What's Wrong With Queen Charlotte's King? George's Disease Explained
The illness of King George III is the subject of different theories.
Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story suddenly made King George III one of the most recognizable English monarchs. The real historical figure behind the fictional character from the Bridgerverse is indeed a fascinating one, and the biggest question that troubles many fans now is what was wrong with George's mental health and whether the illness could actually be cured.
Unable to examine and observe the patient, modern doctors have at least several diagnoses in mind for King George III.
Porphyria
The most famous theory is that George III's illness had nothing to do with his mental health but was actually genetic. Porphyria has a number of symptoms, including pain, confusion, seizures, and others that fit well with the description of everything that happened to the monarch. The diagnosis is confirmed by the king's famous blue urine, which accompanies an acute attack of porphyria.
Bipolar Disorder
Porphyria is not the only diagnosis that modern scientists attribute to King George. There is research that says he had a mental illness as well, most likely bipolar disorder. The study is based on George III's handwritten letters, which varied greatly at different times in his life.
During the episodes of illness, his sentences became longer, more difficult to read, repetitive, and colorful, which is said to correlate with the manic phase of bipolar disorder. As for the blue urine, George III was treated with a medicine based on gentian, which can color bodily fluids.
Other theories
The diagnoses don't stop there. Modern doctors and historians cite several other possible causes for George's problems, including accidental arsenic poisoning from some everyday products, dementia, and psychiatric illness.
Bridgerverse
Now turning to the fictional character, Shonda Rhimes seems to imply that her George's mental health issues are the result of a childhood trauma caused by the violence of his grandfather, George II, which Princess Augusta described to Charlotte.
It could have triggered any psychiatric illness, including dissociative identity disorder, which is consistent with George's behavior in Bridgerton. In stressful situations, he exhibits severe panic, sometimes leading to partial or complete dissociation.
Whatever diagnosis the real-life King George had, it is safe to say that his illness would most likely be contained by today's medical and psychiatric practices, if not cured completely.