Work Text:
TikTok video by user @agcd:
The video opens to a room painted in deep navy blue. A small bench in the far back corner is upholstered in a gray damask fabric which is almost entirely covered by the pile of clothes thrown across it. There is no other furniture in the shot, presumably because it has been shoved away. Prince Henry stands off center to the right of the frame, looking at something either behind or next to the camera. His full body is visible with plenty of floor space around him. He’s wearing smart trousers in a light tan, and a soft lilac button down with the sleeves rolled up over his forearms. The text taking up the top half of the screen, slightly covering his face, says: ‘wedding prep is going well’.
The text disappears as Alex Claremont-Diaz steps into the frame from close-up. He looks into the camera–his face taking up nearly the entire shot–adjusting it slightly before standing and backing away, towards Henry. He’s dressed in fitted jeans and a forest green button down, all the buttons and both cuffs hanging open. He’s got a white v-neck on beneath his open shirt.
“Ready?” Henry asks Alex.
“This is like, the most boring dance known to man. I could do it in my sleep. I might fall asleep.” He smirks at Henry with a twinkle in his eyes that feels like it should be private, but it’s here being shared with the entire internet. Henry just smiles indulgently back and raises his arms into a dance frame position. Just as Alex reaches up to mirror him, Henry turns his face slightly to camera and raises a skeptical eyebrow. He turns back to Alex quickly.
“Alright, so if you’re following, your left arm goes here–” he gently adjusts Alex’s position, bringing Alex’s hand up to rest on his bicep, “and right arm here,” and grasps Alex’s right hand lightly out to the side. “I’m going to step forward with my left first, so you’ll step back with your right. Next step is to your left side, and then bring the feet together and switch your weight. Then, step forward with the left, then back to the right side, and finish. A simple box step to start. Yes?” Alex just rolls his eyes good naturedly and nods.
Henry steps forward, Alex steps back, and all goes well for that half-second. Then, when Henry goes to step to the side, Alex accidentally steps forward again, nearly sending Henry careening off to the side. “Wait! That was an accident, I wasn’t paying attention! Again.”
Henry doesn’t say anything, just gets back into position. They complete the first step again, this time Alex steps correctly to the side on the second. But then, when Henry goes to step back, his arm is pulled off Alex’s shoulder as Alex steps back again instead of forward. “Wait!” Alex shakes his head. “Again.” Henry looks at the camera and smiles like he and the audience are sharing a joke.
The video does a jump cut to the same room, Alex and Henry both already in frame. The bench is still there, covered in different clothes this time. The couple are both in comfy sweats and t-shirts, barefoot, Alex’s curls wild and Henry’s hair hanging across his forehead. Early morning sunlight streams across the floor from a window outside the right of the shot. They’re already moving, much the same as before, and they manage almost a full box step before Alex steps directly on Henry’s left foot. Henry’s face shows a wince, but he smooths it out quickly and just looks at Alex encouragingly as they start again. They go for a couple of steps, but Henry’s toes once again pay the price for Alex’s misstep.
“Alright, I’m going to have to put on my slippers if you’re going to keep maiming my toes, dear,” Henry teases. Alex just scowls and throws up his hands.
The video jump cuts again, this time to a cavernous, well-appointed room that is almost certainly somewhere inside Kensington palace. Its ornate gold jacquard wallpaper and carved wood furnishings visible in the background give that away. The camera adjusts, swinging this way and that until it settles on a shot of Prince Henry and Princess Beatrice standing together and whispering. Henry is in a crisp white shirt and gray waistcoat, his suit jacket has been discarded across what looks like a piano bench in the extreme left of the shot. Bea is in a beautiful pale pink tea gown, and both of them look as if they’ve stolen away directly from a garden party. Alex steps into frame from behind the camera, going to the middle of the floor that’s been cleared for them. He’s dressed less smartly, in nice jeans and a fitted black v-neck shirt, heavy boots on his feet.
“Okay, come on, I’ve been practicing for the last week while you’ve been over here. I’ve gotten way better, I promise,” Alex says confidently.
“With June?” Henry asks as he almost reluctantly walks up to Alex with his arms held out in dance frame. He’s eyeing Alex’s shoes with trepidation.
“Nah, just by myself. She’s been in DC–why do you look terrified?” he asks, looking confused.
“Because we’ve been down this road before, Alex, and you weren’t wearing shoes that could pulverize my toes into dust. I’m concerned for my health,” Henry answers.
“Shut up,” Alex says with a look of betrayal. “Did you not just hear me say I’ve gotten better?”
“Yes, love. Of course, love. Let’s dance, shall we?” His tone is placating.
There are several jump cuts in succession: Alex stepping wrong but missing Henry’s foot, Alex stepping wrong but unfortunately not missing Henry’s foot, Alex pacing and stomping while Henry sits on the floor, rubbing his foot after removing one of his dress shoes, Henry gone from frame, Bea in his place, standing next to Alex and showing him a follower’s correct steps as he tries to mimic her, Henry leading Bea in elegant circles around the floor while Alex stands in the far left corner of the frame scowling but paying rapt attention to their feet, Alex and Henry once again in position, completing a full two box steps while Bea cheers from out of frame.
Another jump cut back to the blue room–presumably their home–and Alex has gotten a haircut, the sides cut close around his ears now. They’re both dressed in black slacks and jewel-toned button downs, Alex’s magenta while Henry’s is jade. Henry’s hair was clearly styled but is now falling forward into his face. The room is bathed in the soft glow of a lamp–it’s clearly nighttime outside. They are moving not quite fluidly through a series of box steps, Henry daring to then try a quarter turn. When they complete it without any mistakes, Alex looks up and beams at Henry.
“Good job, love,” Henry says softly, barely heard by the camera.
“Told you I could do it! We’re gonna knock their socks off, babe.”
“I’d settle for minimal damage to my own socks. They’ve been bloody for weeks, you know.”
Alex shoves him playfully, and he stumbles back a bit.
“Careful, dear,” Henry teases. “That kind of behavior is how we got into this mess in the first place.”
“‘This mess’ meaning me getting to marry the love of my life?” They’re back in each other’s space now, still moving through gentle box steps and turns.
“Mmm,” Henry answers and valiantly attempts to send Alex through an underhand turn, since everything is going well so far. It…does work, but only barely, Alex having trouble getting smoothly back into position after taking too many steps to complete his little spin.
“I still maintain that you shoved me into that cake,” Alex says defiantly. Henry dips him unexpectedly in retaliation, causing him to almost hit the floor. He swats at Henry’s arm while Henry just laughs.
Jump cut to a wide shot of the big gold room in Kensington, Bea sat at the piano and playing through a gentle melody. Alex and Henry are dressed in soft sweaters and slacks, moving smoothly around the room in a more-than-passable waltz, Alex beaming and Henry gazing at him with so much love the viewer almost feels like an intruder in the moment. The video ends and goes back to the beginning.
The caption of the video reads: Told y’all I could do it! #neverdoubtme #loml #waltzisstillboring #butitsfunwithhim