Join us at the court of King George III this July

On the 20 and 21 July the Royal Armouries in Leeds invites visitors to the court of one of our most infamous monarchs, King George III.

Unfortunately nicknamed the ‘Mad King’, George III has been remembered for his diminishing mental health in the later years of his life; however there was a huge amount more to his reign than is often portrayed. George was King through some of the most turbulent times in British history, including the American Wars of Independence and the Napoleonic Wars.

This event sees George in the middle of his reign in 1804. Napoleon’s Grande Armée is massing on the continent, invasion is imminent, and the King is reviewing his Armoury. Visitors can pay homage to the King and his son, the future King George IV, who would later become Prince Regent as his father’s mental state declined.

In honour of the King’s arrival, visitors can enjoy action-packed combat demonstrations, including an outdoor sword and pistol duel, and a lesson from the Georgian sword master. The Georgian surgeon will also be in residence demonstrating grisly operating techniques from the period, plus there will be Napoleonic living history inside the museum, a musket drill from the 33^rd regiment re-enactment group, a weapons of Waterloo object handling session, talks and performances about the battles of Trafalgar and Waterloo, and lots more.

For mini monarchs there will be early years storytelling sessions and crafts throughout the weekend.

Commenting on the upcoming events, Mark Jackson, Events and Informal Learning Manager said: “King George III has gone down in history as the ‘Mad King’, but he truly laid the groundwork for a worldwide British Empire and reigned through some of the biggest conflicts in Britain’s history, including the Seven Years War, the American Wars of Independence and the Napoleonic War, objects from which are showcased throughout our vast collection. Our programme over the weekend links back to these historical events with a series of exciting performances, talks, tours and combat demonstrations both inside the museum and outdoors.”

The event is FREE to attend; the museum is open 10 am – 5 pm daily.

To plan your visit, go to our website.