Chapter 277: The Fall of the Old King
As April arrived, Australasia entered the deep autumn of the Southern Hemisphere.
To be honest, when Arthur first came to Australasia from England, he did not easily adapt to the contrasting seasons between the Southern and Northern Hemispheres. When it was summer from June to August in the Northern Hemisphere, it was actually the coldest season in the Southern Hemisphere.
However, the good news was that while the British enjoyed their summer, Arthur could still experience snow, though not much of it.
As the ruler of a country, Arthur's life was both noble and luxurious, but also tedious and boring.
First of all, there were too many national affairs, many of which required Arthur's input, as there were matters the government could not decide on without consulting him.
Secondly, there were various construction projects in the country and many important matters that required Arthur to inspect from time to time.
Arthur had a very good reputation and support among the people, and he would give a speech every year at Christmas, which would be spread across the country through newspapers.
Apart from these, he also had to inspect the army, attend weekly cabinet meetings, receive reports from the colonies, and keep track of the development of the royal consortium's various enterprises. All of these required Arthur to stay well-informed regularly.
After all, how could a monarch manage and coordinate a vast country without being well-acquainted with the conditions of his army, the government territories, and the development of his enterprises?
As May arrived, while Minister of Industry Pierre was reporting to Arthur on the construction progress at the Leonora Industrial Base, Kent the butler hurried in and said, "Your Majesty! There is big news from Britain."
Minister Pierre, being quite tactful, quickly stated that he would report another day and left in a hurry.
Once Pierre had left, Kent approached Arthur and said, "Your Majesty, according to a telegram from the British royal family, King Edward passed away earlier today."
Arthur immediately stood up, then sat back down, his expression returning to a natural one as he became serious and asked, "Is the news accurate? How did Uncle Edward pass away so suddenly?"
"It's a telegram directly from the British royal family, so it's highly likely to be true. As for the cause of King Edward's death, the British royal family has not disclosed that yet," Kent replied.
"Prepare the navy's fleet immediately, and inform Foreign Minister Pierre to form a delegation to depart for Britain tomorrow," Arthur ordered without hesitation.
Even though his relationship with King Edward VII had not been particularly good, on the surface, they were still regarded as having a good uncle-nephew relationship.
Moreover, Arthur had a high level of support among the British public, so it was important not to make any foolish moves that could harm the goodwill of the British people. After all, British support was still crucial for Australasia, and with Arthur's standing in the hearts of the British people, the British government could not afford to be hostile to Australasia.
Though these matters might not seem significant from a national interest standpoint, politicians weren't foolish. No one would want to become the scapegoat, disliked and scorned by the British public.
At this point, only a few of the more powerful monarchies knew of King Edward VII's death, and the British government had not yet made the news public.
This was normal, as any transfer of power between monarchs could potentially cause instability within a country and society.
For a country like Britain, which had many colonies and was formed by several united kingdoms, maintaining stability and calm was the most important thing.
For Arthur, King Edward VII's death was not necessarily bad news, but neither was it entirely good.
Edward VII's death officially marked the end of the Victorian era, signaling a decline in the prestige that Queen Victoria had held. Over time, Arthur's status in the hearts of the British people would likely diminish, and he would become less important.
Furthermore, with the ascension of the next British king, George V, the monarch's power would no longer be as great, and the king could not suppress the various formal organizations and groups within the UK.
Historically, George V was not as skilled as Queen Victoria or Edward VII. This was why, during World War I, in an attempt to secure the stability of the monarchy, the British royal family had to abandon the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and change their family name to Windsor.
While this was officially done to align with public sentiment, it symbolized that the monarchy's power had waned. After all, it was a rare thing for a king to have to change his surname due to public opinion.
If the British royal family was truly loved by the people, then their hatred should be directed at Germany, not at a royal family that had, except for the surname, become thoroughly British after arriving in Britain from Germany hundreds of years ago.
It is important to note that changing a surname not only concerns the dignity of the royal family but also the honor and history of the family.
