95-1040: Princess Sophia may refer to: People [ edit ] Great Britain [ edit ] Princess Sophia of the United Kingdom , a daughter of George III of the United Kingdom Princess Sophia of Gloucester , a great granddaughter of George II of Great Britain Sophia Dorothea of Hanover , a daughter of George I of Great Britain Sophia of Hanover , mother of George I of Great Britain, and Electress of Hanover Sophia Dorothea of Celle , wife of George I of Great Britain Germany [ edit ] Sophia of Prussia , wife of Constantine I of Greece, Sister of Wilhelm II, Granddaughter of Queen Victoria Russia [ edit ] Sophia Alekseyevna , regent of Russia during
190-436: A commemoration for George Frideric Handel , held at Westminster Abbey on 26 May 1784. Uncommon for men of the period, Sophia's father was involved in her early upbringing and preferred his daughters to his sons. When possible he attended the princesses' birthday parties and other special events, and was kept informed on their progress in the schoolroom. A family friend once remarked, "I never saw more lovely children, nor
285-463: A priest . Only after her brother Adolphus Frederick succeeded to the ducal throne, in 1752, did she gain any experience of princely duties and of court life. When George III succeeded to the throne of Great Britain upon the 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. The 17-year-old Charlotte appealed as
380-508: A "Nunnery". Though she never wed, rumours spread that Sophia became pregnant by Thomas Garth , an equerry of her father's, and gave birth to an illegitimate son in the summer of 1800. Other gossip declared the child was the product of rape by her elder brother the Duke of Cumberland , who was deeply unpopular. Historians are divided on the validity of these stories, as some believe she gave birth to Garth's child while others call them tales spread by
475-602: A "confused, nearly blind aunt." Sophia often dined with the household, but the Duchess of Kent distrusted her. Princess Victoria was aware her aunt was a spy and the two never became close. Sophia's wealth allowed Conroy to live a rich lifestyle, acquiring for himself a house in Kensington for £4,000, as well as two other estates for £18,000. Sophia was also responsible for certain members of Victoria's household gaining higher statuses; Victoria's governess Louise Lehzen , for instance,
570-447: A certain fascination for the gossip surrounding Sophia's past. Charlotte's feelings towards her other aunts were capricious; she once wrote, "I can hardly believe [Sophia] belongs to them- so wholly different is she in thoughts, opinions, matters. Her nobleness and rectitude of mind renders her no favourite here. The constant scenes of intrigue, of tracasseries, she can but ill support." The Prince Regent's efforts to help his sisters led to
665-504: A child fathered by Garth. Flora Fraser believes the rumours that Sophia had a child, but has questioned whether the child was fathered by Garth, or Sophia's brother the Duke of Cumberland. Historians further write that the child, baptised Thomas Garth like his father, was raised by his father in Weymouth, where his mother would visit him occasionally. In 1828 he apparently tried to blackmail
760-573: A diary entry, "women fall in love with anything – and opportunity and the accidents of the passions are of more importance than any positive merits of mind or of body... [The princesses] were secluded from the world, mixing with few people – their passions boiling over and ready to fall into the hands of the first man whom circumstances enabled to get at them." Gossip soon spread of the existence of an illegitimate child. Some historians contend that, sometime before August 1800 in Weymouth , Sophia gave birth to
855-462: A good morning, in the pretty blue and white room where I had the pleasure to sit and read with you The Hermit , a poem which is such a favourite with me that I have read it twice this summer. Oh! What a blessing to keep good company! Very likely I should not have been acquainted with either poet or poem was it not for you. Charlotte did have some influence on political affairs through the King. Her influence
950-405: A handful of guests were present. George III and Charlotte's coronation was held at Westminster Abbey a fortnight later on 22 September. Upon her wedding day, Charlotte spoke little English. However, she quickly learned the language, albeit speaking with a strong German accent. One observer commented, "She is timid at first but talks a lot, when she is among people she knows." Less than
