William iv

May's Monarch of the Month is King William IV, predecessor and uncle to Queen Victoria! The Sailor King had a short but full reign as King of Great Britain

Shee was an Irish writer and painter whose first contact with royalty was a commission in 1800 to paint the Duke of Clarence (later William IV). His moment came in 1830 when William IV succeeded his brother and when he succeeded Lawrence as President of the Royal Academy and was knighted in the same year. All the original works of Shee in the collection were commissioned or acquired by William IV. Shee did also paint Queen Victoria in 1842 (Royal Academy). This portrait was one of two…

H.M. King William IV in a portrait by David Wilkie, c. 1835.

H.M. King William IV, in an 1832 portrait by Andrew Morton.

Choosing who was the looniest – or at least the most eccentric – monarch to ever rule the British Empire isn't easy; let's be honest, there are a lot of

William IV in 1833 by Shee cropped - William IV - Wikipedia

William IV by William Beechey Oil on Canvas, early 19th century

King William IV of the United Kingdom