The Royal Visit to Paris and the Presidential Visit to London in 1903 — An Icebreaker of the Public Opinion or a Milestone in the History of the Entente Cordiale?

The Royal Visi o Pa is and he P esiden ial Visi o London in 1903— An Iceb eake o he Public Opinion o aMiles one in he His o y o he En en e Co diale? Ma cela Hennlicho á1 ABSTRACT The p esen ed a icle deals wi h he oyal isi o Edwa dVII o Pa is in May 1903 and he p esiden- ial isi o Émile Loube o London in July 1903 and hei impo ance o he En en e Co diale. The Anglo-F ench ela ions we e sligh ly imp o ing since he F ench uncondi ional wi hd awal om Fashoda in 1898, bu he e we e s ill signs o pe sis ing animosi y. In he ea ly sp ing 1903, anew ac o occu ed— he Anglo-Ge man ela ionship wo sened alo . When he King Edwa dVII is- i ed Pa is in May 1903, he was able o gain he public opinion on his side, and he main esul was he shi in he he o ic o bo h English and F ench p ess owa ds he en en e. His isi he e o e con- ibu ed o he app ochemen be ween F ance and England, which esul ed la e in 1904 in sign- ing o he En en e Co diale. Wha was he main eason o his o happen? We e he e o he ac o s oo? The aim o his a icle is o e eal he p econdi ions o he app ochemen o Pa is and London. KEYWORDS Edwa dVII; Théophile Delcassé; Émile Loube ; Eugène É ienne; Anglo-F ench app ochemen ; En- en e Co diale One o he impo an ac o s leading o he signing o he En en e Co diale was he change in he public opinion and social clima e in B i ain and in F ance. One o many s eps ha allowed he abo e-men ioned changes was he oyal isi o Pa is in May 1903. This isi was jus one among many o he s a e isi s ha Edwa dVII made du - ing his li e, bu i s ays he mos amous and ce ainly he mos discussed one.2 The aim o his a icle is o e eal he p econdi ions o he app ochemen o Pa is and London. Fo example, he easons why King’s isi o Pa is b ough he mu ual ela- ions o bo h coun ies o ano he le el and o he ac o s ha also in luenced he An- glo-F ench app ochemen . * * * 1 Ma cela Hennlicho á, Ins i u e o Global His o y, Facul y o A s, Cha les Uni e si y, Nám. Jana Palacha 2, 116 38, P aha 1, Czech Republic, ma cela.hennlicho a@ .cuni.cz 2 M.GLENCROSS, The S a e Visi s o Edwa dVII, London 2015, p.87. MARcELA HENNLIcHO á 39 Since he Fashoda C isis, he e was ape manen ension in he Anglo-F ench ela- ions, and al hough he e was a elie when he F ench accep ed he uncondi ional wi hd awal and abandoned hei posi ions on he Uppe Nile, he ela ions we e a om being ideal. The inciden showed he B i ish ha asmall and ela i ely insigni - ican dispu e o e e i o ial claims in A ica could ha e ala ming diploma ic conse- quences.3 Ayea a e Fashoda, he Boe Wa began and he F ench p ess ini ia ed an- o he campaign agains he B i ish, since he Boe ic o ies om he beginning we e celeb a ed by he F ench p ess. Léand e A ai ollowed in Janua y 1900, he Queen el pe sonally o ended and conside ed Edmund Monson’s wi hd awal om Pa is.4 In No embe , Ma seille g ee ed he Boe p esiden K uge o he T ans aal, who was hen ecei ed by he p esiden and he Fo eign Minis e . Ano he dé en e ollowed hen, bu e en a he beginning o 1903, he e we e s ill signs o pe sis ing animos- i y. E en hough all hese abo e-men ioned e en s and he sha p p ess campaigns le deep sca s, om he gene al poin o iew he Anglo-F ench ela ions we e imp o - ing s ep by s ep.5 In he mean ime, Queen Vic o ia passed away and he eldes son Edwa d became he King Edwa dVII on 22 Janua y 1901. He quickly became in ol ed in he ma e s o o eign policy, p e e ing hose o e domes ic a ai s. On one hand, he mona ch ook adeep in e es in he o eign a ai s, bu on he o he hand he ne e made any o mal s eps o in ol e himsel ac i ely in he diploma ic nego ia ions. Bo h Bal ou and Lansdowne denied he would make any impo an sugges ions. Wi h Edwa dVII on he h one and in he a e ma h o he Boe Wa , he B i ain now ma e ed ha ing no diploma ic allies. Appa en