Start 1861: I Just Inherited the Dutch Throne

Napoleon III was helpless and had no other options.

But he was even more helpless about Queen Eugenie's unfriendly attitude towards him.

In 1859, he was ambitious and sought to rule France. Under his rule, France and the Kingdom of Sardinia fought against the Austrian Empire. France had no obvious reason to participate in this war, but the Bonaparte family always had a special feeling for Italy.

When Napoleon III personally led his troops to Italy, Queen Eugenie became the regent, which allowed Eugenie to enter the circle of French political decision-makers.

Eugenie never left this circle again, and she also played her own role in French decision-making.

In 1865, during Napoleon III's second visit to Algeria, a colony in the southern Mediterranean region of Africa, domestic affairs were handed over to Queen Eugenie, who served as the regent queen of France for the second time.

On July 19, 1870, France declared war on Prussia, and the Franco-Prussian War broke out. Napoleon III, as the emperor and commander-in-chief of the French army, went to the front line with the nearly 14-year-old Crown Prince Eugene Louis Jean Joseph to command the army.

After the departure of Emperor Napoleon III, the French government restored the solution adopted during the war in 1859, and took the third regency in Paris to manage the French regime.

Even because Queen Eugenie worked hard during her three short-term stints as French regent, read important works, often participated in ministerial meetings, expressed her unique insights, and made decisions, she played an important role in French political affairs.

This is also the reason why Napoleon III, who has become sick, chose to transfer part of his power to the other party in the past few years, and even Queen Eugenie was in a semi-regency state in these years.

Just like just now, Queen Eugenie brought back to Napoleon III, who was lying in bed, a letter from William IV of the Netherlands to the French royal family, Napoleon III and his wife, after returning from the Council of Ministers under the regency. The invitation was sent to the royal families of countries all over the world to hold the 120th anniversary of the Seven Years' War in Amsterdam on May 20, 1883, and it was indicated that invitations had been sent to royal families all over the world.

This news made Queen Eugenie curious, and Napoleon III was broken.

To be honest, Napoleon III still feels very depressed about this. How did he get to this point?

In 1862, his power was second only to that of the French emperor in Europe after Britain. The Netherlands even had to rely on France to resist British infiltration. After all, the Netherlands had to face the Kingdom of Belgium supported by Britain at that time.

But I don't know since when, I actually began to lead France step by step into the abyss, causing France to decline until now. France was forcibly divided by Germany, and Britain supported him in name but secretly supported Germany's actions.

The Netherlands, a partner that used to rely on France, has finally become a rival to Britain without losing its reputation. He even had to admit that France now needs the help of the Netherlands to fight against Britain and Germany.

Well, the great country of France has indeed fallen in its own hands as the people outside said.

Napoleon III had to accept this sad fact, which was also the reason why he threw political power to Eugenie and became an ostrich for so many years. This fact was too cruel.

Thinking back to how his uncle Napoleon I was so high-spirited and how he ended up tragically.

Napoleon III couldn't help but shudder in his heart.

He waved his hands on the bed, and then said weakly: "Eugenie, since the other party has already sent an invitation, reply to them, we will definitely attend on time."

Queen Eugenie couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief, and at this time Napoleon III's voice came again, "However, I invite us to pay a state visit to the Kingdom of the Netherlands at that time."

State visit?

Eugenie was stunned when she heard it.

A state visit is not an ordinary visit. A state visit refers to a visit made by the most important head of a country at the invitation of the highest leader of another country.

Its reception is very formal and arranged in full accordance with diplomatic etiquette.

There are usually red carpets, review of the guard of honor, 21 gun salutes, etc.

And usually the host country will send senior protocol officials to the dock to receive their arrival. It is the highest level of state visit and all they enjoy are the highest treatment.

Different from state visits, ordinary visits by heads of government are generally called formal visits. Formal visits refer to visits made by the head of state or government of a country at the invitation of another head of state or government, mainly for consultations on certain major issues. His protocol treatment is slightly lower than that of a state visit, for example, the number of gun salutes is 19 instead of 21.

The next level of visit is generally called an informal friendly visit.

An informal visit refers to a temporary visit made by a head of state of a country when visiting another country, stopping in a third country on the way, or a visit made by a leader of a country to another country in a private capacity. This type of visit has the lowest protocol standards, may not arrange various ceremonies, and the purpose of the visit usually does not involve the interests and development of the two countries.

To sum up, a state visit is the highest level of visit, with a full set of the highest level of protocol treatment; the protocol treatment of a formal visit is slightly lower than that of a state visit, and is mainly used to discuss major issues; as for an informal visit, it is the lowest level of protocol treatment, and usually does not involve major interests and development between the two countries.

The diplomatic visit levels of state visits, official visits and informal visits are a diplomatic move initiated by William IV of the Netherlands to receive foreign leaders during the past 21 years of his rule.

The Netherlands usually only receives state visits once a month, and this is only done when leaders of non-allies or European powers visit.

Or it is a treatment that requires a visit from a head of state who has huge interests in the Netherlands.

Now Napoleon III has asked the Netherlands to allow him to visit the Netherlands to participate in the 120th anniversary of the Seven Years' War as a state visit. Will the Netherlands agree?

Eugenie felt uncertain.

If it were 20 years ago, I believe William IV of the Netherlands would be extremely happy to agree. After all, France was extremely powerful at that time, and the Netherlands needed to please France to hedge against Britain.

But now the balance of power between the two countries has undergone surprising changes. France is weaker and the Netherlands is stronger.

The French emperor visited the Netherlands and needed a state visit to enrich his face. Eugenie couldn't help but sigh in her heart.

She looked at Napoleon III and said: "I will ask someone to propose it to the Netherlands, but I don't know if the Netherlands will agree to your condition."

Napoleon III said with a gloomy face: "What reason do they have to refuse?"

Eugenie sneered in her heart, but said: "I'm just afraid that the Netherlands will let Queen Victoria pay a state visit. In that case."

Hearing this, Napoleon III's face became even more ugly. Is it Britain?

If it were Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom, the Netherlands might really reject the conditions of the scale of her visit.

Damn it, it's England again.

Napoleon III couldn't help but become depressed again.

Still, he hopes for a miracle to happen.

Of course, in order to achieve his goal, he told Queen Eugenie some diplomatic moves that he thought were friendly to the Netherlands, and Eugenie was stunned for a moment.

Sure enough, it is you who sells out national interests for the sake of face.

As expected of you, His Majesty Napoleon III!