1045-408: A large purple birthmark on his face, causing Sophia's sister Mary to refer to him as "the purple light of love" and courtier and diarist Charles Greville to call him a "hideous old devil". Despite this, one lady-in-waiting noted "the princess was so violently in love with him that everyone saw it. She could not contain herself in his presence." Greville wrote about Sophia and her sisters' affairs in
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#17328547208931140-447: A limited circle from six to ten o'clock. Johann Christian Bach , eleventh son of the great Johann Sebastian Bach , was then music-master to the Queen. He put difficult works of Handel, J. S. Bach, and Carl Friedrich Abel before the boy: he played them all at sight , to the amazement of those present. Afterwards, the young Mozart accompanied the Queen in an aria which she sang, and played
1235-454: A more pleasing sight than the King's fondness for them." On the other hand, Queen Charlotte invoked fear in her daughters and, according to royal historian A. W. Purdue, she was not "benignly maternal". By 1792 Sophia and her sister Mary were being included in more family activities, and at age fourteen, Sophia debuted at court on her father's birthday, 4 June 1792. According to biographer Christopher Hibbert , in her young adulthood Sophia
1330-591: A part of the Duchess of Kent's social circle and, in return, Sophia spied for Conroy when he was absent from Kensington Palace. Sophia also reported to Conroy on what she heard at St. James's Palace, as she had privileged access to courtiers as well as to her two elder brothers. Gossipmongers speculated that Conroy's successful ability to deal with the "bullying importunities" of Sophia's illegitimate son endeared her to him, while some historians write that Conroy took advantage of Sophia, who in her last years had become "dizzy, easily muddled... mourning her fading looks" and
1425-784: A porcelain service that was later renamed "Royal Lily" in her honour. Another well-known porcelain service designed and named in her honour was the "Queen Charlotte" pattern. The Queen founded orphanages and, in 1809, became the patron (providing new funding) of the General Lying-in Hospital, a hospital for expectant mothers. It was subsequently renamed as the Queen's Hospital, and is today the Queen Charlotte's and Chelsea Hospital . Up until 1788, portraits of Charlotte often depict her in maternal poses with her children, and she looks young and contented; however, that year, her husband fell seriously ill and became temporarily insane. It
1520-664: A post was the client of a woman who sold offices. Charlotte particularly interested herself in German issues. She took an interest in the War of the Bavarian Succession (1778–1779), and it is possible that it was due to her efforts that the King supported British intervention in the continuing conflict between Joseph II and Charles Theodore of Bavaria in 1785. When the King had his first temporary bout of mental illness in 1765, her mother-in-law and Lord Bute kept Charlotte unaware of
1615-461: 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 was glad to follow. The King announced to his Council in July 1761, according to
1710-627: A protracted dispute between her granddaughter Queen Victoria , who claimed the jewels as the property of the British Crown, and Charlotte's now eldest-surviving son Ernest Augustus, King of Hanover , who claimed the jewels by right of being the most senior male member of the House of Hanover . The dispute would not be resolved in Ernest's lifetime. Eventually in 1858, over twenty years after the death of William IV and nearly forty years after Charlotte's death,
1805-505: A rigidly strict household. Though he disliked the idea of matrimony for his daughters, King George had intended to find them suitable husbands when they came of age. However, the King's recurring bouts of madness, as well as the Queen's desire to have her daughters live their lives as her companions, stopped would-be suitors from offering for most of the princesses. As a result, Sophia and all but one of her sisters grew up in their mother's cloistered household, which they frequently referred to as
1900-750: A role she performed for all the royal children. As with the strict education and discipline received by her brothers, Lady Charlotte through the sub-governesses chosen by Queen Charlotte arranged expert tutors to give the princesses lessons in English, French, music, art, and geography; Sophia and her sisters were also allowed to play sports and boisterous games with their brothers. The queen sought to combine her daughters' entertainments with educational benefits. Sophia and her siblings were brought up with an exposure to theatre and were entertained with special performances. Princess Sophia's first appearance in public occurred when she accompanied her parents and elder siblings to
