Chapter Nineteen: The Bad News from the Queen

New Zealand, White Island.

The first meeting of the House of Commons went smoothly, but this couldn't bring joy to Arthur. Word had come from Queen Victoria that Her Majesty's health was deteriorating rapidly, so much so that she might not last until winter.

Arthur had already anticipated this situation, but he couldn't bear accepting it.

In recent years, Queen Victoria's health had become increasingly precarious, and some state matters were transferred to the Crown Prince for handling.

Further, she had recently experienced the pain of losing a son again. Although Queen Victoria appeared strong on the outside, Arthur understood deep down that the loss of Duke Arthur had dealt a tremendous blow to Queen Victoria. What kept Her Majesty going, apart from her grandson Arthur and other princes and princesses, was her deep-seated memory of Prince Albert and her late sons. This was also why Queen Victoria had made the long journey to White Island.