiping my eyes.

Why now? I wondered. Why?

The following afternoon Meg and I left for America.

—

For days and days we couldn’t stop hugging the children, couldn’t let them out of our sight—

though I also couldn’t stop picturing them with Granny. The final visit. Archie making deep,

chivalrous²⁷ bows, his baby sister Lilibet cuddling the monarch’s shins. Sweetest children, Granny

said, sounding bemused. She’d expected them to be a bit more…American, I think? Meaning, in

her mind, more rambunctious²⁸.

Now, while overjoyed to be home again, doing drop-offs again, reading Giraffes Can’t Dance

again, I couldn’t stop…remembering. Day and night, images flitted through my mind.

Standing²⁹ before her during my passing-out parade, shoulders thrown back, catching³⁰ her half

smile. Stationed beside her on the balcony, saying something that caught her off guard and made

her, despite the solemnity of the occasion, laugh out loud. Leaning into her ear, so many times,

smelling her perfume as I whispered a joke. Kissing both cheeks at one public event, just recently,

placing a hand lightly on her shoulder, feeling how frail³¹ she was becoming. Making a silly video

for the first Invictus Games, discovering that she was a natural comedienne. People around the

world howled, and said they’d never suspected she possessed³² such a wicked sense of humor—but

she did, she always did! That was one of our little secrets. In fact, in every photo of us, whenever

we’re exchanging a glance, making solid eye contact, it’s clear: We had secrets.

Special relationship, that’s what they said about us, and now I couldn’t stop thinking about the

specialness that would no longer be. The visits that wouldn’t take place.

Ah well, I told myself, that’s just the deal, isn’t it? That’s life.

Still, as with so many partings, I just wished there’d been…one more goodbye.

Soon after our return, a hummingbird³³ got into the house. I had a devil of a time guiding it out,

and the thought occurred that maybe we should start shutting the doors, despite those heavenly

ocean breezes.

Then a mate said: Could be a sign, you know?

Some cultures see hummingbirds³⁴ as spirits, he said. Visitors, as it were. Aztecs thought them

reincarnated³⁵ warriors³⁶. Spanish explorers called them “resurrection birds.”

You don’t say?

I did some reading and learned that not only are hummingbirds visitors, they’re voyagers. The

lightest birds on the planet, and the fastest, they travel vast distances—from Mexican winter

homes to Alaskan nesting grounds. Whenever you see a hummingbird, what you’re actually seeing

is a tiny, glittering Odysseus.

So, naturally, when this hummingbird arrived, and swooped³⁷ around our kitchen, and flitted

through the sacred airspace we call Lili Land, where we’ve set the baby’s playpen with all her toys

and stuffed animals, I thought hopefully, greedily, foolishly:

Is our house a detour—or a destination?

For half a second I was tempted³⁸ to let the hummingbird be. Let it stay.

But no.

Gently I used Archie’s fishing net to scoop³⁹ it from the ceiling, carry it outside.

Its legs felt like eyelashes, its wings like flower petals⁴⁰.

With cupped palms I set the hummingbird gently on a wall in the sun.

Goodbye, my friend.

But it just lay there.

Motionless.

No, I thought. No, not that.

Come on, come on.

You’re free.

Fly away.

And then, against all odds⁴¹, and all expectations, that wonderful, magical little creature

bestirred itself, and did just that.

1 oars   

n.桨，橹( oar的名词复数 )；划手v.划（行）( oar的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• He pulled as hard as he could on the oars. 他拼命地划桨。
• The sailors are bending to the oars. 水手们在拼命地划桨。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 gliding   

v. 滑翔 adj. 滑动的

参考例句：

• Swans went gliding past. 天鹅滑行而过。
• The weather forecast has put a question mark against the chance of doing any gliding tomorrow. 天气预报对明天是否能举行滑翔表示怀疑。

3 labyrinth   

n.迷宫；难解的事物；迷路

参考例句：

• He wandered through the labyrinth of the alleyways.他在迷宫似的小巷中闲逛。
• The human mind is a labyrinth.人的心灵是一座迷宫。

4 looming   

n.上现蜃景（光通过低层大气发生异常折射形成的一种海市蜃楼）v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的现在分词 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近

参考例句：

• The foothills were looming ahead through the haze. 丘陵地带透过薄雾朦胧地出现在眼前。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Then they looked up. Looming above them was Mount Proteome. 接着他们往上看，在其上隐约看到的是蛋白质组山。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 回顾与展望

5 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

6 melancholy   

n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的

参考例句：

• All at once he fell into a state of profound melancholy.他立即陷入无尽的忧思之中。
• He felt melancholy after he failed the exam.这次考试没通过，他感到很郁闷。

