Then there were Edward Duke of York, William Duke of Gloucester, Henry Duke of Cumberland and young Frederick William. She also had daughters: Augusta who was the eldest of the family and a year George's senior, and Elizabeth, poor deformed clever Elizabeth, who had died when George was Prince of Wales; and lastly there was Caroline Matilda, Frederick's posthumous child who was born four months after his death. But it was her eldest, George, who commanded her attention, for he was the King and on him rested her power.
But all the intricacies of state affairs had been overshadowed in George's mind by thoughts of marriage; for he was betrothed to the Princess Charlotte Sophia of Mecklenburg-Strelitz and he was in love with the Lady Sarah Lennox. As he confided to Lord Bute, that man whom he regarded as his closest friend and who was more than a friend to his mother, George 'boiled for Sarah Lennox'. All day he thought of Sarah; and Sarah was angry with him, which he would be the first to admit was reasonable. Had he not openly shown his feelings for her; he had even proposed obliquely it was true, through innuendoes, to her cousin and friend the Lady Susan Fox- Strangeways. And everyone had believed that he intended to put up a fight at least. There might not have been great opposition. He would have had Henry Fox, Sarah's brother-in-law, on his side and, apart from William Pitt, Fox was perhaps the greatest politician of the day.
But that would not be for long, George knew. His friend Lord Bute was already making plans to remove all those who stood in his way including Mr. Pitt for the reason that Mr. Pitt was no friend to Lord Bute and had made it quite clear that he would not give him a high place in the Government.
George had decided that he must do his duty which his mother and Lord Bute had made clear to him. Kings, of the House of Hanover always married German princesses; he could not marry this young English girl, although she had royal blood in her veins (the wrong side of the blanket, the Dowager Princess of Wales pointed out, for the girl's great-grandmother was Louise de Keroualle, Duchess of Portsmouth, and her great grandfather Charles II). As Sarah was the sister-in-law of Henry Fox this would mean that that very ambitious politician would have far too much influence with the King; moreover, the girl was frivolous and both Lord Bute and the Princess Dowager agreed that if they were going to maintain their hold on the King he must marry a docile German princess preferably one who spoke no English. This would leave them entirely in control of George as they had been since his father's death.
So together they had managed to persuade George of his duty, which had been made easier by that earlier disastrous affair of Hannah Lightfoot, the beautiful young Quakeress with whom George had fancied himself in love over several years and was so besotted that he had set her up in a house in Islington, had had children by her and even committed the greatest indiscretion of all by going through a form of marriage with her.
It was the memory of Hannah which had made George realize the folly he was capable of when he acted without the advice of his friend Lord Bute and his mother.
And so, while he yearned for Sarah Lennox, he agreed to this marriage which they had arranged for him. And now he was desperately trying to put all thought of Sarah from his mind and fall in love with the Princess Charlotte, for he was determined to be a faithful husband and a good king.
He was eager that the Court under his direction should be a moral Court. His grandfather and his great-grandfather had openly flaunted their mistresses. That was shocking, George declared, and had determined that a new standard of morals was going to be set in the reign of George III; if he had to make sacrifices, he was ready to do so.
Never in his life, he assured himself, would he be asked to make a bigger one than this. Therefore he set about making plans for his wedding, throwing himself into the arrangements heart and soul, in this way hoping to drive Sarah from his thoughts.
"There shall be no vulgar ceremony in the bedchamber," he announced. "I have long thought it time we dispensed with that ceremony which after all comes to us from the French.”
His mother and Lord Bute listened delightedly.
"Let him do what he will as long as he agrees to the marriage," said Lord Bute.
"I shall not wish her to bring more than one or two attendants with her," went on George. "These people are apt to meddle.”
His mother and Lord Bute agreed sympathetically that this was true.
"Your Majesty does well to take a firm stand," Bute told him.
The Princess Augusta shot a warning look at Lord Bute. Perhaps they should not remind George that he was the King and could do as he pleased. What if he decided to use the royal prerogative and insist on marriage with Sarah Lennox?
But Lord Bute knew what he was doing. The Princess smiled fondly at the man who was her secret lover though perhaps not so secret, for the whole Court was aware of their liaison and these titbits of gossip never remained inside the Court but always filtered through to the people.
Lord Bute gave her their intimate smile which seemed to say: "You can trust me." And she believed she could.
"How long, I wonder," said George, 'before the Princess arrives?”
"We shall press forward with all arrangements as soon as possible," Bute assured him. "Harcourt will see that there is no delay. Your Majesty is impatient for your bride.”
George hesitated. Perhaps, he thought, when she comes it will be easier. Once I am married to her I shall think only of her. It would be wonderful to put an end to this continual ache for Sarah.
"I am very impatient for that moment to come which will join me to her, I hope for my life.”
The Princess and Bute exchanged glances. George was so reliable except of course when he tried to act without their guidance. They both still shivered now when they contemplated the Lightfoot affair. The Sarah Lennox matter had been far more manageable. But once George was married all would be well. The marriage must take place at the earliest possible moment. Therefore it was comforting to hear from George's own lips that he was impatient for it. When they were alone Lord Bute and the Dowager Princess of Wales began discussing events more candidly than they were able to in the King's presence.
"I cannot wait for Charlotte's arrival," declared the Princess. "I shall not feel safe until they are married.”
"This will surely be one of the most hasty royal marriages that ever took place," smiled Bute. "I keep feeling that something will go wrong.”
Bute took her hand and kissed it tenderly; his eyes regarded her affectionately. He had good reason to feel affection for her. His fortunes had been going up ever since that day fourteen years ago when at Egham races a shower of rain had driven the late Prince of Wales into a tent and he, Bute, had been invited to join the royal party for a game of whist. He had immediately become a favourite of the Prince and an even greater one of the Princess. In those days Frederick had welcomed Bute's devotion to his wife; it had left Frederick to dally with his mistress of the moment while Bute took care of the Princess.
They had been a happy foursome and nothing could have been more amicable. But since Frederick's death, Bute's fortunes had risen fast. Not only had he made himself indispensable to the Princess but to her son; and George looked upon him as a father, for he had always played the part to perfection; and now that George was king, Bute's eyes were on the greatest power available. He wanted the position which was now held by William Pitt the man who was known throughout the country as the Great Commoner, who had dreamed of an Empire for England and had set about obtaining one for her. How he had succeeded was only too apparent.