EARLY BELGIAN COLONIAL EFFORTS - The University of Texas at ...

to engineer the final end of the Belgian-Dutch dispute, despite the vehement protests of
Leopold.
Palmerston’s early relationship with the queen was quite cordial. He initially
spent time explaining foreign policy and governmental workings to the new queen,
while simultaneously teaching her how to play chess. The rift that developed and grew
between Palmerston and the queen was essentially one of personality. Both were
intensely strong-minded, obstinate, and sure of their position, and therefore they were
bound to clash. Victoria viewed her position as queen to mean that she was the
executive head of the British government, and Palmerston viewed the monarchy on a
more ceremonial, although respectful, basis.
Palmerston was always concerned about what he perceived was the overly
Germanic influence exercised by Leopold, Stockmar, and Albert over the queen. As his
time in office and political power began to grow, Palmerston, also known as Lord
“Pumice Stone” to his enemies, began to espouse what many felt was an overly
aggressive view of British power and the concept of international personal sovereignty
of the British citizen everywhere in the world. He is generally considered the originator
of gunboat diplomacy with his use of the British navy to further British policy.
Throughout his career, spanning over thirty-five years as both foreign minister and
prime minister, the more conservative elements of Europe, which sometimes included
Victoria and Leopold, generally considered him a grave danger to peace and the
European order. Palmerston was generally thought of as aggressive, dangerous,
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