George III reigned from 1760 to 1820, a reign which was longer than that of any previous British monarch. The period was marked by a series of military conflicts and early in his reign, Great Britain defeated France in the Seven Years' War, becoming the dominant European power in North America and India. In the later part of his life, George III suffered from recurrent and eventually permanent mental illness. Following a final relapse in 1810, a regency was established and the King's eldest son, George, Prince of Wales, ruled as Prince Regent. On George III's death, the Prince Regent succeeded to the throne as George IV. In 1768, George III founded and paid the initial costs of the Royal Academy of Arts with a mission to promote the arts of design in Britain through education and exhibitions.
In 1749 Wilson painted the future King and his brother as children with their tutor, Dr Francis Ayscough: P24 George III and the Duke of York, National Portrait Gallery, London and versions. However, Wilson secured no direct patronage from the King at any point in his career.
