Princess Adeline Elizabeth Catherine Henstridge was the last child born to King Charles IV and Queen Beatrice, and for the most part, was a failed attempt by the Queen to save her unraveling marriage. Adeline was wide-eyed and lively, and had an inquisitive nature about her that seemed to intrigue everyone in the palace; including her father. Unlike with his other children, King Charles bonded quickly with Adeline, and the two became inseparable before the young princess could even walk on her own. Because of the undivided attention she received from her father, Adeline became spoiled, impetuous and petty â the epitome of a daddyâs girl, much to her motherâs dismay and her siblingsâ annoyance. The young princess could do no wrong in the eyes of the King, and because of that, continued to have a rather difficult relationship with her mother. Adelineâs closeness with her father was never cause for any animosity between herself and her siblings, and while it was no secret that their father found an obvious favorite in his youngest child, her siblings were fiercely protective of her nonetheless. The blonde, blue-eyed darling was the picture of innocence and friends and foes alike fawned over her beauty; she was the splitting image of her mother, but the two could not be more different, and that was always evident. From an early age, Adeline completely embraced the lifestyle of a royal, and took full advantage of the wealth and influence that her family name afforded her. She was a happy child, albeit a little materialistic but she had infinite hopes for the future, and this did not change as she grew older.
Following Adelineâs twelfth birthday, her cousin, Arabella Buchanan, was appointed as her lady-in-waiting and the two were rarely seen apart after that. They were very much alike and shared the same interests, which included boys and makeup and the latest fashion trends; and Adeline found comfort in her companionship with Arabella, who she grew to love as a sister. When the girls were fourteen, Diana Howard became another one of Adelineâs ladies-in-waiting, a soft-spoken young girl with wealthy parents, who completed the trio. It became easier for Adeline to navigate her life as a royal with two of her closest friends by her side -- sharing her struggles and aspirations with girls who understood the importance of the title she held. However, they failed to prevent negative influences from entering Adelineâs sheltered life, and when the princess was fifteen, her partying habits were well under way. Her parents had never been particularly strict with her, allowing her an unlimited amount of freedom when it came to her personal life; which led to them being completely oblivious of the rebellious lifestyle their young daughter led. Drugs and alcohol became a constant in the princessâ life, and there was never a party that she did not attend or a nightclub that she did not frequent â and soon, at barely seventeen, she was on the cover of every newspaper and tabloid as they reported the intricate details of her partying lifestyle. The King excused Adelineâs behavior as merely a phase, and nothing to be too worried about, while others expressed deep concern for her overall well being. She was no longer Britainâs sweetheart, but she had not carried that title for a very long time.
Adeline embraced her reckless behavior, ignoring the looks of disapproval from friends and family as their urgent pleas began to fall on deaf ears. Her drug dealer became her closest friend, and her familyâs opulent wealth ensured that she never went without. And so began the princessâ drug-fueled, alcohol induced lifestyle that, over time, isolated everyone that was ever close to her. Instead, late nights and fake friends, was what Adeline lived for. Living up to her fatherâs unbelievable standards had become unattainable, and no matter how hard she tried to please him, he always wanted his little girl to try harder and be better. There was never a day when she was sober, and after a time, being drunk or high was a natural state for her. This made her friendship with Arabella and Diana very difficult to maintain, because her endless encouragement of this destructive lifestyle began to have an effect on everyone that surrounded her. Adeline had become toxic; and an intervention soon followed, with her parents insisting that she be given only the best medical treatment available. She was sent to one of the best rehabilitation facilities in London, and remained there for eight months, while her family attempted to account for her absence to the media. The official story was that the princess was volunteering abroad, but no one really believed what they were told, and news outlets worldwide speculated on her sudden disappearance from family gatherings. Adeline was released, clean and sober, a few weeks before her twenty-second birthday â where she was finally able to right her wrongs.
