George III

George was the eldest son of Frederick Louis, Prince of Wales (son of George II) and his wife Augusta and was born in London on 4th June 1738. He succeeded his grandfather in October 1760. Early in 1764 he suffered the first sign of the mental illness which affected him during several years of his reign. The loss of the American colonies was a great blow to the King and the Napoleonic Wars, with threat of invasion, dominated the end of his reign. His son George acted as Prince Regent during the years of his incapacity.

Marriage

On 8th September 1761 he married Princess Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz at St James' Palace.

Coronation

George III and Queen Charlotte were crowned in the Abbey on 22nd September 1761. They came from St James's Palace to Westminster Hall in sedan chairs. They then walked from the Hall to the Abbey starting at 11.00am, passing crowds of spectators who lined the route. The procession and ceremony were so long that they were not crowned until 3.30pm, and the lavish coronation banquet in the Hall followed.

Burial

After being blind and deaf in the last years of his life he died on 29th January 1820, having lived longer than any of his predecessors, and was buried at Windsor.

Further reading

Oxford Dictionary of National Biography 2004

King George III by John Brooke, 1972

His papers from the Royal Library are on the Royal Collection website