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King George III’s Descent Into Madness
Was a blood disorder, porphyria, to blame for the mental illnesses that plagued him and his descendants?
King George III of Great Britain was infamous for the mental health issues that plagued his later life. The theory that King George suffered from porphyria was first proposed in the 1960s by psychoanalyst, Ida Macalpine and her son, psychiatrist Richard Hunter. The researchers examined the historical records kept by George’s physicians. Seeing that the King suffered from abdominal pains, polyneuritis, and mental disturbance strongly indicated that porphyria, rather than some mental disorder, was the cause of the King’s suffering.
Porphyria refers to a group of liver disorders that are caused by a build-up of porphyrins in the body. These substances affect the skin or the nervous system. A porphyria attack can cause rashes, vomiting, confusion, pain, seizures, and even paralysis. Porphyrias may be acute, meaning they attack suddenly and typically affect the nervous system. Porphyrias may also be chronic, in which they typically attack the skin and cause photosensitivity. Both groups of porphyria are inherited.
This theory is bolstered by the fact that recent descendants of King George have been diagnosed with this disease. George’s great-great-grandaughter…
