[A] King George IV, life goes similar to OTL, taking the throne, following the death of his father, King George III, on 29 January 1820 until his own death five years later. He had already been serving as Prince Regent since 5 February 1811, during his father's final mental illness.
The reason for his death in 1825, was due to his excessive living. He enjoyed eating, drinking and gambling more, especially as he left the responsibility of running the country to ministers, his sons and his politically mined brothers.
The sad life of Caroline has been a subject of many tragic stories. Caroline and George were married on 8 April 1795 at the Chapel Royal, St. James's Palace, in London. At the ceremony, George was drunk. He regarded Caroline as unattractive and unhygienic, and told Malmesbury that he suspected that she was not a virgin when they married.
In letters seen later on by historians, the prince, writing to a friend, claimed that the couple only had sexual intercourse four times in their marriage: twice the first night of the marriage, once the second night and once more following a drunken night in July 1796. He wrote, "with the first three I t required no small effort to conquer my aversion and overcome the disgust of her person." Caroline claimed George was so drunk that he "passed the greatest part of his bridal night under the grate, where he fell, and where I left him".
In regards to the fourth time, George wrote, “Damn my father for holding that blasted feast. With the alcohol flowing freely, my inebriated mind, wondered to that thing. And if that wasn’t bad enough, she is now pregnant again” While when it came to Caroline’s account, she wrote “It was horrible, he was like a man possessed.”
Both pregnancies took a toll on Caroline, with excessive blood lose following the second set of twins birth.
The press vilified George for his extravagance and luxury and portrayed Caroline as a wronged wife.
She was cheered in public and gained plaudits for her "winning familiarity" and easy, open nature. George was dismayed at her popularity and his own unpopularity, and felt trapped in a loveless marriage with a woman he loathed. He wanted a separation.
George forced her to live at a private residence, firstly at The Vicarage or Old Rectory in
Charlton, London and then, she moved to
Montagu House in
Blackheath.
It was at Montagu House, that Caroline was found dead, resting peacefully in her bed. The cause of death to this day is never explained and she was buried in a plain grave in the grounds of St Alfege Church, Greenwich.
Even after her death, George would not speak of her and ignore all questions about her from the children. He also denied his sons the chance to name any of their daughters, after her, it was only after George IV’s death that Prince Frederick was able to name his youngest daughter, Princess Caroline.
* 1816, became famous for the four weddings, with the marriages being discussed by the Four Great Powers, Britain, Russia, Austria and Prussia wanted to use them as symbols of the alliance created after the Congress of Vienna.
List of some famous marriages taking place between 1815-1818
Prince George of Britain m. Grand Duchess Anne of Russia
Grand Duke Nicholas Pavlovich of Russia m. Princess Charlotte of Prussia
Princess Mary of Britain m. Frederick William IV, King of Prussia
Prince Frederick of Britain m. Princess and Landgravine Marie of Hesse-Kassel
Prince Adolphus of Britain m. Princess Augusta of Hesse-Kassel
Ferdinand, Crown Prince of Austria m. Princess Elisabeth Ludovika of Bavaria
[1] In 1814, William was engaged to Princess Charlotte of Wales, arranged by the Prince Regent.
(But IOTL it was broken off because Charlotte's mother was against the marriage and because Charlotte did not want to move to the Netherlands)
ITTL, with her not being the only child and sole heir to Prince Regent, Charlotte, doesn’t have a choice.
Also Leopold at this point in time was the youngest son of Francis, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, and Countess Augusta of Reuss-Ebersdorf, the duchy of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld was tiny and insignificant for a Princess to marry into. Where as, for a consort of a Queen it meant there was no unification of another foreign nation.
The couple had a very loving marriage and having Dutch doctors around her, Charlotte is able to survive childbirth and produce heir, spares and daughters.
[2] Named after his father and grandfather, the birth of the Prince was a celebration for everyone.
Due to his parents relationship and the early death of his mother, the young George would have a very difficult relationship with his father.
[3] Mary, named after being born on 25th March (Lady Day) as well as the last two Queens of England with her full name Mary Anne, is the first of the second set of twins and raised in her sisters household, with Princess Frederica Charlotte of Prussia, Duchess of York, serving as Governess of the Princesses’s Household, and raised Mary to be the perfect Prussian bride.
She would share a many common things with both of them being patrons of artistic, literary and musical interests.
