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do now with Frederick in that position.’
    Charlotte was thoughtful. She had always said that she did not wish her daughter to degenerate into an ordinary hausfrau ; as Queen of Denmark she would hardly do that. One might say she would be ruler of Denmark, because it was certain that she would be the one who guided her husband.
    ‘I see,’ said her brother, ‘that you are not displeased with my idea. Good. I will put it before my ministers.’

    Prince Christian rode into the courtyard. It was noon; he always came in at precisely the same time. Louise often said that he was obsessed by time. ‘Punctuality is high on the list of good manners,’ he was fond of declaring. ‘One should never be even one minute late.’
    His custom was to take off his uniform, put on a loose jerkin and go to a room which he called the gymnasium. There at precisely twenty minutes past twelve the children must assemble. He would then conduct physical jerks, which he said must be performed every day and were very necessary to good health.
    Louise, who had been waiting for him, saw him arrive and hurried into the bedroom where he was changing his uniform.
    ‘Christian,’ she said, ‘I must speak to you.’
    He looked at his watch. ‘After the exercises,’ he said. ‘There is no time now.’
    ‘This is more important than the exercises, Christian. My mother called this morning. I have had a very serious talk with her. It concerns our future.’
    Christian paused as he was taking off his coat to look at her and an anxious frown furrowed his brow. He was always afraid that they were going to be turned out of the Yellow Palace and such news could very likely come through Louise’s mother.
    Her next words made him feel that there was some foundation for his misgivings. ‘She came from the King, who is convinced that Frederick cannot produce an heir. On his death the throne will go to my mother and she will renounce it in favour of me.’
    ‘Good God!’
    ‘Yes, Christian, and I am to renounce it in favour of you.’
    ‘Me! King of Denmark!’
    ‘That’s what it would appear.’
    ‘Impossible!’
    ‘No, Christian, quite possible.’
    ‘A penniless, obscure member of the family!’
    ‘You would be neither if you were King.’
    ‘I couldn’t do it.’
    ‘Yes, you could, Christian, because I should be there.’
    He looked at her and smiled slowly. ‘I believe you would be capable of anything.’
    ‘Do you think you would be a worse king than Frederick will be?’
    ‘He’s the King’s son. I’m not.’
    ‘There would be wonderful opportunities for the children.’
    The children.’ Christian looked at his watch.
    ‘It’s all right,’ said Louise calmly. ‘You have ten minutes yet. We have four children – two boys and two girls. What do you think their prospects are going to be in our present circumstances?’
    ‘If they are happy that’s all I shall ask.’
    ‘There is no reason why they shouldn’t be happy and well placed. The two can go together and although in some cases poverty doesn’t prevent happiness, everybody is the better for not having to wonder whether they are going to have the roof over their heads suddenly removed.’
    It was a sobering thought. But King! He was not suited for the role. He didn’t want it. He wanted to go on living quietly with his pleasant little family and his clever Louise.
    His spirits lifted. It was a crazy notion. It would never come to pass. Frederick wouldn’t agree. He would marry and produce an heir. There was no need to worry unduly.
    He looked again at his watch.
    ‘You will get there just in time,’ said Louise with a smile, and as he hastily slipped into his sporting clothes she couldn’t help marvelling at his lack of ambition. But it was gratifying in one way. It showed clearly that he had not married her because of her relationship to the King but because he had fallen in love with her. Wasn’t that better than ambition?
    The children were waiting for him –