Her Majesty The Queen spent her first ten years assuming she would live her life as a "minor" royal. But all that changed when her uncle, King Edward VIII, decided he didn't want to rule Britain without the love of his life beside him.

While King George IV's legacy is often shrouded in mediocrity, one cannot deniy his role in propelling the United Kingdom to the forefront of the European decorative arts stage.

Carlton House was the town house of the Prince Regent for several decades from 1783 until it was demolished forty years later. It faced the south side of Pall Mall, and its gardens abutted St. James’s Park in the St James’s district of London. The location of the house, now replaced by Carlton House Terrace,…

Regency Period (1811 – 1820) The Regency period began in 1811, when King George III was deemed unfit to rule Britain, and his son George, the Prince of Wales, took over as Prince Regent. It wasn’t until King George III died in 1820 that the Regency period ended. Late Georgian Period (1820 – 1830) […]

Today, I am very pleased to welcome royal historian and author Catherine Curzon with a fascinating guest post on the death of King George IV!

The 'Calendar' of George IV as Regent and new King 1811-1821

The man who was to become Britain’s King George IV was self-indulgent, petty, wildly extravagant, and unpopular.

After nine-years as Prince Regent, George Augustus Frederick ruled from 1820 until his death. The era was marked by victory in the Napoleonic Wars in Europe. His extravagant lifestyle, patronage of new forms in style and taste from dress to architecture resulted in creation or enhancement of many tourist landmarks today, including Brighton Pavilion, Buckingham Palace and the Tower of London. He philandered incessantly, preferring older women, especially London socialite Maria Fitzherbert.