Britain, London.
British Prime Minister Viscount Melbourne was making plans for Queen Victoria's coronation. A year later, Queen Victoria would be crowned at Westminster Abbey.
The queen had only just ascended the throne, and the entire country was still in turmoil.
Palmerston took a letter, opened it, and after reading only a couple of lines, flung it hard to the ground.
"Those damned bastards! They should exile every French emperor to Saint Helena!"
Viscount Melbourne glanced at Palmerston and smiled.
"Mr. Palmerston, Her Majesty the Queen has only just ascended the throne. Cheer up a little. Don't let the queen see you like this, or she'll think we don't welcome her. The British Empire fears no challenge. Whatever it is, we can put it aside for now."
Palmerston handed the letter to Viscount Melbourne with a sour expression. The moment Melbourne opened it, his blood pressure shot up. He wanted nothing more than to tear the letter to shreds.
"Don't tear it up. Her Majesty hasn't seen it yet," Palmerston reminded him.
Viscount Melbourne reluctantly pulled his hand back. He truly hadn't expected the Spaniards to arrange a marriage with the French—and for the bride to be their young queen.
"We absolutely cannot accept the emergence of such a behemoth in Europe. It doesn't serve the interests of the British Empire!" Viscount Melbourne said.
"Of course. We have no choice," Palmerston replied.
"What's the Russian reaction?" Viscount Melbourne asked.
"Tsar Nicholas I was furious at first, because this reminded him of the Napoleonic Empire that burned Moscow. But his advisers reminded him that an alliance between France and Spain would keep us Britons occupied, leaving Russia free to seize the Ottoman Empire's inheritance for itself."
The "Eastern Question"—the struggle over the Ottoman Empire's inheritance—became the central theme of European diplomacy