Instead of instilling discipline, industriousness and a love of family in his sons, his authoritarian concepts had exactly the opposite effect. Under George III's sons, Victoria's so-called "wicked uncles", the popularity of the monarchy plunged to an all-time low. King George IV (1820-1830) was regarded by his critics as a vain, pleasure-seeking dandy. His separation from his Queen and the divorce proceedings took the form of an interminable public mud-slinging. He, his brother and successor William IV (1830-1837), and his younger brothers seemed to leave out nothing that might arouse the displeasure of the guardians of public morals. At a time when the rising middle classes were setting out to get their moral standards accepted as universally binding, a lifestyle chequered with Baroque excessiveness had to arouse indignation. The list of royal sins ranged from a passion for gambling, extravagance, chronic insolvency, scandalous affairs and illegitimate children on down to arrogance and disinterest in political duties.