The Last Hanover: The Life and Reign of Queen Charlotte

Neat. I guess Republics are regarded as being a Western Hemispheric thing, kind of like they were an Italian/North German thing during the Middle Ages. Not as unlikley a thing as one might think. Save for France the monarchies of Europe fell in two waves, one at the end of the Great War, and one at the end of the Second World War. Butterfly away those events and the survival of European monarchy does not seem that odd.

Edit: I forgot to add that the Spanish monarchy was deposed in favor of a Republic in the 1930's.
 

VVD0D95

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Neat. I guess Republics are regarded as being a Western Hemispheric thing, kind of like they were an Italian/North German thing during the Middle Ages. Not as unlikley a thing as one might think. Save for France the monarchies of Europe fell in two waves, one at the end of the Great War, and one at the end of the Second World War. Butterfly away those events and the survival of European monarchy does not seem that odd.

Edit: I forgot to add that the Spanish monarchy was deposed in favor of a Republic in the 1930's.
Queen charlottes world certainly seems a much better one
 
My guess is that the Prince of Wales is LGBT+
Would make no difference. People can change their minds. Especially B. L doesn't apply, and T is right out. (Even the most "enlightened" monarchy would not move someone up the line of succession in response to that person's gender redefinition.)

the Prince would then have the Duke of York as his legitimate heir and Charlotte being the heir apparent of the heir presumptive.
The Royal Musings blog (which is not official, AFAICT), stated that baby Charlotte "shall one day take the top spot", being her father's heir apparent under the 1995 Succession Act. This implies that he is heir apparent as well.

Or it may be that he is seen as de facto heir apparent by commentators such as this blog, because everyone knows the Prince of Wales will never have children. For instance, the Princess is past menopause, or had a hysterectomy. The Prince might marry again, but everyone knows he won't. Or the Prince might have a serious health issue (paralyzed in an accident?).
 
Neat. I guess Republics are regarded as being a Western Hemispheric thing, kind of like they were an Italian/North German thing during the Middle Ages. Not as unlikley a thing as one might think. Save for France the monarchies of Europe fell in two waves, one at the end of the Great War, and one at the end of the Second World War. Butterfly away those events and the survival of European monarchy does not seem that odd.

Edit: I forgot to add that the Spanish monarchy was deposed in favor of a Republic in the 1930's.
Yeah, I haven't really gotten into it quite yet but I'm taking steps in Austria to help safeguard the succession and nip that whole Sarajevo thing in the bud. No WWI, no WWII.

I might start doing occasional posts explaining / recapping what is going on in the rest of the world, especially as Charlotte and her children get more involved in it.

Queen charlottes world certainly seems a much better one
I'm very honored that you think so :)
 
January 7, 2021:
Long live the future Queen! It's a girl for the Duke and Duchess of York! Thanks to the Law of Succession of 1995, this little lass shall one day take the top spot in the monarchy, regardless of any brothers who may follow. She is the first child of the Duke and Duchess, who married in 2018.

Update: Her names were revealed at 4:48 by Buckingham Palace to be Charlotte Alexandra Sophia. It seems the princess' name was chosen for her great-great-great-great-great-grandmother -say that five times fast - the famous Queen Charlotte, who shares her birthday with the little Princess. Her second name could be for her mother, the former Alexandra MacDonnell, and / or her paternal great-grandmother. Another namesake could be her father's distant cousin and close friend, the Tsarevich of Russia. Sophia is for her paternal aunt, who we expect to see as a godmother, as well as being her maternal grandmother's middle name. According to the little one's great-grandfather, the current King, she shall be titled as Her Royal Highness Princess Charlotte of York.

-Post from Royal Musings blog, January 7th, 2021.

It occurred to me that there is another possibility, however unlikely as it might be, that hasn't been suggested yet. Princess Charlotte doesn't get her claim to the throne through her father, but via her mother.

Other relations - great grandmother and grandmother are specified as paternal or maternal, but not the unnamed King.

King
1) Prince of Wales​
a) Princess m. X McDonnell​
1) Alexandra, m. 3rd Duke of York​
a) Princess Charlotte​
2) Duke of York​
a) 2nd Duke of York​
1) 3rd Duke of York​
The Duke of York doesn't even need to descend from the "present" King but could descend from his brother, or even from a still previous generation.
 
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Hey guys - I'm working on getting the next post out (1830 to 1833 or even 1835). I've got some personal stuff going on, so it's taking me awhile - sorry :(
 
Hey guys - I'm working on getting the next post out (1830 to 1833 or even 1835). I've got some personal stuff going on, so it's taking me awhile - sorry
Personal stuff takes priority. I do want the story to continue, but that is inherently selfish
Life happens, and we the readers either 'deal with it', or throw a tanty and quit.
On another TL I'm following, the author yesterday 'apologised' that he would be slow due to traveling internationally for his wedding. The apology was completely unneccessary, AFAIAC, but the information was helpful.
In the eternal conflict between creativity on the internet and real life...
View attachment 625264
 
I've started reading this today, and I'm so happy with how it looks. Charlotte and Leopold had so many reasons to be happy and it's a pity what happened, honestly, but I like to think they are together now. I'm excited to see how the Carolean Age might come to be, and how different might be than our OTL Victorian Era. I'm sure it will be less strictly lol!
 
Personal stuff takes priority. I do want the story to continue, but that is inherently selfish
Life happens, and we the readers either 'deal with it', or throw a tanty and quit.
On another TL I'm following, the author yesterday 'apologised' that he would be slow due to traveling internationally for his wedding. The apology was completely unneccessary, AFAIAC, but the information was helpful.
In the eternal conflict between creativity on the internet and real life...
View attachment 625264
Don’t worry about us! Real life takes precedence
Thank you guys ❤

I've started reading this today, and I'm so happy with how it looks. Charlotte and Leopold had so many reasons to be happy and it's a pity what happened, honestly, but I like to think they are together now. I'm excited to see how the Carolean Age might come to be, and how different might be than our OTL Victorian Era. I'm sure it will be less strictly lol!
I'm so honored and glad you like it! Yes, the Carolean era will be known for a lot of things, but strict morality isn't quite one of them
 
Chapter 16
The_Funeral_Ceremony_of_Her_Royal_Highness_the_Princess_Charlotte_of_Wales_and_Saxe_Coburg_by_James_Stephanoff-wiki.jpg


Funeral of George IV, 1830


“She is a noble-minded and highly gifted creature. She is nervous, as all the family have been…and her disposition is highly generous and susceptible of great devotion... Her understanding is extremely good; she knows everybody, and I even afterwards found her judgment generally extremely correct. She has read a great deal and knows well what she has read”
- Description of Her Majesty, Queen Charlotte, by Sir Robert Peel, 1830; believed to have been written after his first meeting with her upon her ascension. [1]


After her speech, Charlotte is given time to change into a mourning gown and take a light breakfast, but that’s all the Cabinet is willing to give her. Eight hours after becoming Queen, Charlotte has her first meeting. Both sides are coming into this battle - Charlotte will later refuse to call it anything else - with demands ready. Charlotte brings Leopold, Augustus d'Este, Stockmar, and her son George to the meeting; Wellington brings Robert Peel (Leader of the House of Commons) [2], Henry Goulburn (Chancellor of Exchequer) [3], The Earl Grey (Leader of the House of Lords) [4], The Earl of Rosslyn (Lord Privy Seal) [5], and the Archbishop of Canterbury [6]. The government’s demands coming are thus: the Queen and her family shall take up residence at Buckingham Palace, immediately [7]; Leopold shall remain the Duke of Kendal and remain grateful about it; the royal uncles shall retire to Hanover; and the Queen will herself adopt her second name, Augusta, as her regnal name - Charlotte being too similar to Charles and therefore reminiscent of the Stuarts [8].

Charlotte has her own demands: She and her family will remain at Kew Palace until either Buckingham Palace or St. James’ Palace is finished being refurbished [9] and updated to her standards (the size being far too small, and the plumbing abysmal) [10], and then the issue will be revisited. Leopold shall be titled King as her consort and husband. The royal uncles, being both British and Hanoverian subjects, shall stay or go as they like - she is willing to discuss cutting their allowances, however. Her name is Charlotte, has always been Charlotte, and will always be Charlotte. As she is descended from the Stuarts, no one can complain of her having a ‘Stuart’ name, and if they should, she -being The Queen- will find herself far too busy to notice.

The Duke of Wellington, notes Charles Grey, has made a fatal flaw. Grey, a friend of the new Queen for years [11], remarks “If she was a battle, Wellington had floundered in the first charge. He saw her for a lovely meadow, sunshine and flowers - and completely missed the cannons hidden amongst them”.

Like most political stalemates, compromises are reached. The royal family will reside at Kew Palace while St. James’ personal apartments are refurbished - a quicker job than waiting for Buckingham Palace to finish. They will then reside at St. James’ until Buckingham Palace is fully finished and updated to suit Charlotte's family, and then move there. The uncles shall be allowed to stay or go as they please, but should they leave, their allowance will be halved - should they remain, they will help the Queen and serve her in any manner she and the Government see fit [12].

Charlotte’s name shall remain her own.

As to Leopold’s rank and title, at first, neither side is willing to give in. Charlotte argues the case of William III, the husband of the rightful Queen Mary, who was given the title of King as her husband. The Earl Grey points out that William himself was in the line of succession, behind Mary and her sister Anne, and had a claim himself to the throne. The title was also awarded under duress, as the government needed the military aid William refused to give without it [13]. Peel points out that the most recent Queen, Anne, never awarded such a title to her husband or even attempted to - he remained the Duke of Cumberland. This is unacceptable to Charlotte, as Cumberland was the only royal duke at the time and could thus take precedence over all other gentlemen of the realm - this will not be the situation for Leopold, who will find himself pushed further and further back throughout the years as his sons grow and have more sons. Unofficially, the Kendals have been given first precedence up until now, but it was due to Charlotte’s rank as heiress rather than her husband’s.

It is Stockmar, who has remained quiet throughout the meeting thus far, who offers up a solution. It is a true compromise, as nobody's happy about it. Leopold shall be titled The Prince Consort - as he is a prince in his own right, and the consort to the Sovereign, it is an acceptable descriptor. He will also be awarded the precedence over every gentleman, including his son, the Prince of Wales; he will take precedence next to the Queen, rather like how a female consort takes precedence after the King. Should he outlive Charlotte, he will take the position of a ‘Consort dowager’ and follow behind the current sovereign, but before the heir. It’s not a win for either side, but it’s better than nothing, and both sides are willing to accept a truce.