7 stammered   

v.结巴地说出( stammer的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He stammered most when he was nervous. 他一紧张往往口吃。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• Barsad leaned back in his chair, and stammered, \"What do you mean?\" 巴萨往椅背上一靠，结结巴巴地说，“你是什么意思？” 来自英汉文学 - 双城记

8 turmoil   

n.骚乱，混乱，动乱

参考例句：

• His mind was in such a turmoil that he couldn't get to sleep.内心的纷扰使他无法入睡。
• The robbery put the village in a turmoil.抢劫使全村陷入混乱。

9 hunched   

（常指因寒冷、生病或愁苦）耸肩弓身的，伏首前倾的

参考例句：

• He sat with his shoulders hunched up. 他耸起双肩坐着。
• Stephen hunched down to light a cigarette. 斯蒂芬弓着身子点燃一支烟。

10 braced   

adj.拉牢的v.支住( brace的过去式和过去分词 )；撑牢；使自己站稳；振作起来

参考例句：

• They braced up the old house with balks of timber. 他们用梁木加固旧房子。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The house has a wooden frame which is braced with brick. 这幢房子是木结构的砖瓦房。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 lamenting   

adj.悲伤的，悲哀的v.（为…）哀悼，痛哭，悲伤( lament的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Katydids were lamenting fall's approach. 蝈蝈儿正为秋天临近而哀鸣。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Lamenting because the papers hadn't been destroyed and the money kept. 她正在吃后悔药呢，后悔自己没有毁了那张字条，把钱昧下来！ 来自英汉文学 - 败坏赫德莱堡

12 postponing   

v.延期，推迟( postpone的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• He tried to gain time by postponing his decision. 他想以迟迟不作决定的手段来争取时间。 来自辞典例句
• I don't hold with the idea of postponing further discussion of the matter. 我不赞成推迟进一步讨论这件事的想法。 来自辞典例句

13 awe   

n.敬畏，惊惧；vt.使敬畏，使惊惧

参考例句：

• The sight filled us with awe.这景色使我们大为惊叹。
• The approaching tornado struck awe in our hearts.正在逼近的龙卷风使我们惊恐万分。

14 jubilee   

n.周年纪念；欢乐

参考例句：

• They had a big jubilee to celebrate the victory.他们举行盛大的周年纪念活动以祝贺胜利。
• Every Jubilee,to take the opposite case,has served a function.反过来说，历次君主巡幸，都曾起到某种作用。

15 touching   

adj.动人的，使人感伤的

参考例句：

• It was a touching sight.这是一幅动人的景象。
• His letter was touching.他的信很感人。

16 majesty   

n.雄伟，壮丽，庄严，威严；最高权威，王权

参考例句：

• The king had unspeakable majesty.国王有无法形容的威严。
• Your Majesty must make up your mind quickly!尊贵的陛下，您必须赶快做出决定！

17 bagpipes   

n.风笛；风笛( bagpipe的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Yes, and I'm also learning to play the bagpipes. 是的，我也想学习吹风笛。 来自超越目标英语 第3册
• Mr. Vinegar took the bagpipes and the piper led the cow away. 于是醋溜先生拿过了风笛，风笛手牵走了奶牛。 来自互联网

18 eerie   

adj.怪诞的；奇异的；可怕的；胆怯的

参考例句：

• It's eerie to walk through a dark wood at night.夜晚在漆黑的森林中行走很是恐怖。
• I walked down the eerie dark path.我走在那条漆黑恐怖的小路上。

19 AIRWAYS   

航空公司

参考例句：

• The giant jets that increasingly dominate the world's airways. 越来越称雄于世界航线的巨型喷气机。
• At one point the company bought from Nippon Airways a 727 jet. 有一次公司从日本航空公司买了一架727型喷气机。

20 aisle   

n.（教堂、教室、戏院等里的）过道，通道

参考例句：

• The aisle was crammed with people.过道上挤满了人。
• The girl ushered me along the aisle to my seat.引座小姐带领我沿着通道到我的座位上去。

21 harry   

vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼

参考例句：

• Today,people feel more hurried and harried.今天，人们感到更加忙碌和苦恼。
• Obama harried business by Healthcare Reform plan.奥巴马用医改掠夺了商界。

22 desperately   

adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地

参考例句：

• He was desperately seeking a way to see her again.他正拼命想办法再见她一面。
• He longed desperately to be back at home.他非常渴望回家。

23 odyssey   

n.长途冒险旅行；一连串的冒险

参考例句：

• The march to Travnik was the final stretch of a 16-hour odyssey.去特拉夫尼克的这段路是长达16小时艰险旅行的最后一程。
• His odyssey of passion, friendship,love,and revenge was now finished.他的热情、友谊、爱情和复仇的漫长历程，到此结束了。

