William IV

A full-length portrait of William IV turning slightly to the left, in Admiral of the Fleet's full dress uniform, with the ribbon and star of the Garter and the star of the Bath. In his left hand he holds his sword and white glove and in his right he holds his hat. There is a coastal background on the left and a rocky shore behind him on the right. William IV was the third son of George III and brother of George IV. At the age of 13, he became a midshipman and began his career in the Royal Navy. He retired from the Navy in 1790 as the Duke of Clarence, and became heir apparent at the age of 62 when his older brother died. William's reign was dominated by the Reform crisis, leading to the Reform Bill. It eradicated some of the worst abuses of the electoral system, introduced standardised rules for the franchise and extended the franchise to the middle classes. This late portrait of William is probably a replica of an original work from the studio of Andrew Morton. It was presented to the Greenwich Hospital Collection by King William IV in 1837, the year of his death.
Artist: Andrew Morton
Date: early 19th century
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