The first act passed in the reign of Her Majesty The Queen is conferring the new title of Prince Consort, an allowance of 50,000 pounds a year, and the precedence over every gentleman in the realm on her beloved husband [14]. (This will become the norm for any male consorts to a female British sovereign, and will be later adopted by several countries).

With Charlotte’s ascension, there’s come a bit of reshuffling of the ranks in the British royal family. She, Leopold, and her children are now quite firmly at the top - she and Leopold being ‘the star atop the tree’ as her son George mischievously describes it. He and his siblings are the top branches (boys above girls because unfortunately that’s just how the British monarchy currently rolls. Not that George or any of his brothers would have the nerve to say thus to their sisters: Lolly cries, Missy fights back, and Augusta has their father wrapped around her finger, and thus can deliver swift retribution from above). After Charlotte and her brood comes William, the Duke of Clarence and St. Andrews, now the King of Hanover in his own right. William had not ever planned on being king, being a third son and all, but it is what it is and thank God he’s got two clever, lovely children of his own to keep things neat. The Clarences - now the Hanovers - will be taking up residence in Hanover in a few months, once everything can be sorted. A king hasn’t resided there in quite some time, after all [15].

The rest of the uncles and aunts have gone from being siblings of the monarch, a fairly impressive role, to aunts and uncles of the monarch, not nearly so nice. Auntie Fred remains in residence with the royal family, though she occasionally travels to Oatlands when “the crush is too severe”. Charlotte is generous, however. To her unmarried aunts Augusta and Sophia, she grants them Ivy Cottage at Kensington Palace, to allow them a residence of their own in London, as well as Frogmore House at Windsor. Christian Stockmar steps in and takes control of the elderly princesses’ finances at this time as well, working to repair years of not great financial choices.

As for her uncles, there is truthfully not much change from Charlotte’s point of view. The Duke of Cumberland and Teviotdale has asked for and been granted a residence in Hanover, Schloss Herzberg - he is second in line to the throne of Hanover, after all. The Duke of Sussex continues to reside in his apartments at Kensington Palace and enjoys his posts as President of the Royal Society, and Chief Ranger and Keeper of St James's Park and Hyde Park [16]. The Duke of Cambridge has the most change coming his way: he has served as viceroy of Hanover for the last fourteen years. His children have grown up there, his family is settled there. Now that there is a King, there’s no need for a viceroy - and unlike his brother Cumberland, who is second in line to the Hanoverian throne and can reasonably expect to reside there, Cambridge is now fifth in line. Not a bad spot, mind, top five and all - but still, his chances of taking the throne are looking fairly unlikely. To Charlotte’s delight, her aunt and uncle return to reside at Cambridge Cottage in Kew - making them close neighbors to the Kendals when they are in residence at Kew Palace. This gives the Cambridge children time to truly become close with their Kendal cousins - George of Cambridge becomes close with Charlotte’s eldest boys, George and William, while Augusta forms a merry fourth with Lolly, Missy, and Emma d’Este.

For rank minded people (Leopold), having Charlotte and her uncle both still residing in London at this time - William and Adelheid are having some work done at Herrenhausen Palace and are waiting in London until it is completed - does something unkind to their nerves. Charlotte, as the Queen of the United Kingdom, takes precedence over her uncle, a prince and royal duke of said kingdom. William, as the head of Charlotte’s family and King of Hanover, a country of which she is a princess as daughter of the former king, takes precedence over Charlotte. It all depends on whether one is following British or Hanoverian ranks, and it is maddening. Charlotte and William find the whole thing amusing, however, and William quickly settles the matter by bowing quite deeply to his adored niece and allowing her to pass before him in all courtly situations. (In family situations, however, the two will develop a joke lasting for years that involves convoluted and lengthy bowing to each other before darting to the door to be the first one through) [17].

In her time of accession, Charlotte does not forget to bring others up with her as well. Miss Caroline MacDonell remains Charlotte’s personal reader, and becomes something of an undersecretary in addition to her role as a lady of the bedchamber. Miss Marsali MacDonell becomes a lady of the bedchamber. Mary, Baroness Stockmar, retains her adored position as Governess to the Royal Children, overseeing the nursery staff with “a velvet clad fist of iron”. It is a position that she will retain until her death - no one in the next few generations will simply have either the heart or the nerve to suggest retirement to “dear Gilly”. Christian Stockmar becomes Charlotte’s Private Secretary, and is appointed to the Privy Council, as well as becoming the governor of Prince George. Augustus d’Este, Baron Romney, is made Keeper of the Privy Purse [18]. For her head dresser and wardrobe woman, Charlotte selects the widowed Mrs. Mary Gillray, the mother to her dear Gilly. Mrs. Gillray (who quickly becomes Mrs. Ray in the royal shorthand and eventually just Raya) has worked for many years as a housekeeper in several aristocratic households, and has quite a reputation for a good head for fashion, thrift, and order. It’s a surprising choice but one that will be repaid tenfold - Raya will faithfully serve Charlotte until she is lovingly forced into retirement with a generous pension by the same lady. Llewelyn Lewellin remains the head tutor of Prince George, as well as the religious tutor of all the royal children. Charlotte does not forget her Fitzclarence cousins, either. She appoints George Fitzclarence as an aide-de-camp and the Lieutenant of the Tower of London; Adolphus Fitzclarence as the commander of the royal yacht, Groom of the Robes, and a naval aide-de-camp; and Augustus Fitzclarence is appointed as the Deputy Clerk of the Closet [19]. William IV’s allowance, at his personal request, is halved: half go to him in Hanover, and half are divided between his three sons remaining in England (his son, Frederick, having elected to go to Hanover with his father, where he will later be made a baron) [20].

(It’s a pretty good time to be Adolphus Fitzclarence, who has become engaged to Miss Marsali MacDonnell. Due to court mourning, they will not be married until the end of December)

There are more positions that need to be filled, however. Charlotte’s ladies of the bedchamber, for example. To be a lady of the bedchamber to a Queen is a fine position, and one that most ladies would at least do bodily harm for. There’s also expected to be a bit of politics in appointing ladies of the bedchamber. Charlotte nips that in the bud fairly quickly. The position of Mistress of the Robes has long been a political appointment, given to the highest ranking woman (usually a Duchess) of the Prime Minister’s political party. The Mistresses change with the Ministers, as one wit will remark. Charlotte is fine with that, she informs Wellington. He can have free reign with the Mistress of the Robes. (This turns out to be a bit of a lie on her part as she in no uncertain terms refuses to even speak to Wellington’s first choice, the Duchess of Leeds, who had served as her governess when she was young and earned Charlotte’s undying hatred) [21]. As to her ladies of the bedchamber, however, Charlotte shall pick them herself, writing to the Duke that “They are to be my dearest companions, my lord, and spend all of their time and mine together. Surely you cannot deny me the right to choose women whom I actually enjoy spending time with?”. Wellington accedes (as does every Prime Minister after him), and Charlotte chooses her own ladies. She has requirements: her ladies must be well-read, loyal, and - above all - interesting. No simpering ninnies for Her Majesty, thank you. Her first choices are Miss Marsali MacDonell, Miss Caroline MacDonell, and Lady Romney, already serving her in this capacity. Her next appointments are made up of women who meet her requirements: Lady Durham (a childhood friend) [22], Lady Burghersh (a political sop to the Duke of Wellington that ends up becoming one of Charlotte’s most treasured friendships) [23], The Countess Cowper (a longtime friend and society leader) [24], The Countess of Carlisle (a childhood friend and an older sister figure to Charlotte) [25], The Countess of Powis (a new friend, selected for her literary connections) [26]; and The Countess of Jersey [27]. As for the Mistress of the Robes, The Duchess of Montrose [28], is appointed. She is the second wife of the Lord Chamberlain, and mother to six children, all close to Charlotte’s age. The duchess will take on a maternal role for Charlotte in these trying times and be fondly remembered by her for it.

This group of women will fluctuate, depending on outside demands, but they will remain devoted to their Queen for the rest of their lives [29]; most of their children will also be noted for their close friendships within the royal family as well.

The new ladies come in handy to help the Queen manage, in addition to all her other duties, the influx of consolation and congratulation letters. As her descendent Princess Charlotte of York will remark many generations later when seeing the letters at the Charlotte and Leopold Museum on a school trip “It’s mostly congratulations - nobody really seems too sad that he died”. The first month of her reign is mostly a frenzy of condolences, meetings with ministers, and getting everyone settled into their new positions - her daughter Mary will later recall that “those first months of June and July were the longest I had gone without seeing Mama every day until I married”. Charlotte also sets to work preparing for her mother to return to England: seeing to rooms being prepared in Kensington Palace, arranging for nurses and doctors, and writing to her mother that under no circumstances would Bartolomeo Pergami be allowed to even come near England.

On July 15th, George IV is buried in St. George’s Chapel in the Royal Vault alongside his parents and siblings. At Charlotte’s insistence, the funeral itself is small and subdued - a financial move applauded by many, given the way her father had spent money like water. It is noted by the new Mistress of Robes, the Duchess of Montrose, that the crowds “could not contain their cheers for H.M. [Her Majesty], nor for the little Prince [George]”. Charlotte’s popularity is skyrocketing, and she’s going to need every bit of it in the coming days. But even the love of her people cannot stop the next blow to her heart. The same day that her father is buried in the royal vault, her mother finally gives in and passes away. According to legend, Caroline was laying in her bedroom in Pesaro while George was being lowered into the Royal vault - one minute after her husband’s casket had come to rest amongst his ancestors, Caroline breathed her last word: “Queen” [30]. It is not known if this is a reference to her hard fight for her title, or her daughter. Within days of the news, Leopold and Stockmar both arrive quietly at the Villa Caprile to sort through Caroline’s estate and escort her body home. She leaves everything, including the villa itself, to her daughter [31] - including a fairly massive pile of debts. Caroline’s body is quietly conveyed to the home she had been forced out of - forced herself out of, some would argue - and on August 30th, she is buried in the royal vault next to her husband [32]. “Mama could not have them together in life,” her son Alexander will later comment “So she kept them together in death”.

Caroline of Brunswick’s death is, however heart-rendering to her daughter, barely a blip on the political scene of Europe in the summer of 1830.

Charles X of France has decided to punish the impudence of the Algiers government asking him to pay his debts to them by declaring war - and to also raise patriotic feelings, and distract attention from badly handled domestic issues. It’s an old trick with the Bourbons, and like most old tricks, it’s gone stale [33]. The liberals are not really cottoned onto this whole idea - the general feeling being it’s a bad idea to invade another country when your own is falling to bits - but as previously established, Charles X is the king and taking full advantage of it. Using Napoleon's 1808 contingency plan for the invasion of Algeria, General de Boumont lands on June 14th with 34,000 soldiers. On July 5th, the French enter Algiers after a three-week campaign, which they are winning mainly due to superior planning and artillery. The chieftain of Algiers surrenders to the French for a promise for his freedom and possession - he later exiles himself to Italy. At this time, 2,500 janissaries also quit Algeria and flee to Asia. The Ottoman rule of Algeria lasted 313 years.

