What is the problem with King George in "Queen Charlotte"? Historians debate his diagnosis

The king endures horrible treatments in the spin-off of Bridgeton.


If you are a fan of Netflix romance series Bridgerton , there is a good chance that you were intrigued by the release of the Spinoff Show Queen Charlotte: a story of Bridgerton . After all, Queen Charlotte is a character in the primary series, and although she is generally represented as a lover of gossip with costumes and exaggerated hairstyles, there is a mystery on her marriage which Bridgerton Do not explore in depth. In Queen Charlotte: a story of Bridgerton , however, viewers can see what Charlotte's life looked like when she was a young queen and discovers her marriage to King George III, who suffers from a mysterious disease.

Reine Charlotte And King George were real people, of course, and some of the scenarios of the two programs are rooted in reality. Charlotte and George were really married in 1761 and welcomed 15 children together, for example. But Bridgerton And Reine Charlotte are fictitious shows inspired by real history, as well as certain historical rumors. For example, Charlotte's character is black, which refers to the theories that the real Charlotte de Mecklenburg-Strelitz had a black ancestry. This idea, which is based on certain descriptions of its appearance, has been said lacking in evidence By many historians, but that makes another source of tension in the intrigue of the show.

One aspect of Reine Charlotte This is strongly based in reality that the real king George was quite sick. The show shows how poorly understood the mental illness at the time, because George underwent many painful treatments to try to find a remedy. Since his death, more research has been carried out on King George III's disease, thanks to modern medicine and psychiatry. Read the rest to find out more about the real monarch, its potential diagnosis and how it all compares to what viewers have seen Queen Charlotte: a story of Bridgerton .

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What disease did King George had Reine Charlotte ?

How is King George's disease shown in Bridgerton ?

King George ( James fleet ) appears only in Bridgerton On a few occasions, but it is clear that he suffers from a kind of mental illness and was held away from the rest of the royal court outside of visits with his wife, Charlotte ( Golda Roshevel ). But in Queen Charlotte: a story of Bridgerton , much more revealed on the character.

In the prequel series, the young king George ( Corey Mylchreest ) Initially does not want to spend a lot of time with his new wife, Charlotte ( India moored ). He finally revealed that it was because he undergoes unpredictable dissociations from reality. It becomes obsessed with astrology, scribbles on the walls of their palaces, flows outside naked in the middle of the night and is not always able to have coherent conversations with others.

King George receives treatments which are essentially forms of torture from an aggressive and strict doctor, John Monro ( Guy Henry ). The link between George and Charlotte is strengthening by learning the truth about her health struggles.

What disease did King George had?

Corey Mylchreest and India Amarteifio in
Nick Wall / Netflix

In real life, King George III became known as "Fou George", because his illness was not understood during his lifetime. Today, there is still no final answer as to what it was suffering exactly. As reported by PBS, in the 1960s, two psychiatrists determined on the basis of their research that George had porphyria , which affects the ability of the body to produce hemoglobin.

PBS explains that, more recently, researchers from St George's, University of London, have however determined that he suffered from a serious mental illness rather than porphyria. In addition, research based on George's letters and the way they have been written suggest that he may have had a bipolar disorder. According to the Mayo clinic, bipolar disorder is "a state of mental health that causes extreme mood swings that include emotional highs (mania or hypomania) and stockings (depression)".

In addition to that, a 2005 study on George's hair found high levels of arsenic. This could have come from the drugs given to him to treat his illness, but it may have aggravated his illness instead.

What is Porphyria?

1763 Painting of King George III by Studio of Allan Ramsay
National Scottish / Getty Images Galleries

Since Porphyria is the diagnosis often attributed to King George, let's take a closer look. According to Mayo Clinic, porphyria "Referring to a group of rare disorders resulting from an accumulation of natural chemicals called porphyrins in the body. Porphyrin is necessary to make the heme, part of hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is a protein in the Red blood cells. And fabrics. "Porphyrins can accumulate in the body if you don't have enough eight enzymes necessary to transform them into hem.

There are two types of porphyrias: acute porphyrias can affect the nervous system and skin porphyrias mainly affect the skin. Because the symptoms of acute porphyrias may include mental health problems, it seems more likely that it is the type that George III could have had. People with acute porphyrias can suffer from intense pain, digestive problems, respiratory problems and high blood pressure, as well as "mental changes, such as anxiety, hallucinations or mental confusion" and convulsions.

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What treatment did King George received?

Corey Mylchreest in
Liam Daniel / Netflix

Dr. John Monro appeared in Queen Charlotte: a story of Bridgerton was a real person. According to Los Angeles Times ,, He directed the Royal Hospital of Bethlem , which was known as "Bedlam" because of his conditions, and he in fact treated King George.

Andrew Roberts , Who wrote the book The last king of America: the misunderstood reign of King George III , said to Los Angeles Times This George "was tortured, mainly". Treatments included bleeding, skin blisters, leeches and the king's installation in a tank top for days at the same time.

"This is what you did with mental people at that time, and it was exactly the worst thing to do," said Roberts. The author added that there was also a reason for the doctors to keep the king in pain. "They were paid three times the amounts you obtained for normal consultation fees," he said.

George was then processed by another doctor, Francis Willis , which used more modern methods and was able to provide George with a certain level of relief, said Roberts.

How would King George be treated today?

Portrait of King George III from 1810s
Original assembly / Getty Images

The way George would be treated medically today depends on his diagnosis. If he really had prophyriah, Treatment would include Medicine, such as hemine injections (a form of medicine of heme); receive liquid that contains glucose; And potentially stay in hospital to treat other symptoms. It would also be advisable to avoid the triggering of symptoms, which can occur due to drugs, strong consumption of alcohol, smoking and emotional stress, according to Mayo Clinic. AE0FCC31AE342FD3A1346EBB1F342FCB

If George had a diagnosis of bipolar disorder, Treatment could include drugs, such as mood stabilizers, antipsychotics and antidepressants; advice; and hospitalization.

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How did George reign?

Painting of Queen Charlotte circa 1775
Hulton Archive / Getty Images

According to the website of the British royal family, " The Regency Bill of 1765 said that if the king should become definitively incapable of governing, Charlotte would become regent, "which means that she would govern on behalf of her husband. But when it seemed that it could end up being the case, there was a dispute Between Charlotte and her and the eldest son of George, who would later become King George IV . Finally, a new bill meant that "after the start of the permanent madness of George III in 1811, the Prince of Wales became a regent, but Charlotte remained guardian of her husband until her death in 1818."

George III died two years later in 1820 at the age of 81. George VI ruled until his own death in 1830.

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