shadow of britain

Chapter 889 I've been so worried about your Saxe-Coburg family's affairs
In his study at Laken Palace, Leopold I stood with his hands behind his back by the window, gazing at the meticulously trimmed cypress trees in the garden.

"So, he came alone?"

Leopold's tone was nonchalant, but Van Pratt knew that His Majesty never asked the literal meaning of his question.

"Yes, Your Majesty. He even brought only one suitcase and no servants. He said the two technical experts accompanying him were still in France, but judging from his tone... his main purpose in coming to Brussels this time to inspect the construction of the telegraph lines for the English Electromagnetic Telegraph Company should not be."

Leopold leaned back in his chair, tapping his fingers on the mahogany edge of the armrest: "He didn't bring any servants, so that was intentional. He's quite cautious."

Van Pratt nodded and asked in a low voice, "Your Majesty, should we proceed as planned and arrange for personnel from the Ministry of the Interior to accompany him on his inspection of the construction progress of telegraph stations across the country?"

“Of course we’ll make arrangements.” Leopold picked up his teacup and said, “The reason why the telegraph construction in Belgium has progressed to this point is largely due to the English Electromagnetic Telegraph Company. Our guest has come all the way from London, so we can’t let him not see the results of our company’s construction. We need to let him know that the Belgian government’s support for the English Electromagnetic Telegraph Company is unwavering.”

Leopold paused, then suddenly changed his tone: "However, don't let the reporters know too much, and especially don't let the newspapers write nonsense. The London newspapers have been picking on me these past two months. They're saying I'm influencing my niece, that Victoria is surrounded by foreign government forces, and that Belgium wants to turn her into a puppet. I think Sir Arthur Hastings's low-key, private visit to Brussels this time, traveling very light and without even a secretary, isn't necessarily because he's afraid we'll overthink it; more likely, it's because he's afraid Fleet Street will overthink it."

Van Pratt immediately understood: "I understand, Your Majesty. I will have the Ministry of the Interior inform local governments that there will be no welcoming ceremonies, no press conferences, and no public government banquets along the way. Sir Arthur Hastings will only conduct site inspections wherever he goes, without making any public appearances."

“We can’t put them in a difficult position.” Leopold nodded. “Let him see what he needs to see and talk what he needs to talk, but don’t let it become public knowledge. Go and tell The Independent to keep quiet for the next few days and say that this visit is not official business.”

“Understood, Your Majesty.” Van Pratt immediately took note: “Like a military train at night, go fast when you need to go fast, stop when you need to stop, but most importantly, don’t sound the horn.”

“You learn quickly.” Leopold smiled, stood up and said, “Bring him to Laken Palace at ten o’clock tomorrow morning. I will receive him personally.”

Van Pratt received the order and was about to take his leave when Leopold suddenly called him back.

"Jules, Albert hasn't left Brussels yet, has he?"

Van Pratt paused for a moment, then replied, “No, Your Majesty. He was originally scheduled to return to Coburg this weekend to join his father, but the rain delayed his journey, and he is currently staying in the North Tower of the Royal Palace.”

Leopold nodded, then slowly paced back and forth, as if weighing something: "That's good. When you see Sir Arthur tomorrow, invite Albert along as well."

"Your Majesty, do you want him to accompany you throughout the entire trip, or..."

Leopold said casually, “Even just a few minutes will do. Let them meet and exchange a few words. My nephew is a bit socially awkward. Victoria is his cousin, and Arthur is her close associate. Sooner or later, the two of them will be heading in the same direction.”

"Understood." Van Pratt felt a chill run down his spine and dared not ask any more questions.

Leopold seemed to remember something and added with a smile, "By the way, go tell Albert that Hastings isn't a romantic, so he probably won't be interested in *The Sorrows of Werther*. Have Albert talk to him about something serious, like... his agreement with the educational philosophy of the University of London, his advocacy for the development of the telegraph, and his support for British police reform."

Van Pratt jotted it down and then asked, "Would you like me to prepare some materials for His Highness Albert in advance? Or would you prefer a more relaxed conversation?"

“Just a little preparation is enough. There’s no need to go too deep. Going too deep might scare people.” Leopold waved his hand, his tone casual yet measured. “This meeting isn’t a negotiation or a test. It’s just to let them know each other’s existence. Saying one more word is a possibility, and saying one less word isn’t a regret.”

"I will go to the north building of the palace immediately to inform His Highness Albert."

“Tell him to come to Green Hall at 10:30 tomorrow morning. He doesn’t need to wear formal attire and he is not allowed to bring any servants.”

