George IV of the United Kingdom

George IV (George Augustus Frederick) (12 August 1762 – 26 June 1830) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and Hanover from 29 January 1820. He had earlier served as Prince Regent when his father, George III, suffered from a relapse into insanity from porphyria.

Marriage

The Prince of Wales's debts continued to climb; his father refused to aid him unless he married his cousin, Caroline of Brunswick. In 1795, the Prince of Wales acquiesced. The marriage, however, was disastrous; each party was unsuited to the other. The two were formally separated after the birth of their only child—Princess Charlotte—in 1796, and remained separated for the rest of their lives. The Prince of Wales remained attached to Mrs Fitzherbert for the remainder of his life, despite several periods of estrangement.

Related Topics:
Caroline of Brunswick - 1795 - Princess Charlotte - 1796

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Even before meeting Mrs Fitzherbert, the Prince of Wales had fathered several illegitimate children. His mistresses included Mary Robinson, an actress who got revenge for her rejection by selling his letters to the newspapers, Grace Elliott, the Scottish wife of a sought-after London physician, and Frances, Lady Jersey, who would dominate his life for some years.

Related Topics:
Mary Robinson - Grace Elliott - Frances, Lady Jersey

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Meanwhile, the problem of the Prince of Wales's debts (which then amounted to the extraordinary sum of £660,000 in 1796) was solved (at least temporarily) by Parliament. Being unwilling to make an outright grant to relieve these debts, it provided him an additional sum of £65,000 per annum. In 1803, a further £60,000 was added, and the Prince of Wales's debts were finally paid.

Related Topics:
1796 - 1803

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