As the British began to act, the covert diplomatic struggle between France and Austria had been taken over by the British. It's not that the French were not respected, but the French government diplomacy was simply not up to par.
Of course, this was also directly related to the high level of animosity that the Bonaparte Dynasty held on the European Continent. Under Napoleon III, relations did briefly improve, but that relaxed international environment disappeared once France annexed the Italian area.
In a sense, Napoleon III was digging a hole for his son. He achieved his own greatness by annexing the Italian area, while leaving behind an abyss that could not be filled.
There was no choice, for it was no longer the Middle Ages. Nationalism had arisen in Europe, nations were able to swallow but not digest, and their hatred was at its peak.
