In his 60-year reign as King of Great Britain and Ireland, King George III suffered from recurrent episodes of both physical and mental illness. Researchers have programmed a computer to'read' the famous King's letters, analaysing the characteristics of his writing. The results suggest that King George III suffered from'acute mania' - a term used to describe an excitable, hyperactive condition. In his 60 year reign as King of Great Britain and Ireland, King George III suffered from recurrent episodes of both physical and mental illness. Researchers from St George's University, London, programmed a computer to'read' hundreds of King George III's letters, to understand his mental state.