| Abstract: As the twentieth century dawned, the monarchy in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland served a largely formal purpose and was becoming somewhat more docile politically. Arguably, no modern British ruler has used their influence to greater effect than Edward VII (r. 1901-1910). Specifically, this thesis will focus on how the king's largely ceremonial diplomacy in Europe was presented to the British people through Conservative, Liberal Imperialist and Radical Liberal newspapers and attempt to ascertain how these diplomatic actions changed public perceptions of the monarchy and of the king himself. Today, in an age of growing republican sentiment from some, one wonders how long the modern British monarchy will survive. It is useful then to understand how a prince, once thought a carouser, may be mourned by a country, a continent and indeed a generation after only nine years as king; and how a monarchy that was thought doomed with the death of Queen Victoria would continue to exist and prosper to this very day. |
