William IV

William IV, born William Henry, was the third son of King George III and Queen Charlotte. He served in the Royal Navy during his youth and was present at the Battle of Cape St. Vincent in 1780. His naval career spanned from 1779 to 1790, during which he rose to the rank of rear admiral. William was known for his time spent in North America and the Caribbean, earning the nickname ‘Sailor King’. His personal life included a long cohabitation with actress Dorothea Jordan, with whom he had ten children, before marrying Princess Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen in 1818. Ascending to the throne at the age of 64, William IV’s reign was marked by significant reforms, including the abolition of slavery in the British Empire and the enactment of the Reform Acts of 1832. Despite not being heavily involved in politics, he was the last British monarch to appoint a prime minister against the will of Parliament. William died without any surviving legitimate offspring, and his niece Victoria succeeded him in the United Kingdom, while his brother Ernest Augustus inherited the Kingdom of Hanover.