shadow of britain

Chapter 890 Sir Arthur has already chosen you to be the King Consort.

"She played Whistler all by herself?"

Leopold inquired in a low voice about the Duchess of Kent's recent situation, but his tone did not sound very surprised. Rather, it was as if some long-foreseen worry had finally been confirmed.

“Yes.” Arthur nodded. “Sometimes Flora would play two-player games with her, and occasionally the Duchess would sit alone in a chair looking at chess scores or staring out the window in a daze. Only when Lady Levine came to visit her at Buckingham Palace would the Duchess have a smile on her face.”

"Mrs. Levin..."

Leopold muttered to himself, his brow furrowing involuntarily.

Arthur knew that the King of Belgium did not like the Russian woman, not only because she was emotional, had a bad reputation, and was often arrogant, but also because Leopold knew that Mrs. Leven was actually a female spy.

As is well known, since Belgium's independence, the Russian government has long held a hostile attitude towards this newly established constitutional state.

If the Warsaw Uprising hadn't broken out, diverting Tsar Nicholas I's attention from the Poles, he might have even planned to join forces with Prussia and Austria to send foreign intervention troops to Belgium to help the Dutch suppress the Belgian revolution.

For this reason, Leopold had long been hostile to Mrs. Levine’s attempts to exert Russian influence on the British court.

After all, Belgium's ability to establish itself in Europe depends on the independence guarantees provided by Britain and France.

In order to gain the support of the French, he married Louise Marie Orléans, the daughter of King Louis-Philippe of France.

The successful succession of his niece Victoria was the best guarantee for him to gain British support.

Of course, Leopold felt that simply maintaining a good relationship with his niece was not enough.

If the Duchess of Kent can repair her relationship with Victoria, it will undoubtedly elevate diplomatic relations between Belgium and the United Kingdom to a new level.

That's why he approached Sir Arthur Hastings, who was extremely loyal to the British royal family. After all, in Leopold's view, given Arthur's current status in Victoria's eyes, he might be the key to breaking the deadlock.

In order to win over Arthur, the Belgian government made certain concessions to the English Electromagnetic Telegraph Company regarding telegraph construction, which was entirely within Leopold's means. Moreover, given the current effectiveness of wired telegraphs, even disregarding the consideration of winning over Arthur, advancing the related construction was absolutely necessary.

If it weren't for the fact that Arthur's visit to Brussels was in a private capacity, Leopold would have even considered awarding Arthur the Commander-level Leopold Medal to recognize this foreign friend who had made significant contributions to Belgium in science, technology, and industry.

However, Arthur was unaware that he had inadvertently missed out on a medal that could have added luster to his honor roll.

Of course, even if he knew, Arthur would probably politely refuse.

Because Fleet Street journalists have been making frequent accusations lately about Belgium's attempts to influence Queen Victoria, and now Buckingham Palace already has a Belgian Baron Stockmay. If Arthur were to accept Leopold's award now, he would likely face a barrage of criticism from Fleet Street upon his return to London, accused of defecting to the Belgians for a medal.

How could Sir Arthur Hastings possibly surrender to the Belgian government for a medal?
What a joke!
Even if he were to surrender, it would only be because the Belgian government approved the construction of the railway telegraph extension by the English Electromagnetic Telegraph Company.

"Your Majesty, His Highness Albert has arrived."

As the court attendant announced from outside the door, Leopold and Arthur looked towards the entrance almost simultaneously.

A tall, slightly reserved young man walked into the Green Hall.

Albert wore a well-tailored dark blue coat. As instructed by his uncle, he did not wear a sword at his waist today, nor did he wear any sash or medals on his chest. He only wore a simple emerald brooch at his collar, which made him look even more gentle and refined.

Arthur had once met Albert in front of the Leipzig Theatre. Although they did not know each other, Arthur still stood up and nodded slightly in greeting.

Leopold stood up, walked over to Albert, and gently patted his nephew's shoulder, as if signaling him to relax.

“Albert,” Leopold turned to Arthur and said with a smile, “Let me introduce you to a very important figure in London—Sir Arthur Hastings. He is your cousin’s most trusted court advisor, and a scholar and practitioner with achievements in natural philosophy, art, and police affairs.”

Arthur bowed slightly and nodded to Albert, saying, "Your Highness, it is an honor to meet you."

Albert smiled politely and extended his hand to Arthur. His clear voice still carried a hint of youthful shyness: "Sir Arthur, I remember we passed each other outside the Leipzig Theatre. But the crowds were too big then, and we didn't have a chance to exchange pleasantries. Today, that regret can finally be made up for."

Arthur was surprised that Albert still remembered that incident, even though the two of them had only brushed past each other.

However, he soon figured out the whole story.

Perhaps Albert noticed his name on the billboard at the Leipzig Theatre, after all, the billboard clearly stated that he and Mendelssohn were the composers of "Turandot".

“You have a good memory.” Arthur smiled and shook Albert’s hand. “Mendelssohn conducted the performance that night, and the audience’s enthusiasm practically melted the stage.”

Seeing that the two had finished their opening remarks, Leopold smiled and invited Albert to sit down: "You've come at the right time, Albert. Sir Arthur and I were just talking about your Aunt Vidoklee."

Albert was slightly taken aback by this question: "Aunt... how has she been lately?"

Albert's tone sounded cautious. It was clear that this eldest nephew also had mixed feelings about his aunt.

This is not to say that the Duchess of Kent treated Albert badly. On the contrary, the Duchess of Kent has always treated her family well. Perhaps she would have disagreements with her brothers on some matters, but she was always very caring towards her nephews and nieces.

