| George Augustus Frederick, (1762--1830), better known | | | | (brandy, I think) after meeting the future Princess of |
| as the Prince Regent during the illness of his father, | | | | Wales--but yet he did it. He married her. He threw |
| King George III, was early on recognized as having a | | | | caution to the wind, betrayed his common-law wife |
| good deal of charm, wit, and no lack of intelligence. So | | | | and worse, his own intuition and nature--and went |
| why did he accept a bride that nearly made him ill just | | | | ahead with the wedding.All this--just to escape debt?If |
| to look upon, when neither national emergency or | | | | this were so, he would have no doubt been more |
| political expediency demanded the marriage? The | | | | careful in future to avoid the same predicament; Yet |
| union was devoid of even the smallest natural | | | | the truth is, he was guilty of unbridled spending |
| sympathies that should exist between a husband and | | | | throughout his lifetime. Parliament increased his income |
| wife, almost from the first day. Furthermore, his dislike | | | | numerous times, but it made no difference: he always |
| of the Princess Caroline--his bride-to-be--was in effect | | | | far outspent whatever they allowed him, which put him |
| established before the wedding ceremony.Which begs | | | | in a position of having to please the Peers yet again to |
| the question: Why did he do it?The answer is no | | | | get his debts paid.One might suggest that his |
| mystery in one sense: He was in enormous debt | | | | relationship with Mrs. Fitz had paled by now, and so he |
| (some say to the tune of what would amount to | | | | didn't care who he married. He was, after all, the heir to |
| nearly 1.7 million dollars in today's money) and the only | | | | the throne and royalty was expected to sacrifice |
| way to cajole Parliament into--once again--bailing him | | | | personal desire for the interests of the country. Further, |
| out, was to agree to wed a politically correct bride. (ie., | | | | his mistresses were usually older married women |
| for a legitimate heir.) The King chose the lady: a royal | | | | themselves--nothing to save himself for, there. And yet |
| niece of Brunswick, and the prince, grateful for his | | | | he did precious little "sacrificing" of other pleasures or |
| freedom from debt, accepted the choice sight unseen. | | | | luxuries, and seldom put popular opinion above his own |
| And this is where the mystery begins. Why on earth | | | | preferences. And he was not known to bemoan the |
| would the fastidious prince, privileged from birth, chafing | | | | fate that had cast him as prince, necessitating the |
| at the bit of of his father's reign (personally, if not | | | | marriage. No, it was not patriotism or duty, for these |
| politically*) agree to such an important decision without | | | | noble ends had been earlier cast aside by him, at least |
| meeting his future would-be bride?He knew himself to | | | | in the eyes of King and country.**Was it to please the |
| have extraordinary sensibilities concerning everything | | | | King?Unlikely. The prince and his father (like the |
| that surrounded him: He was a man of great taste for | | | | previous royal Georges) did not enjoy a good |
| luxuries, the exotic, the sublime. He collected art, plate, | | | | relationship. They were often at odds, and the King |
| furniture, clothing, military uniforms, and more. He loved | | | | openly disliked his eldest son; Additionally, the prince |
| things beautiful and elegant, from his silken drawers to | | | | made no remarks (that have been preserved) to |
| his horses--and Princess Caroline was neither. His | | | | support the supposition. In the final analysis, it eludes me |
| marriage to Maria Fitzherbert earlier on was evidence | | | | why this charismatic, intelligent man allowed his |
| of a passionate, strong-willed nature when it came to | | | | wife--and in effect, his life--to be frivolously decided for |
| getting what he wanted. (He would have Mrs. Fitz, you | | | | him.Notes: * There was a political departure from the |
| see, though he was forbidden to marry a Catholic by | | | | King that the prince kept to only until his regency, as |
| law; And Mrs. Fitz would not have him, unless he came | | | | evidenced by his friendship with the Whigs--particularly |
| as a husband. So he married her. It was a secretive, | | | | the notorious Charles James Fox.**A different |
| illegal ceremony which is why he was later "free" to | | | | discussion, which I will address in a future article.Linore |
| marry the Protestant princess Caroline. But it showed | | | | Rose Burkard writes Inspirational Regency Romance |
| his strong tendency to please himself--devil may care | | | | as well as articles on Regency Life, Homeschooling, |
| what the consequences.)And yet, we have him later | | | | Parenting and Self-Improvement. She publishes a |
| going as a lamb to the slaughter in the matter of his | | | | monthly eZine "Upon My Word!" which you can |
| very real and legal marriage to his cousin. In the one | | | | receive for FREE by signing up at her website quickly |
| instance when it would truly have behooved the prince | | | | and easily. Ms. Burkard graduated from the City |
| to oppose his father--and only in his choice of bride, not | | | | University of New York with a Magna Cum Laude |
| the matter of the marriage--he is as silent as the | | | | degree in English Literature, and now lives in Ohio with |
| grave, officially. He expressed private doubts and had | | | | her husband and five children. |
| to swallow a quick glass of some potent libation | | | | |