Prince Albert Survives

Let's imagine that Albert fails to contract typhoid, and as a consequence lives a long and healthy life, dying at the age of seventy-two in 1891.

Before the British contingent jump on top of me for suggesting that the Monarch had any real power left, I'd like to point out that Victoria did have power, and used it where she could. People assume that it's a linear downwards trend in power from George I onwards, but let's look at her predecessors:
  • George III - Mad, and thus not the best person to make policy decisions. His powers were entrusted to:
  • George IV - More concerned with fashion and getting rid of his wife.
  • William IV - More concerned with bedding every second woman in the country - except his wife, of course.
Now compare this to Victoria - a proud and independent woman, sure of her decisions and prepared to make life hell for anyone who stands in her way.

Albert had a strong effect on Victoria, being her sole source of political guidance after Melbourne drifted from her, and it's clear that he was training her to be a constitutional monarch as opposed to a more traditional role. Certainly, we could note that her main times of unconstitutional practice - the Bedchamber Question and the War On Gladstone - came when Albert wasn't there to restrain her.

So, then, assuming that Victoria did have an effect on British politics post-Albert, how would British politics be affected if Albert had remained to keep her in her place as constitutional monarch rather than dying and letting her revert to her usual practices?
 

Thande

Donor
It's an interesting WI, but I'm not sure what the effects would be. I think late Victorian culture would be somewhat affected, as Victoria's long period of sombre mourning helped define it.

With Prince Albert doing his usual negotiating, I can see German unification being different. Possibly Britain would not align so much with France if he was handling relations with Prussia (what was Albert's opinion of Napoleon III?). In a peace-wank, his influence might even lead to an equitable settlement with the German Empire not taking Alsace-Lorraine after the 1870 war - which, after all, was opposed by Bismarck.
 
It's an interesting WI, but I'm not sure what the effects would be. I think late Victorian culture would be somewhat affected, as Victoria's long period of sombre mourning helped define it.

With Prince Albert doing his usual negotiating, I can see German unification being different. Possibly Britain would not align so much with France if he was handling relations with Prussia (what was Albert's opinion of Napoleon III?). In a peace-wank, his influence might even lead to an equitable settlement with the German Empire not taking Alsace-Lorraine after the 1870 war - which, after all, was opposed by Bismarck.

I seem to recall that the Royal Couple were aghast at Napoleon aiding Sardinia in 1859, and given his German background and Vicky's pro-German outlook on just about everything, I could see Britain pushing more towards Germany in the late nineteenth century. However, this policy would be personality-dependent, and I'm sure that it couldn't be sustained for that long without him. Not that the Government would immediately cut all ties with Germany, of course, but they would naturally drift somewhat away without Albie to argue for them (unless moored by a treaty or another).
 

Susano

Banned
In a peace-wank, his influence might even lead to an equitable settlement with the German Empire not taking Alsace-Lorraine after the 1870 war - which, after all, was opposed by Bismarck.
It was? Ive also heard that Bismarck (whose longterm aims already had been reached with the North German Confederation) contructed the GErman Empire partly just as a way for Prussia to rule Alsace-Lorraine. Maybe the "Lorraine" part of it (that is, the region of Metz) could remain French, but it had been clear for decades at that point that in case of any German victory against France, the Alsace would be annexed. Its kinda inevitable, and Metz or no Metz, it would trigger the same French revanchism...
 
Bumping for a different take on things.

With Albert's death, Victoria's opinion of young Albert Edward cemented into one of utter disappointment, and she intended to groom him into his father, an impossible task if ever there was one. Her treatment of him certainly affected his outlook on life, and thus his monarchy, as a spring is affected by a large weight, suddenly lifted.

Let us then suppose that Albert survives. Victoria is slightly less single-minded, perhaps taking outside advice from those close to Edward, who note that he might do well from some experience of foreign climes in which he is not horribly repressed. Perhaps some diplomatic position somewhere...
 
Bumping for a different take on things.

With Albert's death, Victoria's opinion of young Albert Edward cemented into one of utter disappointment, and she intended to groom him into his father, an impossible task if ever there was one. Her treatment of him certainly affected his outlook on life, and thus his monarchy, as a spring is affected by a large weight, suddenly lifted.

Let us then suppose that Albert survives. Victoria is slightly less single-minded, perhaps taking outside advice from those close to Edward, who note that he might do well from some experience of foreign climes in which he is not horribly repressed. Perhaps some diplomatic position somewhere...

Perhaps Germany, if his parents were both pro Germany. Maybe no Entente:confused:
 
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