This royal historian’s “lively study of the four Georges who sat on the English throne for over a century is a joy” (Jane Austen’s Regency World). For over one hundred years of turmoil, upheaval, and scandal, Great Britain was a Georgian land. From the day the German-speaking George I stepped off the boat from Hanover to the night that George IV, bloated and diseased, breathed his last at Windsor, the four kings had presided over a changing nation. Kings of Georgian Britain offers a fresh perspective on the lives of the four Georges and the events that shaped their characters and reigns. From love affairs to family feuds, political wrangling, and beyond, it is a chance to peer behind the pomp and follow these iconic figures from cradle to grave. After all, being a king isn’t always about grand parties and jaw-dropping jewels, and sometimes following in a father’s footsteps can be the hardest job around. Take a step back in time and meet the wives, mistresses, friends, and foes of these remarkable kings who shaped the nation, and find out what really went on behind closed palace doors. Whether dodging assassins, marrying for money, digging up their ancestors, or sparking domestic disputes that echoed down the generations, the kings of Georgian Britain were never short on drama. “[A] chronological series of amusing anecdotes. [Curzon is] often whimsical, has a good sense of pace and you can imagine her stifling a smirk while writing this unusual biography.” —History of Royals

An account of four royal women that’s “as inherently fascinating as it is exceptionally informative . . . an extraordinary read from beginning to end” (Midwest Book Review). Once upon a time there were four kings called George who, thanks to a quirk of fate, ruled Great Britain for over a century. Hailing from Germany, these occasionally mad, bad, and infamous sovereigns presided over a land in turmoil. Yet what of the remarkable women who were crowned alongside them? From the forgotten princess locked in a tower to an illustrious regent, a devoted consort, and a notorious party girl, the queens of Georgian Britain lived lives of scandal, romance, and turbulent drama. Whether dipping into politics or carousing on the shores of Italy, Caroline of Ansbach, Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, and Caroline of Brunswick refused to fade into the background. Queens of Georgian Britain offers a chance to step back in time and meet the women who ruled alongside the Georgian monarchs, not forgetting Sophia Dorothea of Celle, the passionate princess who never made it as far as the throne. From lonely childhoods to glittering palaces, via family feuds, smallpox, strapping soldiers, and plenty of scheming, these are the queens who shaped an era. “A lively deep dive into the lives of four women regularly overshadowed by their husbands . . . Curzon is a captivating writer and this book is an impressive addition to her existing Georgian books.” —The Lazy Historian “Curzon has a breezy, colloquial style . . . an easy and informative read.” —Historical Novels Review

Publisher description

This comprehensive catalogue considers the artistic patronage of the first Hanoverian monarchs, as well as the works acquired by Queen Caroline and Frederick, Prince of Wales, many of which have never been seen publically or catalogued fully before. It includes works produced in Britain, France and Germany during their reigns and explores all aspects of life, science, politics and art during this 'revolutionary' period.

“A thorough examination of the morals and mindset of Georgian Britons towards sex and sexuality . . . well-written, engaging and educational.” —Caitlyn Lynch, USA Today-bestselling author Peek beneath the bedsheets of eighteenth- and early nineteenth-century Britain in this affectionate, informative and fascinating look at sex and sexuality during the reigns of Georges I-IV. It examines the prevailing attitudes towards male and female sexual behavior, and the ways in which these attitudes were often determined by those in positions of power and authority. It also explores our ancestors’ ingenious, surprising, bizarre and often entertaining solutions to the challenges associated with maintaining a healthy sex life. Did the people in Georgian Britain live up to their stereotypes when it came to sexual behavior? This book will answer this question, as well as looking at fashion, food, science, art, medicine, magic, literature, love, politics, faith and superstition through a new lens, leaving the reader enlightened and with a new regard for the ingenuity and character of our ancestors. “This book was funny, at times, and for a slim volume is quite comprehensive . . . Good introduction to the period, very easy to read and entertaining.” —Rosie Writes . . .

Kensington Palace is now most famous as the former home of Diana, Princess of Wales, but the palace's glory days came between 1714 and 1760, during the reigns of George I and II . In the eighteenth century, this palace was a world of skulduggery, intrigue, politicking, etiquette, wigs, and beauty spots, where fans whistled open like switchblades and unusual people were kept as curiosities. Lucy Worsley's The Courtiers charts the trajectory of the fantastically quarrelsome Hanovers and the last great gasp of British court life. Structured around the paintings of courtiers and servants that line the walls of the King's Staircase of Kensington Palace-paintings you can see at the palace today-The Courtiers goes behind closed doors to meet a pushy young painter, a maid of honor with a secret marriage, a vice chamberlain with many vices, a bedchamber woman with a violent husband, two aging royal mistresses, and many more. The result is an indelible portrait of court life leading up to the famous reign of George III , and a feast for both Anglophiles and lovers of history and royalty.