King George IV
(1762-1830), Regent 1811-19; Reigned 1820-30Regency Portraits Catalogue Entry
Sitter associated with 274 portraits
George, Prince of Wales was given no official duties by his father King George III. Jockeying for power, he sought to undermine the King by siding with the Whig opposition led by Charles James Fox. When the King went temporarily insane in 1788 William Pitt, the Tory Prime Minister, proposed a restricted Regency to protect the King's interests. The King's recovery three months later ended the 'Regency Crisis'. The Regency Bill was revived during the King's final illness. George was sworn Regent in 1811 and crowned King in 1820. Vain, self-indulgent and debauched he was, however, a man of exceptional taste and style who is best remembered for his magnificent patronage of the arts.
by Jean Condé, published by Pierre Condé, after Richard Cosway
stipple engraving, published 1 December 1794
NPG D14900
by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching and aquatint, published 24 January 1795
NPG D12515
by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 1 June 1795
NPG D12527
by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, engraving and aquatint, published 4 June 1795
NPG D12528
by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 21 November 1795
NPG D12548
by Jean Condé, after Richard Cosway
stipple engraving, published 1795
NPG D13730
published by John Fairburn
mezzotint, published 24 February 1795
NPG D19819
'Promis'd horrors of the French invasion, - or - forcible reasons for negotiating a regicide peace'
by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching and aquatint, published 20 October 1796
NPG D12579
'The presentation - or - the wise men's offering'
by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 9 January 1796
NPG D12553
King George IV ('Hint to modern sculptors, as an ornament to a future square')
by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured stipple engraving, published 3 May 1796
NPG D12570
by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 30 June 1796
NPG D12576
'The Jersey smuggler detected; - or - good cause for (separation) discontent'
by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 24 May 1796
NPG D13023
by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 25 May 1796
NPG D13024
by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 1 June 1796
NPG D13025
by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, engraving and aquatint, published 18 May 1797
NPG D12613
by Isaac Cruikshank, published by Samuel William Fores
hand-coloured etching, published 20 May 1797
NPG D15555
King George IV; Princess Caroline of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel
by Michael Sloane, published by Luigi Schiavonetti, after Richard Cosway
stipple engraving, published 12 April 1797
NPG D20038
'Duke William's ghost' (King George IV; William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland)
by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured soft-ground etching, published 7 May 1799
NPG D13030
by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 21 January 1801
NPG D12754
by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured stipple engraving, published 10 March 1802
NPG D12783
Related People
- Prince Adolphus Frederick, Duke of Cambridge (brother)
- Princess Amelia (sister)
- Princess Caroline of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel (wife)
- Charlotte Augusta Matilda, Princess Royal (sister)
- Princess Charlotte Augusta of Wales (daughter)
- Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (mother)
- Princess Elizabeth, Landgravine of Hesse-Homburg (sister)
- Ernest Augustus, Duke of Cumberland and King of Hanover (brother)
- Maria Anne Fitzherbert (née Smythe) (wife)
- Frederick, Duke of York and Albany (brother)
- King George III (father)
- Prince Edward, Duke of Kent and Strathearn (brother)
- Princess Mary, Duchess of Gloucester (sister)
- Prince Octavius (brother)
- Princess Augusta Sophia (sister)
- Prince Augustus Frederick, Duke of Sussex (brother)
- King William IV (brother)
Comments back to top
We are currently unable to accept new comments, but any past comments are available to read below.
If you need information from us, please use our Archive enquiry service . Please note that we cannot provide valuations. You can buy a print or greeting card of most illustrated portraits. Select the portrait of interest to you, then look out for a Buy a Print button. Prices start at around £6 for unframed prints, £16 for framed prints. If you wish to license an image, select the portrait of interest to you, then look out for a Use this image button, or contact our Rights and Images service. We digitise over 8,000 portraits a year and we cannot guarantee being able to digitise images that are not already scheduled.