"Yes, Your Majesty."

……

The following day, at Laken Palace, in the Green Hall.

Morning light streamed into the room through the high window, casting shadows of grapevines entwined on the window frame.

The weather wasn't hot today, but it was hot enough for people to take off their coats.

The palace servants pushed the windows open halfway, and the air inside carried a complex scent of freshly cut lawn mixed with garden spray. The fragrance of summer flowerbeds floated gently, mingled with the chirping of cicadas from the distant bushes, making one feel an irresistible sense of tranquility.

As was his habit, Arthur arrived five minutes early.

At this moment, he was standing in front of a display board with a map of the Rhine River basin, carefully examining the several traffic nodes marked on it.

Hearing footsteps behind him, he quickly turned around, removed his hat, and greeted them: "Your Majesty."

“Sir Arthur,” Leopold said with a smile, gesturing for him to sit down. “Brussels welcomes you.”

There was no formal reception in the Green Hall today. There were only two rattan armchairs and a small round pear wood table by the window. The tea set was ready, and the tea was still warm. It contained Qimen black tea, which was highly sought after in British high society.

"Are you settling in well at the hotel?" Leopold asked. "I had Bellevue prepare a special English breakfast for you; it was pretty authentic, wasn't it?"

Arthur smiled, his tone calm: "The ham sandwiches, anchovy sauce, and plum pudding taste even better than many local London restaurants. Your Majesty has really gone to great lengths."

"That's good." Leopold chuckled and picked up his teacup. "Delina, my niece, how has she been lately?"

"Her health is much better than last year. She has fewer headaches, is losing less hair, and has an unusually good appetite." Arthur said tactfully, "Lamb, veal ribs, fruits like pears and plums, and all sorts of desserts carefully prepared by Buckingham Palace. Her Majesty the Queen has been smiling happily every day since she ascended the throne. But you should know that the more she smiles, the more she eats."

Leopold frowned upon hearing this.

As Victoria's uncle, he had noticed his niece's excessive appetite a long time ago and had reminded her more than once to eat less because being too fat would affect her health.

However, it is clear now that Victoria did not heed her uncle's advice and secretly kept her binge eating a secret from him, never mentioning it to Leopold in her letters.

Leopold couldn't help but ask, "How much does Delina weigh now?" "Uh..." Arthur scratched his cheek, "I don't know if it's convenient to say..."

Leopold urged, “Sir Arthur, speak freely. I assure you, I will never tell Delina that I learned this from you.”

“Alright.” Arthur pursed his lips. “I remember the weight before the Trooping the Colour ceremony at Windsor Castle was about 8 stone and 9 pounds.”

"8 stone and 9 pounds?!"

It's no wonder Leopold was surprised, because for a girl who is 4 feet 11 inches tall, that weight is indeed on the heavier side.

Upon hearing this, Leopold couldn't help but ask, "Didn't you think of any way to persuade her to eat less?"

“I did try, and in fact, Her Majesty herself feels that she is currently overweight,” Arthur said. “Her Majesty once mentioned her fear of gaining weight and her overweight female relatives. I told her that if she continues to work on it, she has a great chance of joining them.”

Leopold couldn't help but laugh out loud at Arthur's unprovoked lame joke: "And how did Delina react?"

Arthur spread his hands innocently: "Her reaction back then was the same as yours now, Her Majesty the Queen laughed heartily."

At this point, Arthur added, "I also suggested to her that she exercise more. But Her Majesty argued that exercise made her tired and uncomfortable. However, she did try other remedies."

"Oh?" Leopold pressed, "What did she do?"

"Her Majesty the Queen altered all of her clothes to be a size larger."

Leopold was speechless upon hearing this from his niece, and for a moment he didn't know what to say.

After a long pause, the beloved king of Belgium finally commented, "This girl is intelligent, but sometimes she doesn't use her intelligence in the right way."

Upon hearing this, Arthur apologized to Leopold, saying, "Your Majesty, I am sorry. I have done my best to address Her Majesty's weight issue, but... after all, I am still of little influence. If Viscount Melbourne could set a good example for Her Majesty, I think things might be much better."

Leopold sensed Arthur's veiled attack on Melbourne, but instead of immediately stating his position, he countered, "Didn't Viscount Melbourne advise Delina?"

