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Maria Fitzherbert
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== Relationship with George == [[File:GeorgeIV1780.jpg|thumb|George as Prince of Wales by [[Richard Cosway]], circa 1780β1782]] The twice-widowed Fitzherbert soon entered London high society. In spring 1784, she was introduced to a youthful admirer: [[George IV of the United Kingdom|George, Prince of Wales]], six years her junior. The prince became infatuated with her and pursued her endlessly until she agreed to marry him.<ref>{{cite book |last=Farquhar |first=Michael |title=Behind the Palace Doors: Five Centuries of Sex, Adventure, Vice, Treachery, and Folly from Royal Britain |year=2011 |publisher=Random House |isbn=978-0812979046 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/behindpalacedoor00mich/page/223 223]β226 |url=https://archive.org/details/behindpalacedoor00mich |url-access=registration}}</ref> Secretly, and β as both parties were well aware β against the law, they went through a form of marriage on 15 December 1785, in the drawing room of her house in Park Street, London. Her uncle, Henry Errington, and her brother, John Smythe, were the witnesses. The marriage ceremony was performed by one of the prince's [[Ecclesiastical Household|Chaplains in Ordinary]], the Reverend Robert Burt, whose debts of Β£500 (Β£{{Format price|{{Inflation|UK|500|1785|r=-3}}}} in {{Inflation/year|UK}}){{Inflation-fn|UK}} were paid by the prince to release him from [[Fleet Prison]].<ref name="odnb">{{Cite ODNB |id=9603 |last=Levy |first=Martin J. |title=Fitzherbert [nΓ©e Smythe; other married name Weld], Maria Anne |publication-date=2004-09-23}}</ref> The marriage was not valid under English law because it had not received the prior approval of [[George III of the United Kingdom|King George III]] and the [[Privy Council of the United Kingdom|Privy Council]] as required by the [[Royal Marriages Act 1772]]. Had approval been sought, it might not have been granted for many reasons, including, for example, Fitzherbert's Catholic religion. Had consent been given and the marriage been legal, the Prince of Wales would have been automatically removed from the [[succession to the British throne]] under the provisions of the [[Bill of Rights 1689|Bill of Rights]] and the [[Act of Settlement 1701]] and replaced as heir-apparent by his brother, the [[Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany|Duke of York]].<ref name="Maria Fitzherbert"/> In a similar case, his brother, [[Prince Augustus Frederick]], contracted an invalid marriage with [[Lady Augusta Murray]] in 1793 without the King's consent and had two children with her.<ref>{{cite DNB|wstitle=Augustus Frederick|volume=2}}</ref> [[File:Portrait of Mrs Maria Fitzherbert, wife of George IV.jpg|thumb|left|Portrait of Fitzherbert]] On 23 June 1794, Fitzherbert was informed by letter that her relationship with the Prince was over. George told his younger brother, the Duke of York, that he and Fitzherbert were "parted, but parted amicably", conveying his intention to marry their first cousin, Duchess [[Caroline of Brunswick]].<ref name=austen/> According to [[King George III]] it was the only way out of a hole: his heir apparent's enormous debts of Β£600,000 (Β£{{Format price|{{Inflation|UK|600000|1794}}}} in {{Inflation/year|UK}}){{Inflation-fn|UK}} would be paid the day he wed.<ref name=austen/> So the Prince married Caroline on 8 April 1795. However, in 1796, three days after Caroline gave birth to their daughter, [[Princess Charlotte of Wales (1796β1817)|Princess Charlotte of Wales]], on 10 January, the Prince of Wales wrote his last will and testament, bequeathing all his "worldly property ... to my Maria Fitzherbert, my wife, the wife of my heart and soul".<ref name=austen/> Although by the laws of the country she "could not avail herself publicly of that name, still such she is in the eyes of Heaven, was, is, and ever will be such in mine".<ref name=austen/> However, this did not lead to a reunion. The Prince finally sought a reconciliation with his "second self" during the summer of 1798. By then, he had separated from Caroline for good. He was bored with his mistress, [[Frances Villiers, Countess of Jersey]].<ref name=austen/> In 1811, after becoming Regent, he invited Maria Fitzherbert to the [[Carlton House FΓͺte]]. Still, his insistence on seating her at a lower table led to her refusal to attend.<ref>David, Saul. ''Prince of Pleasure: The Prince of Wales and the Making of the Regency''. Sharpe Books, 2018. p.276</ref> During the first few years of his reign as King George IV, he turned violently against Fitzherbert and several former associates.<ref name=austen/> Whenever he mentioned her name it was "with feelings of disgust and horror", claiming that their union "was an artificial marriage ... just to satisfy her; that it was no marriage β for there could be none without a licence or some written document."<ref name=austen/> Fitzherbert had documents, and after their final break, her demands for her [[Life annuity|annuity]] payments were often accompanied by veiled threats to go public with her papers if she did not receive the funds.<ref name=austen/> In June 1830, when the King was dying, he eagerly seized her "get well soon" letter and, after reading it, placed it under his pillow. Fitzherbert β who had no idea just how ill he was β was deeply hurt that he had never replied to her final letter.<ref name=austen/> However, before dying, the King asked to be buried with Fitzherbert's [[eye miniature]] around his neck, which was done.<ref name="Maria Fitzherbert"/><ref>{{cite book |last=Williamson |first=Hugh Ross |title=Who was the man in the iron mask?: and other historical mysteries |year=2002 |publisher=Penguin Classics |isbn=0-14-139097-2 |page=330 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gpQbqEDGt-QC&pg=PA330}}</ref> Following the death of George IV on 26 June 1830, it was discovered that he had kept all of Fitzherbert's letters, and steps were taken to destroy them. Fitzherbert told George IV's brother, [[King William IV]], about their marriage and showed him the document in her possession. He "begged her to accept the title of Duchess, but she refused, asking only permission to wear widow's weeds and to dress her servants in royal livery".<ref>{{cite book |last=Smith |first=E. A. |title=George IV |year=2001 |publisher=[[Yale University Press]] |chapter=Chapter 4: Maria Fitzherbert |isbn=978-0-300-08802-1 |page=39 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mhQaCAAAQBAJ&q=widow%E2%80%99s+weeds |access-date=28 September 2021}}</ref>
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