Product Description

On 12 August 1762, Queen Charlotte gave birth to her first child. Twenty-one years later, to the week, the 15th and youngest was born. All but two children survived to maturity. The eldest of King George III's children, who became Prince Regent and King George IV, is less remembered for his patronage of the arts than for his extravagance, and maltreatment of his wife Caroline. As Commander-in-Chief to the British army, the administrative qualities of Frederick, Duke of York are largely forgotten, while King William IV, usually dismissed as a figure of fun, brought a new affability to the monarchy which helped him through the storms engendered during the passage of the Great Reform Bill in 1832. The princesses, for many years victims of their parents' possessiveness, married late in life, if at all, and are passed off as non-entities. This objective portrayal of the royal family draws upon contemporary sources to lay to rest the gossip and exaggeration.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #433091 in Books
• Published on: 2004-01-18
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 240 pages

About the Author
John Van der Kiste has written many books on Royal History for Sutton, including The Romanovs, George V's Children and Princess Victoria Melita. He lives in Devon and has recently got engaged.

Customer Reviews

This book brings the family to life
I approached this book with some trepidation, having always previously thought George III and his family were a pretty dull or unpleasant crowd. This book changed my mind completely. The author has done a splendid job in bringing them to life, presenting them sympathetically without glossing over their faults and emphasising their virtues. The Prince Regent may have been an obnoxious husband and a bad father, but a kind brother, while the notorious Duke of Cumberland was a capable soldier and later King of Hanover, far removed from the reactionary monster of time-honoured legend. All the characters, even those unfortunate daughters, are portrayed vividly in the writer's very readable, soundly-researched prose, and the variety of illustrations (portraits, places, caricatures) is first-rate.

Great Book
I found this book very easy to read and most enjoyable. The family tree line at the back of the book is of most help to figure out who's who, as it does get a bit confusing in part when the auther referes to the children via there title not there name.
The children are quite differnet. The boys are sent to Germany for varios different reasons where as the poor girls are kept in the 'nunneray' until its to late to either marry or when they do marry no change of having any children of there own.
Well worth buying for an easy read and very informative about English royal history.