The Trial of Queen Caroline by Jane Robins

Synopsis from Barnes & Noble:

"In The Trial of Queen Caroline, Jane Robins tells the story of one of history's least happy marriages. The future George IV could not be bothered to meet Caroline, Princess of Brunswick, a woman "with indelicate manners...and not very inviting appearance," before she arrived for the wedding. He was immediately disgusted by her. He far preferred one of his mistresses, whom he had secretly married in a Catholic ceremony, knowing that the British state would not recognize the marriage if it ever came to light.

In 1797, just three years after George and Caroline wed, the couple separated. George wrote to her that "our inclinations are not in our power, nor should either of us be held answerable to the other. "As Robins relates, Caroline took him at his word and proceeded to live exactly as she pleased, departing for Europe and a life of scandalous associations and debauched parties. Rumors of Caroline's lifestyle soon reached George, still Prince of Wales, who determined that she would never become Queen. To the shock of the nation, he demanded that the popular Caroline face a trial for adultery. The potential consequences included a death sentence at worst, and certain divorce and disgrace. The voice of the popular press, raised in anger for the first time in Britain, roared in disapproval. Riots spread in the countryside. The mother of a single, deceased child, Caroline became thepublic's favorite martyr."

I love historical nonfiction like this -- I find it fascinating to read about those whose manner of living was so different from my own, and I'm especially intrigued by England in the 18th and 19th centuries. This is one of those stories that make you shake your head wondering what the people involved were thinking. And I still can't get over the fact that the king was allowed to do anything he liked, while if the queen did the exact same thing, she could be divorced and tried for treason. Talk about your gender inequality!

I do take issue somewhat with the comment in the B&N synopsis regarding how George "could not be bothered to meet Caroline" before the wedding, only because this was not uncommon and reflects no more discredit on George than on any other royal of the time. Most royal marriages then were essentially business mergers, and what the participants thought and felt for each other didn't enter into it. What made this case uncommon was that the king tried to discard the queen years later. But my complaint is only with the synopsis, not the book itself.

The author is a gifted storyteller -- a lot of the information that could be very dry is presented in a lively, fast-paced manner, and she presents the major characters well -- you feel that they were real people, not just historical personages. Overall, I found this book quite interesting and would recommend it to anyone with an interest in this period of history.