Charles X doesn’t get to enjoy his victory for long. He’s made himself a little too unpopular with his pandering to the Church and censorship. His July Ordinances, published on July 26, suspend the liberty of the press, dissolve the Chamber of Deputies - and withdraw their right to amendment, exclude commercial middle-class from future elections, and called for new elections (to gain more acceptable supporters) [34]. It’s the cherry on the sundae of the French’s people’s dissolution with the monarch and unfortunately for him, they remember 1789 a bit better than he seems to. July 26th passes quietly, surprisingly, and lures the court into a false calm. The party really kicks off the next day - turns out, telling pissed off journalists not to publish is a bit like telling the tides not to come in: you get drowned. Riots begin on the 27th and continue through the next few days. In an attempt to quell the French Revolution 2.0, a committee of former Deputies made up of the Bourbon opposition come together and sign a petition asking for the king to withdraw the ordinances. The Deputies are very clear that they are critical of the King’s ministers, but not the King himself - this lays an axe to the root of Charles’ argument that all liberal opponents are enemies of his dynasty. The men first approach Auguste de Marmont, Duc de Ragusa, and current commander of the royalist forces. Marmont is known to be liberal in his personal views, but remains devoted to the King, and thus is felt by many to be an appropriate intermediary. Marmont says that before any petitions can be given to the King, the people of Paris must stop rioting. The men then turn to Polignac, the chief minister of the King - Polignac refuses to even see them, considering it a waste of time as he believes that the King will never withdraw the ordinances.

At 4pm, Count Komierowski, a aide of Marmont, arrives at Saint-Cloud with a note from the general to the King. It simply reads: “Sire, it is no longer a riot, it is a revolution. It is urgent for Your Majesty to take measures for pacification. The honour of the crown can still be saved. Tomorrow, perhaps, there will be no more time... I await with impatience Your Majesty's orders” [35]. Charles takes this warning to heart, and has the good sense to ask for advice. Unfortunately, he asks Polignac for advice, who replies that His Majesty must resist the rebels and their demands. The rebels refuse to accept Charles’ resistance, and swarm the capital, trampling the government and printing posters in favor of Louis Philippe, the Duc de Orléans.

(Orléans, at his country estate in Neuilly, follows the revolt with the careful interest of a man who has made a career out of survival. He’s still got his deal with the Duchesse de Berry, and the riots aren’t exactly selling the idea of being King of France - but hey, ambition’s not just a four letter word).

Not a prince or a royalist is to be found in Paris - Charles X continues to deliberately ignore history and has fled to Versailles with his family.Versailles is deemed unsafe however, and the royal family eventually ends up at Rambouillet. Marmont does not call in reserves for the troops - either being unwilling to test their loyalty and be wrong, or just unthinkingly. He probably regrets that decision when the supporters of the July Revolution swarm his headquarters, demanding the arrest of government ministers. Ironically, the same ministers and Bourbon supporters are also swarming his headquarters demanding an arrest of the rioters. Marmont, wisely, refuses to do anything at the time. The next regime will look kindly on him for this lack of action. By the end of the afternoon, the capital has fallen: Tuileries Palace has fallen, as has the Palais de Justice, the Archbishop's Palace, and other places as well. The Swiss Guard have fled. The July Revolution is over, and the Bourbons have not come out on top. The politicians of the winning side set about setting up a provisional government, and the framework for a Constitutional monarchy. The Duc d’Orléans assumes the post of Lieutenant General of the Kingdom - though what team he is playing for is still up in the air.

The Bourbons are down, but not quite out. In England, Charlotte pens frantic letters to the royal family - she writes to Maria Carolina that she must “bend rather than break in [your] pride - far better to survive than to martyr oneself, particularly as a mother, my love. I personally write to tell you that you have my support - but that you must use it wisely [36]. Show this letter to whomever you deem necessary. Remember Orléans to your pact, and hold him fast to it - call Conde to you, and have him there for support and ballast. Protect the throne for Dieudonné - it is far better to hold a throne and work upon it and remain on it through love and respect, than to try to snatch it back and possibly earn fear and hatred.” Officially, the British government is staying out of the whole situation - unofficially, Charlotte sends her letter on the morning of July 30th, only hours after being informed of the situation, with the fastest courier she can find. It arrives early on the morning of August 2nd, hours before history is changed.

Maria Carolina, Duchesse de Berry, hasn’t been sitting around on her hands. Ever since Charles X really kicked off his ‘screw the liberals’ campaign two years before, she’s been quietly working on strengthening ties for her son. She’s been writing to Charlotte of course, but to other people too. To Louis Henri de Bourbon, the Prince de Conde - she helped get him out of the clutches of his malevolent mistress, Sophie Dawes (well placed letters to certain creditors) [37], and earned his never ending devotion. To her younger half-sisters, Luisa Carlotta and Maria Christina, both married into the Spanish royal family. To her younger half-brother, Fernando, heir to the kingdom of the Two Sicilies and popular for his progresive ideas. To her maternal uncles: the Emperor of Austria, the Grand Duke of Tuscany, the Grand Master of the Teutonic Order, and the Archbishop of Olmütz [38]. The Archbishop of Paris becomes a frequent visitor to the Élysée Palace, as does the British ambassador and the Apostolic Nuncio. Officially, she is either entertaining these men on behalf of the King or as fellow art lovers, but unofficially Maria Carolina is going past dipping her toe into the political pool and is already well up to her knees. She herself becomes a frequent visitor to her aunt, the Duchess d’Orléans, often bringing her children to play with their cousins. It might be enough, Maria Carolina writes to Charlotte. It just might be enough. When she travels with the King and her children to Rambouillet, she begins the first of her maneuvers, calling upon the Prince de Conde to travel with them (this is easily explained, as he has been pretty desperate to get out of Dodge, what with the whole French Revolution 2: Electric Boogaloo going on). When Charlotte’s letter has arrived, Maria Carolina has been quietly spinning out - her daughter Louise will later recall “watching Maman walk and walk and walk - when one thought her legs must fail, she would look out the windows toward Paris, and begin walking again”.

On August 2nd, 1830, Charles X of France signs his documents of abdication. His rule is officially ended, and his son, Louis Antoine, the Duc d’Angoulême, is now Louis XIX. Which he will remain for the whole twenty minutes it takes to abdicate as well, in favor of Henri, Comte de Chambord. (His wife, Marie Thérèse, spends the twenty minutes begging for him not to sign the document - his father spends the twenty minutes talking him into signing it. It’s quite literally the worst twenty minutes to be Louis) [39]. Maria Carolina’s son is now Henri V, the King of France. The former Charles X, now the Comte de Artois again, writes to Louis Philippe:

“My cousin, I am too deeply pained by the ills that afflict or could threaten my people, not to seek means of avoiding them. Therefore, I have made the resolution to abdicate the crown in favor of my grandson, the Duke of Bordeaux. The Dauphin, who shares my feelings, also renounces his rights in favor of his nephew. It will thus fall to you, in your capacity as Lieutenant General of the Kingdom, to proclaim the accession of Henri V to the throne. Furthermore, you will take all pertinent measures to regulate the forms of government during the new king's minority. Here, I limit myself to stating these arrangements, as a means of avoiding further evils. You will communicate my intentions to the diplomatic corps, and you will let me know as soon as possible the proclamation by which my grandson will be recognized as king under the name of Henri V.” [40]

Louis Philippe writes back that the young king must come to Paris to have his rights recognized - before the letter even arrives, Maria Carolina has left with her son and the Prince de Conde, arriving in Paris on the 5th of August [41]. (Officially, permission was denied for her to travel with her son to Paris, and it was even rumored that she would be asked to leave the country with the rest of the former royal family. So she unofficially travels with the Prince de Conde, who just happens to be traveling with her son. It’s a revolution, people - technicalities are the first to go). There are rumors that certain deputies were planning on coming to Orléans to offer him the throne in place of Chambord - there are also rumors that Adélaïde d'Orléans has been working on her brother to accept the offer when it comes. Officially, of course, Orléans is sticking to his deal with Maria Carolina. Unofficially, it’s probably best for everyone that she arrives with her son when she does. On August 7th, the 1814 Charter is revised - the preamble reviving the Ancien Régime is the first bit to go, followed by the concept of divine right. Kings will now rule on the principle of national sovereignty. Laws enforcing Catholicism and censorship are repealed, and the tricolor flag is re-established, with the fleur de lis flag remaining as the personal standard of the monarch and a state symbol [42]. This act establishes that the Charter can be amended, like any other law, by a joint act between the King and the Chambers. In Rambouillet, the Duchesse d’Angoulême is said to weep at the news and spends the day on her knees in the chapel, begging forgiveness for her nephew and “that woman” [Maria Carolina] for destroying France.

On August 9th, Henri V pledges his oath to the 1830 Charter, and receives his title as the King of France. Two days later, the new constitutional government of France is formed. Heading the regency is the Duchesse de Berry, soon to be titled Madame la Mère du Roi [43]. Her advisors in her regency are the Duc d’Orléans, newly made Lieutenant General of the Armies [44], and the Prince de Conde, serving as the Grande Maitre de France [45]. Other members of the government include Casimir-Louis-Victurnien de Rochechouart, Duc de Mortemart as Président du Conseil and Minister of Foreign Affairs [46]; Victor de Broglie, Duc de Broglie, as Minister of the Interior [47]; Casimir Pierre Périer as Minister of Finance [48]; Jean-Charles Persil as Minister of Justice [49]; Étienne Maurice Gérard, Comte Gérard as Minister of War [50]; Jean-Guillaume, Baron Hyde de Neuville as Minister of the Navy and Colonies [51]; François Guizot as Minister of Public Education [52]; Denis-Luc Frayssinous as Minister of Worship [53]; Pierre de Saint-Cricq as Minister of Commerce and Industry [54]; Antoine Maurice Apollinaire d'Argout as Minister of Public Works [55]; and Pierre Louis Jean Casimir, Duc de Blacas as Minister of the Maison du Roi [56]. It's a mix of moderates, conservatives, and liberals, with the moderates holding a slight majority - just the way the new regent wants it. To top off her new moderate policy, Maria Carolina appoints the Vicomte de Chateaubriand [57] to oversee her son’s secular education. This is an... interesting choice, to say the bare minimum. A man who has at one point or another encompassed every political opinion in France, Chateaubriand himself stated that "I am a Bourbonist out of honour, a monarchist out of reason, and a republican out of taste and temperament". He is famous for his work, The Genius of Christianity, a defense of the Catholic faith, and his wide array of travels, both as an ambassador and a private citizen [58]. Chateaubriand originally came to Maria Carolina’s notice when he wrote the memoirs of her husband, the Duc de Berry, after his murder, and she’s been keeping an eye on him since she began her careful political web building. Chateaubriand himself is delighted at the task and will help evolve his young charge into a man who is considered “the lover, defender, and protector” of French philosophy, art, literature, and culture in the 19th century, and is considered to have help elevate France to it’s rank as a modern cultural elite. For her daughter Louise, Maria Carolina keeps on Marie Joséphine Louise, duchesse de Gontaut, as her governess [59]. As a sop to her sister-in-law, Maria Carolina puts Hyacinthe-Louis de Quélen, the Archbishop of Paris [60], in charge of Henri’s religious education.

