‘Even cabbage?’ asked Margaret.

‘Yes, ma’am.’

‘Eugh. Pooey.’ Margaret held her nose between her fingers.

Crawfie took immediate action. ‘Apologize at once, young lady. That is very rude.’

Sullenly, the little Princess did so.

The yeoman laughed and introduced himself. ‘My name is James and it is my great pleasure to be escorting you ladies through the Tower today. I’ll give you a bit of a history lesson as we go. Are you ready?’

‘Ready,’ said Lilibet excitedly.

‘Follow me,’ said James. ‘Now, if you happen to see one of our ghosts, will you let me know?’

‘Are they scary?’ Margaret asked quietly.

‘She’s only six, so she gets frightened,’ Lilibet told him. ‘I’m ten so I am quite brave.’

‘That’s good to know.’ James smiled at Margaret. ‘It just depends how the ghosts are feeling today.’

Crawfie smiled at the girls, who were looking worried. ‘Don’t you worry. I am not afraid of ghosts.’

‘All right,’ the girls chimed uncertainly.

‘You can always hold my hand,’ Crawfie said.

As they set off to follow James, Crawfie soon felt two little hands steal into hers.

In some of the darker rooms, the girls didn’t want to stay for too long. James’s talent for telling creepy stories was excellent, but the tales of murdered young princesses did not go down too well.

The armoury was more of a success. Standing in front of the huge armour worn by Henry VIII, the girls chuckled and pointed at the large metal codpiece attached to it.

James caught them. ‘Well, he wouldn’t want his winky shot off with an arrow now, would he?’

The girls were in gales of laughter until Crawfie asked them to stop. ‘That’s enough, thank you, ladies.’

James was seamless. ‘Who wants to see the world’s biggest diamond?’

The Princesses and Crawfie stared in silent awe through the toughened glass.

‘You see the sceptre there?’ James pointed. ‘Every monarch since Charles II has held that at his or her coronation. The diamond in the top is the world’s largest – the Cullinan, found in 1905. And you see the empty velvet cushion next to it? That is where St Edward’s crown usually rests, but it is at the jewellers being cleaned and resized to fit His Majesty King Edward VIII at the moment, ready for his coronation in the spring.’

James moved along to another display, while the girls chattered beside him, excited to be so close to the twinkling treasure trove.

Crawfie heard Lilibet say, ‘Mummy has worn those earrings. I saw them on her dressing table.’

‘I’ve seen her wear her crown,’ Margaret said.

‘No you haven’t,’ Lilibet scoffed. ‘She has a coronet. She can’t have a crown because she’s not a queen.’

‘Not just queens wear crowns.’

‘Oh, do be quiet and listen,’ huffed Lilibet.

Crawfie stayed where she was, consumed by the sight of the empty cushion. If the King were to be crowned, he would have to postpone his marriage to Mrs Simpson until it was deemed respectable. But how awful it seemed for two people to be in love and not be able to marry. How could anyone want to stand in the way of love?