24 coffin   

n.棺材，灵柩

参考例句：

• When one's coffin is covered,all discussion about him can be settled.盖棺论定。
• The coffin was placed in the grave.那口棺材已安放到坟墓里去了。

25 chapel   

n.小教堂，殡仪馆

参考例句：

• The nimble hero,skipped into a chapel that stood near.敏捷的英雄跳进近旁的一座小教堂里。
• She was on the peak that Sunday afternoon when she played in chapel.那个星期天的下午，她在小教堂的演出，可以说是登峰造极。

26 poignant   

adj.令人痛苦的，辛酸的，惨痛的

参考例句：

• His lyrics are as acerbic and poignant as they ever have been.他的歌词一如既往的犀利辛辣。
• It is especially poignant that he died on the day before his wedding.他在婚礼前一天去世了，这尤其令人悲恸。

27 chivalrous   

adj.武士精神的；对女人彬彬有礼的

参考例句：

• Men are so little chivalrous now.现在的男人几乎没有什么骑士风度了。
• Toward women he was nobly restrained and chivalrous.对于妇女，他表现得高尚拘谨，尊敬三分。

28 rambunctious   

adj.喧闹的；粗鲁的

参考例句：

• Their rambunctious son always got into trouble.他们那个不受管束的儿子老是惹麻烦。
• It's not the chirping,rambunctious play that they did when they first arrived.他们现在已经不像刚开始见面那会儿，总是冲着对方乱叫，或者在玩耍时动作粗暴。

29 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

30 catching   

adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住

参考例句：

• There are those who think eczema is catching.有人就是认为湿疹会传染。
• Enthusiasm is very catching.热情非常富有感染力。

31 frail   

adj.身体虚弱的；易损坏的

参考例句：

• Mrs. Warner is already 96 and too frail to live by herself.华纳太太已经九十六岁了，身体虚弱，不便独居。
• She lay in bed looking particularly frail.她躺在床上，看上去特别虚弱。

32 possessed   

adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的

参考例句：

• He flew out of the room like a man possessed.他像着了魔似地猛然冲出房门。
• He behaved like someone possessed.他行为举止像是魔怔了。

33 hummingbird   

n.蜂鸟

参考例句：

• The hummingbird perches on a twig of the hawthorn.小蜂鸟栖在山楂树枝上。
• The hummingbird is the only bird that can fly backward.蜂鸟是唯一能倒退向后飞的鸟。

34 hummingbirds   

n.蜂鸟( hummingbird的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Hummingbirds have discovered that nectar and pollen are very nutritious. 蜂鸟发现花蜜和花粉是很有营养的。
• Why do hummingbirds and gorillas both have backbones? 为什么蜂鸟和大猩猩都有脊骨？

35 reincarnated   

v.赋予新形体，使转世化身( reincarnate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• They believe humans are reincarnated in animal form. 他们相信人死后转生为动物。
• She was reincarnated as a snake. 她化身为一条蛇。 来自辞典例句

36 warriors   

武士，勇士，战士( warrior的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• I like reading the stories ofancient warriors. 我喜欢读有关古代武士的故事。
• The warriors speared the man to death. 武士们把那个男子戳死了。

37 swooped   

俯冲，猛冲( swoop的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The aircraft swooped down over the buildings. 飞机俯冲到那些建筑物上方。
• The hawk swooped down on the rabbit and killed it. 鹰猛地朝兔子扑下来，并把它杀死。

38 tempted   

v.怂恿（某人）干不正当的事；冒…的险（tempt的过去分词）

参考例句：

• I was sorely tempted to complain, but I didn't. 我极想发牢骚，但还是没开口。
• I was tempted by the dessert menu. 甜食菜单馋得我垂涎欲滴。

39 scoop   

n.铲子，舀取，独家新闻；v.汲取，舀取，抢先登出

参考例句：

• In the morning he must get his boy to scoop it out.早上一定得叫佣人把它剜出来。
• Uh,one scoop of coffee and one scoop of chocolate for me.我要一勺咖啡的和一勺巧克力的。

40 petals   

n.花瓣( petal的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• white petals tinged with blue 略带蓝色的白花瓣
• The petals of many flowers expand in the sunshine. 许多花瓣在阳光下开放。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

41 odds   

n.让步，机率，可能性，比率；胜败优劣之别

参考例句：

• The odds are 5 to 1 that she will win.她获胜的机会是五比一。
• Do you know the odds of winning the lottery once?你知道赢得一次彩票的几率多大吗？