Monarchy on the Move: The Royal Visits of George III and George IV, 1760-1830

Royal progresses have been widely studied by historians of the Tudor and Stuart monarchy, who focus upon the scale of pageantry, symbolism and logistical arrangements involved. With the accession of the Hanoverian dynasty in 1714, however, royal travel in Britain declined, and this has resulted in a historiographical lacuna relating to the itinerant monarchy in the later eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. This thesis, therefore, aims to contribute to the growing field of Hanoverian studies by providing a comparative analysis of the royal visits of George III and George IV.

In doing so, this thesis offers an overview of the visits of each monarch, before analysing selected case studies in further detail to explore how royal visits were used as a mechanism through which the monarchy could present itself and communicate with the public. George III and George IV’s challenging father-son relationship and resultant opposing styles of kingship influenced their respective approach to royal visits, including where, how and with whom they chose to travel. The practicalities of organising royal visits were by no means an easy task, involving collaboration across the Royal Household, awaiting towns and individual hosts. Whilst on the road, the press interest in the Royal Family appeared to highlight the growing tension between the public and private lives of royal individuals. Moving beyond the royal perspective of travel, textual, visual and material sources produced in response to these visits demonstrate how those in the localities understood royal visits and the impact these occasions had on shaping and expressing both local and national identities. The increased visibility of the Royal Family on these visits helped the monarchy to distance itself from an active political role and showcase its new cultural and social position within society.