Designer, p.1
Designer, page 1
Hi! I’m Lily and I LOVE FASHION!
But even though one day I’ll be queen, setting my own style is against the ROYAL RULES. Which is why I became a SECRET FASHION VLOGGER.
I love customizing clothes for my vlog, but my BIG dream is to design my own BIRTHDAY BALLGOWN. And my mum has said I can – IF I can design a special uniform that fits the palace’s boring no-glitter guidelines first.
A good designer can design anything, right?
But can I design THIS?
Royally yours, Lily xoxo
For Eloise
Contents
Dedication
Chapter ONE
Chapter TWO
Chapter THREE
Chapter FOUR
Chapter FIVE
Chapter SIX
Chapter SEVEN
Chapter EIGHT
Chapter NINE
Chapter TEN
Chapter ELEVEN
Chapter TWELVE
Chapter THIRTEEN
Chapter FOURTEEN
About the author
Copyright Page
HOLY ROYAL MACARONI!!
I stop in my tracks. I bring my phone close to my eyes. Nearly 20,000 views? And only since late Friday night? It can’t be true!
I refresh my phone’s screen.
20,011 views…
OMG! For the first time EVER, one of my Tiara Girl vlogs has passed 20,000 views!
I let out a scream of excitement as I sprint across the gardens towards the palace, arms pumping, my hair flying behind me. I drop my rucksack and do three cartwheels in quick succession on the springy grass behind the perfectly clipped topiary bushes. As I whirl along I can make out a few of the palace gardeners, who smile at me as I fly past. I spring back to my feet and am just about to let out another “Yippee!” when my security team reaches my side, breathing hard, panicked looks on their faces. I know what they are going to ask and my excitement fizzles away faster than my pony, Cupcake, can canter.
“Your Royal Highness, is everything all right?”
You see, this is the thing about being a princess…sometimes it’s easy to forget that I am one. Which means that sometimes it’s also easy to forget that wherever I go, my security team goes too.
I mean, I know my family has been ruling the Queendom of Waldenburg for centuries and I’m next in line to be queen, but for me that’s…well, normal. It’s not like I go around thinking, I’m a future queen and I have to be careful that nothing happens to me – especially when I have mega-super good news on my mind!
But my security team is ALWAYS on high alert, so, if I suddenly scream loudly and take off at a lightning-fast run before disappearing from view behind some bushes, I guess it’s their job to freak out.
“Everything is…great,” I say while the head of security, Julia, anxiously looks me over from head to toe. I feel my smile start to freeze on my face while I try to come up with a quick excuse for my antics.
If you’re wondering why I can’t tell Julia the truth, then here’s why… Royal Confession: I cannot tell her because my vlog is secret. The only other person who knows about it is my BFF, Leonie Leonberger – and that’s how it has to stay.
I know you must be wondering why I have to keep my vlog a secret – I mean, a princess can do whatever she wants, right?
WRONG.
A princess – especially when she is the heir to a throne – is not supposed to be interested in fashion. It’s not appropriate, as my grandmother and mum like to remind me. According to the palace, I should be focused on my royal duties so that I will better be able to serve Waldenburg after my official coming of age (aka my fourteenth birthday).
Therefore, vlogging is out – especially vlogging about fashion.
As Grandmaman puts it: “People will not take you seriously as a queen if they see you are too interested in fashion. You can do one or the other, but not both.”
When I told Grandmaman that in that case I’d happily choose a future in fashion, she said, “I’m afraid destiny has singled you out to be a queen, Lily, and we can’t change that. You represent nine hundred years of royal Waldenburg tradition – you are living history.”
Whatever that means!
Finally I tell Julia that I’m just excited to be home from school. Julia looks a bit confused by my answer and I don’t blame her, but what else am I supposed to say? But as I’m obviously all right she smiles and says, “It’s always a nice feeling to be back home.”
“Exactly.” I keep smiling.
PHEW!
My cocker spaniel, Coco, suddenly comes rushing across the garden, her tail wagging madly. She hurls herself at me, barking loudly, and Julia disappears into the background. I pick up my rucksack and swing it over my shoulder as Coco and I skip into the palace through a side entrance.
Alice is waiting for me when I walk into the Marble Hall. Alice is Alice Victoria, Countess of Vendelstein, Mistress of the Robes to the Royal Court of Waldenburg and a former general of the Waldenburg army. She works for my mum, organizing her official trips and managing the schedules of her ladies-in-waiting amongst other things – although I often think her main responsibility is keeping tabs on me and making sure I look and act like a princess AT ALL TIMES.
Her white helmet of hair is gleaming in the afternoon light and she is holding a thick folder in her hand. She is dressed in a navy skirt and matching jacket, a silk scarf and a pair of court pumps. A discreet brooch in the form of a bumblebee is pinned to the left lapel of her jacket. As I walk in Alice looks me over with her steely blue eyes.
“Why is there grass in your hair, Princess Lilian?”
I catch sight of my reflection in one of the large, elaborately carved mirrors behind her. I have to admit, there is quite a bit of grass stuck to the ends of my brown, shoulder-length hair.
