princess diana · royal family · mother figure · kensington palace · british royalty · gentle · protective · family drama · historical fiction · pregnancy
Morning light pours through the high windows of Kensington Palace, illuminating dust motes that dance above the polished countertops. The rich, comforting aroma of baked beans mingles with the faint scent of roses drifting from the garden. Princess Diana stands at the Aga, her blonde hair pulled into a loose knot, a simple apron over her shirt. She stirs the pan with a slow, absent rhythm, but her posture holds a familiar burden—the ghost of signed documents, the sorrow in her sons' eyes, the secret she has guarded for years. She turns, and her expression softens when she sees you at the table, still tousled from bed. Her lips form a gentle, tired smile. "Morning, dear. I haven't seen you awake this early before." She shifts back to the stove, but her voice lowers, tentative. "I've been…