Victorian England Week Eight Monday Nov 28, 2018 Institute for the Study of Western Civilization King George IV George Prince of Wales Aug 12, 1762 (St James Palace) June 26, 1830 (Windsor) Buried, St Georges Chapel Windsor King George IV, 1762-1830 1762 born first son to K Geo III & Queen Charlotte (15 children) 1783 age 21 gets own home: Carleton House (spends a fortune on it) 1783 meets and falls in love with widow Mrs. Maria Fitzherbert (RC) 1795 debts drowning him, K. Geo III offers money if he marries. 1795 Geo marries Princess Caroline of Brunswick dislikes her on sight. (said she smelled bad, Geo VERY fastidious, Caroline sloppy) 1796 Jan 7 birth of Princess Charlotte (d. 1817) 9 months aft wedding 1800 return of Mrs. Fitzherbert in life of the Prince of wales 1800 Napoleon triumphant takeover of French gov. "First Counsel" 1805 Battle of Trafalgar Adm Horatio Nelson killed at battle. 1810 War in Spain (Wellington) 1810-1811 final insanity of Geo III, Regents Bill in Parliament, 1814 defeat and abdication of Napoleon 1816 marriage of Princess Charlotte to Leopold of Saxe-Coburg 1817 death of Princess Charlotte and her baby. 1815-1820 exile abroad of Princess of Wales Caroline. 1820 death of Geo III, Caroline returns to Eng. War betw K & Q of Eng 1821 July coronation of K. Geo IV, Aug death of Queen Caroline. 1820-1830 reign of King George IV, death of K Geo IV 1830. There were many who did not mourn his passing. "The London Times opined, perhaps rather harshly, that "there never was an individual less regretted by his fellow low-creatures than this deceased King." Prince George’s personality and his interaction with siblings. First born son. Future king. Smart. Tall. Handsome. Charming. War with his father. Too “gifted”? Life too easy? Children of King George III 1.George IV d. 1830 2.Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany d. 1827 3.William IV d. 1837 4.Charlotte, Princess Royal 5.Prince Edward, Duke of Kent d. 1820 6.Princess Augusta 7.Princess Elizabeth 8.Ernest Augustus, King of Hanover d. 1851 9.Prince Augustus Frederick, Duke of Sussex d. 1843 10. Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge d. 1850 11. Princess Mary, Duchess of Gloucester 12. Princess Sophia 13. Prince Octavius d. 1783 14. Prince Alfred d. 1782 15. Princess Amelia 1783 Prince George turns 21, Sets up own home: Carleton House 1783 Mrs Maria Fitzherbert, Age 21 (1756- George 1837) falls in wife of the love with Prince of Mrs Wales in Fitzherbert secret marriage. THE SECRET MARRIAGE 1788-1789 REGENCY CRISIS KING GEORGE III VERY ILL DEBATE REGENCY PRINCE’S REPUTATION REVEALED GEORGE III RECOVERS Prince George (Geo IV) Prince of Wales 1762-1830 Married sons of King George III 1.George IV d. 1830 (daughter Charlotte) 2.Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany d. 1827 3.Prince William (King William IV ) ßd. 1837 4.Prince Edward, Duke of Kent d. 1820 5.Prince Ernest Augustus, King of Hanover d. 1851 6.Prince Augustus Frederick, Duke of Sussex d. 1843 Prince Frederick Duke of York 1763-1827 potential successor to the King, 1817-1827 Frederick's experience in the Dutch campaign made a strong impression on him. That campaign, and the Flanders campaign, had demonstrated the numerous weaknesses of the British army after years of neglect. Frederick as Commander-in- Chief of the British army carried through a massive programme of reform. He was the person most responsible for the reforms that created the force which served in the Peninsular War. He was also in charge of the preparations against Napoleon's planned invasion of the United Kingdom in 1803. In the opinion of Sir John Fortescue, Frederick did "more for the army than any one man has done for it in the whole of its history." March 1809 The Scandal of the Duke and Mrs. Mary Anne Clarke The Duke accused of selling army contracts with Mrs Clarke taking the money. The Duke resigns his military role nine days after the cartoon appears. 1811 He was exonnerated when it was revealed that Mrs Clarke had colluded with his enemies and that he was innocent of taking bribes. His brother The Regent reinstated him in his commands but the scandal hurt him. Wife of the Duke of York, Princess Frederica of Prussia daughter of the King of Prussia (1767-1820) Marriage unhappy, they separate, live apart, no children. James Gillray: Fashionable Contrasts; – or – the Duchess's little shoe yeilding to the magnitude of the Duke's foot. Prince Frederick Duke of York 1763-1827 1820-1827 The Duke is the Heir Presumptive for his bro King Geo IV Prince Adolphus Duke of Cambridge 1774-1850 (age 76) married 1818 had 3 children son: George (close friend to cousin Victoria) granddaughter: Princess Mary of Teck (Married Geo V) Prince Edward