King George III, his Queen Charlotte and their family

[Taren]

I said if they had representation OR their own parliament. If they had gotten their own Parliament the United States would probably be another Canada today. They, like Canada, would recognize the Queen. Canada hasn't rebelled yet, though there is the issue with Quebec.

You could also argue that many in Australia are calling for complete independence. I guess that's true. I don't live there. I guess we'll see what will happen with that. If the United States was Australia, they would have waited over 230 years for rebellion. A good ride while it lasted.

Don't get me wrong -I like the American system of government. It has its issues, but so do the American people. I'm glad that the colonists rebelled. I prefer this system of government for this country. I prefer a constitutional monarchy for England, but that's just because I'm selfish -I like looking at all the pretty dresses and jewelry. 

[ilyala]

i prefer monarchy because it's a system that offers much more stability than the change of government every four years. i know the british change their governments too but the link between them is the queen and i think that it's a very important link.

however, the type of monarchy that australia and canada have is purely nominal. the queen is in name also the queen of canada but she doesn't even get to act as a link between the different governments. i think many people don't even realize that she's also queen of canada. in name, anyway.

it's kind of weird, and i think it would be better if they actually set up a canadian dinasty. unfortunatly, i think that if they change the queen they'll probably change her for a president, because many people think it's retarded to have a monarchy.

[helenazar]

One Pharse!!

Taxation without representation in the House of Commons and House of Lords.  George III made the wrong group of people mad over taxes and trade.  Money $$$$ has always and always will drive the USA.

TampaBay

According to a documentary I saw the other day, George felt justified to tax the American colonies because Britain spent lots of money to defend them from the French some time before that, so they needed to recoup that money. So this was the justification on Britain's part...

[Taren]

it's kind of weird, and i think it would be better if they actually set up a canadian dinasty. unfortunatly, i think that if they change the queen they'll probably change her for a president, because many people think it's retarded to have a monarchy.

That's right. There are many that find monarchy to be outdated, so they would probably choose a president. If there was a Canadian monarchy there would also be the issue of who the monarch would be and there's not really any choice I can think of that would satisfy everyone. I doubt they could get away with choosing a second son from another monarchy with no ties to Canada, such as was done with George I of Greece.

Many in America consider the Kennedys to be our royal family, but I don't think anyone would advocate Ted Kennedy for king! It would be the Hanovers all over again.

[helenazar]

Funny enough, they wanted to make George Washington king when he won the revolutionary war, but he would have none of it. I don't think that the US would go over well as a monarchy...

[Prince_Lieven]

Funny enough, they wanted to make George Washington king when he won the revolutionary war, but he would have none of it. I don't think that the US would go over well as a monarchy...

Well, it mightn't seem like that if Washington had accepted. If he had, the US monarchy would be over 200 years old!

[Taren]

Actually, since Washington had no children (and only stepchildren) it might not have worked so well.

Though it might seem odd to think of America as a monarchy, sometimes it seems that way with the way that certain political families pass down power. The Bush family has had two presidents and one governor. The Kennedy's have had one president, one attorney general, one (current) senator, several congressmen, one lieutenant governor, and one governor-in-law. In addition, many family members, despite never being elected anything, are or were beloved. Ex. JFK jr. and Maria Shriver (prior to being first lady of CA), Caroline Kennedy Schlossburg, Eunice Shriver (I'm with Oprah -that woman could have been elected president). There were two Adams presidents and two Harrisons and two Roosevelts. The Clintons are a married ex president and senator. Bob and Elizabeth Dole are a married ex senator and current senator and she used to run the red cross. I know I'm missing others.

One might say that we have had elected monarchies during certain periods in time. I think that the reason we elect so many people who are related is because on some level we like the idea of a royal family -just not enough to get a real one.

[helenazar]

Funny enough, they wanted to make George Washington king when he won the revolutionary war, but he would have none of it. I don't think that the US would go over well as a monarchy...

Well, it mightn't seem like that if Washington had accepted. If he had, the US monarchy would be over 200 years old!

I'm still not so sure if monarchy would have lasted this long, even if GW accepted the crown, especially since - like Taren said - he had no biological heirs. Even if he did, it would have been hard for his successor to measure up in the eyes of the Americans, unless he was elected specifically, as was the case. There may have been another revolution, but if it did end up being a permanent monarchy, I imagine that the US would have been a very different country today...