1995-527: A sack and drowning us in the Thames." Before George became regent, he had little power to oblige his sisters. His ascension to the regency in 1811 led to Sophia and the other remaining unmarried princesses to receive increases in their allowances, from £10,000 to £13,000. He also supported their desire to venture out into society. Queen Charlotte was outraged at these attempts, and the Prince-Regent had to reconcile
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#17328547208932090-512: A solo work on the flute. On 29 October, the Mozarts were in London again, and were invited to court to celebrate the fourth anniversary of the King's accession. As a memento of the royal favour, Leopold Mozart published six sonatas composed by Wolfgang, known as Mozart's Opus 3 , that were dedicated to the Queen on 18 January 1765, a dedication she rewarded with a present of 50 guineas. Queen Charlotte
2185-465: A steamer which sank off the southwestern coast of Alaska, killing all on board See also [ edit ] Sofia the First , a Disney series about a princess named Sofia Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Princess Sophia . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to
2280-482: A tendency to embrace them and refuse to let them go. During the 1788 illness of the King, a conflict arose between the Queen and the Prince of Wales, who were both suspected of desiring to assume the regency should the illness of the King become permanent, resulting in him being declared unfit to rule. Charlotte suspected her son of a plan to have the King declared insane with the assistance of Doctor Warren, and to take over
2375-433: A year after the marriage, on 12 August 1762, the Queen gave birth to her first child, George, Prince of Wales . In the course of their marriage, the couple became the parents of 15 children, all but two of whom ( Octavius and Alfred ) survived into adulthood. St James's Palace functioned as the official residence of the royal couple, but the King had recently purchased a nearby property, Buckingham House , located at
2470-613: Is believed she did not visit him again after June 1812. However, Charlotte remained supportive of her spouse as his illness worsened in old age. While her son, the Prince Regent , wielded the royal power, she was her spouse's legal guardian from 1811 until her death in 1818. Due to the extent of the King's illness, he was incapable of knowing or understanding that she had died. During the Regency of her son, Queen Charlotte continued to fill her role as first lady in royal representation because of
2565-467: Is likely to have enhanced the emotional strain felt by Charlotte. Her eldest son, George, was appointed prince regent in 1811 due to the increasing severity of the King's illness. Charlotte died in November 1818, with her son George 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
2660-426: Is named for Charlotte's native Mecklenburg-Strelitz. The royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom are impaled with her father's arms as a Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz . The arms were: Quarterly of six, 1st, Or, a buffalo's head cabossed Sable, armed and ringed Argent, crowned and langued Gules ( Mecklenburg ); 2nd, Azure, a griffin segreant Or ( Rostock ); 3rd, Per fess, in chief Azure, a griffin segreant Or, and in
2755-471: Is now thought that the King had porphyria , though bipolar disorder has also been named as another possible underlying cause for his condition. Sir Thomas Lawrence 's portrait of Charlotte at this time marks a transition point, after which she looks much older in her portraits; the assistant keeper of Charlotte's wardrobe, Charlotte Papendiek , wrote that the Queen was "much changed, her hair quite grey". The French Revolution of 1789 probably added to
2850-604: The Allan Ramsay portrait of Queen Charlotte hangs in the main lobby of the hospital. The Queen Charlotte's Ball , an annual debutante ball that originally funded the hospital, is named after her. A lead statue probably of Queen Charlotte, dating to c. 1775 , stands on Queen Square in Bloomsbury , London, and there are two statues of her in Charlotte , North Carolina: at Charlotte Douglas International Airport and at
2945-481: The Christmas tree to Britain and its colonies. Initially, Charlotte decorated a single yew branch, a common Christmas tradition in her native Mecklenburg-Strelitz, to celebrate Christmas with members of the royal family and the royal household. She decorated the branch with the assistance of her ladies-in-waiting and then had the court gather to sing carols and distribute gifts. In December 1800, Queen Charlotte set up
