Edward VII and the Entente Cordiale

Britain and France have rarely been great friends, and towards the end of Queen Victoria's reign relations were exceptionally poor. Yet only three years after her death the situation was completely reversed. On 8 April 1904 the Entente Cordiale was signed between the two countries, a bond that would prove of increasing importance as the world moved towards its first great war.

The detailed negotiation of the Entente was the work of two Foreign Secretaries, the Marquess of Lansdowne and Théophile Delcassé, and their task was not easy - but it could scarcely have been contemplated without the extraordinary influence and tireless efforts of Edward VII. Edward, on becoming king, had set about winning over public opinion in France through a combination of personal charm and royal eminence.

History has judged Edward a lightweight ruler - fond of women, racing and cigars yet not over fond of hard work - but a very different king emerges from Ian Dunlop's remarkable portrait, supported by quotes from those who knew him best and were closest to events. Edward was fascinated by diplomacy and would stay up far into the night studying the red boxes that held important news and reports. He was also captivated by France, spoke superb French and longed to repair the breach that had yawned between the two countries on his accession.

Dunlop reviews earlier attempts at entente and follows the ups and downs of relations with France against the background of the European situation. He describes the chief actors in this drama - the brilliant oratory of Lord Salisbury and the Duke of Devonshire, the character of Lansdowne ('the most courteous of listeners and the most intelligent of critics'), the single-minded devotion to country of Delcassé, the curiously fragmented personality of the German Kaiser and the political ineptitude of the Tsar as well as the key role of lesser characters such as Thomas Barclay and Wickham Steed. Edward's restricted life as Prince of Wales combined with his interpretation of the role of a constitutional monarch is particularly fascinating in the context of today's royal family. With engaging personal touches and a real feeling for the high diplomacy of the period, Dunlop's lively account offers both enjoyment and insight.