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Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
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Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (Sophia Charlotte; 19 May 1744 – 17 November 1818) was Queen of Great Britain and Ireland as the wife of King George III from their marriage on 8 September 1761 until her death in 1818. The Acts of Union 1800 unified Great Britain and Ireland into the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. As George's wife, she was also Electress of Hanover until becoming Queen of Hanover on 12 October 1814. Charlotte was Britain's longest-serving queen consort, serving for 57 years and 70 days.
Charlotte was born into the ruling family of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, a duchy in northern Germany. In 1760, the young and unmarried George III inherited the British throne. As Charlotte was a minor German princess with no interest in politics, the King considered her a suitable consort, and they married in 1761. The marriage lasted 57 years and produced 15 children, 13 of whom survived to adulthood. They included two future British monarchs, George IV and William IV; as well as Charlotte, Princess Royal, who became Queen of Württemberg; and Prince Ernest Augustus, who became King of Hanover.
Charlotte was a patron of the arts and an amateur botanist who helped expand Kew Gardens. She introduced the Christmas tree to Britain, decorating one for a Christmas party for children of Windsor in 1800. She was distressed by her husband's bouts of physical and mental illness, which became permanent in later life. Charlotte was deeply shocked by the events of the French Revolution and of the ensuing Napoleonic Wars which threatened the safety and sovereignty of her homeland. Her eldest son, George, was appointed prince regent in 1811 due to the increasing severity of the King's illness. Charlotte died at Kew Palace in November 1818, with several of her children at her side. George III died a little over a year later, probably unaware of his wife's death.
Princess Sophia Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz was born on 19 May 1744. She was the youngest daughter of Duke Charles Louis Frederick of Mecklenburg, Prince of Mirow (1708–1752), and his wife Princess Elisabeth Albertine of Saxe-Hildburghausen (1713–1761). Mecklenburg-Strelitz was a small north-German duchy in the Holy Roman Empire.
The children of Duke Charles were all born at the Unteres Schloss (Lower Castle) in Mirow. According to diplomatic reports at the time of her engagement to George III in 1761, Charlotte had received "a very mediocre education" and contemporary Britons including Elizabeth Montagu expressed anxiety about the supposed provinciality of Charlotte's upbringing. Her parents hired notable individuals to tutor their children, among them Gottlob Burchard Genzmer and Friderike Elisabeth von Grabow. Charlotte received instruction in literature, botany, natural history, and languages including French, Italian, and Latin. She was also taught traditional pursuits for upper-class girls, including embroidery, dancing, singing, household management and religion – the latter taught by a priest. Charlotte was also taught to play the harpsichord by composer Johann Georg Linike. The family lived a modest life at Mirow; only after her brother Adolphus Frederick succeeded to the ducal throne, in 1752, did Charlotte gain any experience of princely duties and of court life.
When George III succeeded to the throne of Great Britain upon the 1760 death of his grandfather, George II, he was 22 years old and unmarried. His mother, Princess Augusta of Saxe-Gotha, and his advisors were eager to have him settled in marriage.
Charlotte was not originally considered as a potential bride, but the Hanoverian Minister in London, Baron Philip Adolphus von Münchausen, suggested her as a candidate, likely due to the positive relations between Hanover and Mecklenburg-Strelitz. The 17-year-old Charlotte appealed as a prospective consort partly because she had been brought up in an insignificant north German duchy and, therefore, would probably have had no experience or interest in power politics or party intrigues. That proved to be the case; to make sure, George III instructed her shortly after their wedding "not to meddle", a precept she dutifully followed.
The King announced to his Council in July 1761, according to the usual form, his intention to wed the Princess, after which a party of escorts, led by the Earl Harcourt, departed for Germany to bring Princess Charlotte to England. They reached Strelitz on 14 August 1761, and were received the next day by Duke Adolphus Frederick IV, Charlotte's brother, at which time the marriage contract was signed by him on the one hand and Lord Harcourt on the other. Charlotte's mother had died on 29 June, after giving encouragement to the betrothal following a correspondence with George III's mother, Princess Augusta.
