A beautiful sword made for King George IV’s historic visit to Edinburgh in 1822 is on display in a new exhibition.
The ceremonial weapon, made of blued steel inlaid with gold, is displayed in the King’s Gallery at the Palace of Holyroodhouse.
It can be seen alongside a deep blue uniform jacket designed by George himself, along with a pair of baby shoes worn by his only child, Princess Charlotte.
Style & Society: Dressing the Georgians is the first exhibition to open at the King’s Gallery after an 18-month closure. It was previously known as The Queen’s Gallery, but was renamed following the death of Elizabeth II in September 2022.
A total of 100 objects from the Royal Collection are on display. Visitors can also see a rarely seen full-length portrait by Thomas Gainsborough of Queen Charlotte, mother of George IV.
A beautiful sword made for King George IV’s historic visit to Edinburgh in 1822 is on display in a new exhibition. The ceremonial weapon, made of blued steel inlaid with gold, is displayed in the King’s Gallery at the Palace of Holyroodhouse
It can be seen next to a deep blue uniform jacket designed by George himself. The deep blue military jacket is lined with white silk and has silver lace on the chest, along with five rows of wooden buttons. It was depicted in the monarch’s portrait by Sir William Beechey
The deep blue military jacket is lined with white silk and has silver lace on the chest, along with five rows of wooden buttons.
It was the portrait of the monarch depicted by Sir William Beechey.
In 1782, while Prince of Wales, George was appointed Colonel Commandant of the Tenth Light Dragoons, which then became known as The Prince of Wales’s Own.
In 1793 he spent his 33rd birthday with the regiment, and although his father forbade him from carrying weapons on active service, he channeled his interest by collecting military clothing.
His jacket would have been worn with a pelisse, a fur-trimmed jacket worn over the shoulder by hussar regiments.
Also on display in the new exhibition is Benjamin West’s portrait of three-year-old Prince Octavius, who, as the thirteenth child of George III and Queen Charlotte, was one of George’s youngest siblings.
These baby shoes were made for Princess Charlotte, the only child of King George IV and Queen Caroline
Princess Charlotte died in childbirth in 1817, aged just 21, leaving her father without an heir
It shows him wearing a skeleton suit – a children’s clothing style inspired by the functional clothing of working-class sailors.
George IV’s two-week visit to Edinburgh was the first trip to Scotland by a reigning monarch since the mid-17th century.
The visit was seen as a great success. Organized by the Scottish novelist Sir Walter Scott, it boosted the king’s popularity in Scotland.
The Holyroodhouse exhibition features David Wilkie’s full-length portrait of the King in Royal Stewart tartan.
His decision to wear a kilt helped cement the garment’s status as an important part of Scottish identity.
Pearl-adorned buttons from a coat worn by George III were reused to make a necklace for the Duchess of Clarence, later Queen Adelaide.
George IV’s two-week visit to Edinburgh was the first trip to Scotland by a reigning monarch since the mid-17th century. The visit was seen as a great success. Organized by the Scottish novelist Sir Walter Scott, it boosted the king’s popularity in Scotland. The Holyroodhouse exhibition features David Wilkie’s full-length portrait of the King in Royal Stewart tartan
Georgian jewelry was often reused, even by the royal family.
The necklace is displayed alongside items from Queen Charlotte’s impressive jewelry collection.
One such object is her opal finger ring, which dates from 1810.
Queen Charlotte and George III had fifteen children, thirteen of whom lived to adulthood.
But their eldest son had only one child with his wife, Queen Caroline of Brunswick. It is known that their marriage was disastrous and the couple separated after the birth of their daughter.
Queen Charlotte, depicted by Thomas Gainsborough in 1781. She had 15 children with King George III
A cavalry sword, made before 1783 by Bland & Foster
George Hunter & Co., Dirk, sheath, knife and fork, part of the Highland Dress equipment, 1822
A necklace made from the buttons of King George III. Clothing and jewelry in the Georgian era were often reused
A German snuff box with jewels, made in 1770. This can be seen in the new exhibition
Queen Charlotte’s opal finger ring, which dates from 1810
A ring with a miniature of King George III, made by Jeremiah Meyer, 1761
Objects on display at Style & Society: Dressing the Georgians
George IV had several mistresses, including actress Mary Robinson and Grace Elliot, the divorced wife of a doctor.
It was rumored that he had fathered several illegitimate children.
In addition to Princess Charlotte’s shoes, an embroidered hat that she probably wore can also be seen for the first time.
It was bequeathed to the Royal Collection in 2022 by a descendant of the Princess’s teacher, Miss Mary Hunt.
Princess Charlotte died in childbirth in 1817, aged just 21, leaving her father without an heir.
It meant that after the death of George IV the throne passed to his brother William.
Exhibition curator Anna Reynolds said: ‘The 18th century was an incredibly innovative period, and Georgians were responsible for ushering in many of the cultural trends we recognize today.
Style & Society: Dressing the Georgians is the first exhibition to open at the King’s Gallery after an 18-month closure. It was previously known as The Queen’s Gallery but was renamed after the death of Elizabeth II in September 2022
‘From the increasing influence of practical working-class clothing to the practice of recycling and reusing fabrics wherever possible, fashion from this period tells a wider story about what was happening in society.
‘It is fascinating how much we can learn from the paintings, clothing and accessories on display.
‘And thanks to our new £1 ticket scheme, we look forward to sharing it with as many people as possible.’
Style & Society: Dressing the Georgians opened at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh on Friday.