WI Queen Victoria accepts the advances of Tsar Alexander II?

In 1838 the then still Tsarevich Alexander, who would become Tsar Alexander II of Russia, visited Britain in a state visit. There he met with the future Queen Victoria and tried to put the moves on her, but she quickly turned him down. Suppose this isn't the case and the two have a spark and get married? Then what?

Would the British allow the personal union with Russia or would they come up with some dynastic trick to prevent a union. A personal union with Russia would make them enormously powerful, but I guess many British politicians willl fear undue Russian influence over British politics seeing how Russian and British geopolitical ambitions are often at odds.

What do you think?
 
Not ASB as it isn't impossible for this to happen. After all the POD is based on a mutual attraction. Very interesting idea.

I doubt there'd be a personal union but I imagine there'd be HUGE butterflies. Crimean War probably never happens - it is possible Russia won't seek to antagonise Britain by exerting too much pressure on Turkey. Russia sell Alaska to Britain? Probably the biggest change would be some form of limited/gradual liberalisation of Russian politics based on the British westminster system which will have major ramifications in the future.
 
A possibility that's overlooked is that one of them has to renounce the claims to their thrones... Two heirs apparent would create a rather thorny succession question.

On the one hand, by this time the British government can run rather fine without a monarch dipping into politics; on the other hand, Tsarist Russia is autocratic to varying degrees, even under Alexander II.
 
Given it's the 19th century, a personal union is unlikely. When there were talks for Charlotte of Wales to marry the Prince of Orange, the agreement avoided any personal union: the first born son would become King of Great Britain and the second one would inherit the Netherlands: in the absense of a second son, the Dutch throne would go to the German branch of the Nassaus. If anything, something like this would happen: one son (or daughter, perhaps they have no sons) would be raised in England and groomed to succeed there while the second would become the Russian Emperor. The Romanovs had plenty of male dynasts at this point so if there isn't a second surviving son it's not like a crisis would develop.

Only problem is where they would reside. I suppose, at least in the early years they could reside in England, but certainly the Tsarevich would have to return to Russia at some point.
 
Russian succession law, established by Paul I in 1797 and still in force at that date, as it remained with trivial modifications until the Russian Revolution, required the Tsesarevich* to marry an Orthodox spouse (article 185). The British Acts of Settlement and Union from which Victoria derived her claim required "That whosoever shall hereafter come to the Possession of this Crown shall joyn in Communion with the Church of England as by Law established" (section III Act of Settlement). Therefore one of the countries would have to change its laws before this could happen; with all the other immense practical difficulties that such a union would face, I doubt this would happen. Victoria incidentally was already Queen in 1838, having succeeded the previous year.

*That is the correct title, Tsarevich though commonly used is incorrect; it was an old title for any son of a Tsar, replaced by Grand Duke, whereas Tsesarevich continued in use for the heir.
 
Last edited:
Given it's the 19th century, a personal union is unlikely. When there were talks for Charlotte of Wales to marry the Prince of Orange, the agreement avoided any personal union: the first born son would become King of Great Britain and the second one would inherit the Netherlands: in the absense of a second son, the Dutch throne would go to the German branch of the Nassaus.

I did not know that, but it does make sense. I always wondered about it after reading that the Netherlands outlawed personal union.
 
Top