Princess Sophia - Misplaced Pages Continue
3040-483: The Duchess of Mecklenburg (wife of her first cousin once-removed ), all of whom were represented by proxies. Upon Sophia's birth, King George ensured his daughters and younger sons would have allowances; through a provision of Parliament, Sophia and her elder sisters were each to receive an annual income of £6,000 either upon their marriages or the king's death. The royal household was very rigid and formal, even when only
3135-1099: The Queen Charlotte Islands (now known as Haida Gwaii ) in British Columbia , Canada, and Queen Charlotte City (now known as Daajing Giids ) on Haida Gwaii; Queen Charlotte Sound (not far from the Haida Gwaii Islands); Queen Charlotte Channel (near Vancouver , Canada); Queen Charlotte Bay in West Falkland; Queen Charlotte Sound , South Island, New Zealand; several fortifications , including Fort Charlotte, Saint Vincent ; Charlottesville, Virginia ; Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island ; Charlotte, North Carolina ; Mecklenburg County, North Carolina ; Mecklenburg County, Virginia ; Charlotte County, Virginia ; Charlotte County, Florida ; Port Charlotte, Florida ; Charlotte Harbor, Florida ; and Charlotte, Vermont . The proposed North American colonies of Vandalia and Charlotina were also named for her. In Tonga,
3230-601: The Royal Lodge . Certain personal assets that the Queen had brought from Mecklenburg-Strelitz were to revert to the senior branch of that dynasty, while the remainder of her assets, including her books, linen, art objects and china, were to be evenly divided among her surviving daughters. At the Queen's death, the Prince Regent claimed Charlotte's jewels, and on his death, they were in turn claimed by his heir, William IV . On William's death, Charlotte's bequest then sparked
3325-533: The British escort party. On 22 August, they reached Cuxhaven , where a small fleet awaited to convey them to England. The voyage was extremely difficult; the party encountered three storms at sea and landed at Harwich only on 7 September. They set out at once for London, spent that night in Witham , at the residence of Lord Abercorn , and arrived at 3:30 pm the next day at St. James's Palace in London. They were received by
3420-412: The British people. It is unclear whether there was truth to these rumours or whether they were circulated by the Duke's numerous political enemies. Limited in exposure to eligible men, Sophia and several of her sisters became involved with courtiers and equerries . Sophia entered into a relationship with her father's chief equerry, Major-General Thomas Garth , a man thirty-three years her senior. He had
3515-473: The Duchesses of Kent and Cambridge were present. The princess was buried at Kensal Green Cemetery in London, immediately in front of (east of) the central chapel rather than at Windsor Castle , as she wished to be near her brother, Prince Augustus Frederick, Duke of Sussex (who lies on the opposite side of the path). After her death, it was discovered that Conroy had squandered most of her money and that
3610-527: The International Trade Center. Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , was chartered in 1766 as Queen's College , in reference to Queen Charlotte. It was renamed in 1825 in honour of Henry Rutgers , a Revolutionary War officer and college benefactor. Its oldest extant building, Old Queen's (built 1809–1823), and the city block that forms the historic core of the university, Queen's Campus , retain their original names. Queen Charlotte
3705-471: The King and his family at the garden gate, which marked the first meeting of the bride and groom. At 9:00 pm that same evening (8 September 1761), within six hours of her arrival, Charlotte was married to George III. The ceremony was performed at the Chapel Royal , St. James's Palace, by the archbishop of Canterbury , Thomas Secker . Only the royal family, the party who had travelled from Germany, and
3800-635: The King displayed declining mental health, Queen Charlotte slept in a separate bedroom, had her meals separate from him, and avoided seeing him alone. Charlotte and her husband were music connoisseurs with German tastes, who gave special honour to German artists and composers. They were passionate admirers of the music of George Frideric Handel . In April 1764, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , then aged eight, arrived in Britain with his family as part of their grand tour of Europe and remained until July 1765. The Mozarts were summoned to court on 19 May and played before
