Even the ministry acknowledged that the war in America must henceforth be defensive only.

In February, 1782, a motion in the House of Commons for peace was lost by only one vote; and in March, in spite of the frantic expostulations of the King, Lord North resigned.

The King insisted that at any rate some members of the new ministry must be named by himself and not, as is the British constitutional custom, by the Prime Minister.
On this, too, he had to yield; and a Whig ministry, under the Marquis of Rockingham, took office in March, 1782.

Rockingham died on the 1st of July, and it was Lord Shelburne, later the Marquis of Lansdowne, under whom the war came to an end.

The King meanwhile declared that he would return to Hanover rather than yield the independence of the colonies.
Over and over again he had said that no one should hold office in his government who would not pledge himself to keep the Empire entire.