AHC: British-led united Europe

Socrates

How can we have a united Europe by the year 2000 where Britain is the dominant agenda-shaper and decision-maker, and where the rest of the continent looks to for leadership? POD can be before or after 1900.

As an extra challenge, the European institutions, parliament etc should be based in London.
 

edgeworthy

Something involving the Children of Queen Victoria would probably work.
Kaiser Wilhelm also becoming King-Emperor of the British Empire is not that ASB.
He was the eldest son of her eldest daughter, and given the rampant inconvenient mortality of European Royalty, he was clearly in the line of succession.
(Victoria's sons were a man who had a permanently reserved suite in a Parisian Brothel, there's a marital aid named for him, who it is a surprise that he did not die young of a social disease, a Professional Soldier whose life could have been ended by a random round on several occasions, and two sons who did pre-decease her. Its not completely implausible.)
Linking Britain and Germany as just close allies would change a lot, having the same Head of State would make it difficult to be active enemies.
 

FillyofDelphi

Banned
edgeworthy said:
Something involving the Children of Queen Victoria would probably work.
Kaiser Wilhelm also becoming King-Emperor of the British Empire is not that ASB.
He was the eldest son of her eldest daughter, and given the rampant inconvenient mortality of European Royalty, he was clearly in the line of succession.
(Victoria's sons were a man who had a permanently reserved suite in a Parisian Brothel, there's a marital aid named for him, who it is a surprise that he did not die young of a social disease, a Professional Soldier whose life could have been ended by a random round on several occasions, and two sons who did pre-decease her. Its not completely implausible.)
Linking Britain and Germany as just close allies would change a lot, having the same Head of State would make it difficult to be active enemies.
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Parliment runs Britain, not the Crown. If Whilhelm tried to pull the stunts he did back home he'd find himself rather unsuccessful.
 

Socrates

FillyofDelphi said:
Parliment runs Britain, not the Crown. If Whilhelm tried to pull the stunts he did back home he'd find himself rather unsuccessful.
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While that's true, I think a personal union with a mainland power could create an affinity between the two countries that could later lead to some confederation.
 

FillyofDelphi

Banned
Socrates said:
While that's true, I think a personal union with a mainland power could create an affinity between the two countries that could later lead to some confederation.
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I doubt Whilhelm would exactly create a good impression on Britain if he behaved remotely like he did iotl, especially since Britian viewed Germany as her more salient rival and threat to her industry and position. Either he has to placate the Anglos and infuriate his own people for selling them out, or continue to promote Germany at the cost of looking like a forgein despot to his English subjects. Unless there's some much broader shifts in policy and diplomatic patterns
 

Deleted member 114175

Would this be possible in a "Britain alone" scenario where the US never enters WW2 but the Allies still win? Maybe a Franco-British Union could lay the groundwork as well.
 

Fabius Maximus

The British Empire federalises starting c. 1900, and consequently survives to the present day, being a world superpower. WW1 happens, Russia turns communist, but the Allies win anyway. WW2 happens; the US doesn't get involved ITTL, but the Allies still manage to win. Russia takes over large parts of Eastern Europe. The rest of the continent forms a sort of alt-NATO to resist Russian aggression. The British Empire, as the dominant European superpower, is naturally the leading member of this alliance.
 

Socrates

FillyofDelphi said:
I doubt Whilhelm would exactly create a good impression on Britain if he behaved remotely like he did iotl, especially since Britian viewed Germany as her more salient rival and threat to her industry and position. Either he has to placate the Anglos and infuriate his own people for selling them out, or continue to promote Germany at the cost of looking like a forgein despot to his English subjects. Unless there's some much broader shifts in policy and diplomatic patterns
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That's fair. I wonder if you could have personal unions form with various states in a disunited Germany, which leads to initial linkages.
 

Analytical Engine

Socrates said:
Unlikely to keep the capital in London.
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It can still have some European institutions in London. However, as you say, most probably wouldn't.

A unified (probably federal) Angevin Empire might have its capital in Rouen, as a compromise, since it is more or less centrally located.
 

Fabius Maximus

Depending on how far the Angevins see the throne of England as the foundation of their dynasty, they might keep London as the ceremonial capital for coronations etc. whilst conducting most of the day-to-day government from France.
 
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