3895-530: The King gradually became permanently insane, the Queen's personality altered: she developed a terrible temper and no longer enjoyed appearing in public, not even at the musical concerts she had so loved; and her relationships with her adult children became strained. From 1792 she found some relief from her worry about her husband by planning the gardens and decoration of a new residence for herself, Frogmore House , in Windsor Home Park. From 1804 onward, when
Princess Sophia - Misplaced Pages Continue
3990-457: The King sane on the orders of the Queen. In the Regency Bill of 1789, the Prince of Wales was declared regent should the King become permanently insane, but it also placed the King himself, his court and minor children under the Queen's guardianship. The Queen used this Bill when she refused the Prince of Wales permission to see the King alone, even well after he had been declared sane again in
4085-571: The Nawab of Arcot , were to be evenly distributed among her surviving daughters. The furnishings and fixtures at the royal residence at Frogmore, along with "live and dead stock...on the estates", were bequeathed to her daughter Augusta Sophia along with the Frogmore property, unless its maintenance would prove too expensive for her daughter, in which case it was to revert to the Crown. Her daughter Sophia inherited
4180-412: The Queen. The writer Frances Burney , at that time one of the Queen's attendants, overheard her moaning to herself with "desponding sound": "What will become of me? What will become of me?" When the King collapsed one night, she refused to be left alone with him and successfully insisted that she be given her own bedroom. When the doctor, Richard Warren , was called, she was not informed and was not given
4275-455: The Royal Court, and rarely came into contact with men other than pages, equerries, or attendants. Constantly chaperoned, the girls frequently complained about living in a " Nunnery ". For entertainment, the queen read sermons to them and the princesses practised embroidery. On one occasion Sophia wrote their days were so "deadly dull... I wished myself a kangaroo." The Princess Royal was
4370-573: The United Kingdom Princess Sophia (Sophia Matilda; 3 November 1777 – 27 May 1848) was the twelfth child and fifth daughter of King George III and Queen Charlotte . Sophia is perhaps best known for the rumours surrounding a supposed illegitimate child to whom she gave birth as a young woman. In her youth, Sophia was closest to her father, who preferred his daughters over his sons; however, she and her sisters lived in fear of their mother. The princesses were well-educated but raised in
4465-433: The base Vert, a bordure Argent ( Principality of Schwerin ); 4th, Gules, a cross patée Argent crowned Or ( Ratzeburg ); 5th, Gules, a dexter arm Argent issuant from clouds in sinister flank and holding a finger ring Or ( County of Schwerin ); 6th, Or, a buffalo's head Sable, armed Argent, crowned and langued Gules ( Wenden ); Overall an inescutcheon, per fess Gules and Or ( Stargard ). The Queen's arms changed twice to mirror
4560-556: The cabinetmaker William Vile , silversmith Thomas Heming , the landscape designer Capability Brown , and the German painter Johann Zoffany , who frequently painted the King and Queen and their children in charmingly informal scenes, such as a portrait of Queen Charlotte and her children as she sat at her dressing table. In 1788, the royal couple visited the Worcester Porcelain Factory (founded in 1751, and later to be known as Royal Worcester ), where Queen Charlotte ordered
4655-971: The changes in her husband's arms, once in 1801 and then again in 1816. A funerary hatchment displaying the Queen's full coat of arms , painted in 1818, is on display at Kew Palace . Claims that Queen Charlotte may have had partial African ancestry first emerged in Racial Mixture as the Basic Principle of Life published in 1929 by German historian, Brunold Springer, who challenged her Thomas Gainsborough portrait as inaccurate. Based on her alternative portrait by Allan Ramsay and contemporary descriptions of her appearance, Springer concluded that Charlotte's "broad nostrils and heavy lips" must point to African heritage. Jamaican-American amateur historian J. A. Rogers agreed with Springer in his 1940 book Sex and Race: Volume I , where he concluded that Queen Charlotte must be "biracial" or "black". Proponents of
