Chapter 0149: The Naval Review

Upon arriving in London, Qin Tian checked into the hotel prepared by the British, took a brief rest, and then made time for a short meeting with the German Ambassador to the UK, during which he gathered insights about the current situation in Britain.

That evening, Prince George hosted a grand welcome dinner at Buckingham Palace in honor of Qin Tian's arrival. High-ranking military and political officials, aristocrats, social elites, and representatives from various countries who had arrived earlier all attended this lavish soirée.

Due to his preparations for the funeral of Edward VII and his own ceremonial duties, Prince George could only stay for half an hour before leaving Edward to represent him and accompany the distinguished guests.

The young Edward was unable to captivate the crowd's attention. In contrast, Qin Tian truly became the focal point of the evening. As the Crown Prince of the German Empire, only twenty-two years old, he was regarded as remarkably youthful. Furthermore, his immense wealth made him even more intriguing. Countless noble ladies and young women aspired to share a fleeting moment with him, even if it were merely for a single night of passion.

However, among these noblewomen, despite their beauty, Qin Tian was known for his fastidiousness. Unlike the princes of the British royal family, he did not indulge in casual affairs. In his eyes, only Princess Gundelinde held any appeal; the others were mere superficialities.

After numerous noble ladies and young women had extended invitations for a dance only to be politely declined, no one dared to persist. After all, they were persons of status and would not willingly subject themselves to repeated embarrassment.

"Prince Oscar, good evening. I envy you for becoming the center of attention at the soirée. Yet, I've heard several ladies lament that you are rather unromantic," said a middle-aged man with a fine mustache, approaching with a glass in hand.

"Your Highness, good evening." Qin Tian recognized him as Archduke Ferdinand, the Crown Prince of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, a tragically fated figure.

In a few years, this ambitious Crown Prince would become the catalyst for a world war, and his aspirations would perish with his untimely death, leading to the disintegration of the once-mighty Austro-Hungarian Empire.

Qin Tian was aware of this future but would not disclose it to Ferdinand. While Germany and Austria-Hungary shared a close alliance, it was born from mutual external pressures, forcing them to band together. If the outcome of the war were rewritten, and Germany emerged victorious, would the future hold the same camaraderie between Germany and Austria-Hungary? The European continent was too small to accommodate two great powers.

Moreover, Ferdinand was himself a man of ambition. Qin Tian would prefer that, after defeating Britain and France, he would not find himself contending with another ambitious power. In that regard, Qin Tian believed it would be better if Ferdinand were to meet his demise.

"Your Highness, look over there—the Russian Foreign Minister and the French Foreign Minister are conversing closely, accompanied by the Italians. It makes me question what position the Italians truly hold!" Ferdinand remarked.

Qin Tian furrowed his brow, fully aware of the Italians' duplicitous nature. Even in this setting, the Italian Foreign Minister's presence among the French and Russian dignitaries did not necessarily signify allegiance, but it warranted caution.

"Your Highness, you are being overly sensitive. Perhaps they are merely engaging in idle chatter."

Ferdinand chuckled and did not pursue the topic further.

After a brief exchange, Ferdinand departed, holding his drink. There was a twenty-five-year age difference between them, making it difficult for them to find common ground.

Before the dinner concluded, Qin Tian excused himself, allowing Von Kidron-Washington to take the opportunity to gather information.

In the following days, Qin Tian primarily explored the sights around London.

On May 20th, the funeral for Edward VII was held, and the entirety of London mourned, underscoring the royal family's significant influence in England at this time. Many adored the monarchy, a stark contrast to a century later when many would regard it as a parasite.

Those paying their respects to Edward VII included representatives from the world's major powers: the German Crown Prince, the Austro-Hungarian Crown Prince, the Italian prince, the Swedish prince, the Dutch envoy, the French Foreign Minister, the Russian Foreign Minister, the American Secretary of State, the Japanese Foreign Minister, and others.

"If Britain were not the world's hegemon, I doubt Edward VII's death would draw such attention. Yet, because of its status, everything changes," Qin Tian reflected, further solidifying his resolve to see Germany rise in this war, overthrow Britain, and seize the mantle of world leadership.

Three days after the funeral, Prince George's coronation took place. Witnessed by Cabinet ministers, social elites, representatives from various nations, and diplomats stationed in Britain, the Archbishop of the Church of England placed the crown, symbolizing the British throne, upon George's head, officially crowning him as King George V.

The following day, everyone gathered at Portsmouth Naval Base to attend the grand naval review organized by the British Navy in celebration of George V's ascension to the throne. Warships from various nations arrived at Portsmouth from Gravesend.

Off the coast of Portsmouth, over a hundred British warships sailed past the royal yacht, including the latest dreadnoughts of the British Navy: the "Saint Vincent" class battleships, the "Barfleur" class battleships, the "Invincible" class battlecruisers, and the "Dreadnought" itself, all in splendid array.

Additionally, over thirty pre-dreadnought battleships, despite their combat effectiveness being questioned in the wake of the dreadnought era, still possessed considerable firepower.

The naval review was far more impressive than a military parade. In this era, only the Royal Navy of the British Empire could stage such a breathtaking display. While the review served to celebrate George V's coronation, it also acted as a show of strength intended to intimidate other nations, particularly the ambitious Germany.