7. George III and Queen Charlotte
England’s King George III is primarily remembered in America as the last monarch to rule over the 13 British colonies. Widely regarded as a tyrant in American history texts, George III was one of Britain’s longest-serving monarchs. He ascended the throne during the final months of the Seven Years’ War, and retained it until his death in 1820, though during the latter years of his reign power was in the hands of the Prince Regent, his son George. His wife, Queen Charlotte, was the longest-serving Royal Consort in British history until surpassed by Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Charlotte endured a tumultuous reign, which included the American Revolution, the French Revolution, and the ensuing Napoleonic Wars, some of the most danger laden days of all British history.
A little-known fact of history is Charlotte’s long friendship with her French counterpart, Marie Antoinette. Though they never met, they maintained a lengthy correspondence, discussing the arts, their families, gardening, and patronage. When the revolution erupted in France, Charlotte offered Marie and her family and entourage sanctuary in England, and had rooms prepared to accept them should they be forced into exile. When Louis XVI and his Queen fled the revolutionaries in June, 1791, it was to rally forces of royalist supporters, rather than an attempted escape to England. It is impossible to determine how history would have changed had they accepted Queen Charlotte’s hospitality and the protection of the British king and nation. George and Charlotte were parents of two subsequent British monarchs, George IV and William IV, as well as the grandparents of Queen Victoria.