(It’s not enough of a sop. The relationship between the two sisters-in-law will never be mended. Marie Thérèse cannot forgive Maria Carolina for “her ambition, her vanity, her pride - her murder of the monarchy and the rights of her son, her damnation of France to suit herself”. Maria Carolina cannot forgive Marie Thérèse for her “refusal to abandon the past” and “her inability to see that the death of a piece of something must mean it’s removal to avoid the death of the whole”. The animosity between the women will greatly affect Henri and his sister Louise, who were raised by their aunt but become close to their mother following their return to Paris.)

Back in England, Charlotte is coping with her own government changes. The general election of August has still resulted in a Tory victory, keeping Wellington & Co. in charge for the moment, but there’s been a reduction in their majority that has many people whispering. The split in the Tories caused by the Catholic Emancipation has been widened into the creation of an Ultra-Tory party, led by Sir Edward Knatchbull. This is all under control, Wellington assures Charlotte, who privately disagrees but chooses to keep her own council at the moment. Believed to be in response to this situation, Charlotte begins keeping “Queen’s hours” twice a week - it is three hours a day, Mondays and Thursdays, specifically set aside for any of her subjects, regardless of rank or religion, to approach her in her sitting room at St. James’ and speak with her about any concerns. A lot of them are political and things she really can’t do anything about - Home Rule in Ireland, for example, or the way Parliament is handling the Catholic Emancipation - but it gives her a good insight into the mindset of the people outside of the court, “a window into the real world” as her son George will later phrase it. Charlotte also begins the tradition of the Monarch attending Cabinet meetings. She doesn’t say much during them - one member foolishly notes that she appears to be more interested in the needlework she often brings along - but when she does speak, it is to ask very important, very precise, and usually very discomforting questions, or make very astute judgements. She’s retaining everything she’s hearing, Grey quickly comes to realize - she just doesn’t want the Cabinet to realize quite how much she knows. She often brings along her son and heir George, and Leopold often attends as well.

At the end of August, Maria Carolina, Madame la Mère, and her son Henri are invited to stand as godparents to the newborn son of her cousin Archduke Franz Karl of Austria and his wife, Sophie of Bavaria (sister to the Queen of Portugal). The newly named Archduke Franz Josef is expected to take his place in the world as a future emperor of Austria and Hungary (and the ten or so other territories the Habsburgs still hold). The naming of Madame la Mère and Henri as godparents is Maria Carolina’s uncle’s way of recognizing her government - indeed, he will remain one of her biggest supporters in the political scene. Years later, a perusal of her private letters (released 150 years after her death per her last will and testament) will reveal that Emperor Franz gave Maria Carolina a lot of political advice, particularly related to the ‘management’ of politicians and the Duc d'Orleans. In Portugal, the new Archduke’s aunt and godmother, Ludovika begins planning. She has a daughter, Luisa, and her dear sister Sophie now has a son. Obviously the daughter of a King must marry as well as she is able, and a future Emperor would suit her daughter quite nicely. If wishes were horses, beggars would ride, however, and unfortunately there will not be a Portuguese infanta sitting on the Austrian throne for a few generations. But more on that later.

France might have more or less figured out it’s revolution, but other people still feel like it’s the perfect time for a revolution. People in the southern provinces of the Netherlands, for example. The Flemings and Walloons (as people from these districts are generally known) have decided that the whole Netherlands [61] thing isn’t working for them anymore. The difference of religion between the regions (Catholic vs. Protestant), the lack of representation in the General Assembly, a lack of autonomy, and being forced to support the much higher debt of the northern regions have all taken their toll, and the people are refusing to tolerate the situation anymore. On the 25th of August, only weeks after Henri V is sworn in as the first constitutional monarch of France, Daniel Auber's La Muette de Portici is performed at the Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie in Brussels for the King’s birthday. The opera is both sentimental and patriotic, focusing on an uprising against Spanish rulers in 17th century Naples. The fact that the opera is even occurring shows just how out of touch Wilhelm I is in these regions - opera had been previously banned following a rumor that the July Revolution broke out following such a show, but Wilhelm lifted the ban for the opera to perform to cap off his three day birthday festival. The three day festival that has spurred people to place posters around Brussels advertising: "Monday, the 23rd, fireworks; Tuesday, the 24th, illuminations; Wednesday, the 25th, revolution." [62]. Wilhelm has responded to these posters by cancelling the fireworks and procession on the final night of the festival. Because that’s clearly the big problem here. After the duet, "Amour sacré de la patrie" (Sacred love of Fatherland), many audience members leave the theater and join the riots which had already begun. Which is such a surprise. Because it’s not like the rebels literally printed out posters with their itinerary for the revolution and hung them all over town. The rioters, shouting patriotic slogans, quickly overtake government buildings, and even fasten the new Belgian flag to standard with shoelaces.

It’s also around this time that Sir John Ponsonby Conroy - or whatever alias you prefer to know him by - makes his way to Brussels after docking his ship in Antwerp. Because how could we have chaos without Conroy?

King Wilhelm sends his two sons, the Prince of Orange and Prince Frederik, to Brussels to deal with the problem. The Prince of Orange is asked by the local burghers to come to a meeting alone, with no troops - as a show of good faith, he does so. (It is worth noting that by this time, Conroy has somehow managed to work himself into the leading ranks of the rebellions, and is present at the meeting). To his credit, the Prince of Orange does his best as a peacemaker and works hard to come to a settlement of administrative autonomy for the southern provinces under the rule of the House of Orange-Nassau. It’s a hell of a peace agreement, and one that could have very well worked out for both parties. It’s also immediately vetoed by the King, who is pissed that his son made the deal in the first place. To make it clear that he’s now taking the rebellion seriously, the King sends 8,000 Dutch troops in to establish order by force. The Prince of Orange is horrified and refuses to lead the troops, leading to his brother Frederik taking charge. The Belgians, as they now refer to themselves, feel like they have an ace in the hole: Sir John Conroy, famous British military leader (according to himself), is there to lead their forces. He’s also angling to possibly be made King when it’s all said and done - surviving documents in Flemish archives reference a self-claimed illegitimate son of a King of England [63] (no one is sure which one) who leads their armies, swears that his kinsman the Queen will come to his aide, and is already betrothed to a German princess who can bring the might of many nations with her [64]. A letter to Victoire in Coburg, preserved in the archives and released two hundred years after her death, appears to be from Conroy - it mentions ‘creating a place worthy of you, my love’ and ‘crowning you with a southern glory’. The letter is simply signed ‘J’.

Turns out Conroy is more of a joker than an ace. The Belgian troops under his command are brutally crushed - the battle, lasting from September 23rd to September 26th, becomes remembered as the Bloody Three Days. Charles Rogier [65] and Paul Devaux [66], founders of the liberal Le Politique journal and credited as leaders of the revolt, are executed by order of the King. Their compatriot, Joseph Lebeau [67], is only saved by the personal intervention of the Prince of Orange. Lebeau will spend the next years in prison and later write the Prince to thank him for it - ‘death is the only setback from which a man cannot return’. The Prince of Orange also does his best to help moderate the suppression - replacing as many death sentences with imprisonments and exiles as he can, and working to place Dutch moderates in positions of power. “It will not do to create our own Revolution - Robespierre was a lawyer before he felt compelled to become a revolutionary” [68] he writes to his wife regarding the balancing act he feels he must follow in the days after the revolution. (Charlotte supports his moderate stance in this issue, and will write him a letter of support stating so). Conroy manages to escape his sentence of execution by dressing either as a whore or a priest - versions vary - to scurry back to Antwerp and his waiting ship and further adventures. Legends of the almost King of the Belgians will survive for generations, and Conroy will dine on them for years. Occasionally, there will be rumors regarding his return but records will show that Conroy never again lands in a Dutch port - even when it would be in his best interest to do so.

To round out what is quickly becoming the summer of revolutions, one comes a little closer to home for the Hanoverian royals around the same time as the Belgian revolution is being crushed. Charlotte’s cousin, Karl, the Duke of Brunswick, was actually in Paris when the July Revolution broke out. He managed to safely return to his duchy, where he immediately shows off all he has learned by announcing that any revolutionary tendencies will be met with force [69]. To which the people respond on September 6th by throwing stones at him while he is riding home from the theatre, breaking into the palace, and burning it to the ground. Karl, unable to back up his threat of force, manages to escape to Geneva. When his brother, Prince Wilhelm, enters Brunswick on September 10th, he is greeted with cheering crowds and a warm welcome [70]. Officially, he takes office as the regent for his brother - unofficially, he is regarded as the new ruler of the Duchy. The first to write him congratulating him on his new position, with all her famous charm, is his cousin, the Queen of the United Kingdom - she’s also already compiling a list of suggestions for his new Duchess, though she’ll wait until he’s more settled to share her top pick. Once her support is declared, support for Karl becomes few and far between - he will go to his grave insisting that Charlotte supports his brother’s usurpation because she is still angry that he snubbed her and refused to marry her [71].

