The Monarchy and the British People

John Golby and William Purdue present an account of the fluctuating relationship between the Royal Family and the British public from George III to the present day. The authors describe the different monarchs and also assess the changing role of the monarchy during this period. From the peak of popularity achieved by the patriotism of George III, the monarchy went into near-catastrophic decline under his successor George IV. Another periodic trough occurred at the time of Victoria's long seclusion after Albert's death, while today the Royal Family are media superstars, the subject of intense interest and adulation in Britain and around the world.