WI: George V & Victoria marry

Kingpoleon

Banned
What if George V of Hannover and Queen Victoria I of the United Kingdom, married? What would be the aftermath after the marriage? It seems to me it would affect European politics greatly.
 
Last edited:
What if George V and Queen Victoria I of the United Kingdom, married? What would be the aftermath after the marriage? It seems to me it would affect European politics greatly.

Yes, especially since it would involve time travel. It also violates the consanguinity rules, since he's her grandson.

Oh. You meant OF HANNOVER.:)
 
What if George V and Queen Victoria I of the United Kingdom, married? What would be the aftermath after the marriage? It seems to me it would affect European politics greatly.

Presumably you mean Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom marrying King George V of Hanover, rather than her grandson King George V of the United Kingdom.

One thing is that any male children they have will be heir to both the United Kingdom and Hanover.

George V was something of an autocrat in OTL. ITTL he will have been in Britain for 3 years before inheriting, and might not spend as much time in Hanover so he can remain with his wife. It's hard to see him being the positive influence on British politics that Albert was.

On the other hand, if George V is as unpopular as Albert was initially, he might seek refuge in Hanover, where he's in charge and with 'his own'. Not a recipe for a happy marriage!

Also, without the 'enlightened influence' of Albert, there's a good chance more of Victoria's children die before reaching adulthood.
 

Kingpoleon

Banned
It doesn't need to have time travel. There's a less than sixty year difference. Perhaps when George is eighteen he kind of pushes Albert... over... a cliff. See?

Oh wait, yes I did mean of Hannover. Post edited, nitpicker. ;)
 
The match was proposed OTL (by George). It didn't get anywhere because (a) Vicky hated him (and thought he was horrifically ugly); and (b) the British government had been relieved to get rid of the obligation to defend Hannover when Victoria succeeded to the throne and would have been implacably opposed to taking it back. For the wedding to go ahead you need to find a plausible way of overcoming these objections, this is likely to be difficult.
 

Kingpoleon

Banned
B. is easy to get past. Hannover simply needs more industry and a bit more of an army, while controlling Hannover could be seen as a foothold on the Continent and a countermeasure to Prussia. If Prussia's stronger, perhaps it takes Bohemia-Moravia in a slightly earlier war, they would need such a weight. Also, I doubt Victoria would see him as ugly if he grew a mustache similar to Albert. He seems, in portraits anyway, much more handsome than Albert in the eyes, and the lower face will be distracted from by the mustache.
 
I don't see how would this happen. Like people stated Queen Victoria found the man ugly so I don't see how she could change her mind.
 
Even taking off the table the issue Vic finding him ugly, the man had been virtually blind from his teens and I seriously doubt the politicos or populace would have wanted a BLIND prince/king consort even if he did bring Hanover back into their realm. It was tough enough for his father Ernest Augustus to get HIS Hanoverian subjects to accept George as his heir and it was only because George was the ONLY possible heir that they reluctantly agreed. By no means was this fair to blind folks but that was the reality.
 
Suppose George does not lose his eyesight.
He and Victoria marry. They have several sons.
Victoria and George agree that after their demises, the British and Hanoverian thrones shall have separate rulers.
Their eldest son, Prince Edward shall become King of England.
Their second son, Prince Ernest Augustus shall become King of Hanover.
 

Kingpoleon

Banned
The only purpose of marriage in such a case is to prevent the loss of British crown lands. I doubt they would do it otherwise.
 
The only purpose of marriage in such a case is to prevent the loss of British crown lands. I doubt they would do it otherwise.

The Crown lands had been lost since the 1760s, when George III gave them up in return for a large civil list, so no dice there. The match between George of Cumberland (as he was then) and Victoria of Kent was proposed by their uncle William IV, mainly as a way to continue the union of Hannover and the UK and to block the ambitions of the Saxe-Coburgs.

Also, I don't ever recall seeing anything about Victoria finding her cousin ugly. The reason that it was thrown out was because of his blindness. There was a fear that it could be hereditary.
 
Top