Abstract
Caroline of Brunswick, consort of George IV, faced countless “trials,” both metaphorical and literal. Her marriage was disastrous, and her husband spent twenty-five years trying to be rid of her. Caroline, however, was bold and determined to enjoy the rights and privileges of the Princess of Wales and later Queen Consort, despite her husband’s efforts to exclude her from the monarchy. She was subjected to multiple formal investigations in an effort to find evidence that would enable George to secure a divorce. In 1820, she confronted an actual trial and was prosecuted for adultery in the House of Lords. George IV was unpopular with the public, and his detestation of Caroline made her a convenient political symbol for the radical movement, who used her plight to mobilise the masses against the government.
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Notes
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Carpenter, K. (2023). Caroline of Brunswick: Queen on Trial. In: Norrie, A., Harris, C., Laynesmith, J., Messer, D.R., Woodacre, E. (eds) Hanoverian to Windsor Consorts. Queenship and Power. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-12829-5_5
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