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I've got some ideas for Britain in my ongoing TL*, but I'm wondering where I could plausibly go with them:

1867-69 -- An earlier Franco-Prussian War (in the TL), with the corresponding earlier upswing of republican sentiment in Britain

1871 -- After a brief illness, Prince Edward dies (recovered OTL)

1874 -- Parliamentary elections result in a non-majority government with Irish Home Rule as the third wheel (like this); attempts at passing a Home Rule Act fail

1875 -- new elections held, Tories win; hold their majority in next election (circa 1880) as well

Now, I've got some ideas from these -- could be with 1874 elections splitting and introducing the bills earlier, we could see something like Irish Home Rule under the inspiring leadership of Charles S Parnell underway by the 1890's.

Alternatively, I could add this event, and take it in a very different direction:

1882 -- Queen Victoria is (successfully) assassinated; a young Prince Albert Victor is coronated Albert I

Maybe here, when Britain finds itself in a world war and with an Irish uprising in a few decades, and a very unpopular King, the country deposes the monarchy altogether and devolves into a proto-Cromwellian Republic.

Do you think either of these ideas are plausible, and which is better? Given the events, are there any other ideas on where I could take it?

*see below
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