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A glimpse into the mental illness that afflicted King George III — the monarch who was known as the “Mad King” and has been immortalized in Broadway’s Hamilton — has been shared by Buckingham Palace.

In the latest publication of the papers concerning King George III, who ruled from 1760 until 1820, medical records show how much the king was subject to intense monitoring of everything from his sleep (from 30-minute naps to a full seven hours at night) to how he had to be placed into a straitjacket — or waistcoat as they called it in the 18th century.

It was even revealed that a reading of Shakespeare’s “King Lear” was blamed for making the King “agitated.”

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The records are part of the Georgian Papers Program, which is transforming access to over 350,000 papers in the Royal Archives and Royal Library of the King’s life.

The first records that were shared last year suggest that he may have lived up to the Hamilton line “If you leave I’ll go mad!” as he didn’t show any signs of mental illness until after the revolt that led to America’s independence.

RELATED VIDEO: Prince Harry Sings a Hamilton Song About King George III Onstage — and Lin-Manuel Miranda Loves It!

It is believed today that George would have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

The latest papers released by the Royal Collection show that between 1788–89 records of the king’s manner and health were kept in a diary by his equerry, Robert Fulke Greville. One entry in October 1788 notes that “His Majesty had become more peevish than he used to be.” He had become agitated and talking incessantly and incoherently.

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In the span of two months, physician Dr. Francis Willis was summoned and on December 20 of that same year, George’s condition is noted to have deteriorated. “H.M became so ungovernable that recourse was had to the strait waistcoat: His legs were tied, & he was secured down across his Breast, & in this melancholy situation he was, when I came to make my morning Enquiries.”

Throughout George illness, his son, the Prince of Wales (he became George IV when he was made King) received regular letters from his father’s physicians reporting on his eating and sleeping habits, along with further notable changes or developments in the King’s behavior.

In a letter dated December 18 1788, and released by the Royal Collection, Sir Lucas Pepys tells the prince of further deterioration. “This morning he is in nearly the same state he was in the evening, but is more agitated and confused, perhaps from having been permitted to read [Shakespeare’s] King Lear.”

Things seemed to improve in March 1811. “There is a nervousness and anxiety to be declared well; and a distrust of the physicians,” according to one of the papers.

“Slept four hours. Occupied when awake in adjusting the bedclothes, by rolling them down and up again. Did not talk much but twice betrayed delusion.”

The regular reports to the Prince of Wales continued until the King died at the age of 81 on January 29, 1820. </s> The 88-year-old, the world's longest-serving monarch, is now being closely monitored.

On Saturday, doctors at the Siriraj hospital in Bangkok inserted a tube into his vein to enable kidney dialysis to filter the blood -- known as hemodialysis.

The team also changed a draining tube which releases fluid from his brain. Following the procedures, the King's blood pressure "dropped occasionally" and he was given medicine and put on a ventilator.

On Sunday, the doctors gave the King medicine to expand blood vessels around his lungs following an echocardiography -- a sonogram of the heart -- which showed that blood flow to the left side of his heart had reduced significantly.

His blood pressure then "improved," but his general condition "remains unstable," according to the statement from the Bureau of the Royal Household, posted on the King's official Facebook page. Concerns for the much-revered King have been mounting in recent years, due to his extended hospital stays. Last month, he was treated for a severe infection, reduced kidney function and fluid in his lung. He had surgery to remove his gallbladder last year. </s> Thailand’s King Bhumibol Adulyadej is in an “unstable” condition after undergoing multiple medical procedures, and is now confined in a hospital, a statement from the palace confirmed. At 88 years old, the king is the world’s longest-serving monarch and is widely revered.

In recent years, the king has received treatment for a number of illnesses, the BBC reports. He has not appeared in public over the last few months, and spent most of the last year in a hospital.

The palace statement, released Sunday night, relates that doctors at the Siriraj Hospital in Bangkok conducted hemodialysis – a procedure that requires inserting a tube into a vein to allow the kidney to filter blood. The medical team also changed a draining tube that was releasing fluid from his brain. After these procedures, the monarch’s blood pressure dropped on occasion, and he had to be put on a ventilator.

The king then underwent echocardiography to check on his heart. While his blood pressure has improved, his general condition “remains unstable” and his condition is now closely monitored.

Public concern over King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s health has been growing due to his prolonged hospital stays. Last month, he was treated for fluid in his lungs, reduced kidney function and a severe infection, following removal of his gallbladder last year, according to CNN.

Thailand’s Royal Household Bureau has been posting updates on the king’s condition on its Facebook page.

