 In late 1810 , King George III began his final descent into madness . Charlotte and the King were very fond of each other , and the young Princess was greatly saddened by his illness . On 6 February 1811 , Charlotte 's father was sworn in as Prince Regent before the Privy Council , as Charlotte rode back and forth in the gardens outside Carlton House , trying to catch glimpses of the ceremony through the ground @-@ floor windows . Charlotte was an enthusiastic Whig , as her father had been . However , now that he was exercising the powers of the monarchy , he did not recall the Whigs to office as many had expected him to do . Charlotte was outraged by what she saw as her father 's treason , and , at the opera , demonstrated her support by blowing kisses in the direction of the Whig leader , Earl Grey . 
