The Tyrant Billionaire-Chapter 678 Engagement

Their situation, however, faced little resistance.

Had Hardy been an ordinary American, the British royal family would certainly have objected. But given Hardy’s status and wealth, he was an ideal match.

Even among Britain’s young aristocracy, few could compare to him.

Hardy was a British Viscount, Governor of the Cayman Islands, Governor of Penang and Malacca, an American tycoon, and reportedly worth hundreds of millions—if not billions.

When the British royal family proposed Margaret and Hardy’s marriage to the Church and the government, both immediately approved and gave their blessings.

September 16, 1952

That day,The Timesin Britain andThe Global Timesin America published a shocking story that eclipsed even the U.S. election coverage.

American tycoon Jon Hardy is preparing to hold an engagement ceremony with Princess Margaret of the British Empire in one month, hereby announced.

This news immediately became the most sensational headline of the day.

People discussed it fervently.

In Britain:

"Is the princess really going to marry an American? That’s a bit disheartening.""Don’t you know Mr. Hardy has already acquired British citizenship and is a hereditary viscount? How can you still call him American?""But he is American.""No, you should say Britain has embraced him. He’s now more than half British."

In the United States:

"An English princess is marrying an American? Haha! Those British nobles all lost to Hardy. Looks like we Americans are still the best.""Hardy has always been a legend. He was once a symbol of the American Dream, a commercial icon in the United States. Later, he became a British noble and governor of two territories. You could even call him a king in his own right. And now he’s marrying the highest-status princess in the world. My god, he’s the template for every main character ever.""I envy him. I hope I can become like him someday—make a fortune, marry a princess, and reach the peak of life."

This statement echoed a later sentiment: "Become a CEO, marry a wealthy beauty, and live the ultimate life."

Throughout Europe, Japan, and even Hong Kong, the news was reported widely. Many people felt envious and emotional, marveling at the sheer legend of Hardy’s life.

Because of this news, an interesting phenomenon occurred. The stock prices of several publicly listed companies under the Hardy Group surged over the next few days. It was clear that Hardy’s engagement to a British princess had boosted confidence in the future prospects of the Hardy Group.

Margaret had been incredibly happy during this time. She was about to become Hardy’s bride, and their marriage had received blessings from everyone: her parents, her sister, the royal family, the Church, the government, the British people, and even the American public. No matter how one looked at it, this was a beautiful marriage.

Margaret asked Hardy where they would live after the wedding. Hardy told her they could live wherever she wanted: Britain, America, the Cayman Islands, Penang, or even spend some time in each place. Margaret, always adventurous and fond of traveling, was delighted by the idea. Now that she was marrying Hardy, she had an even better reason to explore the world.

Margaret then asked Hardy how many children he wanted. Hardy shrugged and said he had been an orphan, living a solitary life without siblings, so he hoped to have many children. He imagined them all gathered around him on his deathbed, sending him off. Just the thought of it seemed lively and comforting. Margaret teased Hardy for being greedy, and Hardy replied without shame that he always had been. Explore new worlds at novelbuddy

The engagement ceremony was being arranged by the British royal family. They were organizing the outfits, jewelry, and ceremonial details. Meanwhile, Hardy’s team also sent a group to liaise with the British royal family about the engagement arrangements. Hardy planned to remain in Britain for this period.

A few days earlier, the royal palace hosted a banquet, inviting many nobles and government officials, essentially turning it into an unofficial engagement announcement. At the banquet, Hardy met the famous Prime Minister Churchill. Churchill gave Hardy a hearty embrace, saying Britain was working hard to rebuild its economy and needed more financial support, hoping for deeper cooperation with Hardy Group and Hardy’s banking enterprises. Hardy expressed his willingness to participate in Britain’s economic development.

Having wealth meant even the British Prime Minister would seek your favor. Britain still had many valuable assets, and Hardy believed investing in them would undoubtedly yield returns. He even mused about negotiating with Britain to acquire one of the aircraft carriers they were decommissioning after World War II—something that could be both an investment and a way to support the British economy indirectly.

At the banquet, the British royal family also announced their decision to grant Hardy a hereditary earldom.

...

October 16.Princess Margaret and Viscount Hardy held their engagement ceremony. The couple first visited Westminster Abbey to receive blessings from the bishop, then traveled to Buckingham Palace in a flower-adorned carriage, cheered on by crowds lining the streets.

The engagement ceremony was both simple and solemn.

Members of the British royal family, nobility, the Prime Minister, and the Cabinet attended, along with countless journalists capturing the moment.

The simplicity stemmed from it being an engagement rather than a wedding. They avoided inviting distant acquaintances, reserving the grandeur for the royal wedding, which would welcome a much larger gathering of family and friends.

From this day forward, Princess Margaret officially became Hardy’s fiancée.

Even King George VI attended the engagement ceremony, though he could no longer stand. With a smile on his face, he offered his heartfelt blessings.

Just five days later, King George VI passed away peacefully, still smiling. This was one of the reasons Margaret and Hardy had hurriedly arranged the engagement ceremony.

The United Kingdom and the world mourned this beloved British monarch.

Following his passing, Princess Elizabeth ascended to the throne, becoming Queen Elizabeth. Her full title was:

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"By the Grace of God, Queen of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and of Her other Realms and Territories, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith."

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