And because enough isn’t going on, Charlotte’s eight pregnancy is announced on the last day of September. This will be the first child in English history born to a reigning Queen - the last child born to a reigning Queen in British history was James VI of Scotland, who was born to Mary, the Queen of Scots, in 1566. It’s not a surprise to anyone that this pregnancy is hitting Charlotte harder than her others have - she has become the ruler of one of the largest empires in history, lost both of her parents, and watched multiple revolutions occur in the span of a few months. It’s enough to make anyone’s health questionable. Charlotte uses this as an opportunity to see the Regency Act of 1830 passed [72]. The Act names provides for Leopold to rule as regent until their son George turns 18 - it also does not require Leopold to rule with a regency council, as previous regents have done. The Act is not as unpopular as some people have been expecting - Leopold has been in the country for sixteen years, and he hasn’t been sitting on his hands. He’s been doing a lot of good work for the people, and they’ve decided that he’s alright - not to mention George is already thirteen, so any regency wil only be for five years or less. Charlotte refuses to take to her bed, or even return to Claremont as Wellington suggests, but she does cut back on her duties and keeps a more relaxed schedule. She uses this as an opportunity to give Leopold more responsibilities, such as taking her place at Cabinet meetings, which he greatly appreciates. He has been taking close stock of their personal finances and working closely with the Keeper of the Privy Purse and the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster to best modernize the royal finances, and to help increase Charlotte’s private wealth. His efforts do not go in vain - by the time she dies, Charlotte will be estimated as the wealthiest person in the world, and one of the wealthiest women in history, thanks to Leopold. George takes on a new duty of his own as well: his mother officially places him in charge of her patronage of St. David’s College, which he takes very seriously. The principal of the college is most shocked, and terribly impressed, to receive a letter in fluent Welsh from his new patron, asking seriously about curriculum reforms.

The British royal family isn’t the only one growing. On the 10th of October, Queen Maria Cristina of Spain - a younger half-sister to the Duchesse de Berry - delivers her first child, a daughter named Maria Isabel Luisa, who will be known as Isabel. This Infanta is more than a daughter, however. She will be her father's first surviving child after twenty eight years and four marriages [73]. She will also be a catalyst for a change in the laws of succession of the Spanish Royal House. Officially, Spain practices male-only inheritance. Unofficially, there's been a document hanging around since 1789 that changes that. Carlos IV technically set Spain back to male-preference primogeniture with the Pragmatic Sanction of 1789, deliberately to keep his hated brothers from inheriting over his daughters should he lack a male heir. The Act was never published due to fear of upsetting France, Naples, and Britain - at the time Carlos’ eldest daughter, Carlota Joaquina, was married to the King of Portugal, which meant if she became Queen, the Iberian kingdoms would be united into an Iberian empire, which Europe was not quite on board with. Carlos IV ended up with three male heirs (Fernando VII, Infante Carlos, and Infante Francisco de Paula) and the Act has mostly been ignored ever since. Now, however, the King has a daughter. Not that he’s doing anything just yet, mind you. But, you know, the Act is right there if he needs it.

On November 1st, Elisabeth Ludovika, Crown Princess of Prussia, achieves what she will call “her pinnacle and prime of happiness” and delivers a healthy, handsome son. The celebrations over his birth last the entire month - George Chad [74], the British ambassador, writes to Charlotte that “one can barely walk through the streets for the celebrations! Banners, food, drink, women crying, men cheering - the Song of Prussia [75] is heard everywhere for the new Prince”. The young prince is baptized two weeks later, on his mother’s twenty ninth birthday, as Friedrich Wilhelm Ludwig Maximilian Nikolaus Franz - he will be known as Fritz privately. His illustrious array of godparents include the King of Prussia [76], the Dowager Queen of Bavaria [77], the Emperor and Empress of Russia [78], the Emperor and Empress of Austria [79], the King and Queen of Portugal [80], Prince and Princess Wilhelm of Prussia [81], Prince and Princess Johann of Saxony [82], the King of Bavaria [83], the Duchess of Cumberland and Teviotdale [84], the Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz [85], Princess Albrecht of Prussia [86], and The Queen and Prince Consort of the United Kingdom (Charlotte and Leopold). To his credit, Leopold waits at least a week after the ceremony to start inquiring into the possibility of a Coburg bride (his favorite daughter, Augusta, is only four years older) for his new godson.

Two days after the christening of Prince Friedrich Wilhelm of Prussia, the government of the Duke of Wellington falls following a vote of no confidence. Wellington started off Parliament with an entirely tone-deaf speech regarding Catholic Emancipation and reform - the general theme of which was “I am right and you, particularly you High Tories, are wrong”. On November 15th, the Chancellor of the Exchequer proposes a motion in the House of Commons for the House to go into a committee to consider the Civil List for the coming year. Sir Henry Parnell, a Whig MP, controversially proposes that the House conduct an inquiry into the details of the previous Civil List before voting on a new one - a motion that fairly smacks of reform. The original motions is vetoed 204 to 233 in the House [87]. Shocked and saddened by his defeat, Wellington submits his resignation the very next day to Charlotte, who receives him privately at Kew Palace and will later record in her diary “what a crushing defeat for my poor, dear General”. Charlotte then invites the new leader of the majority, the Earl Grey, to form a government in her name. As always, there is a reshuffling of the government with the appointment of a new Prime Minister. The newly created Lord Brougham [88] becomes the new Lord Chancellor [89], Lord Durham becomes the new Lord Privy Seal [90], Viscount Melbourne becomes the new Home Secretary [91], The Earl Spencer becomes both the new Leader of the House of Commons and the Foreign Secretary [92], and Lord Holland (father-in-law to Charlotte’s cousin, Augusta d’Este) becomes the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster [93], among other appointments. Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston is appointed as the new Chancellor of the Exchequer - rumor has it that he was angling for the Foreign Secretary position, but Grey decided to put his talents to use elsewhere [94]. Palmerston, to his credit, will turn his budding interest in foreign affairs to finance, both foreign and abroad, and focus on strengthening Britain’s financial status. The role of Mistress of the Robes is now given to Caroline Gordon-Lennox, the Duchess of Richmond, whose husband is serving as the Postmaster General of the Grey government. Only a year younger than Charlotte, with young children of her own, the new Mistress of the Robes will take on a sisterly role than the motherly role of her predecessor. Despite the loss of her position, the Duchess of Montrose will remain with Charlotte until she gives birth as a lady-in-waiting.

Anyone who thought the revolutions of 1830 were over are, unfortunately, incorrect. The latest uprising occurs in Poland. The rebellion has been building for quite some time now - technically, Poland is in a personal union with Russia, with Russian tsars being crowned as Kings of Poland and promising to protect Poland’s independent constitution and courts. The Romanovs have slowly been ignoring Poland’s rights more and more, particularly after the Congress of Vienna. Grand Duke Konstantin Petrovich (the one time brother-in-law of Charlotte) has served as the Governor of Poland since 1819. He has slowly abolished more and more of the Polish constitution, which had once been praised as the most progressive in Europe [95]. Konstantin placed Russians in important administrative positions over Poles, and destroyed social and patriotic organizations. Ironically, Konstantin is married to a Polish woman at this time. Her opinion on his doings is unknown. The straw that breaks the camel’s back is believed to be a rumor earlier in the year that the Russians are planning to use the Polish army to help crush the July Revolutions and the Belgian revolutions - in clear violation of the Polish constitution [96].

On November 29th, a young military cadet named Piotr Wysocki leads a group of conspirators to attack Belweder Palace, the seat of the Grand Duke Konstantin Petrovich. The group, armed with guns stolen from the military academy, gain entrance to the Palace, but fail to capture Konstantin - he has escaped, disguised in women’s clothing. After the Palace, the rebels manage to capture the city arsenal. On November 30th, the Russian army is driven out of Warsaw. The local Polish government is gathered together to take a course of action. The course of action is to remove unpopular ministers (Russian approved), and replace them with men like Prince Adam Czartoryski, Julian Ursyn Niemcewicz and General Józef Chłopicki. Czartorski leads the loyalists, well, loyally - he informs the rebels that Grand Duke Konstantin is willing to forgive and let the matter be settled amicably. The rebels - perhaps lacking more foresight than generally accredited to rebels - refuse the offer and demand a national uprising instead. Konstantin and his troops are allowed to depart Warsaw, which Czartoyski is counting as a small victory - had his troops, or God forbid the Grand Duke, been attacked, there’s no way in hell to come back from that.

At this time, Maurycy Mochnacki, a leader of the uprising, has decided that the ministerial government still smacks of the tyrannical Russian government and decides to replace it with the Patriotic club, organized by him. Yes, the irony is lost. During a large public demonstration on December 3rd, he denounces the negotiations between the government and the Grand Duke. Instead, he advocates a military campaign into Lithuania, to spare Poland from the devastation of a war and preserve their food supply. He also demands the creation of a revolutionary government, and an immediate attack on the Grand Duke. By now, what has been a rebellion is blossoming into a revolution - the Polish army, except two of its generals - have joined the uprising. The ministers of the pre-revolutionary cabinet leave the Council (not a second too soon, in their opinions), and their places are taken by Mochnacki and three associates from the Patriotic club, who retitle the governing body as ‘The Provisional Government’. On the 5th of December, to make things legal, the Provisional Government convenes the Sejm, which proclaims General Józef Chłopicki as the Dictator of the Uprising. Chlopicki does not want to be Dictator of the Uprising, for those of you wondering - it’s rather similar to placing a giant bullseye on one’s back. He bows to pressure, however, and agrees to take command, believing that he won’t have to take the field at all - he’s only here to try and maintain internal peace and save the constitution. A highly decorated soldier, Chlopicki had previously retired from the army due to the abysmal leadership of Grand Duke Konstantin. That same sense has abandoned him here, however - he has grossly underestimated the strength and passion of this revolution.

Chlopicki believes firmly that a war with Russia will not have a successful outcome [97]. Hoping that Tsar Nicholas has remained unaware of the issue, and believing that the uprising can be stopped if the Russians will only accept the Polish Constitution, Chlopicki sends Prince Franciszek Ksawery Drucki-Lubecki to Saint Petersburg to negotiate with the powers that be. Hoping to show good faith, Chlopicki refrains from strengthening the Polish army, and refuses to expel Russian forces from Lithuania. Chlopicki has forgotten who he’s dealing with, however - on December 13th, the Sejm officially pronounced the National Uprising against Russian for the complete liberation of Poland.

The rest of Europe, particularly the French and Dutch (holding onto their thrones by their fingernails), watch in horrified awe. In theory, an independent Poland would suit France, its traditional ally. In practice, Henri V is not down to ally himself with any government coming into power through anything even hinting a rebellion - and his government, enjoying the relative peace and quiet of his reign so far, are quick to agree. Austria and Prussia are working really, really hard to play nice with Russia - not to mention, both also currently own decent chunks of Poland that they would like to keep. So there’s no way they’re going to come to Chlopicki’s aide. The traditionally elected rulers of Poland, the Wettins of Saxony, are surprisingly out of town, please try again later. Britain can count, and is going nowhere near the issue. So it’s not the best time to be involved in the November Uprising (which is quickly spreading to December, and onward).

