Abdication of Wilhelm II and the Dutch government, however, refused the Allies' requests to extradite him. King George V wrote that his cousin was "the greatest criminal in history", but opposed Prime Minister David Lloyd George's proposal to "hang the Kaiser". U.S. President Woodrow Wilson also opposed extradition, arguing that punishing Wilhelm would destabilize international order and lose the peace. Wilhelm first settled in Amerongen, where on 28 November he issued a belated statement of abdication of both the Prussian and imperial thrones. He also released his soldiers and officials in both Prussia and the empire from their oaths of loyalty to him. Wilhelm
SMS Kaiser Wilhelm II launched on 14 September 1897. During the launching ceremony, "Konteradmiral" (Rear Admiral) Prince Heinrich christened the ship for his brother, Kaiser Wilhelm II. She was commissioned on 13 February 1900, assuming the position of fleet flagship, which she held until 1906. "Kaiser Wilhelm II" was the first battleship of the German Navy specifically built to serve as a fleet flagship. After completing her sea trials in June 1900, she was assigned to the II Division of the I Squadron, where she replaced the old armored corvette in the division and the battleship as flagship of the Active Battle Fleet. In