Prince George William of Great Britain (13 November 1717 – 17 February 1718) was a member of the British royal family, second son of the Prince and Princess of Wales (later King George II and Queen Caroline). He died aged 3 months, 4 days. A post-mortem was conducted to prove that he died from disease and not separation from his mother. He was buried at Westminster Abbey.
The baptism was the catalyst for a family quarrel. The infant's parents wanted to call the baby Louis, and suggested the Queen in Prussia and the Duke of York as sponsors. The King chose the names George William,[3] and, supposedly following custom, appointed the Lord Chamberlain, the Duke of Newcastle, as one of the baptismal sponsors of the child. The King was angered when the Prince of Wales, who disliked Newcastle, verbally insulted the Duke at the christening, which the Duke misunderstood as a challenge to a duel; the Prince shook his fist at Newcastle and said "You are a rascal, but I shall find you out!", which the Duke apparently misheard as "I shall fight you!"[4] The Prince of Wales was banished from court, and he and the Princess of Wales moved into Leicester House, while their children remained in the care of the King.[5] Caroline fell sick with worry, and fainted during a secret visit to her children made without the King's approval.[6] By January, the King had relented and allowed Caroline unrestricted access.[7] In February, Prince George William fell ill, and the King allowed both the Prince and Princess of Wales to see him at Kensington Palace without any conditions. When George William died at three months of age, a post-mortem was conducted to prove that the cause of death was disease (a polyp on the heart) rather than the separation from his mother.[8]
Titles and styles
13 November 1717 – 17 February 1718: His Royal Highness Prince George William[9][10]
Ancestors
Ancestors of Prince George William of Great Britain[11]
^"No. 5587". The London Gazette. 2–5 November 1717. p. 2. The Gazette of 2 November was using the "old style") British calendar, which was 11 days behind the Gregorian calendar adopted by Britain in 1752, decades after George William's death.
1 Not a British prince by birth, but created Prince Consort. 2 Not a British prince by birth, but created a Prince of the United Kingdom. Princes whose titles were removed and eligible people who do not use the title are shown in italics.