ly, he ime had come o change he pa adigm o dip- loma ic pe spec i es and o end he e a o splendid isola ion. The B i ish ha e seen he e was achange in he s a e o Anglo-F ench ela ions.6 While he ela ions be ween London and Pa is we e sligh ly imp o ing by he u n o 1902 and 1903, he Anglo-Ge man ela ions we e con inually s ained, and his was one o he p incipal causes, which made he la e Anglo-F ench app ochemen pos- sible. The Anglo-Ge man in e en ion (o p ecisely adeb collec ing expedi ion) in Venezuela le he ela ions be ween London and Be lin se iously damaged. Due o many disag eemen s ha occu ed du ing he mili a y ac ion in Sou h Ame ica, he B i ish p ess ini ia ed asha p an i-Ge man campaign. Despi e he ac ha he Ven- ezuela issue was se led in he mid o Feb ua y 1903, he English hos ili y7 owa ds 3 Ibidem, p.96. 4 APa is newspape Le Ri e published aca oon e ealing exposed limbs o Queen Vic o- ia who was hiding Joseph Chambe lain unde he ski s. The F ench minis e o Fine A s deco a ed he ca oonis , Lucien Léand e wi h Legion o Honou . Queen was pe sonally o - ended and English ambassado o Pa is Edmund Monson had o lea e Pa is o Cannes. By Ma ch 1900 he a ai was o e and ano he dé en e in he mu ual ela ions ollowed. 5 C.ANDREW, Théophile Delcassé and he Making o he En en e Co diale: AReapp aisal o F ench Fo eign Policy 1898–1905, London 1968, p.201. 6 GLENCROSS, p.96. 7 The e we e people, no ably a ound King Edwa dVII and in he Ci y o London, who s ill a ou ed he Anglo-Ge man en en e. A chi e du Minis è e des A ai es É angè es, Pa is ( u he only AMAE), Papie s d’agen s, A chi e P i é ( u he only PA AP), T. 14, Cambon o Delcassé, London 9 May 1903, . 31–32. 40 PRAGUE PAPERS ON THE HISTORY OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS 1/2019 Ge many in B i ain no only pe sis ed, bu i was wo se han e e be o e.8 Acco ding o Paul Cambon, F ench ambassado o London, he English p ess e lec ed he ac ual empe and eelings o he English socie y. Howe e he ques ion is, whe he his was no jus awish ul hinking o he F ench diploma .9 On he o he hand he B i ish ambassado o Pa is Edmund Monson epo ed on 13 Ma ch 1903 ha he wi nessed g owing F ench sympa hies owa ds England.10 Rega ding he F ench and he English p ess, he si ua ion was simila ; on bo h sides he e we e i s hesi an signs o g owing mu ual sympa hies. Acco ding o The Times: “Du ing he Sou h A ican wa many o he leading jou nals o Pa is e-echoed he calumnies as o he pa alleged o ha e been played by M Chambe lain in he e en s ha p eceded hos ili ies which we e o be ead a ha ime in almos he en i e Con inen al P ess. They o igina ed chie ly in Be lin. […] Since his a i al in Sou h A ica and ye i would be ain o seek any o he mo e espec able newspape s a ace o wha i upe a ion wi hou which his e y name was bu wo yea s ago seldom p onounced on he Con inen . This indica es mo e han ame e change o opinion as ega ds he Colonial Sec e a y. I amoun s o asigni ican sign o imes, inasmuch as i co esponds wi h a endency on he pa o many F ench poli i- cians o e u n o amo e easonable and jus es ima e o he old ally o hei coun y”.11 Acco ding o Ch is ophe And ew, by he beginning o 1903 “only amino i y o F ench newspape s had openly begun o ad oca e a app ochemen wi h England, F ench public opinion as awhole had come o he conclusion, ha F ance’s di e ences wi h England we e less basic and less deep-sea ed han hose wi h Ge many. Du ing he ea ly mon hs o 1903 he g owing e idence o English an agonism owa ds Ge many did much o pe suade F enchmen ha F ance and England sha ed acommon in e es ”.12 The momen when Eng- land ealized, ha he Gaelic cock is no he e e nal enemy, and mo eo e , ha F ance could possibly help o ace up he Ge mans, was indeed ama e o p ima y impo - ance. The p ess and he public opinion in B i ain we e al eady mo ing in a ou o adiploma ic unde s anding wi h F ance by he beginning o 1903, bu he e was no ye any discussion o he