Chapter 213: A Prince of Whales
July, 1726
“I’ll tell you one thing; I’m just relieved the King is back.” George said.
“Why?” John asked.
“Because it means I don’t have to handle Bolingbroke and Walpole.” George replied to the laughter of his friends.
“Do they really bicker like old hens?” John asked.
“It’s worse than that.” George said remembering just how many cabinet meetings where he’d had to physically separate the two men. For some reason, they thought that just because he was not his father, they could get away with more.
“How bad?” James de Vere, the Earl of Tinmouth and an older cousin asked.
“Let’s just say the last meeting I oversaw, I had to punch Walpole to get him off of Bolingbroke.” George said.
“Wow.” John whistled. “And you’re not particularly physical either.”
“What exactly do they argue about?” James asked.
“Almost everything, but that time it was about electoral reform.” George said.
“Not that old chestnut.” William Godolphin exclaimed.
“Yes.” George responded. “Bolingbroke wants to abandon the old constituencies, and merge some of the rotten ones into the currently non-rotten boroughs, and move from there. Naturally Walpole disagrees as he believes he’d lose his seat if that happens.”
“Well he would.” Godolphin said. “His seat is one of the most rotten in the current system. Indeed, I think half the Tory party would lose their seats if they reformed the system.”
“Wouldn’t you?” John asked of William.
“I would yes.” William responded.
“And that does not bother you?” John asked sounding surprised.
“Not as much as Walpole preventing reform from happening.” William stated.
“You actually want reform to happen?” John exclaimed.
“Yes.” William said.
“Why?” John asked.
Before William could respond, George said. “Because it is the common-sense thing to do. We already put members of Parliament onto people who they do not know nor vote for. The least we could do is make it so that a town owned by one lord with one man and his dog, isn’t getting more voting power than Birmingham, a place providing shells for our army.”
“Even if it means the Tories lose their majority?” John asked.
John, like his father, indeed like most of the people George knew was a committed Tory and was someone who detested the Whigs. George on the other hand didn’t particularly care for either party. They both tried to garner favour with him as the heir apparent, and they both thought he was stupid. It was quite frankly, insulting. “Even then, if they lose their majority it would not matter, the King could still appoint an all Tory majority government and get away with it.”
“But if you reform the make up of the House, eventually, someone will suggest changing that as well.” John pointed out.
“Then it had better be someone from within this circle.” George said. To general laughs.
He could tell John wanted to discuss this matter more, but William spoke before him. “So, what is happening with your marriage? You are getting married right?”
There were some snorts there, but George ignored them. “I am, yes.”
“TO the Hanoverian girl?” William clarified.
“Yes.” George said.
“And? Is she good looking? Pretty? Someone you would immediately sleep with?” William asked.
George was reminded of the girl that William had slept with recently, and then of the woman he was married to, and then he pushed that thought down. He shrugged. “She is pretty I suppose. But she is said to be quite smart and very well read.”
“Ah so of course that made you hard.” John joked.
George blushed. “There is nothing wrong with wanting a wife who is well read. I want to be able to talk to her about things, not just fuck her.”
“You truly are an odd one.” William jested.
“Sooner or later he will be saying we should accept women into our cabinet and government.” James said.
George raised an eyebrow. “Well my mother is one of the cleverest women I know, and your wife is quite smart, John. So, I’d see no issue with that.”
They all looked at him then burst out laughing. “Good jest.” William said.
George grinned, but deep down, he knew he was not jesting, at least not when it came to his mother. She was smarter than many of the men in cabinet, that was for sure.