Palmerston's analysis based on the cold diplomatic dimension is indeed a big blow to Albert, but it does not mean that he has to abandon the plan he has hatched in his heart.

As Palmerston said, an empire, no matter how bad, is better than a republic.

Who knows if the republican rulers across the ocean will once again revoke his promise to the nations of Europe not to wage any more revolutions, and the not-so-glorious conference of 1815 is an eternal pain in their hearts.

The core interest of the United Kingdom lies in the stability of Europe and the existence of a certain degree of confrontation, so that the United Kingdom can better maintain its presence in the European continent.

Prince Albert picked up the aluminized steel fork to take the French snail out of its shell, and said casually: "During this time, has the French ambassador looked for you!" ”

Albert's casual inquiry really made Palmerston's relaxed spirit tense again, and his forehead couldn't help but feel a slight chill.

The ambassador to France of the nascent French Republic did look for him, but the meeting between the two was private, and it stands to reason that the prince should not know.

A keen sense of smell from a politician told Palmerston that Prince Albert's inquiry was merely an accident, but if he had guessed wrong......

Palmerston, who had thought for a moment in his mind, immediately admitted: "The French ambassador to Britain had a meeting with me half a month ago! ”

Then he added, "But he didn't just meet me, I heard that he met with the Iron Duke (Wellington) before I met!" [note 1]

Albert's face did not show surprise, he nodded indifferently and said, "I have also heard about the fact that France sent an envoy to see the Iron Duke. But ......"

Prince Albert paused, turned his gaze to Palmerston and smiled meaningfully: "The ambassador to France meeting with the foreign secretary in private seems to have usurped diplomacy itself!" Of course, the royal family does not have the right to interfere in the affairs of the cabinet,"

Queen Victoria, who was sitting on the other side of Albert, heard Albert's voice, and also put down her knife and fork and set her eyes on Viscount Palmerston.

Even Palmerston, as the foreign secretary, couldn't help but be a little flustered under the king's warnings and the queen's gaze.

The royal family does not have the right to interfere with the cabinet, but the royal family has the right to influence the cabinet.

Every sentence that follows is a major event for Palmerston that affects his career, and he must be responded to more carefully.

"Your Highness, the Ambassador to France hopes that the United Kingdom will recognize the French Republic!" Palmerston decisively informed Albert of what had happened that day.

"And Viscount, what is your opinion?" Prince Albert looked at Palmerston and spoke unhurriedly.

"I think the United Kingdom should be more cautious, we should not recognize or oppose it (referring to the French Republic)!" Palmerston replied thoughtfully.

After listening to Palmerston's response, Albert did not agree and did not object, he picked up the steel fork and gently knocked on the snail shell, as if saying to himself: "The shell with a strong appearance can actually be broken by some external force!" Our neighbors also need some external force to be able to change, and the republic, which has always been under a vigorous revolution, is not to be liked by Europe! ”

Palmerston immediately understood what Albert meant, and his heart sympathized with Lamartine, the head of the Republic on the other side.

"That's right!" Prince Albert spoke: "Mr. Viscount, I don't know if you know Jerome. Bonaparte? ”

Palmerston was stunned for a moment and responded: "Your Highness, you are talking about Napoleon's younger brother Jérôme. Bonaparte? ”

"No!" Prince Albert shook his head and said, "I'm talking about Jérôme. Son of Bonaparte! ”

"Sorry! I don't know much about the descendants of the Bonaparte family. "Palmerston will be Jérôme. Bonaparte took it to heart.

"If nothing else, this guy will be active in politics as the leader of the new generation of the Bonaparte family!" Prince Albert muttered in a low voice: "The blood of the Bonaparte family is really inseparable from politics!" ”

"Your Highness, does the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the United Kingdom ......" Palmerston immediately understood Prince Albert's intentions.

Prince Albert shook his head slightly and responded: "If the situation in France is really as you said, then no matter how much we push, it will be useless!" This can lead to resentment among neighbors, and a move can sometimes yield unexpected results. There is no need to pay too much attention. ”

"Yes!" Palmerston responded.

"Let's talk about the situation in Russia! Is our European gendarmes jumping up and down again to defend his exquisite "toy"! Albert said in a mocking tone.

After the Congress of Vienna in 1815, the Holy Alliance, led by the Russian Empire, began to defend the European monarchical order for more than 30 years, and the United Kingdom went from its original support to antipathy.

The greedy Slavs, under the cloak of defending the Holy Alliance, encroached on an unknown amount of land, and they did what they did as the invaders of Eastern Europe, who claimed to be the gendarmes of Europe.

The Holy Alliance really needs to change!

"Since the revolutions in Austria and Prussia, the Russian ambassador to Britain has conveyed Nikolai's orders...... "Palmerston informed Prince Albert of the fact that the Russian Empire had been mobilized after the February Revolution to interfere with the revolution and to take control of the Duchy of Wallachia."

"It seems that Tsar Nicholas is still immersed in his fantasies!" Prince Albert said in a calm tone: "It seems that the gatekeepers of Europe can no longer stop him!" ”

"Yes!" Palmerston couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

The former Ottoman Empire is dying, and no country in the Near East seems to be able to stop it.

But Britain was not ready for war with the Russian Empire.

"We need a friend who can contain a certain country! Even if this friend has done something......" Prince Albert said implicitly.

Palmerston suddenly understood, and the two looked at each other and smiled for a long time without speaking

……

PS: 1. After the revolution of February 1848, Lamartine, who was the provisional head of the Second Republic, first issued a "Letter to Europe" to the European countries, promising France to recognize the established facts of the Congress of Vienna in 1815, and in April sent an envoy to the United Kingdom to convey goodwill to the Duke of Wellington, hoping that the United Kingdom would recognize the new Republic.