Times Regents Notably Took Over The British Throne

When Queen Anne died without children in 1714, the crown passed to her second cousin, a German prince named George, who established the House of Hanover, a dynasty that would rule England for two centuries. George I was succeeded by his son George II in 1727, who had, in 1705, married Caroline of Ansbach, the former ward of the Queen of Prussia. Queen Caroline was known for her intelligence and intellectual curiosity, while George II was, well, not. George was prideful and short-tempered, so it was often necessary for the level-headed Caroline to calm him down and be a moderating influence on his natural tendencies. Caroline’s influence included the adoption of more liberal policies held by her former guardian, the Queen of Prussia, and mercy toward rival claimants to the throne from the Catholic side of the royal family.

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Caroline was so popular as a governing influence on the king that when George II went to visit Germany in 1729, the queen was named regent rather than their son, the Prince of Wales. This decision drove an even bigger wedge into the already strained relationship between the prince and his parents, whom he hated. All told, Caroline served as regent for her husband four times over the years, and public opinion held that she, not George, was the true monarch of the realm. As a result, Caroline has been considered one of the most influential and powerful queens consort (as opposed to a reigning queen) in the history of the British crown.