‘I know.’ It’s Elizabeth’s turn to sigh as she strokes Susan’s head. ‘I wish we could just be two ordinary people getting married at an ordinary wedding.’

‘But you’re not ordinary,’ he points out, ‘and we wouldn’t be getting married if you were, would we?’

Elizabeth’s fingers still on the dog at his bitter comment. ‘No, I suppose not,’ she says after a moment. ‘I thought once we were engaged all our problems would be over, but it seems they’re only just starting. I hate all the arguments about money,’ she says. ‘It seems as if there’s no end to it: the cost of the wedding, doing up Clarence House … Nobody can agree and you and I are the last people to be consulted.’

‘It’s not really your wedding, is it?’ Margaret puts in. ‘It’s a state occasion. Poor old Lil,’ she adds. ‘You never have anything of your own, not even your own love affair and wedding.’

Elizabeth sighs. ‘Thank you for that, Margaret,’ she says. She turns back to Philip. ‘The Government wants to keep things simple in view of the economic situation. With austerity it seems crass to have an extravagant wedding, but then there’s the view that the country needs a happy event to look forward to and we should put on a show.’

‘And what’s your view?’ Philip asks.

‘I just want to get married,’ she says, but she doesn’t look at him. ‘And for all the arguments to stop.’

‘What else are they arguing about?’

‘The guest list, for one thing.’

Philip stubs out his cigarette. ‘Yes, I wanted to talk to you about that. Why haven’t my sisters received an invitation? Sandra tells me she and Peter have had one, and Michael’s coming from Romania, but Dolla, Tiny, and Margarita have heard nothing.’

‘I’m sorry.’ Elizabeth seems to shrink into herself. ‘I did ask but it was decided it would be too provocative to invite them.’

‘Decided by who? Tommy Lascelles, I suppose,’ he says savagely.

‘I’m sure he was involved but it was down to Mummy and Papa in the end.’

‘And nobody thought to consult me? I am the groom and this is my family we’re talking about!’

‘I know.’

‘What’s the problem? Is it that my sisters are married to Germans?’

‘Not just Germans,’ Elizabeth says carefully. ‘Germans who were senior SS officers.’

‘You can’t expect the country to welcome them,’ Margaret says frankly. ‘It’s on its knees after the war with Germany. Everybody thinks it’s wiser to play down your German connections.’

‘Funny, nobody seemed that bothered about my German connections when they were cheering us on that balcony,’ says Philip, tight-jawed.

‘I’m sorry,’ Elizabeth says again.

‘Elizabeth, they’re my sisters.’

She bites her lip. ‘I don’t think I can get them to change their mind. I’m sorry, Philip. Your mother will be there, of course.’

‘Oh, big of them to invite her!’

‘I think there is some concern about what she’ll wear,’ Elizabeth goes on delicately. ‘They don’t want her to wear her nun’s outfit.’