Start 1861: I just inherited the Dutch throne

Chapter 753 Prince of Wales

On July 1879, 7, a piece of news immediately attracted everyone's attention.

Crown Prince Eugène of the Second French Empire proposed to Queen Victoria of England to marry his youngest daughter, Princess Beatrice, but the queen refused, almost triggering a diplomatic dispute between the two countries.

British Empire, Buckingham Palace.

Queen Victoria, who has just turned 60, has been having a headache recently.

Recently, both the British and the royal families of major European kingdoms have been eyeing the marriage of their youngest child, Princess Beatrice.

The model Princess Beatrice, who was born in 1857, is currently her personal secretary.

Princess Beatrice's childhood coincided with Queen Victoria's great sadness due to the death of Prince Albert. When her eldest sister, Princess Victoria, left the Queen after marrying, the Queen began to live with her infant daughter Beatrice. Si's company.Queen Victoria often referred to the childhood Princess Beatrice as a "baby".

Like all families with many children, all mothers love their youngest child the most, because it is the closest to her and the feeling of having children.So many people ask why in families with many children, they complain about why parents always love the eldest or the youngest the most. There is a reason for this.

Princess Beatrice was different from other princesses and princes. She grew up accompanying Queen Victoria, and he quickly accepted his fate.

Since 18, when she was 1875, there have been a steady stream of people proposing marriage to her. However, Princess Beatrice has had many suitors for a long time, including Eugène, Crown Prince of the Second Empire of France, who has been reported in the news these days. (Future Napoleon IV)
The Second French Empire is now Britain's best helper against the Netherlands. The proximity of the two countries originally gave Britain more room to maneuver to test the pressure on the Netherlands.

But Napoleon III asked her to marry Beatrice on behalf of his son Eugène, which made her very dissatisfied because she didn't want Beatrice to end up in such a marriage of interest.

Of course, if you refuse, you refuse, but what troubles her is that just after she refused, Beatrice was actually participating in Princess Victoria's event co-organized by Louise Alexander Mountbatten and Hesse and Rhineland. During the wedding, Beatrice fell in love with Prince Henry of Battenberg.

"Oh my god, this kid chose to fall in love at this time, and even let it be exposed. How can this make the always good-looking Napoleon III lose his dignity?"

Queen Victoria couldn't help but put her hands on her forehead, feeling distressed.

"The Queen, the Prince of Wales asks for an audience"

While Queen Victoria was holding her forehead in thought, the captain of the guard reported.

"Let him in"

Queen Victoria's troubles not only disappeared, but increased.

After rejecting the French crown prince Eugène, Edward, the Prince of Wales, as Beatrice's brother, actually suggested that Beatrice be betrothed to their widowed cousin-in-law, Derwig IV of Hesse and the Rhine.

Crown Prince Edward actually believed that Beatrice could replace her cousin as the mother of Ludwig's child, and that she could also spend a lot of time in the care of the queen.
He even further believed yesterday that in this way, she would be able to more easily supervise the growth of her grandchildren, especially Crown Prince William Jr. (later William II) and brother-in-law Crown Prince Frederick of the German Empire.

Queen Victoria muttered to herself depressedly: "It seems that Edward has fallen into political defeat and cannot extricate himself."

Time goes back to July 1879, 7.The Prince of Wales (later Edward VII) fought back by having the Palace of Westminster pass the Marriage Act of 1. British law at the time prohibited Princess Beatrice from marrying her widowed brother-in-law.

Crown Prince Edward strongly opposed Beatrice's marriage to Ludwig. Although many British people supported the marriage and it was approved by the British House of Commons, it was opposed by clergy members of the British House of Lords. It is a pity that it was passed by the House of Lords.

Although Queen Victoria regretted that her royal marriage did not succeed, she was still happy that her daughter could stay with her.

However, she was too happy.

As the marriage promoted by Crown Prince Edward ended, Princess Beatrice's other suitors included Prince Henry's two brothers, the Grand Duke Alexander I of Bulgaria and the first generation Milford Black Louise Alexander Mountbatten, Marquis of Wen.

Although these men wanted to become the quick husband-in-law of Queen Victoria's favorite youngest daughter, they were not unsuccessful in the end.

Grand Duke Alexander I of Bulgaria even publicly stated: I was even engaged to my childhood friend who grew up in England, the British Princess Beatrice. Unfortunately, everything has changed now.

Finally, Archduke Ludwig, promoted by Crown Prince Edward, took Princess Beatrice's niece, the daughter of Crown Prince Frederick of the German Empire, as Princess Victoria of Hesse and the Rhine.

It was at this time that what was helpless and miraculous was that when Princess Beatrice went to Mstadt to attend the wedding of Archduke Ludwig, she actually attended the dinner with Prince Henry of Battenberg fell in love at the wedding.

While Queen Victoria was deep in thought, Prince Edward (Prince of Wales) had already arrived.

Crown Prince Edward: “I’m still worried about Beatrice’s marriage.”

Prince Edward, born in 1841, was only one year younger than William IV.

From the time he became the Crown Prince at the age of 1861 in 20 to the present, he has been the British Crown Prince for 18 years. From the youthful and vigorous days to the present, after many setbacks, especially after the German-French War in 1870, he has transitioned to a mature stage. .

Watching the rapid development of the Netherlands over the years, and the fact that Britain, once the only maritime hegemon, was provoked by the Netherlands, other countries also paid attention to sea power, and the strength of the British navy's opponents grew rapidly. He has understood that Britain will no longer be able to dominate the sea. It cannot afford a major defeat, especially a naval war.

Because of this, although he still has deep hostility towards the Netherlands, he has chosen to hide his heart instead of showing it directly.

Precisely because of his changes, Queen Victoria finally relaxed her grip on power in the past few years and slowly transferred it to him.

For example, the Queen entrusted him with the affairs of South America some time ago. Although Chile failed in the end, he did not lose the opportunity to win over Argentina after Chile's failure. He made a beautiful turnaround and allowed Crown Prince Edward to win in the country. Britain has gained huge prestige in both the political arena, the aristocracy, and the people.

And the queen finally confirmed that he had grown up.

For example, Queen Victoria let him have a go at Princess Beatrice's marriage.

(End of this chapter)