John's plans to make a fortune aside, in the first two weeks of May 1940, the world's attention was drawn to the European royal families who had been fading from the center of the world political scene since the First World War. Although the halo on these people is no longer dazzling, their various gossip news is still a popular topic for people around the world.www.biquge.info Even in later generations, this is probably the case, and even the birth of a cub in the Queen's pet dog can keep the BBC news in the spotlight for days.

Recently, the fortunes of these former European feudal monarchs have changed dramatically with the rise of Hitler, a new generation of dictators. Not to mention Adele, who is waiting to give birth at home, even in the Army Staff, the senior officers around John are inevitably critical of these news.

First, in Scandinavia, Christian X of Denmark openly rejected the "good intentions" of the allies to take refuge abroad, and chose to remain with his subjects in Denmark, which had become a "partner" of Germany.

However, Christian X, although somewhat weak, was definitely not stupid. On the one hand, he showed a limited "cooperative attitude" towards the Germans. On the other hand, the Danish ambassador to the United States, Henrik Kaufmann, was instructed to organize the Free Denmark Movement, and the entire Danish overseas merchant fleet (1.2 million tons, more than 50,000 well-trained sailors) was requested to assist the Allies. Even when Britain sent troops to occupy Iceland and the Farloch Islands, and the United States openly announced the establishment of consulates with Greenland, he pinched his nose and acquiesced.

Like Christian X, King Haakon VII of Norway, who was also from the House of Glückburg in Germany, retreated with his government to the mountains of northern Norway to continue fighting the Germans. It was not until 3 May that he boarded a ship bound for England to set up his own government-in-exile in London. The former naval officer king arrived in Britain with 33 million pounds (about $133 million) worth of Norwegian gold reserves.

As for King Gustav V of Sweden, who married a German wife (the daughter of the German Grand Duke of Baden), he was busy communicating privately with his "German relatives" to get his crown jewels and gold reserves back.

Six months ago, Gustav V, fearing a Soviet invasion, had transported the royal treasures to Oslo by train. As a result, after the fall of Norway, this royal property fell into the hands of the Germans. Many of his colleagues in the General Staff believed that the main bargaining chips in the negotiations were to allow German troops to enter Norway through Sweden and to ensure that the supply of iron ore to Germany was not cut off.

In Eastern Europe, the Bulgarian Tsar Boris III was frightened by the German offensive in Poland and Northern Europe. The Bulgarian Tsar, who is of German Saxony-Coburg-Gotha ancestry, had the greatest pleasure driving trains and collecting locomotives. He was completely overwhelmed by the situation in the country where "the officer corps was pro-German, the common people were pro-Russian, the middle class liked Britain and France, and the queen and crown prince loved Italy (his wife was the daughter of King Emanuele III of Italy and Albania)".

Finally, at the suggestion of his father-in-law, Boris III went to Germany under the pretext of visiting his father (his father, Ferdinand I, who was forced to abdicate by the Allies after World War I and went into exile, now living in the Coburg Palace in Germany). Upon his return, Boris III appointed the pro-German Bogdan Filov as prime minister, ousting the pro-British Koosei Ivanov. In return for his total surrender to Germany, Hitler forced Romania to return South Dobroga to Bulgaria.

In contrast, the equally pro-German Romanian king Carol II was much more unlucky. Carol II, who had been playing acrobatics between Germany and the Soviet Union, had the misfortune to fall off the tightrope. Nazi Germany signed a partition agreement with the Soviet Union, and Romania was forced to cede Basarabia and Northern Bukovina to the Soviet Union, and Northern Transylvania to Hungary.

The hapless Carol II thus lost the support of the majority of the population in the country and had to pass the throne to his 19-year-old son, Mihai I. With his lover and a train full of royal treasures, he left Bucharest and went to the United States to start his "happy new life".

Although Carol II lost his throne, European and American societies generally gloated at his "tragic experience". Without him, the great-grandson of Queen Victoria of England has a terrible reputation. If Edward VIII's renunciation of the English throne in order to marry Mrs. Simpson still has a hint of the romance of "loving beauty but not country", Carroll II is a notorious merry king.

He once renounced the right to inherit the throne twice because of two different women, so he gave birth to the crown prince for him, the Greek princess Helen, who was so angry that she swore not to go to Romania for the rest of her life. In the United States, attention was paid not to the king himself, but to the large number of treasures inherited from the Eastern Roman Empire and 41 famous paintings by famous European artists.

In Western Europe, Germany's blitzkrieg once again struck the Low Countries of the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg. On 10 May, bombers flew out of the grey sky in the early morning to strike airfields and destroy the weak Dutch and Belgian air forces, paratroopers descended from the sky to seize bridges and destroy river garrisons, and gliders attacked Rotterdam, The Hague and the Belgian fortress of Eben-Emil, which was thought to be impregnable.

By May 14, Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands, dressed in a navy blue dress and wearing a gas mask on her shoulders, appeared before King George VI of England along with her royal guard and cabinet members, announcing the establishment of a government-in-exile in London.

The Belgian king (and commander-in-chief of the Belgian army), Leopold III, who insisted on sharing the fate of his soldiers, took his family to the Lygne Palace to begin his seclusion after ordering his subordinates to surrender to the Germans. As for the Luxembourg Grand Duchess, as early as the eve of the German army's crushing of the border, she and her husband fled with their families at two ends.

Of course, all of the news from the European feudal monarchs was not as appealing as the gossip of the British royal family. It has been reported that King George VI and Queen Elizabeth of the United Kingdom will visit the United States after visiting Canada in the near future. Became the first British monarch in history to visit the United States.

The news has already caused a stir in Washington, especially in the circles of noble ladies of high society. Even Adele couldn't help but discuss the topic with John during dinner.

"John, is it true that King George is coming to Washington? I've heard that Mrs. Roosevelt has started customizing dresses. "Adele has successfully passed the initial pregnancy reaction period under the care of Grandma Susan, and now her appetite is very good, and her whole body has gained weight.

"It must be true, why do you want to meet this King as well?" John's memory of the English king comes entirely from a movie from his previous life, The King's Speech. In his eyes, George VI was an unlucky guy who was cheated by his brother.

"Why are you going to see him, the children and grandchildren of Victoria don't have a good thing!" Grandma Susan on the side suddenly interjected with a cold face.

Adele stuck out her tongue mischievously and diverted the subject. They all forgot just now that Grandma Susan is Irish and has no natural affection for the British royal family.

At present, Ireland remains the only Commonwealth country that has not joined the Allied cause. Irish Prime Minister Eamon Valera's lukewarm attitude towards Britain and his refusal to allow British convoys to base themselves in Irish ports angered many British politicians.

The recent rumours of a British invasion of Dublin have heightened the resentment of Irish-Americans like Grandma Susan.

"Don't worry, Grandma Susan, Washington won't allow the British to do anything to Ireland. Ireland can remain peacefully neutral. John wasn't trying to make Grandma Susan happy, but Irish-Americans had quite a lot of political power in the country. In the present state of affairs, the British simply did not dare to take action against Ireland at the risk of offending them.