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Secondary sourceBook

Secret History of the Court of England, Volume 1

Anne Hamilton

A gossipy court history of George III's reign and later years by Anne Hamilton, written after the king's death. It is useful for studying court life, but it is not a neutral account.

A court history about George III's reign and later years, written after his death, so it shows how his court was remembered and gossiped about.

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Full text (public-domain edition)

About this source

What it is

This is the first volume of Secret History of the Court of England, a book by Anne Hamilton. It deals with the court of George III and the years that followed, and it was written after the king died in 1820. The copy available to students is a digital text prepared from a printed book.

Why it matters

Books like this were popular with readers who wanted to know about the private lives of royals and courtiers. Hamilton's work reflects how the court was talked about in print after George III's death, and it shows the interest in the household of the king and of his son, George IV, who is also named in its subjects.

Look closer

  • Which stories about the court does the author present as true, and what evidence does she give for them?
  • Why might a writer after the king's death choose to focus on private scandal rather than government?
  • What does this book leave out that a document written at court might include?

This book is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of George III on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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