George I and Prime Minister Robert Walpole

Study note

When Queen Anne died, the throne passed to George I, a German prince, because he was her nearest Protestant relative. The rule that the monarch had to be Protestant meant the crown skipped over closer Catholic relatives. George I had grown up in Germany and spoke little English.

Because he was German and spoke little English, rather than being very young, living in France or being unwell, George I relied heavily on his ministers to run the government. The leading minister, Sir Robert Walpole, gained so much influence that he came to be regarded as the first British Prime Minister. So remember the link: the German-speaking George I depended on his ministers, which is how Sir Robert Walpole became the first Prime Minister.

Memory tip: German-speaking George I relied on ministers, so Walpole became the first PM.