It was not so much a belated birthday gift as a symbolic compensation to Arthur, given under the threat of Queen Victoria and his own satisfaction with achieving his goals.
Arthur's 17th birthday was on January 13th. Although influenced by the Duke of Arthur, the birthday was quietly celebrated with his family without any celebration or gathering.
However, this did not mean that the British royal family, led by Queen Victoria and Prince Edward, the heir to the throne, was unaware.
On the contrary, as the Prince of Wales, who was named Prince of Wales at a young age, Prince Edward had cultivated a large amount of power for himself over a long period of time. Although it was not worth mentioning to Queen Victoria, he certainly would not be unaware of Arthur's birthday.
But no matter what, Arthur would not refuse the fifty million pounds given by Prince Edward, which was real money.
Although thirty million pounds came from a loan from the Bank of London, most of the Bank of London's shares were in the hands of Prince Edward, so this three million was actually a gift.
As a result, Arthur's funds were about to reach 137 million pounds, and in terms of personal wealth, Arthur was confident that he could enter the top five in the world.
Without paying attention to Arthur's reaction, after seeing Queen Victoria's relatively satisfied expression, Prince Edward finally breathed a sigh of relief.
The Prince understood that although he seemed to be the stable first heir to the throne, as long as Queen Victoria announced the abolition of his status as the heir to the throne, the majority of the British people and the political circle would recognize this.
Do not underestimate Queen Victoria's position in the hearts of the British people. The lofty position of Queen Victoria in the hearts of the various kingdoms was an essential condition for the integration of Britain into a large United Kingdom.
"Arthur, you were supposed to be the supreme Duke of the British Empire, but you want to go to remote Australia, and I won't stop you. As your grandmother, I don't have anything good to give you, so I'll give you a compensation of one hundred million pounds and industrial equipment worth fifty million pounds." Queen Victoria rubbed Arthur's head and said.
"At the end of the day, Australia is a remote area. Not to mention education and medical conditions, infrastructure is also very backward and very unstable." Queen Victoria slowly said: "I am not giving you this money to indulge in pleasure, but to use this money and these industrial equipment to develop Australia's infrastructure, medical care, education, and industrial development, which is not only for yourself but also for all Australians, right?"
"I understand, grandmother. Since I have become the Duke of Australia, I will make the development of the entire Australia my lifelong goal." Arthur nodded solemnly and said.
"That's good. Although we are traveling together this time, you are going to Australia and I am going to New Zealand. Grandmother cannot always watch over you and protect you. You will have to walk your own path in the future," Queen Victoria continued to advise.
"On behalf of the British monarchy, I am giving you a royal guard of two thousand people. Their families will also accompany you to Australia. Arthur, if you can't stand it, go to New Zealand to find me. Don't force yourself," she added.
Queen Victoria's seemingly nagging words were as warm as the spring sun in Arthur's heart. Having been in this world for more than five months, Queen Victoria was one of the few people who genuinely treated him well.
March 4, 1900.
After preparing for half a month, the fleet finally set off, with the size of the fleet expanding even further. The accompanying royal guards numbered up to 4,000, half of whom belonged to Arthur personally.
Speaking of the Royal Guards, also known as the Royal Guard Division, it is a private army belonging only to the British royal family, with a history of several hundred years.
Each member of the Royal Guard is carefully selected from the British military and is far superior to the average British Army in terms of daily training and discipline.
Although the Royal Navy of the British Empire is famous worldwide, its army is not well known. However, in reality, the regular British army's combat effectiveness can rank in the top three in Europe, second only to the German and French armies in terms of soldiers' quality and weapon equipment.
Among these carefully selected British soldiers, the combat effectiveness of the Royal Guard Division is on par with the elite German army.
The Royal Guard Brigade, consisting of five infantry brigades, two cavalry brigades, and a reserve brigade, is actually an important means for the British monarchy to maintain its rule.
The departure of the fleet was greeted by a large number of London citizens, and even after the fleet had left, the fervent crowds remained at the port for a long time and were reluctant to leave.
On March 14th, after a journey lasting ten days, the fleet arrived at the Suez Canal, the world's busiest waterway both now and in the future. The Suez Canal connects East Africa, India, Southeast Asia, and other regions, and is regarded by Britain as an important means of controlling India.
It is precisely for this reason that the British Empire has stationed heavy troops on the Suez Canal since it took control of it, protecting this very important waterway.
The guards on the canal had learned of the imminent arrival of Queen Victoria well in advance and had already lined up to welcome her on the canal.
Arthur also felt the British people's worship and respect for Queen Victoria in this era. This is not only the pride and pride of all the British people for the achievements of the British Empire, but also the recognition of the Queen who has been in charge of the empire for decades.
After inspecting the canal guards with Queen Victoria, the fleet set sail again, this time heading for India.
Queen Victoria's journey may not be just for rest. Although the purpose of the journey is very clear, she still has to stop at Suez Canal, India, and Australia before arriving at White Island in New Zealand.
The three stops chosen by Queen Victoria all have special meanings. There is no need to say much about Australia, which will be Arthur's territory in the future. Queen Victoria's choice of stopping in Australia also has the intention of intimidating local forces.
As for the Suez Canal and India, they are strategic areas that the British Empire cannot afford to lose.
Half of Britain's rise is due to the technological advancement brought about by the Industrial Revolution, and the other half is due to the large amount of land, population, and cheap resources brought about by external colonization.
Especially in India, it not only has inexhaustible labor and a large number of excellent ports, but also has rich agricultural output, known as the jewel in the crown.
For the British Empire, the importance of a British India far exceeds that of all other colonies.