"Of course he tried to persuade him; he tried almost every day. But, I must say, the Viscount Melbourne didn't do much to help. You must have heard from your time in London that the Viscount Melbourne is a gourmand who is very passionate about food. He not only loves lamb chops as much as Her Majesty the Queen, but he is also a lover of French consommé, truffles, pears, ice cream, and anchovies. He challenges his stomach every day."

Arthur paused for a moment, then added, "Sometimes, Her Majesty would even advise the Viscount of Melbourne not to eat so much. So, whenever I tried to persuade Her Majesty to pay attention to her health, she would use the Viscount of Melbourne's eating habits as an example. Her Majesty would say that they were doing exactly the same thing, but because she was a girl, her problem was considered more serious."

After hearing this, Leopold simply raised his hand to press his temples, muttering to himself, "They really are a couple."

At this point, Leopold seemed to realize he had been too blunt, so he quickly coughed lightly and added, "I mean, in terms of appetite."

Arthur remained noncommittal, simply picking up his teacup, as if acquiescing to the joke.

Leopold's gaze fell on the gardener strolling past the pergola outside the window. After a few seconds, he spoke, "But ultimately, no matter how much she loves to eat, she can't be seen as an unrestrained monarch. Delina's status is different now, and the public's view of her is different. Every move she makes is training herself, and also training how others will see her. I imagine there's a lot of gossip about her in London regarding her diet, isn't there?"

Arthur coughed. “I have indeed heard many similar complaints. Miss Eleanor Stanley complained to me before, you know, that there’s always food in the palace. Some noble ladies have also spoken to me privately, but their focus is not on the amount of food, but on their dissatisfaction with Her Majesty’s unbecoming act of standing up to eat.”

"Eating standing up?" Leopold repeated slowly, as if to make sure he hadn't misheard. "In a formal setting?"

“In informal meetings and some formal occasions,” Arthur added, “For example, Her Majesty the Queen would sometimes grab a piece of pastry or fruit if a ball at Buckingham Palace or while reviewing reports happened to be served, and eat a few bites while listening to her ministers’ reports, standing by the window.”

Leopold tapped his knuckles twice on the edge of the coffee table, looking somewhat annoyed. "I'm not against people eating, but eating is never just about filling your stomach; it's also about demonstrating self-control to others, even in the most private moments. Why didn't Melbourne remind her that he, the Prime Minister and Private Secretary, was just waiting to see Delina make a fool of herself?"

Arthur saw that Leopold was angry, but he didn't say anything more.

The main problem in this matter does not lie with Viscount Melbourne, but with Victoria herself.

Because Victoria never saw anything wrong with eating while standing, and instead considered the requirement to sit down to eat to be a kind of outdated Kensington Palace custom, if someone asked her to sit down to eat, she would easily be reminded of the Duchess of Kent and Conroy's control over her.

For this reason, those who knew Victoria would tacitly avoid mentioning the matter, while those nobles who were not close to Victoria would not listen to her even if they offered their opinions.

“I think Her Majesty may indeed still be learning,” Arthur said tactfully, trying to exonerate the Queen. “After all, she is only eighteen years old. Not everyone can be as capable as you are, able to stand on their own right at such a young age.”

“She’s not an ordinary eighteen-year-old.” Leopold’s tone was slightly harsh, then lowered: “But I understand what you mean.”

At this point, Leopold couldn't help but sigh: "If her relationship with her mother hadn't been so bad, I think her lifestyle would be much better now, but... sigh... by the way, how is my sister, the Duchess of Kent, doing?"

Upon hearing this question, Arthur paused slightly in his teacup.

He knew that the Belgian king's feelings for his royal sister had always been quite complicated.

This sentiment encompasses both the natural bonds of family and deep dissatisfaction with her parenting methods. It reflects both pity from family members for her plight and the clear-headed judgment and helplessness of a politician.

"The Duchess of Kent..." Arthur sighed softly, carefully choosing his words, "Her living conditions have always been quite good, but her mental state..."

Leopold raised an eyebrow: "Mental state?"

“Yes,” Arthur nodded. “Since the Queen moved from Kensington Palace to Buckingham Palace, the Duchess of Kent moved with her to the suite with the terrace on the west side. But now, she hardly attends any of the Queen’s public events and rarely leaves Buckingham Palace. She only appears at essential festivals, but she always arrives late and leaves early, and she doesn’t chat with everyone as much as she used to. Every time I go to Buckingham Palace to see Her Majesty, I see the Duchess of Kent playing whistles in the recreation room. The ladies-in-waiting play badminton in the afternoons, and sometimes they ask the Duchess if she wants to join, but she always declines.”

(End of this chapter)