The king is seen as a unifying symbol in a country rife with political divisions, violence, and tension. Also known as Rama IX, King Bhumibol Adulyadej is the ninth leader in the Chakri Dynasty. He ascended to the throne on June 9, 1946, after his brother King Ananda Mahidol died from a gunshot wound, and has served for over 70 years. He has been married to Mom Rajawongse Sirikit Kitiyakara since 1950 and is succeeded by Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn, as well as three daughters, the Princesses Ubolratana Rajakanya, Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, and Chulabhorn Walailak. </s> Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the world's longest reigning monarch, is in an unstable condition after receiving dialysis treatment, the palace has said in a statement.

The Royal Household Bureau said on Sunday that the 88-year-old was given some medicine and put on a ventilator to bring his blood pressure back to normal.

"The medical team are watching his symptoms and giving treatments carefully because the overall symptoms of his sickness are still not stable," the statement said.

Historically the palace has tightly controlled news about his health and it is difficult to ascertain his overall condition.



In recent months the palace has begun issuing more regular updates that point to a string of major health issues including renal failure.

THE LISTENING POST: Thailand's lese majeste law

Over the past two years he has also been treated for bacterial infections, breathing difficulties, heart problems and hydrocephalus - a build-up of cerebrospinal fluid often referred to as "water on the brain".

He has not been seen in public since January 11 when he spent several hours visiting his palace in Bangkok.



News about the king's health is closely monitored in Thailand, where King Bhumibol is deeply revered.

Anxiety over the king's health and an eventual succession has formed the backdrop to more than a decade of bitter political divide in Thailand that has included two military coups and often-violent street demonstrations. </s> BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand’s 88-year-old King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the world’s longest reigning monarch, is in an unstable condition after receiving hemodialysis treatment, the palace said in a statement late on Sunday.

A well-wisher gestures in front of a picture of Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej at Siriraj Hospital in Bangkok, Thailand, October 10, 2016. REUTERS/Chaiwat Subprasom

News about the king’s health is closely monitored in Thailand, where King Bhumibol is widely revered, and the wording of palace statements on his health is intensely scrutinized.

Strict laws protecting the royal family stifles any public discussion of the king’s health.

It is unusual for the palace to state that the king’s health is not stable. Statements on his health are usually issued after the monarch’s condition shows improvement or when he is recovering from an illness.

Thailand's main stock index .SETI tumbled as much as 3.6 percent on Monday and the baht THB=TH fell to more than two-month lows, following the news.

The king has been treated for various ailments over the past year at Bangkok’s Siriraj Hospital - his home for much of the past year - and was last seen in public on Jan. 11, when he spent several hours visiting his palace in the Thai capital.

Anxiety over the king’s health and an eventual succession has formed the backdrop to more than a decade of bitter political divide in Thailand that has included two military coups and often-violent street demonstrations.

Sunday’s statement was the second health bulletin this month after the palace said on Oct. 1 that the king was recovering after a respiratory infection.

On Saturday, the king was given hemodialysis - a way of cleansing the blood of toxins, extra salts and fluids - which made his blood pressure drop occasionally, the palace said.

Doctors gave him some medicine and put him on a ventilator to bring his blood pressure back to normal, it said.

They continue to monitor his condition closely, the statement said.

“His condition has yet to stabilize,” the palace said.

In 2011, Princess Chulabhorn, the king’s youngest daughter, said in a rare televised statement that the king had suffered a health scare and fell unconscious after suffering from internal bleeding likely induced by stress as a result of a flood crisis at the time.

Laws protecting the royals from insult make it a crime to defame, insult or threaten the king, queen, heir to the throne or regent. </s> The health of Thailand's ailing 88-year-old king has deteriorated and his condition is unstable, the palace said, adding to concerns about the eventual succession of the monarchy.

Doctors performed a hemodialysis on King Bhumibol Adulyadej to purify his blood and changed a tube that drains excess cerebrospinal fluid during a 2 ½-hour procedure, the palace said in a statement late Sunday.

"The medical team are watching his symptoms and giving treatments carefully because the overall symptoms of his sickness are still not stable," the statement said.

Previous statements have said the king's kidneys are not functioning properly.

Bhumibol, the world's longest-reigning monarch, has been hospitalized for much of the past decade. Because Bhumibol, who turns 89 on Dec. 5, has been king since 1946, there is great concern about his eventual succession by Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn, who has not earned the same respect as his father.

Thailand's main stock index fell 2.9 percent on Monday, and the Thai baht sank to a two-month low against the dollar.

While Bhumibol is a constitutional monarch with no formal political role, he has generally been regarded as Thailand's unifying figure. However, as his health has deteriorated, his participation in public affairs has sharply declined in recent years.

Concern about succession has been entwined with Thailand's political turmoil in the past decade, as royalists have sought to ensure that they control the process instead of certain politicians whose fealty to the monarchy they doubt.

Sunday's statement said that the hemodialysis procedure and the replacement of the tube were carried out on Saturday. After that procedure, his blood pressure dropped, which was brought back to normal after he was put on a ventilator and administered medication.