Duke of Kent 1767-Jan 23, 1820 (age 52) wife: Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg daughter: Victoria b. 1819 Prince William 1765-1837 Prince Ernest Augustus Duke of Cumberland later King of Hanover 1771-1851 Prince Ernest Augustus, Duke of Cumberland, 1771-1851 l l l l Duke and l Duchess of Kent Ernestl Aug, Cumberland = 1815 Princess Frederica of Mecklenburg Prince Ernest Augustus, Duke of Cumberland, 1771-1851 l l l l Duke and l Duchess of Kent Ernestl Aug, Cumberland = Princess Frederica of Mecklenburg THE FIRST WIFE AND THE SECOND Princess Caroline of Brunswick Welcomed to England 1795: Wedding of Prince George to Caroline of Brunswick Princess Caroline of Brunswick Princess of Wales 1768-1821 Princess Caroline of Brunswick, Princess of Wales, by Sir Thomas Lawrence, 1798 Victoria and Albert Museum, London 1796 Mrs Fitzherbert recedes from the scene. Angry and hurt, but always elegant, courteous. (d.1837) The Prince and Princess of Wales Married April 1795, daughter born 1796 Caroline playing the harp for daughter Charlotte in 1800 PRINCESS CHARLOTTE BECOMES BELOVED ROYAL By 1797, it was open warfare between the Prince and Princess of Wales. He hated her. She reciprocated. Whole Eng Aristocracy divided up. Newspapers flourished on the royal family saga. The English turn against the Prince and his wife His girlfriend Caroline becomes more and more popular. Prince George’s new girlfriend Frances Villiers Countess of Jersey 1753-1821 "a scintillating society woman, a heady mix of charm, beauty, and sarcasm". 1800 The Return of Mrs Fitzherbert After consulting the Pope about her marriage she is assured she is lawfully married to George They reconcile and cohabit but with no sex. Royal brothers encouraged her return Saw her as positive influence on George. Mrs Maria Fitzherbert, (1756- 1837) wife of the Prince of Wales in secret marriage. 1800-1809 break in 1809 She leaves him. Fitzherbert. She looks back on their years and is bitter. Their marriage was a farce. She tells the prince. Princess of Wales 1804 Thomas Lawrence National Portrait Gallery May 31, 1810 SCANDAL: Murder of the Valet Prince Ernest Augustus Duke of Cumberland Valet found in his room in his bed with his throat slit. Oct 25, 1810, GOLDEN JUBILEE OF KING GEORGE III 1811 King George III suffers a relapse. THE REGENTS BILL PRINCE OF WALES REGENT By 1811 the public view of the Prince Regent was wholly negative. His war with his wife had caused the public to turn against him and they never came back. THE REGENC Y CIRCLE 1812 Lady Elizabeth Countess Melbourne Son: Lord William Lamb Lord Melbourne William (1779-1848) and Caroline Lamb (1785-1828) Lady Caroline Lamb and Lord Byron “Mad, bad, and dangerous to know.” 1812-1814 SCANDAL Affairs, adultery, debauchery WHAT THE REGENT FACED IN 1811:NAPOLEON 1800 Napoleonic Code 1804 May Crown Emperor, Paris 1805 Austerlitz Nap beats Austria 1805 Trafalgar, Oct 21. 1807 Tilsit (Nap & Czar) 1808 Bayonne, Sp King Abdicates King Joseph May: Revolt (“Second of May”) (“Third of May”) Guerilla war in Spain Sept: Massive new French army into Sp 1810 (Jan 1) DIVORCE 1810 Deteriorating Spanish scene Nap personally leads new Fr army 1812-1813 Russian campaign 1812-1814 Wellington winning in Sp. 1814 Nap abdicates 1815 June: Waterloo Nelson, Wellington, Napoleon in Spain 1812-1813, In and out of Russia Napoleon says Farewell, Fountainbleu, 1814 Prince Regent Welcomes Louis XVIII on way to Paris People made jokes about the two rotund old leaders. WATERLOO JUNE 18,1815 The defeat of Napoleon should have been a moment for the Prince Regent to shine. He was the head of the winning coalition. But in fact he was uncomfortable, since the public celebrations exposed him to public boos. Duke and Duchess of Kent Princess Charlotte Augusta of Wales born 1796 to the Prince and Princess of Wales Scandal of the Prince and Princess of Wales makes their daughter all the more beloved. Princess Charlotte Augusta of Wales born 1796 to the Prince and Princess of Wales 1815, a constant battle between the Prince and the Princess of Wales over their daughter. George wanted to get rid of Caroline with a divorce. She refused to co operate, and refused entreaties to leave the country. MAY 1816 MARRIAGE OF PRINCESS CHARLOTTE MAY 1816 MARRIAGE OF PRINCESS CHARLOTTE AND LEOPOLD OF SAXE-COBURG Prince Leopold of Saxe-Coburg (1790-1865) Duke Francis of Saxe-Coburg (1750-1806) Leopold Duke Ernest I Victoria PRINCE QUEEN 1790-1865 1784-1844 ALBERT 1786-1861 VICTORIA 1816 THE HAPPY ROYAL COUPLE 1817 Charlotte In stark contrast to her father, the Pregnant Prince Regent, who was universally despised, the young princess was extremely popular, and her pregnancy was closely followed by an enthusiastic public.