The protectorate would begin with an invitation instead of a British invasion, giving its origin story lasting diplomatic value. Britain could describe itself as honoring a dying monarch's request while leaving the smaller kingdom free to govern itself. Other monarchs might endorse or join the guarantee because association with that story carried political value of its own. Monroe might also recognize British protection quickly: in this reading, Hawaii lay outside the Monroe Doctrine, and the arrangement would keep the declining Spanish Empire away. Sovereign consent could therefore make a strategic commitment look legitimate within Hawaii and to outside powers.
Notable Point · 29:25-32:07
A sovereign's request gives the protectorate diplomatic power
A deathbed appeal lets Britain present protection as sovereign consent, making foreign recognition easier and conquest narratives harder to sustain.