idea o “an ag eemen based on an exchange o in e es s in Egyp and Mo occo”.13 Besides diploma s, he majo i y o he suppo e s o he app ochemen o bo h coun ies o igina ed om business, ade and comme ce, so om he b anches, which did no su e due o he Sou h A ican wa — he e o e i is no su p ising ha one o he mos a den suppo e s o he en en e was an English businessman Thomas Ba clay, who p esided o e he B i ish Chambe o Comme ce in Pa is, and who made “ emendous e o s o con ince his ellow-coun ymen ha he F ench would make excellen business pa ne s— and diploma ic pa ne s oo”.14 Ba kley’s aim was o 8 ANDREW, p.205. 9 AMAE, PA AP, T. 14, Cambon o Delcassé, London 9 May 1903, . 31. 10 The Na ional A chi es, London-Kew, ( u he only TNA), Fo eign O ice ( u he only FO) 800/125, Monson o Lansdowne, 13 Ma ch 1903, . 251, Le Gaulois, 12 Ma ch 1903, p.1. 11 AMAE, PA AP, T. 14, The Times, 16 Janua y 1903, . 195. 12 ANDREW, p.205. 13 Ibidem, pp.205–206. 14 P.M.H.BELL, F ance and B i ain, 1900–1940: En en e and Es angemen , 2nd Ed., London— New Yo k 2013, p.33. MARcELA HENNLIcHO á 41 p omo e ade and he made his bes o do so. Fo ins ance, in 1900, du ing he Pa is Exhibi ion, he pe suaded abou 500 B i ish businessmen o isi Pa is. His e o s inally esul ed in signing o he Anglo-F ench A bi a ion T ea y in 1903.15 Wha was he main eason o he change o a i ude on bo h sides o he Channel? While he p incipal condi ion o he shi o he B i ish opinion can be seen in he expe ience o he Boe Wa , he F ench mo i a ion had di e en oo s. The F ench had hei own auma ic expe ience om 1898, when hei Russian ally u ned ade ea o hem and le he F ench unde s and, ha Russia will ce ainly no go o wa o such acause as Fashoda. The F ench we e in diploma ic isola ion, and he Minis e o Fo eign A ai s Théophile Delcassé, who had aken o e he o ice in June 1898, jus h ee mon hs be o e Ma chand and Ki chene me in Fashoda, was well awa e, ha wi hou ap e ious unde s anding wi h London, he F ench canno pu sue any ambi ious impe ial policy.16 On he o he hand he G ea B i ain su e ed a e y auma ic expe ience in Sou h A ica and he isola ion in which B i ish ound hemsel es because o he Boe Wa led he au ho i ies in London o unde s and ha an ambi ious impe ial policy could no be pu sued wi hou inding apa ne among he Powe s. E en Paul Cambon con- i med his igh a e he conclusion o he En en e, when he s a ed: “Wi hou he Sou h A ican Wa which bled G ea B i ain and made he wise , he Anglo-F ench ag ee- men would ha e been impossible”.17 Bu he Boe Wa lesson was only one side o he coin; he o he one was he g owing ension o Be lin and London. While he An- glo-Ge man ela ions wo sened, he Anglo-F ench ela ions could slowly imp o e. When all pa ien nego ia ions be ween lo d Lansdowne, Sec e a y o S a e o Fo - eign A ai s, and Ge many ega ding he Baghdad Railway issue collapsed, he An- glo-F ench app ochemen could inally appea as agood-looking and e en adesi - able al e na i e.18 In his con ex i should be looked a he ac i i ies o ano he a den suppo e o he cause o he Anglo-F ench unde s anding, Pie e Paul Cambon, who had de- cided o pu he hings in mo ion and o ac on his own.19 He he e o e called on Mo - on Fulle on, The Times co esponden . On 2 Feb ua y 1903 he jou nal published a epo , ha since he end o he las summe F ance and he G ea B i ain ha e 15 BELL, p. 33; T. BARCLAY, Thi y Yea s o Anglo-F ench Reminiscences, London 1914, pp.182–183; ANDREW, p.202. 16 M.HENNLICHOVÁ, En en e Co diale. The De elopmen o he B i ish-F ench Rela ions on he Way o he En en e Co diale, 1898–1904, PhD Thesis, P ague 2018, pp.10, 195. 17 ANDREW, p.203. 18 T.G.OTTE, The Elusi e Balance: B i ish Fo eign Policy and he F ench En en e Be o e he Fi s Wo ld Wa , in: A.SHARP— G.A.STONE (Eds.), Anglo-F ench Rela ions in he Twen ie h Cen- u y: Ri al y and Coope a ion, London 2002, p.15. 