12th October 2024

This is my Rosalind Freeborn, author, website. It's been created in advance of the publication of my debut novel, Prince George & Master Frederick which will be published by Alliance Publishing Press on 30th January 2025.  This is a very exciting  moment for me. It's taken over three years to get to the stage when the manuscript has been through its final edit and is with the designer being prepared for printing. 

The story is about the secret, first-born son of King George III.  King George is famous for several reasons: the longest reigning king in British history, 'lost' the American colonies after the War of Independence, was married to Queen Charlotte and produced fifteen children and, most memorably of all, went mad. The poor man suffered several bouts of manic madness and the final bout, in 1810 signalled the end of his reign as monarch when his eldest son, Prince George, the Prince of Wales, was appointed as regent.

But what people don't know is that King George III had a secret first-born son. He was Frederick Blomberg and, at the age of nearly four years, was bundled into a carriage and taken to the royal palace at Richmond to be a playmate for the then three-year-old Prince George.  Young Frederick was brought up like a prince. He was very much a member of the Georgian royal family, the oldest of a great brood of children who crowded the royal nurseries at Richmond, Kew and then Windsor Castle.  But historians have never given Frederick a second thought. He's mentioned in accounts of birthday parties and royal events but always as the 'adopted son', 'foster brother' or even 'whipping boy'.

As an adult, Frederick remained close to the royal family. Having studied divinity at Cambridge and being ordained, he was quickly back with his family at Windsor as royal chaplain. He was also a private secretary and clerk of the closet to the Prince of Wales with whom he was a close friend and confidante. The half-brothers remained royal friends and secret brothers throughout their lives, until King George IV died in 1830.  

I'll keep adding more posts throughout the autumn and winter as publication approaches. 
Rosalind Freeborn  October 2024