On December 19th, Henri V is solemnly crowned at Reims, in the tradition of French kings before him. The coronation is much smaller and simpler than previous ones - the six lay peers of the coronation are the Duc de Mortemart (carrying the royal crown), the Duc de Broglie (the spurs), the Prince de Conde (the sword), the Duc d’Orleans (the first square banner), the Duc de Blacas (the second square banner), and the Comte Gérard (the banner of war). The inclusion of three members of the government amongst the lay peers is deliberate, as is the choice to have Mortemart, the President of the Council, carry the crown. This will set the new standard for modern coronations, which will always have the President of the Council carry the throne during all coronations. The bishop’s traditional petition, for the King to maintain the rights of the Catholic Church, is noticeably removed from the ceremony. Henri V has also opened the ceremony to people of all ranks and classes, and allows - in fact, insists - that the common people “see and celebrate” his coronation with him. Finally, the largest change - in defense to the liberal elements, Henri V has insisted that a presentation to and acclamation of the people take place during the coronation [98].

Henri V has selected this day for a specific reason - it is the fifty-second birthday of his adored aunt, Marie Thérèse. It has taken him three months of pleading letters to convince her to come, but she does, despite her issues with his mother (there is no question, of course, of her father-in-law or husband joining her). Several records note a woman “dressing entirely in mourning” at the coronation. She remains incognito for the day, and later joins the King, his mother, and his sister for a private supper. There survives no mention of the supper in any of the memoirs of the participants, except a passing reference in a letter from Louise to Henri years later, stating that she had found a state dinner “almost as unbearable as that one following your coronation!”. This is the last time Marie Thérèse will see her family for several years, though she will remain in contact with her niece and nephew closely via letters. There is no record of her reaction to her nephew’s ‘new’ Coronation.

The rest of the year manages to pass quietly, a great relief to everyone. The British royal family officially moves into St. James’ palace, now that the renovations and upgrades are finally done. In London, Miss Marsali MacDonnell and Adolphus Fitzclarence hold a private wedding on New Year’s Eve in the Chapel Royal of St. James’. The Kendals keep Christmas and New Year’s quietly, given Charlotte’s condition. After the last year, no one is begrudging anyone a little peace and quiet.

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[1] I’ve seen this quote regarding Charlotte several times, and from what I can tell, it is a description of her given by Leopol to Princess Victoria of Kent. It was too good to not include, though I have changed the original author. Also, the painting is actually a painting of Charlotte's OTL funeral.

[2] Yep, that Robert Peel. He is regarded as the father of modern British policing and one of the founders of the modern Conservative Party. A political protegee of the Duke of Wellington, Peel was famous for his habit of starting from a traditional Tory position on an issue before reversing his stance and taking a leadership role in liberal legislation, as he did with the Catholic Emancipation Act in 1829. As previously stated, Charlotte has thoughts and feelings about the man - she appreciates his intelligence, but calls him ‘Lord Eel’ for his political slipperiness. The Leader of the House of Commons is responsible for organising government business and working closely with the leaders of both parties within the House of Commons.

[3] A Conservative politician, and a later member of the Peelite faction of Tories. Best known for his two terms as Chancellor of the Exchequer, and for his ownership of sugar estates in Jamaica, upon which he owned 277 slaves. Golburn achieved great success as Chancellor, managing to reduce the interest rate on part of the national debt during his tenure. The Chancellor of the Exchequer is responsible for all economic and financial matters, and is the equivalent of a finance minister in other countries.

[4] Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey. Famous for his relationship and illegitimate daughter with Georgiana, the Duchess of Devonshire. He was a long-time leader of multiple reform movements, most famously that of parliamentary reform, and is ranked highly amongst British Prime Ministers. The Leader of the House of Lords holds the same position and responsibilities as the Leader of the House of Commons within the House of Lords.

[5] James St Clair-Erskine, 2nd Earl of Rosslyn. A Scottish soldier, politician, and Acting Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Scotland. He served as an aide-de-camp to George III, and became a major-general in 1798, lieutenant-general in 1805, and general in 1814. Lord Privy Seal (more formally Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal) is the fifth of the Great Officers of State in the United Kingdom. Traditionally responsible for actually holding the Great Seal of the Realm, the office has become a ceremonial one and has become a ‘minister without a portfolio’ position. Erskine is at this meeting because he’s one of the Great Officers, not because his position is a particularly great one.

[6] William Howley. Served as Archbishop of Canterbury from 1828 to 1848. Howley was vehemently and vocally against the Test and Corporation Act (1828), the Emancipation of the Catholics (1829), and the Great Reform Act (1832). He was considered an “old-High Churchman”, meaning that he held traditional high views of the Sacraments and other traditionally Catholic beliefs while being consistently anti-Roman. The Archbishop of Canterbury is the Primate of All England, effectively serving as the head of the Church of England.

[7] Buckingham Palace is a sore spot, generally speaking. George IV poured thousands into the design, the cost of which grew so high that the original architect, John Nash, was removed from the design in 1829. OTL William IV hired John Blore to finish the work in 1830. William hated Buckingham Palace: he refused to live there, and tried to give it away to the Army and the Houses of Parliament in 1834. Eventually, it was completed and Victoria became the first resident to reside there full time in 1837. The demand for Charlotte and her family to take up residence is fairly unreasonable, since the palace is neither finished nor designed for a large family.

[8] This seems to have been something of a trend for British Queens - both Victoria and Elizabeth II were questioned about their regnal names in lieu of their preferred names, and several documents from very early in the reign of Queen Victoria list her as Queen Alexandrina. As to the Stuartness of the name: Charles, the male form of Charlotte, was used by two of the Stuart Kings, as well as a son of James II, and Bonnie Prince Charlie, the grandson of James II and Stuart claimant to the throne. Charlie’s daughter was named Charlotte as well, as was a daughter of James II and Mary of Modena.

[9] St. James’ Palace is the most senior palace in the United Kingdom, having been built in 1536. George III refused to reside there and he and his family lived primarily at Buckingham House (the predecessor to Buckingham Palace), using St. James’ for formal occasions. He did refurbish the state apartments in the late 18th century, but neglected to update or restore the private apartments.

[10] These changes to Buckingham Palace were overseen by Prince Albert OTL after he and Victoria moved to the palace. Here, Charlotte and Leopold are trying to nip those issues in the bud.

[11] Charles was a member of the Whig Circle that George IV belonged to (though their relationship later became strained), and Charlotte had turned to him for advice on how to avoid her father's choice of husband for her before her marriage to Leopold. Once at the opera, angry at her father’s treatment of Grey, Charlotte demonstrated her support by blowing kisses in his [Earl Grey’s] direction. ITTL Grey sees their relationship as that between a favorite uncle and niece - this doesn’t blind him to her abilities, as evidenced by the quote.

[12] I’m almost 99% sure this didn’t happen OTL (I can’t find any information stating that it did), but it seems a wise compromise for Charlotte and her government, particularly since Charlotte has a large family of her own who will soon require allowances.

[13] Yeah, Charlotte’s not going in with the best argument here. This is all what happened OTL with William and Mary.

[14] OTL Albert was granted the title Prince Consort and the style of Royal Highness, but he was denied a peerage, his allowance was smaller than that of previous consorts (30,000 compared to 50,000), and he was denied precedence next to the Queen, though it was later granted by letters patent. Here, Leopold already has the peerage and has been in the country long enough to play the game and make some friends. He gets his precedence and his full allowance, which he’s going to use very, very wisely.

[15] No king had resided in Hanover on a permanent basis since George I, and no King has visited since George II. The city of Hanover is really not quite up to parr compared to other European capital cities, something William IV is looking to change.

[16] All his OTL positions

[17] I don’t know if this ever happened OTL, but I thought it was cute and - given Charlotte and William’s OTL personalities - plausible. A lot of bad stuff happens in 1830, let's enjoy a few cute moments.

[18] The Keeper of the Privy Purse is responsible for the financial management of the Royal Household of the Sovereign - basically, he’s Charlotte’s personal accountant as opposed to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, who is the national accountant.

[19] These are all the OTL titles given to them upon their father William IV’s accession in 1830, with the exception of Augustus, who was made a Chaplain in the ordinary and Chaplain to Queen Adelheid. Here, he’s getting a bit of a promotion.

[20] I had to look and look to find this but apparently OTL Ernest Augustus, the Duke of Cumberland and Teviotdale, continued to receive his pension from the British government after becoming the King of Hanover. I found a record here detailing a Mr. Hume’s arguments in Parliament against continuing Ernest Augustus’ allowance.

[21] This is all OTL. Catherine Osborne, Duchess of Leeds, served as the governess to Princess Charlotte until she was forced to resign after Charlotte refused to marry the Prince of Orange. Charlotte’s hatred of Catherine was stated by Lady Charlotte Bury, a lady-in-waiting to Charlotte’s mother.

[22] The Rt. Hon. Louisa Grey Lambton, Lady Durham, later the Countess of Durham. The daughter of Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey, and his wife The Hon. Mary Ponsonby. Her friendship with Charlotte is entirely my own creation, but given the friendship between their fathers and Charlotte’s later friendship with the Earl Grey, it didn’t feel like too far of a stretch. Yes, choosing her is a bit political, but Charlotte’s going to make up for that.

[23] Priscilla Wellesley-Pole Fane, later The Countess of Westmorland. The daughter of the Honourable William Wellesley-Pole and his wife, Katherine Elizabeth Forbes. The Duke of Wellington was her paternal uncle. According to Wikipedia, “Priscilla was a great favourite with her uncle who had a high opinion of her political judgement”. She was also an accomplished linguist and a distinguished artist - “she exhibited six figure pieces in the Suffolk Street Exhibition between 1833 and 1841, and afterwards in 1843 and 1857 sent two scriptural subjects to the British Institution”.

[24] The Rt. Hon. Emily Lamb Clavering-Cowper, The Countess Cowper. The daughter of Peniston Lamb, 1st Viscount Melbourne, and his wife Elizabeth Millbanke. The Lambs were prominent members of the Whig party - her brother William was twice the Prime Minister and her brother Frederick was a diplomat. They were also intimates of the royal family - Emily’s brother George was rumored to be the product of an affair between her mother and George IV. Emily was known for her social gifts and wit, and became a patroness of the highly exclusive Almack’s club. She was also known for her generosity and kindness to others; she was described as "grace put in action, whose softness was as seductive as her joyousness". Again there’s no record of their relationship OTL, but given the closeness of their families, I figured it wasn’t too wild of a friendship to have happen. Also, I love Emily.

[25] The Rt. Hon. Georgiana Cavendish Howard, The Countess of Carlisle. The daughter of William Cavendish, 5th Duke of Devonshire, and his wife Lady Georgiana Spencer. She’s about thirteen years older than Charlotte, but she was also a goddaughter of the Prince of Wales and their parents were famously good friends. Once again, their friendship is my own creation, but I think they would have gotten on very well. Georgiana was described as “a most charming girl–sensible, pleasing, full of information and totally without a particle of affectation”. The big sister friendship she has with Charlotte is going to be featured more later.