19 Cambon was well known o his among he English diploma s— Edmund Monson complained epea edly, ha Cambon was ac ing on his own wi hou ins uc ions om Quai d’O say. M.B.HAYNE, The F ench Fo eign O ice and he O igins o he Fi s Wo ld Wa 1898–1914, Ox o d 1993, p.81, TNA, FO 800/125, Monson o Lansdowne, Pa is 31 Decem- be 1902, . 214, Uni e si y o Ox o d, Bodleian Lib a ies (Wes on Lib a y), Monson Pa- pe s ( u he only MP), MSS Eng. his . c.595, Lansdowne o Monson, Fo eign O ice 2 Jan- ua y 1902, . 50–52. 42 PRAGUE PAPERS ON THE HISTORY OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS 1/2019 been discussing he ques ion o Mo occo and ha e been conside ing wha is nowa- days known as he ba e o Egyp o Mo occo. Mo on Fulle on in o med, ha he B i ish, who we e occupied wi h he wa in Sou h A ica and wi h he Anglo-Ge man in e en ion in Venezuela, decided o pos pone he nego ia ions o he ime when bo h Sou h A ican wa and he Sou h Ame ican issue we e se led. Since he epo looked like being aleak om Quai d’O say, i c ea ed as i in B i ain.20 The epo gained he a en ion o lo d C ome , and ha was c ucial, since he became one o he main suppo e s o he en en e among he B i ish poli icians. His mo i a ions we e a ious— he aim o e o m Egyp ian inances, he aim o each an unde s anding wi h Russia h ough he F ench b idge e c.21 On he o he hand, Edmund Monson, B i ish ambassado o Pa is, belie ed ha he cha ac e o he epo eleased by The Times on he accoun o Anglo-F ench nego ia ions is alse, and he was blaming Quai d’O say o playing agame.22 La e in sp ing 1903 Cambon w o e o Delcassé: “Iam no making any sec e om he ac ha we a e p o i ing om he i i a ion caused by he Venezuelan inciden . The English public opinion is ha ing a e y se e e g udge agains Ge many and Ido no hink ha he si ua ion should be any be e in he nea es u u e […]”.23 The Ge mans we e qui e awa e ha hei disag eemen s wi h B i ain will ha e o he e ec s, such as “ he Anglo-F ench app ochemen ”, which was acco ding o he Ge man ambassado in London “ he p oduc o acommon a e sion o Ge many. […] Wi hou he es angemen o England and Ge many amood o Anglophilia would ha e been impossible in F ance”.24 20 Howe e odd his may look, he e o s o in luence he public opinion h oughou he p ess was e y ypical o he F ench. While in he G ea B i ain he e has always been adis ance be ween he Fo eign O ice and p ess, and he Minis y o Fo eign A ai s was usually nei he ying o es ablish any connexions wi h he ep esen a i es o he jou - nals, no in luencing he public opinion h ough he p ess, in F ance he si ua ion was di - e en . The in luence o he F ench p ess was u he mo e s eng hened by ame e ac , ha mo e han hal o he F ench Fo eign Minis e s o he époque o he Thi d epub- lic we e o iginally jou nalis s o no elis s. Being ajou nalis in F ance was ausual s ep- ping-s one owa ds ala e poli ical ca ee . The Fo eign Minis e s inclined o con ine hei opinions a he o hei o me colleagues o he p ess han o hei colleagues om he Go e nmen . Théophile Delcassé was a e y special case, he was “ oo conscious o he powe o he p ess o neglec o use i when he became o eign minis e . Each e ening he dic a ed o Rob- e de Billy, head o his p ess o ice, i ems o appea in he ollowing day’s p ess, aking special ca e o a y his s yle acco ding o he newspape conce ned. Le Temps and he Jou nal des Déba s bo h consis en ly suppo ed o icial F ench o eign policy and ook egula inspi a ion om he Quai d’O say. So oo did he Figa o un il Delcassé qua elled wi h i s edi o in 1903. Delcassé was in pa icula ly close ouch wi h Eugène Lau ie , he edi o o Le Temps. E en mo e impo an han Delcassé’s in luence o he semi-o icial p ess we e his links wi h Le Ma in and La Dépêche de Tou- louse, which lacked he o icial one and he he e o e p e e ed o use i o his ballons d’essai.” Fo mo e de ails see HAYNE, pp.43, 48; ANDREW, p.67. 21 TNA, FO 800/124, C ome o Lansdowne, Cai o 21 Feb ua y 1903, . 17, TNA, FO 633/6, C ome o Bal ou , 15 Oc obe 1903, No.2, p.350. 22 TNA, FO 800/125, Monson o Lansdowne, Pa is 6 Feb ua y 1903, . 