The most notorious coronation in British history

The future King George IV was born to King George III and Queen Charlotte on 12 August 1762, less than a year after their wedding. The much-welcomed heir would go on to become one of the most notorious monarchs in history, with a coronation unrivalled by any other. 

A coronation sixty years in the making

By the time King George IV became monarch in 1820, he had spent nearly a decade in his father’s place as Prince Regent. And for several decades before that, he had spent most of his adult life seeking out exces s- the most expensive clothing, luxurious homes across Britain, more food and alcohol than one needs, and more. 

So, it would surprise few that George IV would have the most expensive coronation in British history when the ceremony was held on 19 July at Westminster Abbey. 

From the beginning of his reign, the new king set out to have the most impressive coronation in history. Napoleon’s coronation at Notre-Dame Cathedral in 1804 was a lavish and glittering affair, and George declared that he would “quite eclipse Napoleon”. 

The staggering sum of money spent to crown King George IV

And he did. His father, George III, had spent around £10,000 on his coronation. George IV splashed out £243,000. The total cost is put at around £25 million in today’s money. And that’s no surprise, either. The new King George IV demanded the best of the best for everything – he received money from the government, but also from French reparations following the Treaty of Paris. He spent that and more. 

His adult life had been spent seeking out the very best money could buy in every area so George was well prepared in finding the ultimate expressions of royal power and pageantry for his coronation, an event he’d waited almost sixty years to enjoy.

The new king, who had been nicknamed Prinny during his long time as heir to the throne, loved clothes and started off with a wardrobe truly fit for royalty. His coronation outfit included robes decorated with gold embroidery, made to the latest fashions. He also insisted everyone involved wear their best, from the lords of the realm to the clergy. London’s clothiers and tailors did very well out of George’s coronation.

Unsurprisingly, the man known for setting the taste in fashion for British society spent close over £3,500,000 pounds on uniforms and robes for the day. 

The new king’s jewels alone cost a staggering £8,500,000 in today’s money. One of the pieces he commissioned as a diamond diadem bearing the symbols of the four countries of his Crown. And so jewellers created sparkling versions of the rose, the shamrock, the thistle and the daffodil in a coronet that the new king wore to walk to Westminster Abbey. It is now known as the George IV State Diadem and is worn by queens.

He spent almost £1,500,000 in current money terms preparing Westminster Abbey for the ceremony (including adding scaffolding to hold over 4,000 more guests) and Westminster Hall for the banquet. 

How the coronation of George IV went into the history books – for the wrong reason

The banquet would prove to be an historic one. George IV insisted on the continuation of an ancient tradition that even then seemed out of date. As had happened since the days of William the Conqueror, the King’s Champion rode into the banquet to challenge anyone who doubted the monarch’s right to rule. It was the last time such a spectacle was seen. At the Coronation of King Charles III, the King’s Champion sat in the congregation instead.

Although it remains to this day the most expensive coronation in British history, the day did have a pall cast over it. George’s estranged wife, Caroline of Brunswick, was barred from entering the Abbey. When she tried to enter, the door was quite literally closed in her face. 

The couple had been involved in a public divorce battle which had seen scurrilous rumours about both talked about around the country. Sympathy had lain with Queen Caroline until the coronation when her demands for entrance became embarrassing and she was booed for the first time. She died soon afterwards.

George IV reigned for just ten years in total, dying in 1830. He was succeeded by his brother who became King William IV. He was so horrified by the expense his brother had lavished on the 1821 coronation that he at first refused to be crowned at all until he was persuaded to put on a much more low key ceremony.