The Prince Regent had many enemies and few admirers, yet because he was the most prominent royal figure in his day, he was tolerated. His vices were many, but he had some good qualities. His social graces were impeccable and defined the manners of polite society of the time. His patronage of the arts and architecture helped to promote and propagate many different styles of the age. Though today we can thank him for “giving” us the styles of the Regency era, it was his dark side that prevailed in his time.
Many people have indulged in one or another of the deadly sins in their lives, but the Regent lived them. Though he started as a handsome, promising young man, his many sins led to his final destruction. Some historians have tried to analyse his behaviour to determine the cause and have suggested that it was part of a retaliation to his upbringing. Whatever the case, as Prince Regent to King George IV, he continued a profligate life which turned him into an anti-hero.
It may be difficult to separate the seven deadly sins into distinct parts when discussing our Prince Regent’s life, as he tended to display multiple sins in one single action. But we can see that he was definitely guilty of all the sins through his life.
Lust. There is no doubt that he, like many men of wealth and rank in his time, was lustful. He had several mistresses and was even married to two women at the same time. His first wife, Mrs. Fitzherbert, who bore him several children, was unfortunately a Catholic, and the union was deemed illegal. However, he did stay emotionally faithful to her, and returned to her between mistresses.
Gluttony. From a handsome young man with a neat figure, the Regent indulged in excessive food and drink, to become a stout figure who relied on tight stays and corsets to appear smaller than he was. This practice was the subject of much ridicule.
Greed. His extravagant lifestyle imposed a heavy debt which his allowance could not cover nor curb. In order to bring him to a sense of his responsibilities, Parliament agreed to pay his debts and increase his allowance if he married – someone more appropriate that Mrs. Fitzherbert. So, in effect, he married his Princess for the money he was promised. As it turned out, the extra money was not enough to maintain his new status. He spent much of his time devising means to obtain a larger allowance. Meanwhile, he continued his grandiose living.
Sloth. The Regent was a man of words more than action. He also liked to attribute other’s glories onto himself. He took little interest in politics except as it concerned his own position. He did not attempt to make his marriage work, nor did he show much concern for his daughter’s welfare. Of course, the Regent was active in society for his own pleasure, but he was not known for any charitable work.
Wrath. Like the spoilt child that he really was, the Regent flew into rages when circumstances were not what he wished them to be. This was most apparent in his relations, or lack thereof, with his wife and daughter. But he was also known to throw tantrums in public and against persons who disagreed with him. He and Princess Caroline shortly after the birth of Princess Charlotte and he spent considerable time and effort to obtain a divorce. He even resorted to using questionable means to discredit his enemies. Though he had alienated his wife, he sought vengeance against her subsequent insubordination. He even refused her attendance at his coronation.
Envy. Princess Charlotte was the most popular member of the royal family. This angered the Regent, who made her childhood miserable. He was jealous of her popularity and once, when she had invited the Duke of Wellington to a dinner party, the Regent attempted to keep the duke from attending by insisting that he be present at another function. He was unsuccessful, of course, which only made his anger worse. The Regent was also jealous of the public support for his wife against himself. He tried to sway popular opinion by humiliating her with accusations. It was known that he was also envious of the Duke of Wellington for his popularity after defeating Napolean.
Pride. It was his pride that perhaps explains all his feelings of anger, envy, greed, lust and sloth. It was his pride that forced him to squeeze himself into corsets rather than admit that he was fat. It was pride that made him live his extravagant lifestyle, accumulating enormous debts, patronising artists and architects who built his Pavilion and maintaining his other homes. It was his pride that caused his ultimate downfall in popularity.
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