His Imperial and Royal Highness Archduke Karl of Austria was summoned to his grandfather Emperor Franz Josef of Austria’s chambers. When His Imperial and Royal Highness arrived he was greeted by his grandfather’s secretary who promptly stood up straight and saluted to him, he then opened the door for Archduke Karl to enter the chambers. When he entered his grandfather was gazing out the window and a man who he had practically grown up around was standing at his side, His Royal Majesty King Vittorio Emanuele III of Italy.

My grandfather asked him to take a seat and both him and King Vittorio began explaining a proposal to him. They explained that the King of the Kingdom of Westphalia which was a protectorate state of Italy’s had died recently without an heir, the throne being vacant and Vittorio not wanting to put an Italian on a German throne offered it to a member of the House of Hapsburg-Lorraine. Emperor Franz Josef picked Archduke Karl as he was tenth in line of succession and had no chance of becoming the Emperor of Austria.

Archduke Karl gratefully accepted and in the same month he had renounced all of his former titles and assumed the title of King of Westphalia. He then travelled to Westphalia the month after.