When a CNN lounge turned into a royal fortress, and love was the only way in
A quiet meeting turns into a royal surprise
It was a typical afternoon at CNN. Anderson was finishing a short strategy session with a few colleagues, discussing timelines and production notes. Meanwhile, his two sons—ages 3 and 5—were allowed to play quietly in the lounge just outside the meeting room.
But when Anderson returned barely twenty minutes later, he didn’t walk into the same room he left.
The couches had been rearranged. Studio lights were draped with fabric. Cushions had been stacked into towers, and two vests—borrowed from Anderson’s own wardrobe—had been repurposed into capes.
Right in the center stood a cardboard sign in shaky, crayon-drawn letters:
“No grown-ups allowed – except DAD.”
A kingdom born from pillows and imagination
Anderson froze, staring in awe. The quiet lounge had become a bustling kingdom of pretend. His sons stood proudly behind the fortress walls, faces painted with serious expressions—and a little marker ink. They held empty paper towel rolls like scepters.
He couldn’t help but laugh.
“What is this place?” he asked, stepping closer.
The 5-year-old, now fully in character, stepped forward with royal authority. “This is our secret castle. You can only come in if you answer the question.”
Anderson played along. “What question?”
“Who do you love the most in the whole world?”
The only correct answer
There wasn’t a moment of hesitation.
Anderson straightened his back, cleared his throat, and proclaimed, “I love the two knights guarding this castle more than anything in the entire universe.”
Both boys erupted in cheers.
“You got it right!” the older one shouted. “The king may enter!”
The 3-year-old lifted a blanket flap, revealing the entrance to the pillow fort. Anderson crawled in, laughing as he squeezed through the gap. Inside, he found a treasure trove of snacks, action figures, and a small flashlight labeled “dragon detector.”
From newsroom to kingdom
What had moments ago been a breakroom now felt like another world.
Outside, colleagues passed by, chuckling as they caught glimpses of the fortress. Inside, Anderson sat cross-legged, letting his tie loosen and his grown-up persona fade away.
“This,” he thought, “is the real story of the day.”
A makeshift window made of hangers and mesh peeked out onto the studio floor. The boys pointed excitedly, explaining which chairs were volcanoes and which coffee table was the enemy kingdom.
The fortress with a heart
It wasn’t the craftsmanship that made the pillow fort special—it was the rule posted outside.
“No grown-ups allowed – except DAD.”
That small sentence meant everything to Anderson.
“To know they trust me enough to make me the only adult allowed in their world,” he later shared, “was one of the most touching moments of my life.”
It reminded him that no matter how busy or demanding work gets, he’s still their hero, their king, their safe place.
Team CNN joins in
Word of the secret castle spread quickly.
Producers dropped by for a peek. Cameramen offered leftover props to enhance the fortress—adding a foam sword here, a mini spotlight there. Someone even printed out a fake royal decree to hang on the wall.
“This is the best use of a greenroom I’ve ever seen,” joked one sound engineer.
The castle became a shared delight—not just for the boys, but for the entire crew. In a space typically filled with tight schedules and breaking news, this unexpected burst of childlike joy offered a rare and welcome pause.
The beauty of boundaries broken
Anderson is no stranger to juggling family and work. As a media professional and father, he often tries to draw clear lines between the two.
“But moments like this,” he said, “make me realize that sometimes, the best thing you can do is blur the line—just enough to let the magic in.”
Letting his sons play behind the scenes had seemed like a simple way to keep them entertained. What he didn’t expect was that they’d build a world—and invite him into it.
And not just as a dad, but as their chosen king.
A new rule for the future
Since that day, the lounge now unofficially goes by a new name: “The Secret Castle Room.”
Anderson’s team has embraced the whimsical energy it brought. In fact, once a week, the kids are invited back—whether to build, imagine, or simply bring some laughter to the set.
“It changed the atmosphere in a way nothing else could,” said one producer. “It reminded us why we do what we do—for stories that matter, and moments that move us.”
An ordinary day becomes unforgettable
At the end of the afternoon, the boys packed up their things—blankets folded, swords returned, capes tucked away. But the sign remained taped to the door.
Anderson didn’t take it down.
“I want to leave it up,” he said. “As a reminder to everyone who walks through that door: There’s always room for imagination—and always a throne reserved for love.”
The final word from the king
That night, as he tucked his sons into bed, Anderson asked them what their favorite part of the day was.
“The part when you answered the question right,” the older one said.
“Yeah!” echoed the younger. “And you came into our castle!”
Anderson smiled. “That was my favorite part too.”
In the world of breaking headlines, it’s easy to forget that the most important stories often unfold not in front of the camera—but beneath a blanket fort, surrounded by giggles, guarded by love.
