Chapter 8: Social Activities

The solution to the difficulties of guarding the Princess in formal University academic activities did not make it any easier for her to take part in the various social activities which constitute such an important part of the University experience. She wanted to join the Chess Club, and like most youngsters she wanted to go to the dances and other events, but being accompanied by four large and menacing bodyguards did not make for much approachability in a relaxed setting.

Slowly, as the mathematics students got to know her in tutorials, she was partly accepted as “just another student”. It also helped that she persuaded the bodyguard to do their best to be inconspicuous; that was quite difficult for six foot three, eighteen stone, thirty-five year old men in a dance hall full of undergraduates, but they tried.

One young chemist was much taken by a fellow mathematics student in Sharifa’s group, but his feelings were very clearly not reciprocated. Rupert Meynell turned to Sharifa, at first for advice on his chances with Vera, the rather less clever student he was chasing.

“Didn’t you know she is engaged to a childhood friend who didn’t get into Oxford?”

“Oh,” was all the disappointed swain could manage.

“So the cost of that information is that you dance with me,” she demanded.

He shrugged and thought, ‘Well, she’s quite good looking, even if she is pushy.’

As they danced he noticed that one of the odd looking large older men, who seemed to just loiter in the corners of the dance hall without ever speaking to anyone, seemed to be following them and was certainly watching them. “Don’t look now, but one of the oldies is watching us,” he said, and so she swung him round and looked.

“Forget it,” she advised, “That’s Bahir, my head bodyguard. Just ignore him and he won’t interfere with us.”

“Head bodyguard? How many do you have?” was the disbelieving response.

“Six, but only two are on duty here. Forget them.”

Rupert stopped in mid step and looked at her in amazement. “You really mean it, don’t you?” he said, “You’re that Princess that Vera told me about. You won’t believe the rumours that are going round.”

Sharifa pushed him towards the bar and said, “Come and tell me what they are. What do you want to drink?”

“I’ll get them,” he said, “What do you want?”

“He won’t let you buy me a drink, in case you are going to poison me,” she replied, and then turning to the bodyguard said “Bahir, fetch drinks. I’ll have a spritzer and he will have...”

“A pint of bitter, please.”

When the drinks arrived and they were seated she said, “Now tell me the rumours.”

“Well, you have dozens of bodyguards, and they don’t let you sleep in college, and they want to go to all your lectures and tutorials, and they are all skilled in hand to hand fighting, and they stop any boy from speaking to you, or even getting within six feet of you, and they are armed, and all sorts of things...”

“The truth is I have no more than four of them on duty at any one time. With them and my other staff it was necessary to have separate accommodation. We sorted the lectures and tutorials out on the first day. They are trained bodyguards so I imagine they know how to fight. You came within six feet and spoke to me; they did not interrupt. Was there anything else?”

“Armed?”

“Of course. Just as the police are anywhere, even the UK Police Royal Protection Squad, they are armed. A UK policeman comes with us to some events,” she replied.

Rupert sat open mouthed as it sank in to his consciousness that he was sitting having a drink with a member of a royal family, who rated armed bodyguards even in Oxford.

She leaned over to him and said, “Let’s shake them off and go back to your college. Are you allowed female visitors?”

“Yes I am. How can we do that? Why do you want to do that?”

You go outside and grab a taxi and tell him where your college is and then swoop on the entrance and I’ll jump in and we will be gone before they can catch up,” she planned.

“The taxi won’t play,” he warned.

“He will if you tell him you are rescuing me from an obnoxious oaf twice my age who won’t take no for an answer.”