Chapter 2. Preparations for Further Royal Visits.
by Sharphawlad
The captain sent a message to head office that there was a strong possibility that they might have royal visitors.
Head office replied, "We already have had the request. You are to change itinerary slightly. Tomorrow two queens will join your cruise just before departure for the fjords." Stockholm and Malmo are to be left untill the very last.” The Captain decided to call the couple’s daughter to ask some other questions.
Louise answered the telephone. "Yes Captain they do have Norwegian friends." Or at least the wife is. They are called Rose & David Kirkham and live on Greenacres in Skipton. The captain called the number he had been given he spoke to Rose. Sorry for disturbing you at home but we have a slight problem on board the Midnight sun. By any chance are you also known as Princess Rose of Oslo?
Rose laughed, Yes that is one of my names but nobody round here knows me as that."
"Can you confirm you know William & Lynn Church."
"Captain they are great friends of mine as is their daughter Louise who is my god daughter." As she was speaking the doorbell rang and Louise entered the room.
“Something is very odd Aunt Rose the captain rang from the ship about my parents.”
Rose, "Captain can you squeeze Louise and myself in a cabin somewhere. We will take a flight to Oslo and meet you there.”
Louise , "I only asked him to do something special because it was their 25th Wedding anniversary.”
Rose dialed a number and spoke with her older sister.
Rose put the telephone down. “Apparently my sister has had a similar telephone call about me.”
Roses daughter Annmarie, "I am coming as well mum. Dad can manage my daughter OK. I hope we can solve what trouble they are in.”
The captain spoke to his second in command. That was Princess Rose of Oslo she is bringing her daughter Anne Marie and their daughter Louise.
"I take it sir in that case we can also expect a visit from her Sister Queen Olga? This trip is certainly going to be different. How can they go through life with out realising who their friends are?”
As they were speaking the head office spoke. What is happening on your ship? We now have the Norwegian Queen asking to have a berth?"
It appears we have a guest on board who are great friends with all those Royal families. I already have had a Norwegian Princess inform me she will be having a berth on board ship.
Head office replied. "It appears you are going to have to divert to Oslo and there the majority of your passengers will have to change to the Daylight Moon." We already have double-checked the passenger list and it might be better if these passengers stayed on board as they all have Royal connections.”
The captain called his stewards and they went round the passengers on the stay list. The Captain spoke through the shops Tannoy system. I am terribly sorry but we are encountering engine problems so to facilitate repairs we have to stop at Oslo. So as not to disturb your holiday I have arranged for our Sister ship the Daylight Moon to take some of you. Your luggage will be packed up and placed in the appropriate cabin on that ship while we have the alterations done. Unfortunately the Daylight Moon can not take everybody so I have decided to do this by lottery. If you have won a place on the Daylight Moon your steward will inform you." "For the remainder of the passengers you may have a day or so longer in Oslo before we set sail again." You will still have tomorrow in Copenhagen.”
William & Lynn had packed up half expecting to get moved. The steward came in and saw the cases. Sorry but you are not being moved. The truth is we have to lose some of the passengers because we need the room for security. Her majesty has decided she will be accompanying you on the tour of the fjords. You must have done some thing to impress her.”
William, All we did was talk to a couple in the Tivoli. They are supposed to be taking us out today.”
“Yes I know and so does all the crew as we have been up all the night making sure every thing is spick an span.”
Captain replies, "Yes I understand you are going to Legoland for the day with them."
Sure enough on the dot of nine the Black Rolls Royce again drew up bearing the insignia of the Queen. This time the Captain and crew were prepared for the visit. Helga tapped one of the crew. "You can accompany us also."
The Captain, "Her Majesty out ranks me so you had better do as required."
William had been confiding with the same crew member how he was looking forward to the stop at Bonhomie. "I doubt that my friend will still be living there but we can pay our respects to her father and lay some flowers on his grave.”
The crew member, "Kirsten he has not twigged yet you are his young friend from all those years ago." "He though has never forgotten you and told me something that surprised me." He told me he had made arrangements to go to Bonhomie with the intention of proposing to you but fate intervened. He does not expect to see you as you told him you were moving to France. He does intend to lay some flowers on your father’s grave though.”
"I was correct then he would have proposed to me had father not died. I think the two of them are going to learn there are distinct advantages in having a queen or two as friends.”
“Actually your Majesty there may be more than two Queens as Princess Rose of Oslo is also joining the ship along with her daughter and their daughter Louise who is her god daughter.
Kirsten laughed ; "Apparently William knows more of my family than I realised."
"Mistress from what Princess Rose said, "Neither of them have any inkling who she actually is." "She was one of the first to see their daughter after she was born and is one of the girls god mothers along with her sister Queen Olga of Norway."
As William and Lynn left the ship there was considerable activity. Those who remained were surprised how fast the men seemed to be working.
One chap said to his wife, "We could do with a few like these at home every thing would be done in super fast time. Just before the boat was due to depart they all packed up and sided everything away. One chap was heard to say. "That was the quickest refit we have done so far."
Meanwhile William and Lynn along with their companions were enjoying the pleasures of Legoland. Eventually it was time to return & William noticed the ships name had been changed to the Royal Midnight Sun. Captain Swen and crew were awaiting their arrival.
Helga, "I see a few improvements have been made while we were away?"
"Yes Madame we have had a slight refit." The Steward showed her to her cabin. William noticed though she apparently knew exactly where to go." William asked the steward who had been with them all day to come and answer a few questions.
Both Lynn & William sat down as the steward said, "What would you like to know?"
"Well Queen Helga knows her way around here as if it is she travels on this ship every day."
"That is easy to answer for her majesty along with her cousins owns Scandinavian lines. Indirectly of course she is my boss.”
“Ah that accounts for the instant refit of the ship.”
“That would have been due in a few weeks time, anyway it was just brought forward.”
“May I ask why she picked on you to accompany us today?”
"I have known her majesty from being a little princess on my home island."
Lynn was far more observant than her husband was and he had just gone to the toilet. “What was the name of your island steward?”
“Bonhomie Madame but please do not tell your husband yet.”
Am I to take it my husband has previously consorted with Queen Helga."
"The truth Madame is he knows more than one queen and does not realise it & I believe you have one of our Princesses as a god mother to your daughter.”
"No we have my Brother in law and Rose & her sister Olga."
"As I said mistress, Princess Rose of Oslo is your daughter’s godmother. She is meeting this ship with your daughter and her daughter in Oslo.
Lynn decided to keep quiet and see how long it took William to realise who he had been consorting with. “Madame over the years your husband has unwittingly made friends with many Royally.”
“William told me about meeting the Princess Royal unexpectedly at Bramham.”