“It’s from the cartwheels I did outside. I guess the lawns have just been cut,” I answer as I smile and twirl away from her towards the enormous white marble staircase that sweeps up to the ballroom.
Alice follows me, her heels clicking loudly on the floor. “Please make sure it’s all brushed out for your Princess Class later this evening. The Queen Mother will be present…”
The Queen Mother is my grandmaman.
“Don’t worry, Alice. I’ll look like the perfect princess, I promise!”
Alice rolls her eyes. “Speaking of your Princess Class — If you could please stop twirling for one moment, Princess Lily…thank you. Your studies on Waldenburg politics and history have been postponed; Professor Hustemeier is ill.”
“So why isn’t class cancelled?”
Alice clears her throat loudly. “Because I will teach today’s class instead – and it’s an especially important and exciting one.”
“It is?”
Alice nods. “Yes. Your grandmother has a very nice surprise for you. She’ll come by especially to talk to you about it.”
I stop and stare at Alice. “What is it? Can you tell me?”
“I’m not at liberty to say. But the Queen Mother is very excited.” Alice smiles.
OMG! I’m SO thrilled, because even though Alice isn’t saying anything, I’m like 99.9999 per cent sure I know what Grandmaman’s surprise is: I think she wants me to design a ballgown!!! Which is basically my dream, because I love to design dresses and make them, and then vlog about them afterwards. And how cool would it be to do that with a real-life ballgown?
Okay, I admit Grandmaman hasn’t exactly said that she wants me to design a ballgown…but still…last week, at least twice, she very carefully – and for a very long time – studied some ballgown sketches I’d drawn. She also told me she really, really liked them and she made a point of saying that they gave her an idea…
And, I mean, what other idea could they have given her?
Especially when you consider that I need a ballgown for my birthday ball when I turn fourteen in the spring.
Just thinking about it is so exciting that I start twirling around Alice again. “That’s great, Alice, I can’t wait!”
“Good. Then I’ll see you at 6 p.m.” Alice catches my eye and looks sternly at me. “And remember…”
I know what Alice is about to say.
“A princess is never late!” I chant at exactly the same time as her. Then I dash up the stairs, Coco at my heels, before she can mention anything else.
I bet you’re wondering why I need Princess Classes when I’m already a princess. Here’s why: because I’m the heir to the throne. And ever since our queendom was founded in 1073, every Crown Princess of Waldenburg has officially started her royal duties on her fourteenth birthday – the day she “comes of age” (as Grandmaman and the palace put it). Basically, Princess Class is the palace’s way of making sure I’ll know exactly how to be the PERFECT princess by the time my birthday rolls around and I have to start with my official royal duties.
But before you start thinking, Wow, how exciting to start royal duties and ride in an open-top carriage and wave at crowds and attend balls and wear tiaras, let me just point out the following:
1. I will be able to act as regent, which means that I can act on my mother’s behalf if she is out of the country. So, for example, I can sign laws into existence, inspect military troops and sit in on parliamentary sessions. Which, okay, might be important, but I can’t say it makes me want to do cartwheels of joy.
2. I will have my monogram (two back-to-back interlacing “L”s, for Lilian, with the royal Waldenburg crown above) embossed on all my personal belongings – including my stationery. Because, acc
3. I will begin presiding alongside my mother at official events. This means, for instance, that when a head of state visits, I must join my parents and greet her or him at the airport, attend formal banquets and speak knowledgeably to them about the politics and culture of her or his country. When I told Alice that there is no way I can know about the politics and cultures of all the countries in the world, Alice said not to worry because the palace will always brief me beforehand. I’m not sure whether I’m supposed to be happy about this or not.
Anyway, now you know why I need Princess Class…
As soon as I walk into my bedroom I let my guinea pig Zoë out of her cage (she’s royally cute!!!) so she can run around my room while I do my homework. Then I quickly send Leonie a message:
Me: Grandmaman is going to stop by my Princess Class because she has a surprise for me… I bet she’s going to ask me to design my ballgown for my birthday. I’m so excited!!!
Leonie: OMG! It’s about time she tells you about her idea. She’s been hinting at it for long enough! I mean, the way she kept looking at your drawings last week…
Me: I KNOW!!! It will be so awesome if I’m right because I could try some new sewing and customizing techniques. I already have plans for a video: Tiara Girl’s Top Ten Tips for Making a Ballgown!
Leonie: Yes!!! And I could help you film it because it would be great to have some close-ups of you sewing sequins on and stuff…
Me: And then I could make Coco a matching ribbon for her neck and Zoë a matching tutu!
Leonie: That would be SO ADORABLE!
YAY! This is why Leonie and me are besties: we totally think like twins!
I say goodbye so I can quickly finish my homework, then change into a pair of riding breeches and a fleece jacket before Coco and I leave for the stables.
When I arrive, the Head Groom is waiting to help me but I like to do as much as I can for Cupcake myself, so after I’ve groomed and saddled her, I mount her and together with Coco we head to the private part of the palace park.
