While he was Prince of Wales, George IV had, contrary to law,
privately married Mrs. Fitzherbert (1785),[1] a Roman Catholic lady of
excellent character, and possessed of great beauty. Ten years later,
partly through royal compulsion and partly to get money to pay off
some of his numerous debts, the Prince married his cousin, the
Princess Caroline of Brunswick. The union proved a source of
unhappiness to both. The Princess lacked both discretion and
delicacy, and her husband, who disliked her from the first, was
reckless and brutal toward her.
[1] By the Royal Marriage Act of 1772, no descendant of George II
could make a legal marriage without the consent of the reigning
sovereign, unless twenty-five years of age, and unless the marriage
was not objected to by Parliament.
He separated from her in a year's time, and as soon as she could, she
withdrew to the Continent. When he became King he excluded Queen
Caroline's name from the Prayer Book, and next applied to Parliament
for a divorce on the ground of the Queen's unfaithfulness to her
marriage vows.
Henry Brougham, afterwards Lord Brougham, acted as the Queen's
counsel. No sufficient evidence was brought against her, and the
ministry declined to take further action. It was decided, however,
that she could not claim the honor of coronation, to which, as Queen
Consort, she had a right sanctioned by custom but not secured by law.
When the King was crowned (1821), no place was provided for her. By
the advice of her counsel, she presented herself at the entrance of
Westminster Abbey as the coronation ceremony was about to begin; but,
by order of her husband, admission was refused, and she retired to
die, heartbroken, a few days after.