237. 23 Documen s Diploma iques F ançais ( u he only DDF), Sé ie II, T.III, Cambon o Delcassé, London 23 Ap il 1903, No.192, p.259. 24 ANDREW, p.205. MARcELA HENNLIcHO á 43 The F ench ambassado no i ied F ench Minis e o Fo eign a ai s abou he opin- ions p esen ed by one o he B i ish jou nals, S a is , acco ding o which: “E e ybody eels he necessi y o lea e he isola ion in which he England was held by he o he Eu opean Powe s due o he Sou h A ican wa and he exp essions o co diali y be ween England and F ance, in pa icula , seemed o be he igh means o achie e i . The e is also ag oup [o pol- i icians in he G ea B i ain— M.H.] ha wishes o imp o e he ela ions be ween England and Russia, and hey belie e, ha F ance could help hem o do so.” Acco ding o ano he impo an jou nal, The Spec a o , F ance was ne e eally unpopula in B i ain, and he e o e i was qui e na u al, ha bo h powe s s a ed o ge close . On he o he hand, The Times wa ned, ha he planned oyal isi o Pa is will be no hing else bu me e ac o co diali y, and no eal commi men s will ollow. The e o e, he isi o Ed- wa dVII o Pa is was o be ame e mani es a ion o good ela ions be ween F ance and G ea B i ain. The o he jou nals conclusions we e ha he oyal isi was jus asen- imen al display and ha he splendid isola ion is ce ainly no a hing o he pas .25 By 1903, he Anglo-F ench nego ia ions o an unde s anding, which had s a ed in he p e ious yea , we e in acomple e deadlock. Acco ding o Ame ican his o ian Ma hew Glenc oss, he B i ish had soon “came o he conclusion ha alks would ha e o be abandoned, and his conclusion amed he decision o Edwa dVII o unde ake as a e isi o F ance. […] Edwa d ealised ha amajo diploma ic ges u e was needed i he nego- ia ions we e o con inue, and he p obably el ha as ahead o s a e i was his esponsibili y o make his s ep.”26 Since Ma ch 1903, bo h English ambassado o Pa is Edmund Monson and F ench ambassado o London Paul Cambon had he in o ma ion abou he planned oyal c uise o he Medi e anean in Ap il 1903, du ing which Edwa dVII was supposed o isi Pa is as well, whe e he had ascheduled mee ing wi h he F ench p esiden Loube .27 On 14 Ma ch 1903 Cambon in o med Delcassé abou an impending s a e isi o Edwa dVII o F ance. “Though he p ess had o some ime been ad oca ing be e ela- ions be ween F ance and England, i was he success o Edwa d’s isi which encou aged us o hink in p ac ical e ms o ways o esol e ou s anding di e ences be ween he wo coun- ies”, concluded English his o ian and Delcassé’s biog aphe Ch is ophe And ew. Wha was he isi abou and wha happened du ing he King’s s ay in Pa is ha such aconclusion could be made? The idea o as a e isi came om he King, who planned aMedi e anean c uise on boa d o his oyal yach Vic o ia and Albe o imp o e his heal h. Edwa dVII had al eady isi ed F ance se e al imes be o e, as ap ince o Wales, and he enjoyed aconside able popula i y in Pa is, and he had acqui ed many iends du ing his nume ous isi s.28 25 DDF II, T.III, Cambon o Delcassé, London 23 Ap il 1903, No.192, pp.259–260; AMAE, PA AP 211, Cambon o Delcassé, London 9 May 1903, . 31. 26 GLENCROSS, p.99. 27 Loube had o cu his isi o Algie s o e u n back o Pa is ea ly enough o mee Ed- wa dVII MP, Ms. Eng. his. c.595, Lansdowne o Monson, Fo eign O ice 11 Ma ch 1903, . 75–76; AMAE, PA AP 211, T. 14, Cambon o Delcassé, London 25 Ma ch 1903, . 23. 28 TNA, FO 800/125, Monson o Lansdowne, Pa is 13 Ma ch 1903, . 257–258. T.W.L., NEW- TON, Lo d Lansdowne. ABiog aphy, London 1929, p.275; J.J.MATHEWS, Egyp and he Fo - ma ion o he Anglo-F ench En en e o 1904, London 1939, p.53. 