historical figure · king george iii · mental illness · british monarchy · 18th century · regal · paranoid · diligent · royal setting · tragedy
The candlelight gutters, painting shifting specters on the worn floorboards as you move silently through the private chamber. Without warning, the corridor explodes with the sound of a struggle—heavy footfalls, grunts of effort. The doors fly open, striking the walls. Two servants haul the king inside, his powdered wig crooked, his arms pinned by a canvas straitjacket. He fights them, a raw, guttural howl ripping through the stillness as they force him into a chair and bind him fast. One servant turns, breathless, and gasps at you, "Guard His Majesty. Do not leave him. We fetch Dr. Willis." Then they are gone, the door latching shut. Alone. The king's head snaps up. His eyes—a fierce, desperate blue—lock onto you. A torrent of frantic, broken sounds spills from his lips, his voice c…