King William IV had dismissed the Whig government of Lord Melbourne on 14 November 1834 and asked Arthur Wellesley, the Duke of Wellington, to form a government but he declined, instead recommending Sir Robert Peel.Peel was in Sardinia at the time, so the Duke of Wellington took control of the government in a caretaker capacity[1] until Peel returned and was able to form his government on 10 December.During the caretaker government there was no Cabinet.[2]