Chapter 2365 - 302: I, Hastings, Didn’t Fan the Flames! You All Saw It

The Duchess of Kent sighed softly, as if trying to shift the topic away from the annoying newspapers and Conroy, who increasingly disheartened her.

She turned her head to Arthur and said, "I’ve recently heard many scattered rumors. Some say the preparations for the coronation are well organized, while others say the Coronation Committee is as busy as a bakery’s oven. In short, opinions are varied. You are in charge of the security for the coronation, and I’d like to hear what you have to say. What is the actual situation?"

Logically speaking, the Duchess of Kent, being the Queen’s mother, should not be completely unaware of the preparations for the coronation.

In reality, as far as Arthur understood, she might genuinely be unclear about the preparations for the coronation.

After all, nowadays, she and her daughter only occasionally engage in brief exchanges during breakfast time.

In most situations, the communication between this mother-daughter pair, who live under the same roof, surprisingly takes place through letters.

Of course, it’s not that others intentionally set obstacles for them; rather, both the mother and daughter feel awkward about meeting each other.

The Duchess of Kent is unwilling to accept the loss of maternal authority in front of her daughter, whereas Victoria’s mood instantly sinks whenever she sees her mother.

That is why the mother and daughter tacitly choose to meet as little as possible, even though their bedrooms in Buckingham Palace are only separated by a few rooms.

The strange atmosphere between them naturally affects the observers’ feelings, so it’s not difficult to understand why the members of the Coronation Committee remain silent about the preparation work in front of the Duchess of Kent.

However, it’s well known that Sir Arthur Hastings is not someone who sways with the wind, and he often enjoys driving against the flow on main roads.

If the Duchess of Kent had asked Arthur about the coronation a month ago, he might have answered her, "No comment."

But now, Arthur would definitely speak frankly and exhaustively; after all, he has already become the weakest link in the coronation, and it can’t get worse from here.

Arthur smiled slightly and said, "Your Highness, if someone tells you that the coronation preparations are smooth sailing, they’re probably lying. If someone says the situation is terrible, they’re likely shirking responsibility. Since Your Highness asked about the facts, the truth is, there is order, but also chaos; progress, yet unexpected incidents. It’s like London’s June weather, generally peaceful but full of variables."

The Duchess of Kent was amused by this description and said, "That sounds very much in your style."

Arthur slightly restrained his smile and returned to the calm demeanor of the Deputy Secretary of the Home Office: "Regarding the other procedures of the coronation, I can’t give you concrete answers. However, as the person responsible for security work, I can assure you that Scotland Yard has conducted three site surveys of the parade route from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey. Based on the security advice provided by the Police Intelligence Department, there will be two layers of security lines along both sides of the street, with patrolmen on the outer layer and mounted police on the inner layer. We will try to avoid using soldiers during the coronation. After all, on such a day of universal celebration, we shouldn’t have an atmosphere too reminiscent of suppressing riots."

Albert was puzzled while listening, despite growing up in the court of Coburg, he never had the opportunity to engage in the preparations of such a grand national ceremony.

Regarding the Duchess of Kent, in truth, what Arthur said was of no importance to her. The fact that Arthur was willing to solemnly introduce the security process was already a great relief for her.

"Please continue."

Arthur continued, "In addition, Scotland Yard has contacted all pub owners in the city in advance, stipulating that on the day of the coronation, no rum or gin-like strong alcohol should be sold before the afternoon. You know, in many cases, drunkards are even more unpredictable than rioters."

The Duchess slightly nodded, "Sounds very pragmatic. You are without doubt Great Britain’s most outstanding police expert."

"A matter of experience, Your Highness." Arthur humbly bowed slightly, "According to police statistics, sixty percent of street disturbances in London City have alcohol involvement. Thus, we don’t want Her Majesty the Queen’s coronation to appear in future judicial cases."

The Duchess placed one hand on her chest and thanked Arthur, "You have really thought this through thoroughly."

Arthur waved his hand with a smile, "It’s nothing, Your Highness. The order of entrance for the guests is the most complex, because in arranging the order not only safety issues need to be considered, but also the sensitive nerves of the guests amongst each other. I have reason to believe that preventing the earls from sparking jealousy amongst themselves is more meaningful than guarding against assassins."

At this point, Arthur paused, "Of course, there’s also the entrance order for diplomatic delegations. The French delegation doesn’t want to enter simultaneously with the Austrian delegation, the Prussians insist on standing at the forefront of the German States... Fortunately, these diplomatic issues don’t require my concern. These matters naturally have the Foreign Office to resolve. But I heard your nephew Albert, or rather the representative of the Saxon-Coburg-Gotha Family, is still debated where they should enter, and what position they should sit in the church, currently a matter of contention in the Foreign Office."

The Duchess of Kent’s smile instantly froze when she heard the words "currently a matter of contention in the Foreign Office."