sex
in Pride and Prejudice and
the double standard.)
Return to Jane Austen's life
Return to Jane Austen info page table of contents
Go to illustrations of the Regency periodThe Prince of Wales here is the notorious
Prince Regent (later George IV), and the
Princess of Wales is his wife, Caroline of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel; they had
become estranged within a few years after their marriage in 1795. She won
much public support due to his treatment of her (and from widespread public
distaste for the Prince Regent generally), even though she committed some
indiscretions and infidelities herself. However, he was able to exclude her
from official
privileges (though not to fully divorce her,
which would have required the assent of the hostile parliament), and his
accession to the regency, and later to the throne, was not affected. (See also
sex
in Pride and Prejudice and
the double standard.)
[The following written 1995:] Of course, this quaint historical sidelight has absolutely no contemporary relevance whatsoever. No way!
"I suppose all the World is sitting in Judgement upon the Princess of Wales's Letter. Poor woman, I shall support her as long as I can, because she is a Woman, & because I hate her Husband -- but I can hardly forgive her for calling herself ``attached & affectionate'' to a Man whom she must detest -- & the intimacy said to subsist between her & Lady Oxford is bad -- I do not know what to do about it; but if I must give up the Princess, I am resolved at least always to think that she would have been respectable, if the Prince had behaved only tolerably by her at first. --"
A contemporary caricature of the Prince Regent:
![[Prinny .GIF image]](rgntstay.gif)
Return to Jane Austen's life
Return to Jane Austen info page table of contents
Go to illustrations of the Regency period
[P.S. -- Yes, I'm aware that the coat of arms in the center of the above image (if you have a graphical browser) was actually not used on its own until 1837.]
