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George III

Grandson of George II, he was born in London on 4 June 1738, the first Hanoverian monarch to be a native of his own kingdom.

Heir and monarch
On the death of his father, Frederick, prince of Wales – who never ruled – in 1751, George became heir to the throne. Schooled by tutors, he was taught Latin, French, German, history, mathematics and religion. The tutors found him difficult, lethargic and incapable of concentration. At times, he was silent and morose, and when angry, he became obstinate and sullen. At 20, he still wrote like a child.

George's chief tutor was John Stuart, earl of Bute, whose influence led him to believe that George II was the dupe of corrupt politicians. When George came to the throne in 1760, he rewarded Bute, making him prime minister, and took a keen interest in politics.

Family man
In 1761, George married Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, to whom he was devoted. With her large mouth, flat nose and swarthy complexion, she was nicknamed 'Monkey Face'. The couple produced 15 children: nine sons and six daughters.

Marriage and fatherhood helped George to overcome his sense of insecurity. Interested in music and agriculture, he created model farms at Windsor, which earned him the nickname 'Farmer George'. With his collection of books and manuscripts, he laid the foundation of the British Library. He also collected drawings, coins, medals, watches and model ships. Queen Charlotte could play the clavichord, was well read in history and botany, and was skilful with her needle. Determined to shield his wife from intrigues, George kept Charlotte isolated. He enjoyed quiet evenings at home and went to bed by 10pm. Their court was reputed to be the dullest in Europe.

Ministers and madness
Bute proved to be a disappointing politician, and George III finally found a suitable one in Lord North, who was prime minister for 12 years. During that time, the American colonies won their War of Independence (1775-81). George took a great interest in army matters, but refused to accept that the colonies had won even after the disastrous battle of Yorktown in 1781.

The king played a part in the complex political manoeuvrings that resulted in the arrival of William Pitt the Younger as prime minister in 1783. Political stability continued until autumn 1788, when George III fell ill with what is thought to be acute intermittent porphyria, a hereditary metabolic disorder that results in 'madness' and delusions. The symptoms of this rare hereditary disease include paralysis, delirium, high blood pressure and acute pain, while sufferers pass purple urine. Despite the savage treatment he received at the hands of his doctors, George recovered.

Popular loyalty
During the French Revolution, George III became a focus of popular loyalty. Hard-working and conscientious, he was less as a symbol of the divine right of kings and more of a family man and working politician. But he took his coronation oath – with its pledge to uphold the Protestant religion – seriously enough in 1800 to oppose Pitt over plans to remove the penalties against Irish Catholics.

During turbulent times – the Wilkes riots of the 1760s and the Gordon riots in the 1770s – George often kept his head while his ministers panicked. In 1786, he survived a clumsy knife attack. In 1794 someone shot at his carriage. In 1800, five shots were fired during his review of the Grenadier Guards, but they missed. The same evening, when he entered the royal box in the theatre, another man fired at him. He remained calm; the audience cheered and sang 'God Save the King' three times.

Decline and death
In 1810, however, George suffered a final decline in his mental health and became blind and deaf. While his son was made regent, he suffered from short-term memory loss and senile dementia. After 1812, the queen stopped visiting her husband. Completely isolated from the outside world, George was again subjected to the well-meant but barbarous treatment of his doctors. By 1817, George – now very old and thin – could no longer walk. His only amusements were eating cherry tarts and striking the keys of his harpsichord. He was often in tears and sometimes laughed wildly. The queen died in November. George had another violent outburst at Christmas 1819, when he talked continually. Then he began to refuse food and grew weaker. He died on 29 January 1820, at the age of 81.

In comparison with his dissolute son, George III was the very model of a hard-working monarch, devoted husband and sincere Christian.

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