VIZITA OFICIALA A REGELUI CAROL AL II-LEA ÎN MAREA BRITANIE (15-18 NOIEMBRIE 1938)
THE OFFICIAL VISIT OF KING CHARLES II IN GREAT BRITAIN (15TH – 18TH NOVEMBER 1938)

Summary/Abstract: The conference from München, by which Czechoslovakia lost the Sudetenland in favour of Germany, determined states from Central-Eastern Europe to confront with a totally unexpected situation, which took by surprise the diplomacies of these countries. These important changes on the line of international relationships determined king Charles II by no means to delay his official visit in the capital of Great Britain. The same as functionaries of Foreign Office had intuited two weeks before the visit took place, the purpose of the visit of the Romanian official in London was to find out to what extend the British government was willing to support an intensification of economic exchanges between England and Romania, as well as granting some loans necessary for arming and economic development, to which may be added even guaranteeing of borders. Furthermore, the Romanian sovereign wanted to observe the degree of interest manifested by the British over protection of vital commercial ways for the British Empire, ways that were accessible through the Lower Danube and the Black Sea. Romanian guests enjoyed a warmth welcome on behalf of the English king, George VI, the same attitude having also Hight British officials. Different formal festivities, where the tone of speeches was very low took place during the three days. In spite of all these, the results of that visit were quite modest, because the Romanian delegation could not obtain a credit for buying war material produced in England, while economically, the British, without disengaging completely, acknowledged commercial superiority of Germany in southeastern Europe. Made in a period when important changes took place within rapports of power in Europe, the visit of the Romanian king in London represented a consequence of the decision taken in München, Romania being the first country from Central-Eastern Europe which reacted within the new international frame by an action of this type. Official visiting of Great Britain did not have the expected results, being confirmed the fact that Romania hardly could be helped by the British and French in front of the pretentions of revisionist states.

• Details
• Contents