Of all the British monarchs who have claimed they ruled the seas, just one, King William IV, has been a truly professional seafarer.
Known as the ‘Sailor King’ in his own lifetime, he saw himself as a naval officer who happened to become the sovereign, rather than a monarch who had been a naval officer.
His life – here told as a whole, rather than dominated by his short reign – presents an appealing, if sometimes shocking, personality. William bounds from these pages like a character from an historical novel, albeit comic rather than heroic; from Captain Marryat rather than C. S. Forester.
His career in the Royal Navy was fraught with crisis: rivalries, doomed love affairs, extravagance and rebelliousness. Often, he seems a Hogarthian character, or a nautical version of the Regency rake.
Yet, while many mocked or despised him, some loved him. Overcoming the pressures and contradictions of a royal upbringing, William ended his days as a king who was not only loved but admired for setting an unstable monarchy on an even keel for the long reign of his niece, Victoria.
Praise for The Sailor King:
‘It is an excellent book and sheds a lot of light on the person of an easily neglected King. This proved an enjoyable reading experience and is recommended’ - Amazon review
Tom Pocock (1925–2007) served in the Royal Navy during World War II and became a war correspondent at just 19 years old. His career in journalism flourished and he ultimately became naval correspondent for both the Daily Mail and The Times. He wrote and edited a number of books and is particularly respected for his works on the life and times of Lord Nelson.
