Caroline of Brunswick

Caroline of Brunswick (1768-1821), queen consort of Great Britain as wife of King George IV. She was the daughter of Charles William Ferdinand, Duke of Brunswick; her uncle King George III arranged her marriage to his son, George, then Prince of Wales, in 1795. George, however, disliked her and, after the birth of their daughter, Charlotte Augusta, deserted her; from 1813 on, she lived much of the time in Italy. She returned to England in 1820, when George ascended the throne. Accused of adultery, she was tried by the House of Lords but drew such enthusiastic crowds at her public appearances that the trial was abandoned. Her husband, however, would not be reconciled with her, and she was forcibly prevented from attending his coronation in 1821. She died soon afterwards.