The Shadow of Great Britain

Chapter 1553: Chapter 5: Seize Hastings and Break the Kensington System

London No. 1, residence of the Duke of Wellington.

The fire in the hearth crackled softly, casting its steady warm glow on the heavy oak furniture in the study.

Outside the window, the city fog along the Thames River lingered, the early spring morning chill seeping through the window cracks.

The Duke of Wellington, his sideburns wholly white, stood by the fireplace, holding a crystal glass filled with brandy, his gaze sharply fixed on the military map on the wall.

Sitting on the sofa on the other side was none other than Arthur’s old superior, Sir Robert Peel.

He sat steadily on the chair, a document between his fingers, contemplating for a moment before raising his head and saying, “Is His Majesty’s patience running out?”

The Duke of Wellington placed his glass down upon hearing this, turned to Peel, and said, “His Majesty the King truly cannot tolerate his sister-in-law, and the Duchess of Kent returns his dislike in kind. Their relationship lacks any semblance of smoothness or patience, so being at odds and stirring resentment is inevitable. Of course, we both know that despite the King’s often rough language and untimely words, he is in fact one of the rare well-tempered members of the nobility with no malice. But on the other hand, if you fail to manage this well, you’d better beware of the storm that may come at any moment, and right now, the Duchess of Kent finds herself in such a position.”

Sir Peel quite agreed with the Duke of Wellington’s view, or rather, he disliked the Duchess of Kent just as much as the King did.

This was not just due to a clash of temperament, but as the leader of the Tory Party, Sir Peel indeed detested the Duchess of Kent for placing her beloved daughter, the future Queen of England, in an entirely Whig educational environment and for her disdain for British traditional virtues, lifestyle, and Tories.

The Duchess of Kent has been married into Britain from Germany for sixteen years, and logically speaking, she should have learned English long ago, but as of last week, this Princess from the Saxon-Coburg-Saalfeld Family still insists on speaking German and French in social occasions.

If she truly had no talent for languages, perhaps she wouldn’t provoke such anger, but the Duke of Wellington and others have long heard from her close friend, Mrs. Levin, that the Duchess of Kent not only speaks English but speaks it very fluently and elegantly.

Thus, the Tories can only define her actions as intentionally embarrassing these gentlemen who uphold traditional old English values.

If she were just an ordinary noblewoman, the Tories might swallow their pride and let it go out of respect for the lady.

But what they cannot accept is that this woman is the mother of the Crown Prince!

Even worse, according to the Regency Bill led by the Whig Party in 1831, if Princess Victoria ascends the throne while still a minor, then the Duchess of Kent, as the Queen Mother, would assume the role of Regent King, wielding the King’s Power!

An ideologically Whig Regent King would be devastating to the Tories, especially after the Parliamentary reform passed, rendering the Tories in a challenging position; they cannot, in any circumstance, allow such a situation of being besieged from all sides to become a reality.

And among the multitude of bad news, the only good news is that His Majesty King William IV equally despises that woman. Following the turmoil of the Parliamentary reform, King William IV, who from a young age supported the Whig Party, is now shifting his stance to the Tory side.

Sir Peel commented, “That woman is too presumptuous!”

The Duke of Wellington nodded in agreement, “She only cares about her own status, her own responsibilities, her obligations, her daughter. She only knows she is the mother of the heir to the British throne. Thus, the Government must decisively place her in a suitable position, granting her the privilege of being the Prince of Wales Mother, and allocating her a substantial annuity from the Treasury. But she hasn’t considered how such demands would appear in His Majesty’s eyes. His Majesty indeed does not have a legitimate heir, but he hasn’t completely abandoned this notion. Yet with the Duchess of Kent’s demeanor, it’s as if the throne is already her daughter’s to claim.”

Sir Peel felt troubled just thinking about it, “If misfortune strikes and Britain really needs a Regent, I’d rather support Queen Adelaide. Warm-hearted, kind, thrifty, family-oriented, even willing to accept His Majesty’s illegitimate children with Mrs. Jordan as family members. She demonstrated such valuable qualities even before His Majesty ascended to the throne, and her behavior hasn’t changed since becoming Queen. May merciful God bless her with a legitimate heir for Britain soon, I can hardly imagine witnessing the Duchess of Kent lording over the Privy Council, commanding orders. Such a sight would be terrifying.”

The Duke of Wellington gestured for the servant to pour Sir Peel a drink and promptly spoke, “It’s exceedingly difficult to change her perspective as an adult. As for the matter of the Regent King, His Majesty the King remarked pettily to me at St. James’s Palace a few days ago, that even if he breathes his last breath, he must live to see the day Princess Victoria comes of age. This way, the Duchess of Kent will not become the Regent King.”

Sir Peel couldn’t help but laugh, “His Majesty was sulking over the matter of the tour, wasn’t he?”