King George V used family and diplomatic channels to search for a settlement after Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia. British and German proposals for a halt at Belgrade also failed to reach the Austrians in time or develop into a coordinated settlement. Prince Henry of Prussia interpreted the king's peace appeals as a promise that Britain would remain neutral and passed that conclusion to Wilhelm. The inference ignored Britain's constitutional system: the king could influence foreign policy but could not commit the government to neutrality. This misunderstanding gave Berlin another reason to discount the warnings coming from Grey and the cabinet.
Notable Point · 1:29:19-1:30:43
Royal mediation is mistaken for a promise of neutrality
Prince Henry interpreted George V's peace efforts as a guarantee of British neutrality, confusing royal influence with control of foreign policy.