On November 23d he signed.
Before this had happened the situation had received an unexpected change.

A new claimant appeared to dispute his title to the Duchies.

The day after the death of the King, Frederick, eldest son of the Duke of Augustenburg, published a proclamation announcing his succession to the Duchy under the title of Frederick VIII.

No one seems to have foreseen this step; it was supposed that after the agreement of 1853 the question of succession had been finally settled.

The whole of the German nation, however, received with enthusiasm the news that it was again to be raised.
They believed that the Prince was the lawful heir; they saw in his claim the possibility of permanently separating the Duchies from Denmark.
Nothing seemed to stand between this and accomplishment except the Treaty of London.