As the monarch of the world's most powerful country, George V's decision to change the family surname was also a symbol of the weakening of British royal and monarchical power.
If Queen Victoria had still been in power during World War I, the British royal family would have never had to change their surname.
Unfortunately, great monarchs like Queen Victoria were rare, and the last glory of the Victorian era was coming to an end.
It was worth mentioning that Arthur himself also hailed from the British royal family, and he was a direct descendant.
If, in the future, the British royal family decided to change their surname, should Arthur acknowledge this?
Arthur shook his head inwardly, dismissing the thought. There was no faction in Australasia with the power to force Arthur to change his surname, and he had no intention of doing so.
Anyway, the British royal family after George V would not be as close to Arthur, so he had no need to follow Britain's name change and lose his own face in the process.
After instructing Kent to notify the navy and Minister Andrew, Arthur returned to the palace's bedroom to bid farewell to Queen Mary with a look of apology.
Originally, after their last tour, Arthur had promised Queen Mary that he would not leave the palace frequently for at least two years, so that William and Anna could always see their father.
To his regret, less than six months later, he had to break his promise.
However, this was something beyond his control, and Queen Mary understood very well. She even smiled and comforted Arthur, reassuring him that there would be no issues at the palace with her and Princess Louise there.
Of course, before he departed, Arthur still needed to hold a cabinet meeting to arrange for the government's work in his absence.
King Edward VII's death was also a significant issue for the British Empire, this old imperial power.
Although Arthur did not have a positive view of King Edward VII, he had to admit that the old man, despite his scandalous personal life, had some ability in managing state affairs.
Even though the British Empire was still the world's dominant superpower, possessing the world's largest navy and the third-largest industrial sector, its internal situation was already dire, with class struggles, political conflicts, and factional disputes.
Currently, the two main political factions, the Liberal Party and the Conservative Party, were the primary forces in British political struggles.
Prime Minister Asquith, leader of the Liberal Party, had completed many reforms and gained significant popularity, keeping the Liberal Party firmly in power.
However, the problem was that King Edward VII, who had supported the reforms, had passed away, and whether the Liberal Party would continue in power depended on the decision of King George V.
This meant that the future political trajectory of the British Empire was now largely in the hands of King George V.
If King George V chose the Liberal Party, the political struggles in the British Empire might be delayed or even temporarily resolved. However, if he sided with the Conservative Party, the conflict over reforms would soon begin.
The good news, however, was that for a powerful country like the British Empire, the political struggles between parties did not result in great damage to the nation.
In other words, the political struggles between parties in the British Empire were like a small drain in a vast ocean, not affecting the nation's position or strength.
But one issue remained: all of this assumed that foreign powers would not intervene. If Germany or other countries decided to stir trouble, the already chaotic British political scene could become even more unstable.
However, this had little bearing on Arthur. Australasia's international influence was still quite limited, and no other countries were particularly interested in it at the moment.
After all, any country attempting to challenge Australasia would have to face the combined powers of Britain, Germany, and Russia.
Going further, Britain could bring France into the fold, and Germany could count on Austria-Hungary. This would mean that any attempt against Australasia would face condemnation from the five major European powers: Britain, Germany, France, Russia, and Austria.
No country in the world could withstand the joint pressure of these five, meaning Australasia would be relatively safe for a long time, at least until other nations and forces rise to power.
Arthur called for a cabinet meeting to discuss the situation in Britain and Europe, and also to ensure the government was well-prepared in case of a potential European war.
Though World War I would not begin for several more years, Arthur could not afford to rely entirely on history.
If another country made a rash move and declared war, the entire European conflict could erupt, and if Australasia was unprepared, it would miss out on numerous opportunities.
Arthur's first command was for the Ministry of Industry to be ready at all times. If the countries of Europe were heading toward war, the production capacity of all factories should be increased accordingly.
As for medical supplies, food, materials, equipment, weapons, ammunition, and other strategic goods, they could be transported to Europe in large quantities to gain more benefits.
(End of Chapter)
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