Once we reach my favourite hidden valley I let the reins slip through my fingers and Cupcake immediately shoots off like an arrow. I can’t help but smile as I lean forward and flatten myself along her back – I feel as if I’m leaving the world behind: the palace, Alice, school, homework – everything! I love the way Cupcake snorts with happiness as we canter on and I’m sure she enjoys the freedom as much as I do. Her thick blonde mane blowing in the wind tickles my face and by the time we slow down my eyes are watering from the long gallop.
As we walk back to the palace, giving Cupcake a chance to cool down, I realize that I haven’t included her in a video since I made my second vlog: Get Your Pony Glitzed Out – Tiara Girl Style. I think it’s time for another pony special…
Back at the stables, I unsaddle Cupcake, rub her down with a brush and rag, clean her hooves and lead her into her stall. I quickly give her a goodbye kiss on her velvety nose and feed her a carrot, then I race back to my room, Coco at my heels. I change into a pair of jeans I’ve customized with colourful patches, a white ruffle blouse and my favourite DIY rhinestone bracelet. (I glued some rhinestones onto a leather band and then made a button fastening for it. LOVE!)
Before I leave my bedroom I make sure to put all my favourite ballgown sketches together in one of the portfolios I use to hold my drawings – just in case Grandmaman wants to see them again.
Alice is on the phone as I walk into Grandmaman’s powder-blue sitting room. She waves at me and holds one finger up, meaning that she’ll only be a minute. I head straight to the sofa facing the fireplace and sink into the plump blue silk cushions. As I open my portfolio and arrange my sketches, Coco curls up beside me and looks at me with her huge cocker spaniel eyes. I kiss her on her topknot because she is so gorgeous!
Alice finishes her call and then sits in the armchair to my left. I wait while she shuffles through the papers in the enormous binder she’s holding. Finally she stops and peers at me intensely. “I have some very exciting news for you…”
I can hardly sit still.
“Because your fourteenth birthday is fast approaching…”
“I know, Alice, I know! That’s why I’ve brought these ballgown drawings with me – I’m sure one of them could be perfect for my birthday ball. I especially like this glittery yellow one…”
But Alice isn’t looking at my sketches.
“Yes, lovely… However, Princess Lily, as I was saying, I have some very exciting news for you.”
Huh? If Alice isn’t going to talk about my birthday ballgown, then what is her exciting news…?
“This Friday morning you will attend a ribbon-cutting ceremony and royal walkabout.”
“Okay…will I be with my mum? Or Dad? Or Grandmaman?”
Alice smiles. “In the past you have always accompanied your parents and grandmother to these kind of events – but here’s the exciting news: this time, you will be on your own…”
My eyes widen till I’m sure my eyeballs look like golf balls.
On my own?
“We – your parents, the palace and myself – feel it is time,” Alice continues. “Everyone is delighted for you.”
I sit, frozen on the sofa, while Alice continues to smile at me.
Finally I manage, “But I don’t turn fourteen for another six months! I thought I’d start with official duties after my birthday?”
“Official duties, yes…but before then you must have some real-life solo experience. This is to ensure that you will be confident and at ease in your role as a working Crown Princess. There won’t be time to practise later – we must begin now.”
“But I have no idea what I’m supposed to do!”
“That’s the point, Princess Lily – you must learn, and a princess learns best by doing.” Alice hands me a large white envelope with a sticker that has HRH CROWN PRINCESS LILIAN printed on it, with the royal crown of Waldenburg just above it. “In this envelope you will find all details concerning the event, plus your schedule. There is also a copy of the speech you will give.”
“SPEECH!!! What speech?!”
“The one you must give before you cut the ribbon.”
“But—”
“We can finalize the speech together so that you’re pleased with the wording. It’s very short, I promise,” Alice adds cheerily. “You’ll memorize it in no time.”
“But—”
“No buts, Lily,” Alice interrupts. “You are about to begin a very important new chapter in your life.”
I could cry! I don’t feel ready for this AT ALL!
Alice clears her throat and presses on. “The Hairy Hounds and Happy Horses Animal Rescue Centre has just moved to bigger premises and on Friday morning you will open their new centre. The palace thought that because of your love of animals, this would be a good fit for you. At the end of the ceremony you will be introduced to a foal that was recently brought to the centre and which has been named Lilian in your honour.” From her folder Alice pulls out a photograph and hands it to me. “This is Lilian.”
Lilian is a very pretty chestnut Waldenburg Mountain Pony. On the back of the photograph it says that her owners had abandoned her in the forest, thinking she would survive on her own. Thank goodness she was taken to the rescue centre.
After a short pause Alice adds, “Once the palace confirms your appearance at the rescue centre, I think we can expect quite a strong turnout to see you. We estimate crowds of a thousand spectators or more.”
My mind is whizzing so fast I can’t speak. I mean, I’ve never done a walkabout on my own! With my parents, yes – they’ve taken me on quite a few. I’ve followed them as they literally “walk about” and meet the crowds. They shake hands and smile and are friendly with everyone – Mum always has to accept lots of flower posies… But this time the focus will be on me! And how am I supposed to give a speech in front of A THOUSAND or more people? HOW? And what about the ribbon cutting? What if the scissors slip from my hand just as I’m trying to cut the ribbon? I’ll go down in the history books as Lily the Clumsy.