4750-438: The child and that this is the reason Sophia never married. Alison Weir and others, however, write of a possible marriage between Sophia and Garth the same year as the child's birth, but there is no evidence to back this assertion other than the presence of a wedding ring in a portrait of an aged Sophia. Sophia was a favourite of her niece, Princess Charlotte of Wales , as the young princess liked her gentle character and had
4845-581: The early years of Peter the Great Spain [ edit ] Queen Sofia of Spain , daughter of Paul I of Greece; wife of Juan Carlos I of Spain Infanta Sofia of Spain , daughter of the Prince and Princess of Asturias, granddaughter of King Juan Carlos I of Spain and his wife, Queen Sofia Sweden [ edit ] Princess Sofia, Duchess of Värmland wife of Prince Carl Philip, Duke of Värmland Other [ edit ] SS Princess Sophia ,
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#17328547208934940-402: The estrangement of the Prince Regent and his spouse . As such, she functioned as the hostess by the side of her son at official receptions, such as the festivities given in London to celebrate the defeat of Emperor Napoleon in 1814. She also supervised the upbringing of her granddaughter, Princess Charlotte of Wales . During her last years, she was met with a growing lack of popularity and
5035-640: The first known English Christmas tree at Queen's Lodge, Windsor . That year, she held a large Christmas party for the children of all the families in Windsor and placed a whole tree in the drawing-room, decorated with tinsel, glass, baubles and fruits. John Watkins , who attended the Christmas party, described the tree in his biography of the Queen: "from the branches of which hung bunches of sweetmeats, almonds and raisins in papers, fruits and toys, most tastefully arranged;
5130-501: The first room was dazzling, all furnished with beautiful Indian paper, chairs covered with different embroideries of the liveliest colours, glasses, tables, sconces, in the best taste, the whole calculated to give the greatest cheerfulness to the place." Charlotte treated her children's attendants with friendly warmth which is reflected in this note she wrote to her daughters' assistant governess, Mary Hamilton: My dear Miss Hamilton, What can I have to say? Not much indeed! But to wish you
5225-423: The intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Princess_Sophia&oldid=1208329075 " Categories : Disambiguation pages Title and name disambiguation pages Human name disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Princess Sophia of
5320-425: The least want a separation." However, the King had his first bout of madness that year, when Sophia was aged eleven. Sophia remarked of her father's behaviour, "He is all affection and kindness to me, but sometimes an over kindness, if you can understand that, which greatly alarms me." Further lapses into insanity occurred in 1801 and 1804, thus forestalling talk of marriage for his daughters. The question of matrimony
5415-448: The marriages of Mary and Elizabeth , and Queen Charlotte's death in 1818 allowed Augusta and Sophia their domestic freedom, though it was too late for them to marry. From her mother Sophia inherited Lower Lodge at Windsor Great Park , which she in turn gave to the Prince Regent. The death of Princess Augusta in 1840 resulted in Sophia inheriting Clarence House and Frogmore . After
5510-508: The matter was decided in favour of Ernest's son George , upon which Victoria had the jewels given into the custody of the Hanoverian ambassador. The rest of Charlotte's property was sold at auction from May to August 1819. Her clothes, furniture, and even her snuff were sold by Christie's . It is highly unlikely that her husband ever knew of her death; he died blind, deaf, lame and insane 14 months later. Places named after Charlotte include
5605-612: The only daughter who was able to marry while relatively young. The rest of the princesses were not without suitors, but most of the various men's efforts were stopped by Queen Charlotte. Most of the girls longed for families and children of their own, and often asked the Prince of Wales , to whom they remained close, for help, either in finding spouses, allowing them to marry their loves, or allowing them to live outside of Queen Charlotte's household. A grateful Sophia once jokingly wrote to her brother, saying "I wonder you do not vote for putting us in
5700-440: The opportunity to speak with him about it. When told by the Prince of Wales that the King was to be removed to Kew, but that she should move to Queen's House or to Windsor, she successfully insisted that she accompany her spouse to Kew. However, she and her daughters were taken to Kew separately from the King and lived secluded from him during his illness. They regularly visited him, but the visits tended to be uncomfortable, as he had