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Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (Sophia Charlotte; 19 May 1744 – 17 November 1818) was Queen of Great Britain and Ireland as the wife of King George III from their marriage on 8 September 1761 until her death in 1818. The Acts of Union 1800 unified Great Britain and Ireland into the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. As George's wife, she was also Electress of Hanover until becoming Queen of Hanover on 12 October 1814. Charlotte was Britain's longest-serving queen consort, serving for 57 years and 70 days.
Charlotte was born into the ruling family of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, a duchy in northern Germany. In 1760, the young and unmarried George III inherited the British throne. As Charlotte was a minor German princess with no interest in politics, the King considered her a suitable consort, and they married in 1761. The marriage lasted 57 years and produced 15 children, 13 of whom survived to adulthood. They included two future British monarchs, George IV and William IV; as well as Charlotte, Princess Royal, who became Queen of Württemberg; and Prince Ernest Augustus, who became King of Hanover.
Charlotte was a patron of the arts and an amateur botanist who helped expand Kew Gardens. She introduced the Christmas tree to Britain, decorating one for a Christmas party for children of Windsor in 1800. She was distressed by her husband's bouts of physical and mental illness, which became permanent in later life. Charlotte was deeply shocked by the events of the French Revolution and of the ensuing Napoleonic Wars which threatened the safety and sovereignty of her homeland. Her eldest son, George, was appointed prince regent in 1811 due to the increasing severity of the King's illness. Charlotte died at Kew Palace in November 1818, with several of her children at her side. George III died a little over a year later, probably unaware of his wife's death.
Princess Sophia Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz was born on 19 May 1744. She was the youngest daughter of Duke Charles Louis Frederick of Mecklenburg, Prince of Mirow (1708–1752), and his wife Princess Elisabeth Albertine of Saxe-Hildburghausen (1713–1761). Mecklenburg-Strelitz was a small north-German duchy in the Holy Roman Empire.
The children of Duke Charles were all born at the Unteres Schloss (Lower Castle) in Mirow. According to diplomatic reports at the time of her engagement to George III in 1761, Charlotte had received "a very mediocre education" and contemporary Britons including Elizabeth Montagu expressed anxiety about the supposed provinciality of Charlotte's upbringing. Her parents hired notable individuals to tutor their children, among them Gottlob Burchard Genzmer and Friderike Elisabeth von Grabow. Charlotte received instruction in literature, botany, natural history, and languages including French, Italian, and Latin. She was also taught traditional pursuits for upper-class girls, including embroidery, dancing, singing, household management and religion – the latter taught by a priest. Charlotte was also taught to play the harpsichord by composer Johann Georg Linike. The family lived a modest life at Mirow; only after her brother Adolphus Frederick succeeded to the ducal throne, in 1752, did Charlotte gain any experience of princely duties and of court life.
When George III succeeded to the throne of Great Britain upon the 1760 death of his grandfather, George II, he was 22 years old and unmarried. His mother, Princess Augusta of Saxe-Gotha, and his advisors were eager to have him settled in marriage.
Charlotte was not originally considered as a potential bride, but the Hanoverian Minister in London, Baron Philip Adolphus von Münchausen, suggested her as a candidate, likely due to the positive relations between Hanover and Mecklenburg-Strelitz. The 17-year-old Charlotte appealed as a prospective consort partly because she had been brought up in an insignificant north German duchy and, therefore, would probably have had no experience or interest in power politics or party intrigues. That proved to be the case; to make sure, George III instructed her shortly after their wedding "not to meddle", a precept she dutifully followed.
The King announced to his Council in July 1761, according to the usual form, his intention to wed the Princess, after which a party of escorts, led by the Earl Harcourt, departed for Germany to bring Princess Charlotte to England. They reached Strelitz on 14 August 1761, and were received the next day by Duke Adolphus Frederick IV, Charlotte's brother, at which time the marriage contract was signed by him on the one hand and Lord Harcourt on the other. Charlotte's mother had died on 29 June, after giving encouragement to the betrothal following a correspondence with George III's mother, Princess Augusta.
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