King George III: Britain’s Long-Serving and Often Misunderstood Monarch
On 8th September 1760, George III ascended the British throne
On 8th September 1760, following the death of his grandfather, George II, George III ascended the British throne. At just 22 years old, he became the first monarch of the Hanoverian line to be born in Britain and to speak English as his first language. His reign would stretch for six decades, making him one of the longest-serving monarchs in British history.
George William Frederick was born in London in 1738. Unlike his Hanoverian predecessors, who had strong German ties, George was raised in England and carefully educated to embrace his role as a “British” king. He was dutiful, serious-minded, and deeply religious, with a strong sense of responsibility towards his kingdom. On becoming king, he declared, “Born and educated in this country, I glory in the name of Britain.”
George III’s reign coincided with an era of dramatic change. Internationally, Britain emerged as a major global power, but not without turmoil. The loss of the American colonies after the War of Independence (1775–1783) was a bitter blow, and George was often criticised for his determination to retain them under British rule.
At home, he presided over a period of agricultural and industrial transformation. The early Industrial Revolution reshaped society, while conflicts with France — including the long Napoleonic Wars — placed enormous strain on the country.
George III is often remembered as the “mad king.” From the 1780s onwards he suffered bouts of severe illness, which contemporaries found alarming. Symptoms recorded at the time included:
Uncontrollable speech — he sometimes talked for hours without pause, jumping between unrelated subjects.
Delusions — at times he believed he was conversing with angels, or mistook trees in Windsor Great Park for the kings of Prussia.
Manic behaviour — he wrote long, rambling letters, gave incoherent orders, and would repeat himself obsessively.
Physical suffering — reports describe abdominal pain, discoloured urine, and seizures.
Today, many historians suggest porphyria, a rare blood disorder, may have caused these episodes, while others argue he may have had a form of bipolar syndrome. Regardless of the exact cause, his condition eventually left him incapacitated, and in 1811 his son, the future George IV, was formally appointed Prince Regent.
Despite the scandals surrounding his health, George III was a devoted family man, married to Queen Charlotte for nearly 60 years, and the father of 15 children. He took a keen interest in science, agriculture, and the arts — earning the affectionate nickname “Farmer George.”
By the time of his death in 1820, George III had witnessed both the loss of empire and Britain’s growing global dominance. Today, historians view him as a conscientious monarch, often misunderstood in his own time, but one whose reign shaped modern Britain in profound ways.
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