George III

Europe

Africa

Asia

Middle East

North America

Caribbean

Sundries

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Legacy

While tremendously popular in Britain, George was hated by the rebellious American colonists. The United States Declaration of Independence held him personally responsible for the political problems faced by the United States. The Declaration does not blame either Parliament or the ministers, and exposure to the views expressed in the Declaration has led the American public to perceive George as a tyrant. This view is a historical consequence of the political climate of the times, wherein the true state of the King's governing powers and mental health were practically unknown by the general public, and even less so by the distant North American colonies ruled under his crown. Another factor that exacerbated American resentment was the King's failure to intercede personally on the colonists' behalf after the Olive Branch Petition.

George was hated in Ireland for the atrocities carried out in his name during the suppression of the 1798 rebellion.

George's insanity is the subject of the film The Madness of King George (1994), based on the play The Madness of George III by Alan Bennett. The film concerns George's first bouts of insanity. He was portrayed by Nigel Hawthorne, who received the Laurence Olivier Award and was nominated for an Academy Award for his role.

George may have suffered from a disease now known as porphyria. It had struck at various times, and made him appear to be mentally ill, also making him incapable of logical acts. This may be part of why he was thought to be insane.

There are cities and towns in former British colonies which are named Georgetown. Some of these may be named after George III and some after his son George IV. Statues of George III can be seen today in (amongst other locations) the courtyard of Somerset House in London, and in Weymouth, Dorset, which he popularised as a seaside resort (one of the first in England). A statue of George III was pulled down in New York at the beginning of the War of Independence in 1776 and two engravings of its destruction still exist.

Style and arms

In Great Britain, George III used the official style "George the Third, by the Grace of God, King of Great Britain, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, etc." In 1801, when Great Britain united with Ireland, he took the opportunity to drop his claim to the French Throne. He also dispensed with the phrase "etc.," which was added during the reign of Elizabeth I. His style became, "George the Third, by the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland King, Defender of the Faith."

Whilst he was King of Great Britain, George's arms were: Quarterly, I Gules three lions passant guardant in pale Or (for England) impaling Or a lion rampant within a double-tressure flory-counter-flory Gules (for Scotland); II Azure three fleurs-de-lys Or (for France); III Azure a harp Or stringed Argent (for Ireland); IV tierced per pale and per chevron (for Hanover), I Gules two lions passant guardant Or (for Brunswick), II Or a semy of hearts Gules a lion rampant Azure (for L¸neburg), III Gules a horse courant Argent (for Westfalen), overall an escutcheon Gules charged with the crown of Charlemagne Or (for the dignity of Archtreasurer of the Holy Roman Empire).

When he became King of the United Kingdom, his arms were amended, dropping the French quartering. They became: Quarterly, I and IV Gules three lions passant guardant in pale Or (for England); II Or a lion rampant within a double tressure flory-counter-flory Gules (for Scotland); III Azure a harp Or stringed Argent (for Ireland); overall an escutcheon tierced per pale and per chevron (for Hanover), I Gules two lions passant guardant Or (for Brunswick), II Or a semy of hearts Gules a lion rampant Azure (for Lunenburg), III Gules a horse courant Argent (for Westfalen), the whole inescutcheon surmounted by an electoral bonnet. In 1816, two years after the Electorate of Hanover became a Kingdom, the electoral bonnet was changed to a crown.

His titles from birth to death in chronological order were:

• His Royal Highness Prince George of Wales

• His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh

• His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales

• His Majesty The King