The Death of King George II

George II famously died on the toilet, although according to Wikipedia, "his physician, Frank Nicholls, recorded that he 'appeared to have just come from his necessary–stool, and as if going to open his escritoire'". I take this to mean that the king had just got off the toilet.

The king's daughter, Princess Amelia, was sent for; but by the time she arrived, he was dead.

Wikipedia continues: "A post–mortem revealed that the king had died as the result of a thoracic aortic dissection." This happens when an injury to the innermost layer of the aorta allows blood to flow between the layers of the aortic wall, forcing the layers apart.

Elsewhere, Wikipedia states that this was the first recorded case of such an injury.

© Haydn Thompson 2021