Holland Park Living
George IV (1762 - 1830)
George was the profligate eldest son of George III. He loved women and luxury. In 1785 he secretly – and illegally - married Mrs FitzHerbert. The law then (as now) was that the heir of the throne could only legally with the sovereign’s consent, so the marriage was ignored and in 1795 he was forced to marry Caroline of Brunswick.
During the final period of King George III’s illness Parliament declared him Regent for the king. From 1820-1830 he ruled as king in his own right.
He hated Caroline so much that he made several efforts to have Parliament declare a divorce. This was finally given. Caroline tried to come to his coronation but was rejected at the door of the cathedral. She died the next year.
As Prince of Wales, George had a great interest in architectural and artistic projects. He virtually invented Brighton which was a small fishing village before George adopted it as a fashionable destination. Holland built the Marine Pavilion for him (1786 - 1787), although it was later altered extensively by John Nash to satisfy the Prince's craving for the latest trends. John Nash was his favourite architect. It was the Prince of Wales who lent his influence to the creation of Regent’s Park and Regent Street by Nash. The whole period of his Regency and of his reign as king is often lumped together as the Regency period.
George lived at Carlton House and persuaded Parliament to spend a fortune in improving it. Then he decided that Buckingham House would be more appropriate. Carlton House was pulled down to make way for ordinary houses and Nash was instructed to transform Buckingham House into a magnificent palace. George died before he could occupy it.
The king was much detested by his countrymen. At the time of his death the Times commented: “There never was any individual less regretted by his fellow creatures.”
