January 28, 1899
Kaiser Wilhelm II, recently in Hanover, accepted an invitation to attend the Silver Wedding celebrations of the Duke and Duchess of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. He "heard with chagrin" that the Duke of Cumberland, who is the pretender to the Hanover throne, was also invited to the celebrations. The Kaiser was infuriated by this, and he "sent a strong expression of dissatisfaction to the Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha" about Cumberland's invitation. He did not know that the Duke of Cumberland had already sent his regrets to the Duke and Duchess, and Kaiser Wilhelm "remained in high dudgeon and staid away." There have been "persistent rumors" that the Duke of Cumberland's eldest son, "might one day ascend the ducal throne of Brunswick," but only if he abjures all rights to the Hanover throne, and "demonstrates his loyalty to Prussia."
It appears that the Kaiser went to Hanover "to repudiate any intention of a rapprochement with the former Guelph dynasty." Wilhelm II has made it clear that the "union of Hanover and Prussia is to be an unalterable fact."
It has been said in "some Court Circles" that the Kaiser "has been made aware of recent utterances of the Duke of Cumberland regarding His Majesty, which have deeply wounded his self-esteem."
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