The Works of Max Beerbohm · Character

King George IV

A royal dandy whose childhood of surveillance bred a lifelong talent for lying, dressing, and disappointing everyone who loved him.

major

Also known as George, young George, George III, poor George, The King, King George the Fourth, George the Fourth

First appearance: King George the Fourth

As a major figure in The Works of Max Beerbohm, King George IV is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

Referenced as the Prince whose attempt to revive knee-breeches failed due to the slow evolution of fashion.

In the storyDandies and DandiesOpen this moment free

See King George IV in Dandies and Dandies Book page

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George is the book's grand cautionary case, a prince raised under a German sergeant's discipline so stifling that freedom became indistinguishable from excess. He lies compulsively, spends magnificently, and mourns his own untruthfulness even as he practices it, a contradiction Beerbohm finds both comic and genuinely sad. His early arc sets the terms for everything that follows: what happens when a man is taught to equivocate at his mother's knee and then handed a crown.

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See King George IV in King George the Fourth

Character Web

17 connections

A slice of how King George IV sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.

Relationship types

Family
Social
Rivalry
Friendship

Character groups

Protagonist
Dandyism and Society Contrasts
Aesthetic Movement and Dandy Gallery
Romance, Eccentricity, and Social Climbing

+12 more in the full Character Web

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Narrative arc

Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.

Setup
Escalation
Breaking point
Aftermath
Closing

This is the dramatic climax because the narrator’s long-held, idealized image of Walter Pater as a sublime sty…

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Relationships

Princess Caroline
family · negative
King George IV and Princess Caroline were estranged spouses, their marriage marked by… How this plays out →
Thackeray
social · ambivalent
Mrs. Fox
rivalry · negative
Lord X.
friendship · positive
Lady Belper
social · ambivalent
Charles James Fox
rivalry · negative
Max Beerbohm
psychological · negative
Mr. Brummell
friendship · ambivalent
Princess Caroline
family · negative
King George IV and Princess Caroline were estranged spouses, their marriage marked by… How this plays out →
Thackeray
social · ambivalent
Lady Belper
social · ambivalent

Princess Caroline
King George IV and Princess Caroline were estranged spouses, their marriage marked by public scandal and mutual animosity.
Thackeray
King George IV and Thackeray were acquaintances, with Thackeray often satirizing the king in his writings.
Mrs. Fox
King George IV and Mrs. Fox were antagonists due to her staunch support of Princess Caroline against the king.
Lord X.
King George IV and Lord X. were close confidants and companions in the king's social circle.
Lady Belper
King George IV and Lady Belper were social acquaintances within the aristocratic circles of the Regency era.
Charles James Fox
Charles James Fox was a political opponent of King George IV, clashing over policies and the king's treatment of Princess Caroline.
Max Beerbohm
Max Beerbohm, as the author, had a satirical and observational fascination with King George IV, portraying him as a figure of ridicule.
Mr. Brummell
King George IV and Mr. Brummell were once close friends and style icons, though their relationship later soured.
Princess Caroline
King George IV and Princess Caroline were estranged spouses, their marriage marked by public scandal and mutual animosity.
Thackeray
King George IV and Thackeray were acquaintances, with Thackeray often satirizing the king in his writings.
Lady Belper
King George IV and Lady Belper were social acquaintances within the aristocratic circles of the Regency era.

Relationship notes

How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.

See King George IV in King George the Fourth

In the story

King George IV appears across 8 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

Dandies and Dandies
Referenced as the Prince whose attempt to revive knee-breeches failed due to the slow evolution of fashion.
A Good Prince
Referenced implicitly as a historical prince whose behavior contrasts with the current prince's blameless life.
King George the Fourth
The subject of the chapter; portrayed as a misunderstood voluptuary and giver of tone, whose life is defended against Thackeray's denunciation.
Poor Romeo!
Mentioned alongside Brummell as a figure whose foibles Coates parodies.
Diminuendo
Mentioned in the context of royal pets and the emptiness of a life of pleasure.
The Bibliography of the Works of Max Beerbohm
Subject of a caricature and a note in The Yellow Book.
Portraits of Mr. Max Beerbohm
Appears in a portrait by Walter Sickert, standing before a picture of George the Fourth.
Endnotes
Referenced indirectly through the Prince of Wales (Albert Edward) who introduced a dance step.

Chapter companion notes

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See King George IV in Dandies and Dandies