Page 101 of Throne Off Course

“Alright,” he said. “Set it up. It’s time people heard directly from me.”

Harper nodded. “That’s the decision of a king, not a prince.”

The studio was carefully arranged. It was modern, elegant, yet intimate enough to feel conversational rather than confrontational. The interviewer, Eliza Monroe, was known for her incisive yet fair questioning, someone who could make headlines without turning an interview into a spectacle.Harper had chosen wisely.

Alexander sat opposite Eliza, his posture composed, his expression unreadable. Beneath his collected façade, however, he recognized this as a pivotal moment. The public wanted answers. And for the first time in his life, he was determined to give them.

Eliza smiled, poised but sharp. “Your Highness, let’s address the elephant in the room… the marriage law. The people have been debating it fiercely. Some believe it’s an outdated relic of a different era. Others argue that tradition is what holds the monarchy together. Where do you stand?”

Alexander let out a slow breath, as if considering his words. But in truth? He already knew exactly what he was going to say.

“I think it’s ridiculous,” he stated plainly.

Eliza blinked, momentarily caught off guard. “Ridiculous?”

Alexander nodded. “Can you imagine anyone else being told they had to marry someone just to keep their job?”

The studio went silent.

Eliza recovered quickly, intrigued. “So, you’re saying you don’t agree with the law?”

“I’m saying no one should be forced into marriage for any reason, let alone as a requirement for leadership,” Alexander replied smoothly. “Not me. Not anyone. It’s unfair, outdated, and frankly, it shouldn’t be something we’re still discussing in a modern monarchy.”

Eliza leaned forward slightly, sensing the weight of his words. “Some would argue that it’s a safeguard. That it ensures stability.”

Alexander met her gaze directly. “If the stability of an entirenation depends on who I marry, then maybe we should be asking bigger questions about our system.”

Eliza’s lips twitched, impressed. “And what about Lady Genevieve? The assumption has always been that she would be your future queen. Do you think this situation is unfair to her as well?”

Alexander exhaled, carefully weighing his response. This was the most important part.

“She’s a good person,” he said at last. “She didn’t ask for this any more than I did. No one should be expected to play a role in a predetermined story they had no say in writing.”

He wanted to give Genevieve a way to step back without humiliation, without blame.

The entire country was listening. And now, they knew that he was not going to go along with this quietly.

Eliza let the weight of his statement settle before shifting gears. “That brings me to another point, Your Highness. There’s been a growing debate about your role. Some see you as a wildcard. A question mark.”

Alexander nodded. “Yes, I realize that I have not been as accessible as my father was. That I have been more removed from the public. Initially it was to protect me after his death. After a while, I suppose it just became status quo.”

Eliza arched her brow. “So tell me, why should people trust you to be king?”

For the first time, Alexander paused.

It would be easy to give a polished answer. To repeat the same diplomatic, neutral phrases drilled into him since childhood.

But he was done with that.

“I’m not going to sit here and tell you that I have all theanswers,” he admitted candidly. “But I do know this, our country is changing. The world is changing. And I don’t believe leadership should be about maintaining traditions simply because they’re comfortable.”

Eliza watched him carefully. “And what would you change?”

Alexander leaned forward slightly, his eyes focused. “First, I’d restore the educational and healthcare reforms my father began before his death. The programs that were quietly shelved after he passed.” There was a subtle shift in his tone, a controlled passion breaking through the diplomatic veneer. “But that’s just the beginning.”

He gestured with his hand, emphatic but measured. “Our economy relies too heavily on industries that are becoming obsolete. I want to establish a Caledonian Innovation Fund to support our brightest minds in developing new technologies that will help us remain competitive in a changing global economy. We’re also a small nation with tremendous natural resources. We should be leading in renewable energy, not trailing behind.”

Eliza’s eyebrows rose slightly, genuinely intrigued.