The King's Wife: George IV and Mrs Fitzherbert

by Valerie Irvine

Overview

One of the most extraordinary episodes in British royal history took place on 15 December 1785 when George, Prince of Wales (later Prince Regent and George IV) secretly married the beautiful, twice-widowed and Roman Catholic Maria Fitzherbert. This marriage was in breach of the Royal Marriages Act of 1772 but was almost certainly valid in the eyes of the Catholic Church, and possibly of all Christian churches. If it had been discovered, George might well have forfeited his claim to the throne. As it was, George and Maria remained together for over twenty-five years, staying deeply attached, despite George's disastrous (and probably bigamous) marriage to Princess Caroline of Brunswick The King's Wife is a highly readable account of a love match that, in part, pre-echoes the later relationship of Prince Charles and Camilla. In the eyes of George IV's own family, Maria was his real wife.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781847250537
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	08/30/2007
Pages:	270
Product dimensions:	6.14(w) x 9.21(h) x 0.57(d)

About the Author

Valerie Irvine worked in publishing and advertising before teaching English in Cambridge. Moving to Brighton, she became interested in the life of a famous local inhabitant, Mrs Fitzherbert.

Table of Contents

Illustrations
Introduction
1. Mary Anne
2. Thomas Fitzherbert
3. 'Who the Devil is that Pretty Girl?'
4. Marriage
5. The Battle for the Regency
6. Lady Jersey
7. Caroline of Brunswick
8. Reconsiliation
9. Minney
10. Lady Hertford
11. The Prince Regent
12. The Queen's Trial
13. George Dawson
14. MArianne
15. Endings
Appendix
Notes
Bibliography
Index