The Split of Hanover and Britain: The Final Days of a United Crown

King George III was the King of Great Britain and Hanover. He was the eldest grandson of King George II and ascended to the throne in 1760. George III sought to shape the British monarchy as a moral exemplar, distinct from the libertine image of his grandfather. He valued family ideals and, together with his wife, Queen Charlotte, raised 15 children, 13 of whom survived to adulthood. They served as societal role models, enhancing the image of the monarchy. In his later years, he suffered from suspected porphyria or mental illness, leading to mental decline.

Queen Charlotte, Queen of Great Britain and Hanover, was renowned for her love of the arts, music, and botany. She was one of the founders of the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew and maintained friendships with musicians such as Mozart and Johann Christian Bach (the son of J.S. Bach). She was a patron of Johann Christian Bach, aiding in the dissemination of the Bach family's music. As a young queen, she appreciated Mozart's performances, and he composed works in her honor.

King George IV, King of Great Britain and Hanover, was the eldest son of George III. Due to his father’s health issues, he served as Regent starting in 1811. His legitimate wife, Queen Caroline, bore him a daughter, Princess Charlotte, who tragically died in 1817 due to childbirth complications. George IV had numerous mistresses and illegitimate children, but none were eligible heirs. After his death, the throne passed to his brother, King William IV.

King William IV, King of Great Britain and Hanover, was the third son of George III and the younger brother of George IV. William inherited the throne after his brother’s death. Later in life, he married Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen, but all their children died in infancy. He also had several illegitimate children, none of whom could inherit the throne. Upon William IV’s death, the British throne passed to Queen Victoria under the new primogeniture laws favoring female succession. However, Hanover continued with male succession, and the Hanoverian throne was inherited by William’s brother, Ernest Augustus. This marked the end of the personal union between Britain and Hanover.

Queen Caroline was the legitimate wife of George IV, but their marriage was unhappy, and the couple lived apart for much of their lives. George IV unsuccessfully sought a divorce from her and even barred her from attending his coronation. Maria Fitzherbert, a Catholic, secretly married George IV in 1785, but the marriage was not legally recognized due to the Act of Settlement of 1701 and the Royal Marriages Act.