The death of Queen Beatrice was unexpected, and while they were never particularly close, Adeline was overcome with guilt at the loss of her mother. She felt the loss entirely, perhaps even more so than her siblings, but she could never be sure because she barely left her bedroom during the days leading up to the funeral. The princess knew exactly what she needed in order to ease the pain that she felt deep within her chest; and no matter how many attempts she made to abstain from the wretched consumption of drugs and alcohol, her will was not strong enough. Her relapse was short, and for a time she was able to function normally â or as normal as one could be following the death of a parent. Her siblings were far too preoccupied to be bothered with their younger sister and her dramatic antics, and maybe that is why she preferred to suffer in silence. Adeline never liked the idea of burdening others with her problems, her fears or her loneliness, and had always chosen to eliminate them with a bottle of fine liquor instead. She knows that now is not the time to wallow in self-pity, but a time to unite with her family as they overcome this tragedy; but Adeline was never too fond of family bonding. As of late, she has sought comfort in the arms of handsome strangers, drowning her sorrows with a bottle of Bourbon, and biding her time with people who will not even remember her name at the end of the night. Adeline has managed to dismiss this relapse as a brief mourning period, but in truth, even she knows she cannot continue like this for much longer.
EDWARD, CHARLOTTE & SOPHIA HENSTRIDGE: Siblings. Adeline has always been closest with Edward, for no other reason than he has never made her feel guilty for the choices she has made â but instead, has tried his best to embrace her as best he could. He has truly loved her unconditionally, even after all she has done and it has only brought them closer, whereas it could have torn them apart. This cannot be said for her sisters; and while she loves them dearly because of the blood they share, they each lead very different lives. Despite this, however, Adeline knows that she will always have a permanent support system in the form of her siblings, even if they may not agree with what she does or the choices she makes. They remain her closest friends and her most trusted allies, although she does not always appreciate their over-protective nature. Adeline understands that their concern is not misplaced, and that after everything she has been through, and after the loss that they have all suffered, it is only normal for her siblings to want to shelter her from the world. She only wishes that she did not always disappoint them, and that there was something within her that made her as equally talented and unique as each of her siblings.
JULIETTE VANDERBILT: Childhood friend. Adeline and Juliette have been best friends since birth, because of their mothersâ close friendship, and because Lenore Vanderbilt was Adelineâs godmother. The two girls were particularly close growing up, and managed to remain in each otherâs lives even after Julietteâs departure. While they both grew into very different individuals, the foundation of their friendship never faltered, or cracked. It was always said that Juliette knew Adeline better than she knew herself, and on most occasions that was true â but over the last few years, their friendship has been exceptionally strained. Juliette does not agree with the way Adeline has chosen to live her life, and Adeline could care less what anyone has to say; which has caused obvious tension between the two. She subconsciously knows that the other girl means well, but the princess does not need anyone else giving their unwarranted opinion of the life that she chooses to lead, and tries her best to avoid such conversations. Adeline still cares for her old friend, but at times she wonders if years (and distance) have slowly begun to tear them apart -- and whether or not she needs to simply accept the changing relationship dynamic.
KIERAN LANCASTER: Old flame. Adeline has never been in love, but her relationship (or lack thereof) with Kieran was the closest she ever came to it. He was a nobleman and the best friend of her cousin Tobias, and the youngest princess was captivated by him almost instantly. Kieran was her first, in more ways than one, and when things ended, it took her a while to move past it. Their love affair was the best kept secret in the palace, and she always knew, realistically, that they could never work out but she still hoped that they would â and that feeling of hope was a silent killer. While the two are on good terms and have managed to maintain a friendship, there are still lingering feelings between them; with Adeline being too headstrong to ever admit to it and Kieran being far too self-involved to ever realize it. She simply tells herself that the past is the past for a reason, and that she should only be concerned about the present and future. With her motherâs recent death, Adeline knows that she is emotionally vulnerable and must avoid falling into that trap yet again. For now, she has no intention of rehashing the past or exploring why the relationship failed, because she knows that she is better off without any romantic attachments right now.
ADELINE HENSTRIDGE is portrayed by CLAIRE HOLT and she is UNAVAILABLE.
