In reading about William IV, I was surprised to learn that he had argued in slavery debates in the Lords and had vocally supported slavery. However, as King he later gave royal assent to the Slavery Abolition Act 1833. I have not been able to find much more about his role in this. Does anyone know if there was any opposition from his end during the passage of this time? Was there any chance he could have nixed it?
He was only Duke of Clarence then, of course. My reading is that he wasn't so much defending slavery as an institution, as defending the plantation owners, who were being seriously demonised by Wilberforce and Co, as monsters beyond the measure of human depravity.
Clarence had served in the West Indies and seen matters at first hand (which was more than most of the abolitionists had), and he always was impatient of cant or rhetorical ideology. So he defended that plantation owners, some of whom he regarded as personal friends,though some might have said he simply pointed out some home truths and the politically incorrect realities.
I have not seen anything to suggest he was personally opposed to abolition, per se. Certainly not enough to make an issue of it in 1833.