Prince Albert, the Prince Consort lives. Effects on German Unification

What would have happened to the British foreign policy towards Prussia and German unification had Prince Albert, the Prince Consort lived?


Initially, Prince Albert favored a Prussian leading role in a unified Germany, as he saw the chance of a British-German alliance to lead a liberal movement in central Europe. But had he lived, would he have embraced or opposed the Conservative movement led by Bismarck? How would he have reacted to the poor treatment Bismarck bestowed on his daughter as Crown Princess and his son-law the Crown Prince Frederick, moving both Prussia and Germany away from any liberal progress and a British style Constitutional Monarchy?


Would Prince Albert have looked away in order to allow a Prussian led German Unification in the hopes his son and daughter would have righted the “wrongs” he may have perceived Bismarck enforced when they come to the throne? He had no power over the British Parliament, but by his death he had the respect of many of the leaders in the government and held some influence, and he may have given them advice that would have been less than neutral or pro-Prussian in nature.
 
No effect whatsoever. Albert always had an inflated view of himself, no doubt stoked by Victoria and the Princess Royal's practical worship of him, but in practice he had no influence in Germany beyond his role as the Queen's consort. This was made abundantly clear when liberals of the Frankfurt Parliament ignored his proposed constitution. This isn't even taking into consideration that the Prussians held him as a jumped up paper royal highness. The ONLY way he'd have any influence would be if Wilhelm I goes through with his threats to abdicate over his budgetary crisis with the Landtag in 1862. And even then there's no guarantee that Friedrich III would treat his father-in-law as the fountain of knowledge in the same way as his wife and mother-in-law.
 
I read somewhere that Leopold of Coburg, king of the Belgians was regarded as the "Nestor of Princes" for most of his reign,but by the end of it, was eclipsed by Napoléon III and Bismarck (not necessarily in wiles or political skill). Albert never seems to have been more than a blip on most's radar.

One way I can see him trying to shore up his influence is through his remaining daughters' marriages. They (Louisa, Helena, Beatrice) won't be wasted as OTL, so Albert might want them to make grander marriages - if only to bring their husbands in line with the whole Prussian-led Germany idea. Helena was supposed to marry the Prince of Orange while the Princess of Württemberg/Queen of the Netherlands tried to get Beatrice for their son/nephew, King Wilhelm II. The queen of Denmark wanted Louisa for a daughter-in-law, but Victoria was against it, I think Albert would be as well - one Dane is one Dane too many.

But beyond ensuring that the future ruler of "Germany" and the future kings of the Netherlands and Württemberg are brothers-in-law I can't see how this would greatly affect matters (especially regarding Albert's position). Christian IX had a Russian emperor as a son-in-law, and one of Louis-Philippe's granddaughters for a daughter-in-law, but AFAIK, he never tried to use undue influence in either Russia or France. In fact, so afraid of being seen as too pro-French was he that he dithered on signing a treaty with France. When his daughter-in-law, Marie d'Orléans, arrived in Denmark after being abroad she shouted at him (in public) from the gangplank of the ship/yacht "Have you signed the treaty with Paris yet?! Why don't you hurry up and sign it!"
Albert would probably have a major problem being as diffident as Christian.
 
I read that Crown Princess Victoria held a lot of influence with the Crown Prince. So if the two do come to the throne early as was suggested by the Landtag, and if Prince Albert were alive, and his daughter took into account every thing he advises, then surely if what I read about the marriage of Vicky and Fritz, some of his ideas and thoughts might come through.
 
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