Prince of Pleasure: The Prince of Wales and the Making of the Regency

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When the future British monarch George IV (1762-1830) was a lad of 15, his head instructor predicted the Prince of Wales "will either be the most polished gentleman or the most accomplished blackguard in Europe, possibly an admixture of both." It was, as historian Saul David notes, "a particularly prescient remark." He is most popularly remembered for setting the pace for drunkenness and lechery among England's upper crust, not to mention his attempts to exploit the "madness" of his father, George III, for political gain (which would incidentally help him raise the money necessary to pay off his massive debts). But, David says, he was also a generous patron of the arts--responsible for, among other things, the establishment of the National Portrait Gallery--and played a critical role in the multinational campaign against Napoleon, thereby securing Britain's position of supremacy.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Described as "a man who would prefer a girl and a bottle to politics and a sermon," George Augustus Frederick (1762-1830), the oldest son of King George III, was a pivotal and highly controversial figure in England's Regency period. Although his scandalous liaisons with prostitutes and duchesses, a "secret" marriage to his true love - the Catholic Mrs. Fitzherbert - and a publicly ridiculed (bigamous) marriage to Caroline of Brunswick threatened to eclipse his contributions to British history, Saul David's engrossing biography Prince of Pleasure shows a man of high intelligence and political ambition. His actions reflected the ambivalent relationship of the monarchy to Parliament at a time when the nation was infected by revolution fervor in America and France. The participation of George IV in public affairs had enduring positive influences. His support for overseas campaigns against Napoleon, culminating in such historic victories as Trafalgar and Waterloo, consolidated Britain's status as the preeminent world power amid the great social and economic upheavals of the industrial revolution. His passion for the arts left England with cultural legacies such as the Royal Pavilion in Brighton, Regent's Park and the National Portrait Gallery in London, and the defining architectural image of Regency style. At once farce, tragedy, and melodrama, the story of George IV is depicted with artistry and great force, introducing a cast of contemporary figures such as Beau Brummell, Lord Byron, and Jane Austen.

FROM THE CRITICS

Valentine Cunningham - The New York Times Book Review