King George III (born 4 June, 1738, ascended throne of Great Britain and Ireland 25 October 1760, died 29 January 1820).

This George was the grandson of King George II; his father, Frederick the Prince of Wales, had died before succeeding to the throne, and the title of Prince of Wales was conferred on him three weeks later.

He was unusual for the Hanoverian line of kings, in that he was born in England, spoke English as his first language, did not visit Hanover although he was both Duke and Prince Elector, had a happy marriage and did not have mistresses. George III chose as his homes St. James’s Palace, Kew Gardens, and Buckingham House. His personal life was damaged by what was thought to be an episodic madness and is now believed to have been a metabolic condition called porphyria. During his reign, Napoleon was defeated at Waterloo, Britain took control of India, lost control of its colonies in New England, and became retitled as the United Kingdom.

King George III and his wife Queen Charlotte were blessed with many children: George (to be IV); Frederick (Duke of York, traditional for a second son); William (to be IV); Charlotte (Princess Royal, title of oldest female); Edward (Duke of Kent); Augusta; Elizabeth; Ernest (King of Hanover); Augustus Frederick (Duke of Sussex); Adolphus Frederick (Duke of Cambridge); Mary; Sophia; Octavius; Alfred; and Amelia.

The Kensington Palace was finally brought to its present size or appearance by the Duke of Sussex, who added or rebuilt the rooms that form the angle on the south-west. The Duchess of Kent’s apartments were in the south-east part of the palace, under the King’s Gallery. It was also the home of the Princess Sophia, the poor blind daughter of George III, and described by a friend as, “an example of patient and unmurmuring endurance such as can rarely be met with.”