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 his flag to the ship on 23 April, while "Kaiser Friedrich III" went into drydock for repairs. In the meantime, on 18 April, Wilhelm II commissioned his son Prince Adalbert aboard "Kaiser Wilhelm II". On 27 April, the I Squadron conducted gunnery drills and a landing exercise off Apenrade. By 17 June, "Kaiser Wilhelm II"s sister ship had entered service, and so she took over flagship duties for the squadron, while "Kaiser Wilhelm II" returned to serving as only the fleet flagship. The squadron then went on a cruise to Spain, and while docked in Cádiz, rendezvoused with the "Brandenburg"-class