Alcohol can be a tricky experience. Drink enough and it can make almost any event more fun and memorable. Drink too much and it does the opposite – you forget everything and the bits you do remember, you probably wish you didn’t.
But this doesn’t apply only to bachelor parties and New Year’s celebrations. In fact, we’re going to take a look at ten historical events where alcohol definitely played a crucial role in the outcome.
10. The Wedding of George IV
It would be fair to say that when King George III of England announced the engagement of his son and heir, George IV, to Caroline of Brunswick in 1794, the junior George wasn’t a fan of the arrangement. For starters, he was already technically married to Maria Fitzherbert, although their marriage was invalid under English law. Plus, he preferred a carefree life filled with wine, women, and gambling, but eventually, he wasn’t left with much of a choice. George IV had racked up so many debts thanks to his excessive spending and neither his father nor Parliament would bail him out unless he found a suitable Protestant wife and sired an heir.
Enter Caroline of Brunswick. She had the perfect pedigree, but not much else going for her. Allegedly, the first words George uttered when he laid eyes on his bride-to-be were: “Harris, I am not well; pray get me a glass of brandy.”
