Health AHC: Extend Fredrick III's Life

There's a few decent threads on WI Fredrick III of Germany had survived his bout of cancer, but I'd like to take a look here to ask the how.

Specifically: What is the latest PoD necessary for Fredrick III to have another 20 years of rule (compared to OTL)? Does he have to give up smoking earlier, or can an operation in 1887 repair his throat and body enough? Or is there something else I'm missing?
 
Throat surgery at that time was apparently very risky and as the leading expert (Mackenzie) had already prescribed against it..........

I'd suppose a total laryngetomy was a possibility but it was extremely dangerous in those days. His son Prince Heinrich would die of the same condition in the 1920's so even then the prospects were not great.

Either way a surviving Emperor Friedrich would not be able to speak and would have to breathe through a tube.

It does bring up an interesting topic though. Would Friedrich der Schweigen have used his wife or one of his sons to read official proclamations for him? How he and Vicki would have loved to hear their ideas reluctantly espoused to the public in Willy's voice!

Would he and Vicki try to learn sign language to better facilitate communication or would he have carried a chalkboard or notepad around for the rest of his days?
 
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Another interesting question is whether the OP would be met in those circumstances -- i.e. would Fredrich even be able to keep the crown in his condition?
 
Might Wilhelm make an attempt? I'm actually a little intrigued now by the thought of a German Royal struggle over this...

You know what? I think I may do that in my TL. Any thoughts on that?
 
Well, if Wilhelm makes an attempt and fails, after Fredrick III dies we would see Kaiser Henry, who was just as much a liberal and a Anglophile as his father.
 
Which could lead to no Entente Cordiale, which means that a possible WWI analogue could have France on one side, and Britain and Germany on the other.

Especially since revanchists are as strong in France as in OTL if little changes there.
 
I've posted this event in my TL -- Fredrick lives to 1899, and Wilhelm succeeds him.

I am actually unsure about posting on exactly how Germany liberalizes, since I'm not sure what ground I'm on with their constitution -- any suggestions for what to fill in?
 
Another interesting question is whether the OP would be met in those circumstances -- i.e. would Fredrich even be able to keep the crown in his condition?
Something similar came up with George V of Hanover. Initially there were some objections on the grounds that he was blind, but ultimately he was allowed to succeed his father.
 
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