No declaration of WW1, blockade instead.

[glenn239]

Another British option could have been to treat Russia as an Entente too far.  Sign the colonial agreement with France in 1904, but sign nothing with Russia.  Balance the Entente with France with a British Entente with Austria-Hungary, (ie, a reversion to the traditional British Balkans support of the weaker Austria against the stronger Russia).   Support France in its quest for colonial expansion and protection against Germany, support Germany in its endeavours to prop up the Austrians.

Edited August 17, 2025 by glenn239

[seahawk]

Then AH and Germany are not in an alliance bound by having no other options. And to be honest if the AH have the British backing them Russia will throw Serbia under the bus. 

[glenn239]

The fatal contradiction in British policy was not in the support of France over Germany, but rather in the support of Russia over Austria.   Ententes with France and Austria would require some astute British diplomacy and balancing, but I think it could have worked even given some friction with the Russians.  The Austrians would have been happy to have the British support they'd enjoyed in the 19th Century, and the Serbians would have behaved themselves like good little Balkans citizens.   Princip shows up in Belgrade and the Serbian police arrest him and alert Austrian authorities.