Anne laughed happily watching her step-daughter and her little daughter play together. Mary was careful running around the small private garden that the royal family were allowed privacy and time away from the court. The two princes were also crawling around on a blanket that had been brought out for them to play on.

Henry was busy in council inside missing out on family time with Mary's husband and the rest of his ministers and advisers

Anne's stomach was growing more prominent, and she knew that soon she would be confined to the birthing chamber and bed. She was going to make the most out of being in the fresh air until then. She had been busy for the last couple of days with her plans for the community spaces, schools and hospitals. The royal order had been put out to all communities across England and Wales for teachers, nurses and doctors and caregivers. The news had been good with more people coming forward then Anne and her team had estimated.

The servants in the palace were getting ready for the arrival of the two German Princesses.

Mary, Anne's sister, tapped Anne on the shoulder to get her attention.

"Sister," Mary said.

"Yes, Mary," Anne asked.

"We need to get ready for the royal guests," Mary suggested.

"Help me up," Anne asked, Mary, helped her sister up. "Lizzie, Mary we need to go to get ready for our guests," she called out to her daughters. "Nanny I think that my sons will need a nap and some food."

Nan nodded. She and another lady in waiting picked up the toddler Princes and started to walk inside.

Lizzie took her mother's hand and walked gracefully into the palace. The members of the court bowed and curtsied to the royal party as they travelled to the Queen's chambers. Mary had had her ladies place her outfit in the Queen's rooms so that she could get ready together.

The Cleves princesses' carriage pulled up in the courtyard of the palace. Lily the former serving girl now ladies maid stepped down from the carriage. She had never seen a building so large and grand. Her ladies stepped down looking around at the palace. They were nervous at the many people waiting for them.

"Welcome," called out Samual. The ladies walked forward towards the welcome party. In the royal welcome party were Duchess Mary and her husband Duke Samual, Mary, sister of the Queen, and many of the queen's ladies in waiting. "Welcome to the court of the Great King Henry of England, Ireland and France. Please follow me," Samual took his wife's hand and led the party into the palace and the throne room. Henry and Anne seat on their thrones wearing crowns. Lizzie seat next to her father in a little throne wearing a miniature version of her mother's purple dress. Her red hair plaited and one of her mother's neckless' waved in the plait. She was looking forward to getting to know the two German princesses and more about their home. Sure that they would have many stories that they could tell her and her cousins.

Mary walked around to sit down on her throne next to Anne after pecking Samual on the cheek.

The two German princesses and their party curtsied. Henry rose and welcomed his guests.

"My family and I welcome you to England. Hopefully, your journey was non-eventful," Henry smiled at the two royal princesses. The princesses were not beautiful in his eyes when compared to his wife. "I am sure that you will fit in at my court," he looked towards his wife. "Now I am sure that you will want to rest and get ready for tonight's events."

The two parties nodded and separated to their apartments and rooms to get ready for the night's welcome party. Lizzie was still too young to go to evening events and had to return to the nursey to sleep for the night. In her chambers, Anne was simplifying her outfit removing most of her jewellery and styled her hair down and flowing around her.

More to come

Author note: Sorry it's been an age. I have recently opened a small independent bookshop in a wonderful small somewhat remote artistic community in the north of England. It's been many months of planning and getting the stock to open and then opening and working with customers. I can not say when the next chapters of my stories will be coming out but I hope soon. Sorry, this one was so short. But now Anne of Cleves and her sister are at the English court I have more plans for adding Henry's other wives into the story later.

Next chapter - the evening party

I have just started a new story based on the amazing tv show Versailles. Each chapter will be an episode of the show so very long chapters.