Public Opinion!!
Not on view
This satire relates to George IV's efforts to gather sufficient evidence for Parliament to grant him a divorce from his long estranged wife, Princess Caroline of Brunswick. The green bags in this image contain details of her private life gathered by a commission sent to Italy, but these cannot outweigh her popularity with the British public, represented by a cheering John Bull and soldiers who offer toasts. In the end, the government decided not to proceed with the divorce, fearing a backlash (the king's excessive expenditures and frequent affairs had already turned the public against him).
No image available
