From this prolific author, a biography of a lesser known, King of England, ruler for only seven years. He was the uncle of Queen Victoria, who assumed the reign upon his death. His father was. George III, an unpopular ruler of the people. William was the third son and never assumed that he would become King, In his youth, he was uncouth and spent many years in the navy where he enjoyed the company of the sailors. He was 65 before he became King. . He and his wife were quite content being content with one another’s company and his life became more calmer and he was given to less temper tantrums, While his reign is full of controversies, he is often credited with being the first parliamentary ruler, This is such a wonderful book for researching the government of England from rulers to parliamentarians.

An insightful biography of a man who initially was not seen as a future king of England. Largely left to himself, he joined the Navy, had an affair with a woman of the theatre (scandalous in its day), and left the machines of government to be run by his father (George III), and later brother (George IV). It was only upon the death of his brother, when he had to suddenly assume the role and lifestyle of a proper king. His rule was short, and largely forgotten. Many remember him simply as the king before Victoria. This book fixes all of that, and puts him center stage in history, and in everyone's memory.

This a modern assessment of William IV the last Hanoverian King of Britain also known as the sailor king and how he became King after being one of the younger sons of George III and was the monarch who oversaw the Reform Act which changed the British Parliament into the modern era

A marvelous look at one of England’s most invisible kings. I started reading this book before Elizabeth II died, and reading it, I feel I’ve gained a greater understanding of Elizabeth II’s reign.

William IV wasn't the most famous of British kings. He wasn't even the most famous one called William. He didn't lead any Glorious Revolutions and didn't conquer anywhere.
He reigned for seven years. He was one of mad King George III's many children, He was the uncle of Queen Victoria. He was 64 when he came to the throne, older than any other new British monarch, a record Price Charles (who is already older than this) will immediately break if he ever becomes king. Nobody really expected William to reign at all, but there was briefly a royal heir shortage in the early 19th century, so when fat old George IV fell off his perch in 1830, he was succeeded by William, his only slightly younger brother.
This is a good enough book but I think it rather oversells William as being something rather better than he actually was. William wasn't a tyrant or a villain, but he wasn't exactly a paragon of virtue either. He had ten illegitimate children although all before he got married. He wasn't a shining wit so much as a whining shit although he had a certain gormless charm. He was sometimes nicknamed 'Sailor Billy' because he'd served in the navy. He was also sometimes nicknamed 'Silly Billy' or 'Old Melonhead' because he had a head that was shaped like a melon. But at least he wasn't William the Bastard.