The Shadow of Great Britain

The reason a tiger can subdue a dog is due to its claws and teeth. If the tiger relinquishes its claws and teeth and the dog uses them instead, then the tiger will in turn be subdued by the dog.

——”Han Feizi·Two Handles”

Arthur leaned against the wall of the carriage, his fingers unconsciously tapping the silver eagle head of his cane.

Today, he wasn’t wearing his usual tailcoat but had instead donned the purple double-breasted morning coat tailored for him by Fiona, complemented by the cream-colored Napa leather gloves Miss Flora Hastings gifted him. Perhaps feeling a bit warm inside the carriage, he only fastened the top button of his coat.

The streets of London were as damp as ever; last night’s drizzle had washed away most of the coal dust, leaving puddles between the cobblestones, and a few scattered raindrops still clung under the eaves, occasionally stirred by the wind whisked up by the carriage, splashing tiny ripples against the window.

It has been half a month since Victoria ascended the throne, during which he was summoned to Buckingham Palace for an audience almost every three to four days.

In Arthur’s view, compared to before her ascension, Victoria hasn’t changed significantly. In private conversations, she still appears astonishingly young, speaking with wide eyes as if interested in everything. However, in public settings, she manages to carry herself with a proper demeanor. The lords of the House of Lords, who used to frequently huff and puff at the king, now behave with great poise in front of the young queen.

Of course, it’s not that they don’t have any grievances.

The most dissatisfying aspect for these old nobles was the queen’s evening parties.

In the past, whether during the Regency period or under George IV or King William IV, after the ladies finished their meal and left the dining room, the gentlemen would typically remain to enjoy a few drinks, chat, play cards, or smoke. However, since Victoria’s reign began, this informal ’gentleman’s time’ has been abolished.

A while ago, when Arthur attended a banquet at St. James’s Palace, he overheard the Duke of Bedford (brother of Lord Russell, Minister of Internal Affairs) and Cabinet Secretary Greville discussing this matter. The Duke confidently assured Greville that the Queen must have had a dispute with Prime Minister Viscount Melbourne over this, for he overheard the Queen angrily telling Viscount Melbourne, ”That’s a distasteful habit.”

Yet from the subsequent developments, it seems both parties made concessions; gentlemen were allowed to linger after the ladies departed, but only for five minutes.

In summary, the palace is almost entirely filled with such trivial matters, which is why Arthur is not particularly keen on voluntarily visiting Buckingham Palace to see the Queen since Victoria’s succession.

Although Victoria has endured eighteen years of hardship under the domineering control of her mother, the Duchess of Kent, this unfortunately has set a rather poor precedent for her. In a sense, she also possesses a strong desire for control, especially concerning domestic affairs, with a stubbornness that is beyond words.

However, a redeeming quality is that Victoria is not overly controlling in matters of state and willingly delegates various responsibilities to experts. For an absolute monarch, such a trait might be fatal, but for a constitutional monarch, it is nonetheless one of the most vital and indispensable virtues.

That said, this is essentially also the character of Victoria’s mother, the Duchess of Kent.

Because in Kensington Palace, it was always John Conroy, the ’expert,’ who managed foreign affairs, while the Duchess of Kent focused on domestic responsibilities such as the education of their children.

Although for Victoria, the Kensington System has caused her much suffering, it’s worth noting that if one could become Sir John Conroy of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, it actually wouldn’t be too shabby.

Even though Victoria’s reign is still quite new, she has quickly decided to officially halt the merger of the University of London and King’s College, promptly renewing the Royal Charter for the University of London, sparing this British educational gem from once again becoming a ’diploma mill’ embarrassment.

Her actions naturally won the favor of the Radical Party, which advocates for the abolition of the monarchy. The University of London promptly drafted a lengthy letter of thanks, entrusted to the distinguished alumnus Sir Arthur Hastings, who stepped down as Dean of Academic Affairs last year, to deliver to Buckingham Palace, presenting it to Her Majesty Queen Victoria.

Indeed, setting aside this matter, the attitude of the Radical Party towards the new queen is significantly more favorable compared to that shown to George IV and King William IV.

When this fair-haired, rosy-featured, pure and humble little queen rode through the streets, the citizens of London couldn’t help but smile and toss their hats high into the air. Especially when they compare Victoria to her uncles and cousins, the people of Great Britain want to cheer even more.

After all, hardly anyone can remember when the last monarch was as reputable as Victoria at the beginning of their reign, with a clean record and seemingly no threat.

Apart from Victoria, most royal family members were notorious individuals, those vile and filthy old fellows, either living a life of debauchery, being selfish, foolish, absurd, or constantly burdened by debt, disputes, and a tarnished reputation.

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