Early Sunday, the king's pulse was faster and an inspection found higher levels of acid in the blood, the statement said. An echocardiogram found a sharp drop in blood injected into the lower left chamber of his heart as a result of high blood pressure in the lungs.

Subsequently, medicines were administered to enlarged blood vessels in the lungs, which led to the improvement of the pulse and blood pressure, the statement said. </s> In this photo by Sakchai Lalit, Thais hold portraits of Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej outside Siriraj Hospital in Bangkok, where the ailing 88-year-old monarch has been treated for years. Several people had gathered at the hospital to pray and burn incense for the king's well-being. Bhumibol is the world's longest-reigning monarch and has been a key unifying figure in the Southeast Asian country. Thais are concerned about the eventual succession as he has been king since 1946 and the crown prince has not earned the same respect as his father. The king's health was described as unstable after he underwent procedures over the weekend to purify his blood and change a tube that drains excess cerebrospinal fluid. </s> News about the king's health is closely monitored in Thailand, where King Bhumibol is deeply revered.

The king has been treated for various ailments over the past year at Bangkok's Siriraj Hospital - his home for much of the past year - and was last seen in public on Jan. 11, when he spent several hours visiting his palace in the Thai capital.

Anxiety over the king's health and an eventual succession has formed the backdrop to more than a decade of bitter political divide in Thailand that has included two military coups and often-violent street demonstrations.

Sunday's statement was the second health bulletin this month after the palace said on Oct. 1 that the king was recovering after a respiratory infection.

On Saturday, he was given hemodialysis - a way of cleansing the blood of toxins, extra salts and fluids - which made his blood pressure drop occasionally, the palace said.

Doctors gave him some medicine and put him on a ventilator to bring his blood pressure back to normal, it said.

They continue to monitor his condition closely, the statement said.

"His condition has yet to stabilize," the palace said.

News about the royal family is tightly controlled in Thailand, where laws protecting the royals from insult make it a crime to defame, insult or threaten the king, queen, heir to the throne or regent. </s> King Bhumibol reigned for seven decades after ascending the throne in 1946. His loss will be deeply mourned in Thailand, where he was regarded as a pillar of stability during decades of political upheaval and rapid development.

The palace did not give a reason for his death but he has been sick in hospital with various ailments for much of the past year.

"His Majesty has passed away at Siriraj Hospital peacefully," the palace said, adding he died at 15:52 (0852 GMT).

His son, the 63-year old Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn, is expected to become Thailand's new king.

Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha addressed the nation shortly after the announcement of the king's death to say an heir to the throne had been designated since 1972 and that the government would inform parliament of the choice.

Prayuth did not identify the heir but King Bhumibol designated prince Vajiralongkorn the heir apparent when he invested him as the crown prince in 1972.

"The government will inform the National Legislative Assembly that His Majesty the King has already designated his heir," said Prayuth, who wore a black suit and tie.

The assembly is due to hold a special session later on Thursday.

Prayuth urged Thais to love one another and protect "the father's land."

Anxiety about the king's health and the succession has formed the backdrop to over a decade of political upheaval in Thailand that has included two coups.

More than 1,000 people gathered at the hospital where the king had been staying. Many of them started to cry as the news of his death broke.

The king was seen as head of an institution central to Thai identity and as a father-figure to the nation.

Most Thais have known no other monarch.

Parichart Kaewsin, 35, who works in a bank, stood at the edge of the hospital garden, gazing up at the top floor of the building where the king was treated.

"I knew he was sick but I still can't believe this day has come," she said, choking back tears.

"That's why I came here - to hear for myself." She said it was like a member of her family has died, she said. "He was like our dad."

King Bhumibol was seen as a force for unity, and there have long been concerns that without him the country's divisions could worsen.

That seems unlikely under the military government of Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, who has kept a tight grip on power since toppling an elected government in 2014.

Prince Vajiralongkorn has yet to command the respect and adoration that his father drew after a lifetime on the throne.

He has kept a lower profile than King Bhumibol for most of his life but in the past two years he took on more of the public duties the king was no longer able to perform. The prince divorced his third wife in 2014.

Thailand's strict lese-majeste laws have left little room for public discussion about the succession. It has been so long since Thailand has had a succession, there is no modern precedent.

Prayuth said civil servants would observe mourning for a year. He also urged Thais to refrain from "festivities" for 30 days. Flags would fly at half-mast at all government buildings and schools for 30 days, he said.

A royal cremation is expected to take months to prepare. When the king's sister died in 2008, a 100-day mourning period was declared. She was cremated 10 months after her death.

The heir's coronation will not take place until the mourning period is over.
The medical records of British monarch George III are released, solving the mystery of the King's illness, which has plagued historians for hundreds of years. Doctors say he would have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder had he lived today.