[Nadezhda_Edvardova]

The proposal to make George Washington a king was never seriously considered.  It was just an idea which floated about in certain circles.  The idea of democracy and representative government was too firmly entrenched in the colonies.  Pax, N.

[Marc]

I was reading in some book that the posible brides for George III were:A princess von Brandenburg(don't know which one),but she was rejected because of her adulterous mother who was locked up as punishment for having an affair with a courtier,then Princess Frederica von Sachsen-Coburg,but she was struck off the list because she was deformed and belived to be incapable of having children and then Princess Caroline von Hesse-Darmstadt but her chances vanished when it emerged that her father,the Landgrave von Hesse-Darmstadt,was mad.And then it was Charlotte...anyone who can add something?

[Prince_Lieven]

A Hanoverian topic!!!  Thanks Marc!!

Well, she was never considered a real potential bride, but George was completely besotted with the Duke of Richmond's daughter, Lady Sarah Lennox, a direct descendant of King Charles II. His government, however, felt that, quite apart from the difference in status, the fact that Sarah's sister Caroline was related by marriage to political radical Charles James Fox was enough to discount her as a potential queen of Britain. George was known to blush whenever Sarah's name was mentioned.

There was also rumours that George had secretly married a Quakeress, Hannah Lightfoot. Wikipedia says the rumours were proved false, but I'm not sure if that can be trusted. That said, I don't think George was really the type for secret marriages.

Charlotte was quite a minor princess to be elevated to such a high position - only two of her great-great-great-great-grandfathers were kings.

Oh, and though she certainly can't be considered a possible bride, I think it's worth mentioning Lady Pembroke - when George was suffering one of his bouts of illness, he became convinced to he was married to her, much to the embarrassment of the Queen and the lady herself. When reminded that he was married to Queen Charlotte, the King snapped 'I do not like the Queen. She is a cold woman and her children are afraid of her' or something of the kind. 

[Prince_Christopher]

I was reading in some book that the posible brides for George III were:A princess von Brandenburg(don't know which one),but she was rejected because of her adulterous mother who was locked up as punishment for having an affair with a courtier,then Princess Frederica von Sachsen-Coburg,but she was struck off the list because she was deformed and belived to be incapable of having children and then Princess Caroline von Hesse-Darmstadt but her chances vanished when it emerged that her father,the Landgrave von Hesse-Darmstadt,was mad.And then it was Charlotte...anyone who can add something?

LOL, Marc!

Poor George! Not such a good selection to choose from.

[Taren]

So no non-Germans were considered? Was this because the royal family was primarily German? I know Queen Alexandra was the first non-German queen in goodness knows how long.

[Prince_Christopher]

For monarchs, Alexandra would have been the first non-German since Queen Anne's husband, George of Denmark, as far as I can figure.

It is interesting that there were only German marriages among the Hanoverians.  Of course, they were extremely pro-German.  All of the Georges and Frederick, Prince of Wales, all had German wives.  Even the daughters married Germans if they were able to marry, the only exceptions I can think of are the two princesses (daughters of George II and Frederick) who married Danish kings. 

I guess, considering religion and other factors, there was not much of a choice....It was either marry a German or possibly an English person (some did).

[ilyala]

A Hanoverian topic!!!   Thanks Marc!!

Well, she was never considered a real potential bride, but George was completely besotted with the Duke of Richmond's daughter, Lady Sarah Lennox, a direct descendant of King Charles II. His government, however, felt that, quite apart from the difference in status, the fact that Sarah's sister Caroline was related by marriage to political radical Charles James Fox was enough to discount her as a potential queen of Britain. George was known to blush whenever Sarah's name was mentioned.

has anyone else seen the miniseries on the lennox sisters? it's fascinating! for a while i didn't even think it was true, it was just too good.

actually, caroline was not related by marriage but was the mother of charles james fox. but at the time when george's marriage was considered, charles james was young and unimportant. more important was his father, caroline's husband and sarah's brother in law, henry fox, a member of the cabinet and secretary of state.

sarah ended up marrying someone else, divorcing, subject of scandal and then marrying george napier, an impoverished soldier. they had eight children, including charles james napier, an important british general in india.