The Princess I Never Wanted to Be
Being a princess wasn't like in fairy tales. There were no magic dresses to solve problems, no knights to rescue someone from their own insecurities. At least, not in Alexandra Habsburg's life. Inside Kensington Palace, surrounded by gilded walls and antique mirrors, she felt as though she were trapped in a golden cage with no way out.
Alexandra Habsburg, Princess of the United Kingdom. That title had defined her entire life, but deep down, she wasn't sure who she really was. Every day was a meticulously choreographed performance, a constant dance between perfection and the expectations of an entire nation.
In her room, she stood in front of the mirror as a stylist adjusted the pearls woven into her dark brown hair, which fell softly over her shoulders in a style reminiscent of her grandmother, Queen Eleanor. Her blue eyes, flecked with gold, stared back at her with a blankness she had grown accustomed to. Tonight was another night of duty—a charity gala, another round of smiles for the cameras, and another speech she hadn't written. It all felt distant, disconnected from the person she longed to be.
"Ready, Your Highness," the stylist said, stepping back to admire her work with a satisfied smile.
"Thank you," Alexandra murmured politely, her voice soft and composed—the way she'd been taught to speak since childhood.
As she walked through the palace's endless halls, she felt the invisible weight of centuries of history pressing on her shoulders. Sometimes, she wished she had been born into a different life, one where she had the freedom to be someone other than a symbol for the public. But those were childish fantasies, and reality was inescapable. She had been shaped from birth to fulfill this role.
"Alexandra, they're waiting for you," Martha, her assistant, reminded her with brisk efficiency.
"I'm coming," she replied with a quiet sigh.
The gala was bustling with socialites, celebrities, and aristocrats. Alexandra's smile was automatic, her movements rehearsed as she greeted everyone with flawless politeness. The endless cycle of formalities and rules left her feeling like a marionette performing for an unseen audience.
"Princess Alexandra, how nice to see you," Lord Hawthorne, an old family acquaintance, greeted her warmly. His jovial tone did little to mask the weight of expectation in his gaze.
"Likewise, Lord Hawthorne," she replied, her voice steady and practiced.
Around her, the evening unfolded like a carefully staged play, and Alexandra moved through it as though scripted. She couldn't recall the last time she'd had a genuine conversation with someone who truly saw her.
"Are you okay?" a soft voice asked beside her.
She turned to find Lord Henry Windsor, one of the few people she trusted. His expression, marked by genuine concern, was a rare comfort in her carefully constructed world.
"I'm surviving," she said with a faint, forced smile.
"You know you don't have to do it alone, right?" he whispered, leaning closer. "You can trust me."
Trust. It was a word that felt foreign to her. She had learned the hard way that trusting others could be dangerous—too many betrayals, too many broken expectations.
"I know, Henry," she said, though the words felt hollow.
As the evening wore on, she moved through the crowd, every interaction weighed down by the judgmental gazes of others. When the time came for her to deliver her speech, she stepped onto the podium, the spotlight casting a harsh glare. The words she spoke were confident and polished, the voice of a perfect princess, though they weren't hers.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I am honoured to be here tonight..." Her voice rang clear, carrying the poise the public expected. But her mind wandered elsewhere, yearning for escape.
When the applause came and the evening drew to a close, Alexandra found herself on a balcony overlooking the glittering city. The cool night air brushed against her skin, a fleeting sensation of freedom.
"Will this ever change?" she murmured to herself, her voice barely audible over the distant hum of the city.
For now, she remained Alexandra Habsburg, the princess she had never wanted to be. But perhaps, one day, she would find the courage to rewrite the script of her life and become something more.