[26] The Rt. Hon. Lucy Graham Herbert, The Countess of Powis. The daughter of James Graham, 3rd Duke of Montrose, and his wife Lady Caroline Montagu, currently serving as Charlotte’s Mistress of the Robes. Her husband was a noted bibliophile - his large library was built from travels in France, purchased partly from booksellers and partly from an auction of Empress Joséphine's library at Malmaison.

[27] The Rt. Hon. Sarah Fane Child Villiers, The Countess of Jersey. The daughter of John Fane, 10th Earl of Westmoreland, and his wife, Sarah Child. She is the sister-in-law to Priscilla Fane. Under the terms of her grandfather’s will, Sarah inherited Osterley Park and became senior partner of the banking firm Child & Co, making her one of the richest women in England. According to Wikipedia “In politics she was a Tory, although she lacked the passionate interest in politics shown by her cousin Harriet Arbuthnot. On hearing that the Duke of Wellington had fallen from power in 1830, she burst into tears in public”. Sarah was known for her numerous love affairs, which Charlotte is graciously overlooking, alongside Sarah’s husband. A patroness of Almack’s alongside Emily Cowper, Sarah was known by her ironic nickname ‘Silence’ (since she rarely stopped talking) and for her acts of kindness and generosity.

[28] HG Caroline Montagu Graham, The Duchess of Montrose. The daughter of George Montagu, 4th Duke of Manchester, and his wife Elizabeth Dashwood. The second wife of James Graham, 3rd Duke of Montrose and mother of his six children.

[29] There’s also extra ladies of the bedchamber, who will be mentioned as they come up, but these eight women will be the core of the group for the rest of their lives.

[30] I had to give Caroline the win. I’m not sorry.

[31] I couldn’t actually find out what happened to the Villa OTL, but I thought it would most reasonably pass to her daughter ITTL.

[32] OTL Caroline was buried in Brunswick Cathedral, in the Duchy of Brunswick, at her husband’s command.

[33] In 1776, Louis XVI had signed on to help the Americans in the Revolutionary War, despite the massive debt and internal issues of his own country.

[34] All OTL - Charles really missed the lesson on the days of absolute government being dead and gone in France.

[35] Again, all OTL. Marmont does not get enough credit for sheer common sense. Unlike Polignac, who was apparently missing lessons with Charles X.

[36] Charlotte’s use of the word personally here denotes that she is writing it as Maria Carolina’s friend Charlotte, not Her Majesty the Queen of England. Not that Maria Carolina’s friend Charlotte can’t cause her own amount of damage.

[37] OTL Dawes did her best to get Conde to recognize the Orleans government once the Bourbons had fallen, which he refused to do. He was later found dead with a rope around his neck but his feet on the ground. Sophie was suspected in his death, but an inquiry formally declared Conde’s death a suicide. Rumors persisted, however, that Dawes and Louis Philippe had conspired in the death of Conde together. Here, he gets rid of Sophie and repays Maria Carolina by living a very long life, devoted to her and hers.

[38] What can I say, she was very connected - ITTL she’s smart enough to start using her connections before she’s drowning, rather than trying to after.

[39] This is what happened OTL during the abdicated of Charles X and his son - even I’m not quite so mean.

[40] This is the letter that Charles X wrote to Louis Philippe OTL regarding the accession of Henri.

[41] This is where the butterflies start flapping. OTL Louis Philippe, then Lieutenant General of the Kingdom, requested that Henri come to Paris to have his rights recognized. Maria Carolina was not allowed to travel with her son to Paris - therefore she and Charles X both refused to leave Henri alone in Paris (perhaps remembering the fate of Louis XVII). After seven days of waiting, the National Assembly decreed that the throne would pass to Louis Philippe, who became the King of the French on August 9th. Here, Maria Carolina figures it’s better to ask forgiveness than permission, and takes her son to Paris to claim his crown.

[42] OTL this was the very sticking point that Henri got stuck on when he was offered the throne after the fall of the French Empire in the 1870s. Henri insisted that France abandon the tricolor flag and re-adopt the white fleur de lys. Here, he’s ten years old and his mother is telling him to suck it up and smile. The compromise used here is the one that was offered by the French and rejected by Henri OTL.

[43] Translates directly to ‘Madame, the Mother of the King’. The title ‘Madame le Mere’ was used by Napoleon’s mother to denote her status as mother of the current monarch, rather than the wife of a previous one.

[44] The most elevated rank in the military hierarchy of the Ancien Régime, this title has been allowed to survive in the new monarchy and has been granted to Louis Philippe. This position places him in charge of all the land forces of the kingdom.

[45] The Grand Master of France, it is another title from the Ancien Régime that has been allowed to survive. Similar to the Lord Steward in the United Kingdom, they are the head of the royal household of the King - he was also in charge of various ceremonial duties. In the past, the position has been symbolic; in this monarchy, however, it’s more of a political role with a lot more hands-on work managing the budget of the household and the management of royal properties.

[46] A French soldier, diplomat and politician, who had previously served as the President of the Council under Charles X. Despite being from an old noble family, Mortemart backed the First Empire and was one of the first to fall with Napoleon. After the first Bourbon restoration, Mortemart served Louis XVIII and Charles X. The President of the Council is the equivalent to the Prime Minister - they serve as the head of the government. The Minister for Foreign Affairs handles France’s relationships with foreign countries - treaties, alliances, etc.

[47] Broglie had an interesting life - his father had been guillotined during the terror, but Broglie’s mother and stepfather managed to survive into the French empire. He received a liberal education and was introduced to society under the first French empire. Broglie served as a member of the Council of State under Napoleon, and was sent by the Emperor as an aattaché on various diplomatic missions. Under the Bourbons, he was a member of the liberal party and OTL after the July Revolution became the President of the Council and Minister of Public Worship and Education. The Minister of the Interior is similar to the Home Secretary or Attorney General of other countries - they are responsible for the safety and security of the country, the regulation of immigration, etc.

[48] Périer was a member of one of the first “bourgeoisie grenobloise” families under Napoleon. Through his bank and his ownership of the Anzin Coal Company, he contributed significantly to the economic development of France in the early stages of industrialization. He was a leading member of the liberal party under the Bourbons, and he led the liberal-conservative in support of the constitutional monarchy of Louis Philippe I. OTL he served as a President of the Council and Minister of the Interior under Louis Philippe. The Minister of Finance is responsible for, you guessed it, finance, including the development and regulation of the economy.

[49] Persil was a bourgeois lawyer, with a solid reputation as a jurist who served as deputy for the second district of Gers. He protested against the July Ordinances, and supported the kingship of Louis Philipppe. OTL he was made the general counsel at the royal court of Paris, and later served as the Minister of Justice. According to Wikipedia “As deputy and magistrate Persil supported the conservatives and fought the democratic liberal party with great energy. He attacked the republican clubs and newspapers, denounced conspiracies and meted out severe punishments”. The Minister of Justice is responsible for building, maintenance and administration of courts; sitting on the judicial council; and directing corrections and the prison systems, among other duties.

[50] Gérard was a French general and statesman who managed to serve under a succession of French governments including the ancien regime monarchy, the Revolutionary governments, the Restorations, the July Monarchy, the First and Second Republics, and the First Empire. He was honored by Louis XVIII and Napoleon, and OTL contributed to the Belgian victory in the Belgian Revolution. The Minister of War was the leader and most senior official of the French Ministry of War, and was responsible for the administration, finances, and management of the Army and the National Gendarmerie.

[51] de Neuville is an interesting guy - he’s descended from the Hyde family, who immigrated to France from England with the Stuarts. He entered politics at sixteen, and at seventeen successfully defended a man before a revolutionary tribunal. He served as an active agent of the Bourbons - he took part in the Royalist rising of 1796 and tried to convince Napoleon to recall the traditional monarchy in lieu of the First Empire. He served as a diplomat to the United Kingdom and Portugal, and was given the Portuguese title Count de Bemposta. He served under Naval Minister de Martignac in 1828 and “In this capacity, he showed active sympathy with the cause of Greek independence. He greatly improved the colonial system of France, and prohibited the slave trade in its American possessions”. The Minister of the Navy and Colonies was responsible for both the navy and civilian fleets of France; all France's ports, arsenals, consulates, and colonies; and guardianship over France’s commercial companies.

[52] Guizmot was a moderate liberal French orator, statesman, and historian. He was raised by his mother according to the theories of Rousseau after the death of his father during the Revolution. Guizmot and Francois Mignet invented the concept of the bourgeois revolution; he was known as the “Man of Ghent” for going to Ghent to try to convince Louis XVIII to adopt a liberal policy to secure the throne. OTL served Louis Philippe as the Minister of Education, Foreign Minister, and eventually Prime Minister. The Minister of Education is in charge of running the nation’s public education system, as well as authorizing private education systems.

[53] Prelate, statesmen, orator, writer, and member of the Académie française. Earned his reputation from his well-received lectures on dogmatic theology, known as the conferences of Saint Sulpice. His lectures were prohibited under the reign of Napoleon, but de Frayssinous returned to the public eye under the Bourbons. He was the court preacher and almoner to Louis XVIII and OTL became the tutor of Henri, Comte de Chambord, in 1833. The Minister of Worship was often also the Minister of Education - to show the more secular, liberal views of his government, Henri V has separated the positions. The Minister of Worship was responsible for overseeing the relationship between France and various religions, particularly the Catholic Church.

[54] A customs administrator and politician. de Saint-Cricq was originally intended to become a priest but later left the monastery during the French Revolution and attended university instead. He joined the Customs administration during the reign of Napoleon. He continued to serve in customs and on the finance committee under the Bourbons, and served as Minister of Agriculture and Commerce under the government of Martignac. The Minister of Commerce and Industry was responsible for agriculture, subsistence, stud farms, interior and exterior commerce and statistics.

[55] d’Argout was a statesman, minister, and Governor of the Bank of France. He was a loyal Bourbon supporter who voted with the moderate right; during the July Revolution, he attempted to convince Charles X to withdraw the July Ordinances. He later served the Orleans monarchy and was elected Governor of the Bank of France in 1834, a post he retained despite the 1848 Revolution. The Minister of Public Works is, like the name, in charge of public works, housing, and transportation.

[56] Known for being incredibly loyal to the Bourbons; he served under the Prince de Conde in the counter-revolutionary army, and served Louis XVIII on various missions while he [Louis] was in exile - his son, Louis, was godson to the King. When the Bourbons were restored, Blacas was appointed the Minister of the Maison du Roi. He negotiated the marriage of the Duc de Berry and Maria Carolina of the Two Sicilies (Henri V’s parents) and served Charles X as superintendent to the Crown properties. He followed the Bourbons into exile following the July Revolution. He’s also a famous antiquarian, and helped identify the Temple of Castor and Pollux in 1816. The Minister of the Maison de Roi was a post similar to the Lord Steward of the Household - he was in charge of the King’s household and the military, domestic and religious entourage of the royal family. OTL Louis Philippe abolished the office under the July Monarchy.