44 PRAGUE PAPERS ON THE HISTORY OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS 1/2019 Acco ding o he F ench ambassado in Russia Mau ice Bompa d: “Ne e has England had aKing, who had abe e unde s anding o he F ench no had so deep asympa hy wi h hem. Being su e o his g ound he did no hesi a e o announce his o icial isi o Pa is. I was on his pa abold, no o say eckless decision, o wen y yea s o disag eemen be ween he wo coun ies could no ha e ailed o imp ess upon he F ench a ha ime a u n o mind ha was no exac ly a ou able o England.”29 Edwa dVII and his Sec e a y o S a e o Fo eign A ai s, lo d Lansdowne, had a e y complica ed ela ionship a leas since Augus 1902. I was o his eason ha he English so e eign had planned his jou ney o Pa is wi hou he in ol emen o lo d Lansdowne. Acco ding o he Assis an P i a e Sec e a y o he King, F ede ick Ponsonby, he King had he whole a angemen in his hands and “mos o he a ange- men s we e kep dead sec e and mos o his sui e had no idea whe e hey we e going”.30 The King no only had no no i ied his Sec e a y o S a e o Fo eign A ai s abou he ac ha du ing his c uise in he Medi e anean he planned o make as op in Pa is, bu despi e he cus oms, he had comple ely excluded he minis e om he pa icipa ion on he jou ney. Ins ead, he ook Cha les Ha ding, who was a“ ising man in diplomacy”.31 Acco ding o his o ian Ian Dunlop, his was “almos i esis ible com- bina ion. The King would pa e he way by c ea ing a a ou able imp ession and Ha dinge would ollow up wi h con e sa ions on de ailed poin s”.32 When Lansdowne ound ou ha some hing was going on in ea ly Ma ch 1903, he in o med Paul Cambon abou he plans o he English mona ch, because he King’s jou ney could se e he An- glo-F ench app ochemen e y well. Despi e he ac Paul Cambon had no hing o do wi h he idea, he Spanish ambassado in Pa is belie ed, ha Cambon himsel was he a chi ec o he plan o he oyal isi o Pa is. The Pa isian s ay was p eceded by he c uise o he oyal yach h ough he Medi e anean, and Edwa dVII isi ed Lisbon, whe e he paid a e u n isi o he king Don Ca los, hen he made as op a Gib al a , Mal a, Naples and Rome. F om he I alian me opole he English King con- inued by ain, and on 1 May 1901 he eached Dijon in he hea o F ench Bu gundy. In Dijon he King was awai ed and welcomed by he English ambassado o Pa is Ed- mund Monson, who hen accompanied he so e eign o he F ench capi al.33 When he oyal gues a i ed o Pa is, he imp essions om his ecep ion and wel- come on he e y i s day we e con adic o y, bu la e on du ing his s ay in Pa is he King was chee ed and g ee ed by he Pa isian c owds.34 Righ a e his a i al o Pa is 29 Quo ed in I.DUNLOP, Edwa dVII and he En en e Co diale, London 2004, p.195. 30 Quo ed in GLENCROSS, p.100. 31 DUNLOPP, p.196. 32 Ibidem. 33 C.GEOFFROY, Les Coulisses de l’En en e Co diale, Pa is 2004, p.229; TNA, FO 800/126. P i- a e O ices: Va ious Minis e s’ and O icials’ Pape s. Lansdowne, Ma quess o . F ance. Monson o Lansdowne, Pa is 13 June 1903, . 13. 34 On he a i al o Dijon, he e we e shou o joy as well as shou o dis a ou , as “Vi en les Boe s!”, “Vi e la Russie!”, “Vi e Ma chand!”, “Vi e Fashoda!” o “Vi e Jeanne d’A c!”, bu on he las day o he King’s s ay in Pa is i was e iden ha he F ench public is on his side. English diploma in Pa is Hugh O’Bei ne obse ed ha one iolen Anglophobe had said: “Ican’ hink wha has come o e he popula ion o Pa is. The i s day hey beha ed well, he sec- ond day hey me ely displayed in e es ( ha isn’ a all ue); bu he hi d day c’é ai a is an , MARcELA HENNLIcHO á 45 King isi ed P esiden and his wi e, Madame Loube , and a isi o B i ish Chambe o Comme ce ollowed hen. In he e ening he dined a he B i ish Embassy and a - ended ape o mance a he Théâ e F ançais, whe e he was ecei ed a he coldly, bu due o his pe sonal cha m he was able o win he hea s o he F enchmen. A e see- ing he play, King walked up o he amous and popula ac ess Jean G anie and said in F ench: “Mademoiselle, I emembe applauding you in London whe e you ep esen ed all he g ace and spi i o F ance”.35 This s o y became publicly known qui e quickly, and he o he day, on 2 May 1903, when he King a ended amili a y pa ade in Ve sailles, he was en husias ically g ee ed by he c owd. Edwa d hen con inued wi h making mo e spon aneous speeches in F ench a a ious occasions wi hou men ioning pol- i ics. He ocused on he sha ed Anglo-F ench cul u al he i age and did no omi o men ion his pe sonal a ec ion o he F ench people. As a esul , on 4 May 1903, he las day o his isi , as he d o e o he ail oad s a ion, he c owds shou ed “Vi e no e oi!”