Beschreibung:

(King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and King of Hanover, as Prince of Wales, 1762-1830) Autograph Letter to Maria Fitzherbert signed "ever thine", 2½pp., sm. 4to, Brighton, 23rd June 1794, informing her that "I have just receiv'd a Letter from my Sister ... desiring me to come to Windsor, which tho' excessively inconvenient to me ... owing to my being [obliged] to give my annual Regimental dinner on Wednesday, I mean to comply with", returning on Thursday, and recent entertaining, "I have just been dining at the General's where we have had a very pleasant & a very jolly party, Adieu my dear love", integral blank, lower portion of blank cut away, possibly removing an address panel, adhesive remains on final verso. *** One of the few letters from George IV to Maria Fitzherbert still in existence. The letter was originally endorsed by Maria Fitzherbert on a slip of paper (no longer present): "This letter I received the morng. of the day the Prince sent me word he would never enter my house (Lady Jersey's influence)." Fitzherbert ascribed this rebuff to Lady Jersey, his mistress, who encouraged him to marry Caroline of Brunswick in order to alleviate his vast debts. Provenance: Sotheby's, Portarlington Papers, 22 July 1985, lot 362 (portion) and 364; (ii) 18 December 1986, lot 217