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King George III, who ruled over the British Empire during and after the time of the American Revolution, is rendered in Hamilton as a spoiled, petulant brat. Throughout the musical, King George makes several brief cameo appearances, in which he treats the American colonies as a difficult lover. At first, as the war begins, he insists that “oceans rise, empires fall / we have seen each other through it all” (“You’ll Be Back”); later, after the Americans have won, he taunts them that they will never be able to form a real government (“What Comes Next?”). King George is largely a comic character, and his music, cheekily inspired by the “British [Musical] Invasion” of the 1960s, sounds poppy and retro.
King George Quotes in Hamilton
The Hamilton quotes below are all either spoken by King George or refer to King George. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Act 1: You’ll Be Back Quotes
KING GEORGE: You say
The price of my love’s not a price that you’re willing to pay.
You cry
In your tea which you hurl in the sea when you see me go by.
Why so sad?
Remember we made an arrangement when you went away.
Now you’re making me mad.
Remember, despite our estrangement, I’m your man.
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Get the entire Hamilton LitChart as a printable PDF.
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King George Character Timeline in Hamilton
The timeline below shows where the character King George appears in Hamilton. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Act 1: You’ll Be Back
...Be Back” frames the American colonists’ push for independence from Britain as a break-up, and King George is taking it personally: “you’ll be back / soon you’ll see / you’ll remember you...
(full context)
Act 1: What Comes Next
After the war, King George checks in on his former subjects. “Oceans rise, empires fall,” George crows gleefully, “it’s much...
(full context)
Act 2: I Know Him
King George sings about watching John Adams take over as president. King George is shocked that Washington...
(full context)
Act 2: The Reynolds Pamphlet
...for Eliza, not him (“put what we had aside / I’m standing at her side”). King George also arrives to laugh at Hamilton. The song ends when Jefferson and Burr revel in...
(full context)