.36 When he B i ish so e eign was lea ing, no one could deny ha he had gained he sympa hies o he majo i y o F enchmen. Bu no e e ybody sha ed he en husiasm abou he oyal isi . L’Écho de Pa is has w i en on 4 May 1903: “The co diali ies exchanged be ween Edwa dVII and Loube does no change any hing abou he diploma ic ela ions o F ance and G ea B i ain. […] The oyal isi is no hing bu me e exp ession o co diali y”, while La Pa ie, a igh -wing jou - nal, p esen ed on he e y same day an a icle concluding ha be ween F ance and G ea B i ain “could ha dly exis any hing mo e bu mu ual an ipa hy” and inished wi h adecla a ion “Vi en les Boe s!”.37 Du ing he s a e isi o Pa is, Edwa d had p o en his eal alen o diplomacy. He was no in ol ed in making he documen s and policy de elopmen s, he a he o- cused on winning o e he o eign people’s hea s while exp essing he app ecia ion o hei cul u e, ood, landscapes and pe sonali ies. He knew he had cha m and he used i du ing he oyal isi s.38 The ac ha he King had isi ed Pa is and ha he was ecei ed so en husias ically caused much displeasu e in Be lin in pa icula . The F ench cha gé d’a ai s P ine had in o med Delcassé abou subs an ial conce n caused by he oyal isi o Pa is. The Ge man p ess had in o med abou he e en wi h much acidi y and sa casm, and i was clea ha he main eason o Ge man anxie y was ha an alliance could pos- sibly be se up be ween Pa is, London and S .Pe e sbu g. Be lin was wo ied ha i such an alliance would occu , i could be di ec ed agains Ge many.39 Ano he ea- son o Ge many’s discon en abou he King’s isi o Pa is was he ac ha Edwa d was Kaise ’s uncle and he hasn’ paid any o icial isi o Be lin since he ime o his ils on acclamé le Roi. This is es imony om a e y hos ile wi ness.” TNA, FO 800/126, Hugh James O’Bei ne o Malle , Pa is 20 May 1903, . 5–6. 35 P.J.V.ROLO, En en e Co diale: The O igins and he Nego ia ions o he Anglo-F ench Ag eemen s o 8 Ap il 1904, London 1969, p.165. 36 K. EUBANK, Paul Cambon: Mas e Diploma is , Wes po 1978, p. 81; GLENCROSS, pp.104–105. 37 L’Écho de Pa is, le 4 mai 1903, p.1; La Pa ie, 4 May 1903, p.1. 38 GLENCROSS, p.105. 39 DDF II, T.III, P ine o Delcassé, Be lin 26 Ap il 1903, No.201, p.277. 46 PRAGUE PAPERS ON THE HISTORY OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS 1/2019 co ona ion. Acco ding o P ine his was one o he easons, why Be lin disliked he idea o Edwa d’s s a e isi o Pa is. Ge man ambassado o London Coun Me e nich w o e o he Chancelo Bülow la e in June 1903 ha “The Anglo-F ench app ochemen is ap oduc o he gene al dislike o Ge many. […] Wi hou he Anglo-Ge man es angemen an Anglophile eeling would no ha e been possible in F ance and […] wi hou he eeling agains Ge many he B i ish P ess would no ha e been wo king o mon hs in a ou o a econcilia ion wi h F ance”.40 The oyal isi o Pa is go alo o a en ion and had an excellen e ec on F ench public opinion. The King was able o plan aseed o Anglophilia in F ance, since his isi shi ed he epublic close o B i ain and helped o change he social clima e in F ance, which has inally le behind he idea o B i ain as “Pe ide Albion” and “E e nal Enemy”.41 In F ance pa icula ly he isi was pe cei ed no only as ademons a ion o co diali y, bu as an e en o c ucial impo ance, since he majo i y o F ench pol- i icians belie ed, ha he English o eign policy was exclusi ely in hands o h ee men— King Edwa dVII, Minis e o Colonies Joseph Chambe lain and he Sec e a y o S a e o Fo eign A ai s, lo d Lansdowne. Camille Ba è e, he F ench ambassado o Rome and close iend o Paul Cambon and Théophile Delcassé e en belie ed ha he English o