[57] Ahhh, Vicomte de Chateaubriand. Chateaubriand was a royalist when it was a bad time to be one, a Catholic when it was a bad time to be one, and a general literary badass. According to historian Peter Gay: “Chateaubriand saw himself as the greatest lover, the greatest writer, and the greatest philosopher of his age”. OTL he refused to serve the House of Orleans after the July Revolution, and stood up for Maria Carolina after her arrest. He died in 1848 and, in full drama queen fashion, was buried on the tidal island Grand Bé near Saint-Malo, which is accessible only when the tide is out.

[58] Chateaubriand spent time in America, the United Kingdom, Rome, Switzerland, Greece, Asia Minor, Palestine, Egypt, Tunisia, Spain, Verona, and Genoa.

[59] OTL she was fired from her position in 1834 after following the Bourbons into exile for her comparatively liberal views. Here, Maria Carolina is deciding to make those views work for her. And, you know, keep on a loving, maternal figure in her daughter’s life after Louise has already lost her aunt Marie Therese.

[60] de Quelén tended to walk the middle line, politically. Devoted to the Bourbons, he still opposed, on behalf of the middle classes, the conversion of the national debt and the ordinances of July 1830.

[61] Officially the territories ruled by the House of Orange were known as the United Kingdom of the Netherlands at this time

[62] All OTL. Seriously. Willem was begging for a revolt at this point.

[63] ITTL sources differ from George III and George IV. Some people with very bad math skills even insist on George II, who died about twenty years before Conroy was born.

[64] Yes, I’m shameful. Technically, if you subscribe to the madness that is Conroy’s thought process, Victoire could in theory get armies from the United Kingdom, Coburg, Wurttemberg, and a private army from her brother Ferdinand’s lands in Hungary. Not exactly the might of many nations, but better than nothing.

[65] Founded Le Politique with Lebeau and Devaux, which helped to unite the Catholics and liberals in their opposition to the cabinet of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. OTL served as the Prime Minister of Belgium from 1847 to 1852 and 1857 to 1868.

[66] Founded Le Politique with Rogier and Lebeau, which helped to unite the Catholics and liberals in their opposition to the cabinet of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. OTL known as
one of the men who suggested Leopold of Saxe-Coburg und Gotha as a candidate for the Belgian throne.

[67] Founded Le Politique with Rogier and Devaux, which helped to unite the Catholics and liberals in their opposition to the cabinet of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. OTL known as one of the men who suggested Leopold of Saxe-Coburg und Gotha as a candidate for the Belgian throne. Served as the Belgian ambassador to 1839 Treaty of London, where he agreed to the return of Limburg and Luxembourg to the Netherlands, leading to him being accused of treachery against Belgium. Was later forced out of office due to differences with Leopold I.

[68] This is not only true, but a very interesting political point that several monarchies would have been wise to note.

[69] Big talk for a man with no private army and his entire duchy against him, but that’s just me and mine.

[70] All OTL. I cannot emphasize enough how strongly disliked Karl was by literally everyone who had to interact with him.

[71] OTL Charlotte and Karl were never engaged, nor to my knowledge was there ever any attempt to see them married. However, as established, Karl is bitter and not a great guy, so this feels like the kind of rumor he would spread in retaliation to Charlotte supporting his brother.

[72] OTL this was the Regency Act of 1840, passed by Queen Victoria to name Albert the regent for their heir should she die before her heir was of age. This act was not nearly as well received as it’s ITTL counterpart.

[73] Fernando VII had previously been married to his first cousin, Maria Antonia of Naples and Sicily, who had two miscarriages during their marriage; his niece, Maria Isabel of Portugal, with whom he had two daughters - one who lived for five months and one who was stillborn; and Princess Maria Josefa Amalia of Saxony, who never conceived during their marriage.

[74] OTL ambassador to Prussia, he was a career diplomat and served in Prussia, the Netherlands, Dresden, and Frankfurt for twenty-five years.

[75] The national anthem of Prussia from 1830 to 1840. Has apparently been turned into a whole nationalist thing.

[76] His paternal grandfather, Friedrich Wilhelm III of Prussia.

[77] His maternal grandmother, Caroline of Baden, Dowager Queen of Bavaria/

[78] His paternal uncle and aunt, Nikolai I of Russia and Princess Charlotte of Prussia.

[79] Maternal half-aunt and uncle, Franz I of Austria and Hungary and Karolina Auguste of Bavaria.

[80] Maternal aunt and uncle, Miguel I of Portugal and Ludovika of Bavaria.

[81] Paternal aunt and uncle, Prince Wilhelm of Prussia and Elisa Radziwill.

[82] Maternal aunt and uncle, Prince Johann of Saxony and Amalie Auguste of Bavaria.

[83] Maternal half-uncle, Ludwig I of Bavaria.

[84] Paternal great-aunt, Friederike of Mecklenburg-Strelitz.

[85] Paternal great-uncle, Georg, the Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz.

[86] Paternal aunt, Marianne of the Netherlands.

[87] This is how it happened OTL as well.

[88] Lord Brougham is a special, dear person to Charlotte. He is known for being a fierce defender of her mother and helping defeat the 1820 Pains and Penalties Bill that George IV introduced to try to divorce Caroline of Brunswick. “He became an advocate of liberal causes including abolition of the slave trade, free trade and parliamentary reform”. OTL he was instrumental in passing the 1832 Reform Act and 1833 Slavery Abolition Act. His genius was considered to be marred by his arrogance. He has been created Baron Brougham and Vaux that same November, though ITTL the barony is entailed to heirs legitimate of his body, not heirs male - Charlotte specifically makes this distinction in the patent because Brougham only has one surviving daughter, Eleanor. Eleanor is also a dear friend to Charlotte’s daughter Missy.

[89] The Lord High Chancellor of the United Kingdom is the highest-ranking among the Great Officers of State. The Lord Chancellor, as he is informally known, is held responsible for the functioning and independence of the courts of the United Kingdom. There is, at this time, a separate Lord Chancellor for Ireland.

[90] Later the 1st Earl of Durham and the son-in-law of the Earl Grey; he’s the husband to Charlotte’s lady of the bedchamber, Louisa, Lady Durham. He was known for his support of liberal causes - including the defense of Queen Caroline and Catholic Emancipation. He was a leading promoter of reform and helped draft the 1832 Reform Bill.

[91] Yep, that Viscount Melbourne. He’s the brother of Charlotte’s lady of the bedchamber, the Countess Cowper, and is known throughout society for his tempestuous marriage to Lady Caroline Ponsonby. He served as the Chief Secretary for Ireland from 1827 to 1828. The Home Secretary is responsible for security within England and Wales, matters concerning national security, and immigration.

[92] Also known as ‘Honest Jack’, Spencer began his political career as an MP of Okehampton in 1804. Later chosen as the Leader of the House of Commons. OTL he served in Grey’s ministry as the Leader of the House of Commons and Chancellor of the Exchequer - here, he’s become the Foreign Secretary in place of Chancellor. OTL this position went to Palmerston. Foreign Secretary is responsible for British relations with foreign countries and governments and the promotion of British interests abroad.

[93] The nephew of the great Charles James Fox, he is also an illegitimate descendant of Charles II through his mother. He was known for his very scandalous relationship with Elizabeth Vassall, whom he later married. He began his political career in the House of Lords in 1796 and served as Lord Privy Seal from 1806 to 1807. The Duchy of Lancaster is the private estate of the British sovereign, who also holds the title Duke of Lancaster (even when it’s a female monarch). The duchy consists of 18,433 ha (45,550 acres) of land holdings across England and Wales. The Chancellor of the Duchy is responsible for administering the estates and rents of the Duchy, as well as serving as a member of the cabinet. As this point, Lord Holland’s kind’ve got the best job around, since he pretty much just does what Leopold tells him regarding the management of the Duchy.

[94] Yeah, Palmerston missed out on his OTL foreign secretary appointment. ITTL rumor has it that it’s because he was speaking in favor of an independent Belgium, when his monarch’s eldest daughter is all but engaged to the future King of the Netherlands.

[95] This is OTL. The Polish Constitution is going to be really important in about twenty years ITTL - remember it!

[96] This is all also OTL - it was just a rumor, so there’s no guarantee if Nicholas was actually going to use the army to crush the revolution, but given his conservatism, it wouldn’t be surprising, regardless of the political situation in Poland. The Romanovs really inherited a tendency to throw fuel on fires.

[97] For those of you who didn’t guess it, Chlopicki believed wrongly OTL.

[98] Once again, Henri is setting a precedent of a monarch graciously giving the people something rather than having them demand it of him. This way, he continues to retain the power to withdraw it should he feel so inclined, rather than have it forced on him. His mother’s been brushing up on political theory and has decided Machiavelli had it wrong - it’s much wiser to be loved rather than feared, at least in the current political climate in France.


I owe the absolute biggest of thank yous to @Kellan Sullivan , @Emperor Constantine , @VVD0D95 , and @isabella ! Without you guys answering my numerous (and often stupid and ASB) questions, this chapter would have never come to fruition. I am so blessed to know such truly fabulous people!
 
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I love this so much! I love Maria Carolina, and John Conroy's shenanigans.

Charlotte and William find the whole thing amusing, however, and William quickly settles the matter by bowing quite deeply to his adored niece and allowing her to pass before him in all courtly situations. (In family situations, however, the two will develop a joke lasting for years that involves convoluted and lengthy bowing to each other before darting to the door to be the first one through) [17].
^This is beautiful and hilarious

Oh, and it's missing a thread mark.
 

VVD0D95

Banned
Absolutely loved the chapter! I’m sad that henrh had to abandon the title king of France but at least he stays on the throne,

one small thing, Anne’s husband was duke of Cumberland not Gloucester,
 
[17] I don’t know if this ever happened OTL, but I thought it was cute and - given Charlotte and William’s OTL personalities - plausible. A lot of bad stuff happens in 1830, let's enjoy a few cute moments.
Always have had a soft spot for William, on the totally scientific basis that I’m named William. Glad to see he’s doing alright.
 
As usual this takes a while to get through, but is worth every second of it! <3 Glad to see it back, I actually thought about how I wished it would be updated soon earlier today, so I'm very, very happy (the most happy? heh). As always, Charlotte and her family is amazing and wonderful and should be protected at all costs, and the butterflies seem to keep flapping towards a more monarchial Europe, which warms my heart!
 
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