Imagine being so hated by your husband that he literally collapses into a bottle of brandy the first time he sees you. Honestly, that was just Tuesday for Caroline of Brunswick.
History usually remembers royal weddings as these sweeping, romantic milestones. Not this one. When the future King George IV first met Caroline in 1795, he didn't lean in for a kiss. He turned to his aide and gasped, "Harris, I am not well; pray get me a glass of brandy."
Basically, it was a disaster from second one.
The Messiest Marriage in British History
Caroline of Brunswick wasn't your typical, polished princess. She was loud. She was impulsive. Rumor has it she wasn't particularly fond of soap and water either, which didn't help her case with George, a man who spent half the national budget on silk waistcoats and hair oil.
Why did they even get married? Money. George was drowning in debt—think millions in today's currency—and Parliament promised to pay it off if he took a wife. He chose Caroline, his first cousin, sight unseen.
They barely made it through the wedding night. George was reportedly so drunk he spent the night passed out in the bedroom fireplace. Somehow, they managed to conceive their only child, Princess Charlotte, but the "happy" couple separated almost immediately after the birth.
George went back to his mistresses. Caroline? She moved to a private house in Blackheath and decided to live her best, albeit chaotic, life.
The "Delicate Investigation" and the Baby Scandal
Caroline didn't just sit around crying. She threw wild parties. She ate raw onions on the floor with her friends (yeah, really). She even started "collecting" local orphans to raise, which led to one of the biggest scandals of the Regency era.
In 1806, people started whispering that one of these kids, a boy named William Austin, was actually her secret illegitimate son.
The King launched a "Delicate Investigation." They poked into her laundry, her bedroom habits, and her friendships. While they couldn't prove the kid was hers—his real mom actually came forward—they still scolded her for "levity of conduct."
You've got to feel for her a little. While George was openly living with other women, Caroline was being dragged through the mud for having a personality.
Italy, Lovers, and the Trial of the Century
By 1814, Caroline had had enough of England. She packed her bags and headed to Italy. This is where things get truly wild. She hired a dashing Italian courier named Bartolomeo Pergami.
Before long, Pergami wasn't just carrying her luggage; he was running her entire household. They traveled the Mediterranean together, lived in a gorgeous villa on Lake Como, and basically acted like a married couple. The British tabloids went absolutely feral.
But then, the old King George III died in 1820.
Suddenly, Caroline’s estranged husband was King George IV. That meant Caroline was, legally, the Queen of England. She decided to come home and claim her crown.
George was horrified. He tried to bribe her with £50,000 to stay away. She basically told him where to shove it and hopped on a boat. When she hit the shores of Dover, the public went wild. They loved her. Not necessarily because she was a saint, but because they hated George so much.
To get rid of her, George pushed the Bill of Pains and Penalties. It was essentially a public divorce trial in the House of Lords.
The "trial" was a circus. Witnesses were brought from Italy to testify about Caroline and Pergami’s sleeping arrangements. One witness, Teodoro Majocchi, became a national joke because he kept answering "Non mi ricordo" (I don't remember) to every question.
Why the Public Sided With Caroline
- The Underdog Factor: People saw a powerful King using the entire weight of the law to crush one woman.
- Hypocrisy: Everyone knew George was a serial philanderer.
- Radical Politics: Supporting Caroline became a way to protest the government without getting arrested for treason.
The Coronation Debacle and the Sad End
The government eventually dropped the divorce bill because they were terrified of a revolution. Caroline had won... sort of.
The breaking point came at George’s coronation in 1821. It was the most expensive coronation in history. George spent a fortune on a diamond-encrusted crown and 20-foot long robes. He also hired professional prizefighters to stand at the doors of Westminster Abbey to keep Caroline out.
It was a pathetic sight. The Queen of England was literally running from door to door, banging on the wood, yelling "I am the Queen!" as the guards turned her away. The crowd, which used to adore her, actually started to hiss and jeer. She looked desperate.
Nineteen days later, she was dead.
Some people whispered about poison. Honestly? It was probably a bowel obstruction or cancer, made worse by the sheer stress of being the most hated/loved woman in the world. Her final wish was to be buried in her native Brunswick with a plate on her coffin that read: “Here lies Caroline, the Injured Queen of England.” The British government actually tried to unscrew the plate. They were petty until the very end.
What We Can Learn From Caroline’s Story
Caroline of Brunswick wasn't a perfect victim. She was messy, loud, and made some truly questionable choices. But her life shows us exactly how the "court of public opinion" worked long before the internet.
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If you're interested in the real history of the British monarchy, look past the "perfect" queens. The ones like Caroline, who refused to go quietly, are usually the ones who tell us the most about how power actually works.
Next Steps for History Buffs:
If you want to see the sites of Caroline’s drama, visit the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich, where she first landed in England. You can also look up the satirical cartoons of James Gillray from that era; they capture the "Regency vibe" better than any textbook ever could.