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:
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?
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.
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?