After Victoria was officially designated as the heir to the British throne, the Duchess of Kent, now with more money to spare, immediately invited Albert and his family to a holiday in England, with Kensington Palace covering all travel and sightseeing expenses. And she has done this almost every year since.

However, although his aunt treated him well, Albert could also sense the strange relationship between his aunt and cousin Victoria, as well as the equally strange Kensington system.

Just as Leopold could foresee that Victoria might turn against her mother after ascending the throne, Albert had a similar suspicion.

However, Leopold's conclusion was based on his long-term interactions with Victoria and her daughter during his time living in England.

And Albert? He mainly sensed it through his keen intuition.

Compared to his peers, Albert was noticeably more sensitive, which may be attributed to his unhappy childhood.

Victoria lost her father shortly after birth, while Albert was "abandoned" by his mother when he was 5 years old.

Albert's parents' marriage was fraught with conflict. The Duke of Coburg was a womanizer who frequently had affairs after their marriage, and the conflict between the two quickly escalated after his mother, Louise, also had an affair.

Under threats from her husband, the Duke of Coburg, Louise was forced to agree to leave Coburg, leaving with nothing and never to see her two sons again. She and her lover eventually settled in Paris, where she died of illness at the age of 30.

As Albert wrote in his diary: "My childhood was unbearable, very unhappy, and very miserable. I don't know how many times I wished I could disappear from the world."

Fortunately, the Rose Palace in Coburg housed many books, which offered him some solace.

Especially the 23 historical novels by Sir Walter Scott, which were Albert’s favorites. After Sir Walter Scott’s unfortunate passing, he now prefers to read the historical novels of Mr. Elder Carter, Scott’s successor.

When Albert first visited Kensington Palace, he tried to talk to his cousin about Walter Scott's books, but unfortunately, his cousin Victoria's attention was clearly focused on the tropical parrot he had brought from Coburg. She kept praising the parrot, saying it was bigger and more docile than her aunt, the Duchess of Kent's grey parrot, and that it wouldn't bite even if you put your finger in its beak while it stood on your hand.

Furthermore, his cousin's energy was far greater than he had imagined. Victoria would often leave him at Kensington Palace while she went out to attend dinner parties.

Although the Duchess of Kent later insisted that Victoria take Albert with her when she went out, Albert, who disliked social activities and staying up late, clearly did not consider dinner parties and salons to be pleasant experiences, so much so that he would often doze off in those places.

Compared to dealing with those aristocratic ladies and endless dancing, Albert preferred to read quietly by himself or to interact with other men, whether discussing philosophy or literature, he was open to it.

His cousin, Victoria, viewed his behavior as a sign of immaturity.

Baron Stockmay, who had been observing him and Victoria, had privately commented to Leopold that Albert seemed too indifferent and taciturn in his treatment of women.

Many British noble ladies had privately compared the two princes from Coburg, and they all agreed that although Albert was more handsome and intelligent, his brother Ernest was more comfortable to be around because he was a particularly nice person.

However, while these traits might be seen as flaws by the young women, they also made Albert appealing to old-fashioned gentlemen. This was because the qualities Albert displayed were precisely those strongly advocated by traditional Christian morality.

Even William IV, who harbored a deep dislike for the Coburg family, did not show any particular animosity upon meeting the quiet Albert. However, William IV thought that Albert's brother, Ernest, resembled his troublesome aunt, the Duchess of Kent.

The moment Arthur saw Albert at Laken Palace, he understood why Leopold had treated him with such courtesy upon his arrival in Brussels.

After all that fuss, it turns out this king simply wanted to strengthen ties with Britain through marriage.

Now that William IV has passed away, the biggest obstacle to Victoria's marriage has disappeared.

Therefore, as long as Victoria herself agrees, her marriage can be finalized.

And the people who can influence Victoria's mate selection preferences are very few, if you count them on your fingers.

The Duchess of Kent and Conroy are out of the running; besides them, there's Leopold himself, Lady Lezen, Viscount Melbourne, Baron Stockmay, and Arthur Hastings.

First, Stockmay is Leopold's man, and if Belgium can also win over Arthur, it will create a three-on-two situation.

Next, as long as Lezen and Viscount Melbourne do not vehemently oppose it, the marriage is basically settled.

However, while the Belgians were in a hurry, Arthur was not so anxious about the marriage.

As for the reason, it's not that complicated.

That is, Victoria herself does not want to talk about marriage right now. She has just ascended the throne and is currently enjoying her status as queen.

She now encounters new things every day that she hasn't experienced in the past eighteen years. Every morning, something new catches her attention, and she has a charming older man like the Viscount of Melbourne by her side, so her need for emotional connection isn't that strong.

She had almost forgotten even Lord Elfenstone, who had been transferred to Madras, India, as governor.

If Arthur remembers correctly, Victoria wrote him only one letter after ascending the throne, and to this day, she has not shown any intention of recalling Elphinstone to London.

It's good that Victoria didn't mean it that way; let that Scottish kid rot in India.

Ideally, the Afghans in the mountains would kill him, thus eliminating any future trouble.

As long as Elphinstone doesn't return to London, Arthur can hold off on pushing for Victoria's marriage, thus avoiding any future resentment towards him due to pressure to marry.

But if Elphinstone were to return, Arthur would have no choice but to hastily kidnap any random European prince and send him to Victoria's bed that very night.

Whether this prince is Alexander the Great of Russia...

No, no, Alexander the Great of Russia won't do...

Or perhaps it was his old friend Louis Bonaparte…

No, that's not right either, it can't be Louis either...

As Arthur pondered this, he sized up Albert before him.

He frowned and thought for a moment, and it seemed that this young man was indeed not bad.
Albert felt uneasy under his gaze and couldn't help but ask, "Sir Arthur, are you feeling unwell?"

(End of this chapter)