George IV

1762 - 1830. King of England from 1820 to 1830.

George IV is known for his extravagant lifestyle. The marriage with his wife Caroline of Brunswick was far from perfect and George's eating habits were a bit over the top. Sieper writes, "Owing to his extravagance, his debts, his divorce suit before the House of Lords, his reign marked the lowest moral standard in the modern history of British monarchy" (67) Although this quote is exaggerated, it points in the right direction.

Love life

George married his first wife Maria Fitzherbert in 1785 without his father's consent. Maria Fitzherbert was a Catholic, so according to the Act of Settlement George would not be able to become king. His father, George III, thus had this marriage declared illegal.

It is said that George IV became a heavy drinker and gambler afterwards with several affairs with women. His debts were as high as 650,000 pounds by 1795. His debts were paid by Parliament in exchange for George marrying his cousin Caroline of Brunswick. Despite their loveless marriage they managed to produce a daughter in 1796, Princess Charlotte.

It is well-known that this marriage was a failure and George IV did his best to get rid of his wife, but did not succeed. Right after the wedding Caroline moved out, and she and her husband lived apart from then on. Both George IV and Caroline had several affairs throughout their lives. George IV entertained a somewhat serious relationship with his former wife Maria Fitzherbert and mentioned her in his will as his wife. Caroline moved back to England in 1820 to claim the title "Queen" and attend her husband's coronation, which she was not able to, because he had her removed from Westminster Abbey.

Regency

George IV served as Prince Regent from 1811 onwards, when his father was declared insane. He had been a strong supporter of the Whigs before, but once he was Prince Regent he seemed to have changed his mind and followed Tory principles. One could argue that he had courted Whig politicians in his youth to annoy his father.

George IV became King of England in 1820, when his father George III died. When he tried to annul his marriage with his wife Caroline, it triggered off demonstrations against the new king, which only heightened when he had her removed from his coronation ceremony. As king George IV found an increasing interest in arts. He acquired an impressive collection of art and supported architects and painters. He left an astonishing architectural legacy including the Royal Pavilion.

Bibliography

• BBC. Historic Figures: George IV. 2009 <http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/george_iv_king.shtml>.
• Britannia. Monarchs of Britain: George IV. 2010 <http://www.britannia.com/history/monarchs/mon56.html>
• Sieper, Roswitha. The Student's Companion to Britain. Ismaning: Hueber, 1993.
• Simkin, John. Spartacus Educational. 2008 <http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/PRgeorgeIV.htm>