eign policy was guided solely by he King. La e on, he majo i y o F enchmen belie ed, ha he King pe sonally was he concei e o he idea o he En en e Co diale, hough his belie e was inco ec , as well as he con ic ion o he F ench poli icians, including Camille Ba è e, abou he men who we e supposed o be he leade s o he English o eign policy.42 Equally, we should e use he idea p esen ed in some o he olde monog aphies, ha he King Edwa dVII played ac ucial ole in he poli ical le el o app oche- men o he G ea B i ain and F ance. Fo example, aF ench his o ian And é Ta dieu hough ha he King himsel was he o igina o o he Anglo-F ench app ochemen and he Ame ican his o ian Mu iel Chambe s belie ed ha he King was he mos impo an poli ical playe in he making o he En en e Co diale. In ac , as illus- a ed abo e, he main con ibu ion o Edwa dVII o he en en e was, ha he was able o success ully pa e he way o i . I was he King’s me i , ha he public in bo h coun ies accep ed he esul o he subsequen nego ia ions o Paul Cambon, lo d Lansdowne and Théophile Delcassé wi h sympa hies. We can de ini ely ag ee wi h he s a emen o Ma hew Glenc oss, who sees he King’s isi o F ance as aca alys and “possibly e en anew chemical, in he eac ion be ween he wo coun ies”.43 The e o e he s a emen o ano he Ame ican his o ian, Philip Michael He Bell, ha he King was “ he igh men in he igh place”, and ha he was he eal mas e o manipula ion wi h he public opinion, seems i ing.44 We do no know much o Edwa d’s alks wi h Loube and Delcassé du ing his s ay in Pa is, bu “i seems clea ha he King conside ably exceeded he ole o acons i u ional 40 MATHEWS, pp.49–50. 41 M.P.CHAMBERS, O igins o he En en e Co diale, PhD Thesis, Bos on 1928, p.89; A.TAR- DIEU, F ance and he Alliances, New Yo k 1908, p.60. 42 ANDREW, p.195. 43 GLENCROSS, p.88. 44 BELL, p.34. MARcELA HENNLIcHO á 53 he necessi y o an alliance be ween England and Ge many he was pe suaded a e me e qua e o an hou o he con e sa ion wi h he Kaise , who showe ed him wi h complimen s. Ibelie e ha you will be able o use he con e sa ion wi h him mo e success ully han he Ge man Kaise .”80 In he abo e men ioned con ex we mus see he Delcassé’s s a emen du ing his mee ing wi h lo d Lansdowne on 7 July 1903, ha he “was en i ely in a ou o acom- p ehensi e se lemen , and ha he Egyp ian ques ion o med pa o he la ge A ican ques ion which could, he el su e, be disposed o sa is ac o ily i only we could come o an ag eemen as o he posi ion o F ance in Mo occo”.81 The ba gaining could hus begin. A he beginning o July 1903, Delcassé and Lansdowne had s a ed ase ies o dis- cussions, which e en ually, a e nine long mon hs, led o he signa u e o se ies o ea ies, which a e known as he En en e Co diale. Since he abo e-men ioned mee - ing o 7 July 1903, we can s a alking abou he eal o igins o he En en e Co diale. CONCLUSION As i was illus a ed, he oyal isi o Pa is in ea ly May 1903 had e y impo an consequences. The ole o Edwa dVII, who had al eady been e y popula in F ance as P ince o Wales, was o do wha he could do bes — in luence he public opin- ion in F ance and pe suade he F enchmen ha he ime had come o ini ia e a ap- p ochemen . Wi hou he King’s isi o Pa is, he en en e would s ill be possible, bu i would p obably ake mo e ime han jus acouple o mon hs o bo h England and F ance o a i e o and, in pa icula , o hei public opinions o accep such an a - angemen as was he En en e Co diale. On he o he hand, he p esiden ial e u n isi o London, and mos impo an ly he p esence o F ench minis e o o eign a - ai s Delcassé, was he eal commencemen o he ba gaining be ween London and Pa is. E en hough he nego ia ions we e p o ac ed by many ques ions a issue, he co e, he exchange o Mo occo and Egyp , was success ully concluded mainly because he public opinion in bo h coun ies was eady o accep such an impo an deal. Wi hou he oyal isi o Pa is, his would ha dly be possible in Ap il 1904. 80 Ibidem. 81 ANDREW, p.211.