5795-648: The outbreak of the French Revolution. Charlotte had organized apartments to be prepared and ready for the refugee royal family of France to occupy. She was greatly distraught when she heard the news that the King and Queen of France had been executed. After the onset of his permanent madness in 1811, George III was placed under the guardianship of his wife in accordance with the Regency Bill of 1789 . She could not bring herself to visit him very often, due to his erratic behaviour and occasional violent reactions. It
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#17328547208935890-532: The princess had virtually no estate to bequeath. Charles Greville wrote an entry in his diary on 31 May: The Princess Sophia died a few days ago, while the Queen [Victoria] was holding the Drawing-room for her Birthday. She was blind, helpless, and suffered martyrdom; a very clever, well-informed woman, but who never lived in the world. Works cited Queen Charlotte Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (Sophia Charlotte; 19 May 1744 – 17 November 1818)
5985-1006: The property on Queen Charlotte in exchange for her rights to Somerset House . Most of the couple's 15 children were born in Buckingham House, although St James's Palace remained the official and ceremonial royal residence. During her first years in Great Britain, Charlotte's strained relationship with her mother-in-law, Augusta, caused her difficulty in adapting to the life of the British court. Augusta interfered with Charlotte's efforts to establish social contacts by insisting on rigid court etiquette. Furthermore, Augusta appointed many of Charlotte's staff, among whom several were expected to report to Augusta about Charlotte's behaviour. Charlotte turned to her German companions for friends, notably her close confidante Juliane von Schwellenberg . The King enjoyed country pursuits and riding and preferred to keep his family's residence as much as possible in
6080-489: The propriety of a Queen walking in town unattended." From 1778, the royal family spent much of their time at a newly constructed residence, the Queen's Lodge at Windsor, opposite Windsor Castle , in Windsor Great Park , where the King enjoyed hunting deer. The Queen was responsible for the interior decoration of their new residence, described by a friend of the royal family and diarist Mary Delany : "The entrance into
6175-475: The queen's death, Sophia lived in Kensington Palace during her final years, next to her niece Princess Victoria of Kent , the future Queen Victoria. As a result, Princess Sophia was one of the few paternal relatives that Victoria saw often. Like her sister-in-law the Duchess of Kent , Sophia fell under the spell of Victoria's comptroller Sir John Conroy and let him manage her money. The princess became
6270-421: The regency. Prince George's followers, notably Sir Gilbert Ellis, in turn suspected the Queen of a plan to have the King declared sane with the assistance of Doctor Francis Willis and Prime Minister William Pitt , so that he could have her appointed regent should he fall ill again, and then have him declared insane again and assume the regency. According to Doctor Warren, Doctor Willis had pressed him to declare
6365-465: The royal family adopted the name Sālote (the Tongan version of Charlotte) in her honour, and notable individuals included Sālote Lupepauʻu and Sālote Tupou III . Charlotte's provision of funding to the General Lying-in Hospital in London prevented its closure; today it is named Queen Charlotte's and Chelsea Hospital , and is an acknowledged centre of excellence amongst maternity hospitals. A large copy of
6460-455: The royal family were together in private. For instance, when the King entered a room, his daughters were expected to stand up, remain silent until addressed, and not leave until given permission. Queen Charlotte made attempts to be economical where possible; the younger princesses wore country-made dresses, which were less expensive, and ate plain food. Sophia's early life was focused on education. Lady Charlotte Finch served as her governess,
6555-630: The royal family with certain incriminating documents from his father about his supposed parents' relationship, though this ended in failure. Conversely, Anthony Camp challenges the belief that Sophia had a child and provides a detailed summary of the available evidence. In his book Royal Babylon: the Alarming History of European Royalty , author Karl Shaw writes of the possibility that the Duke raped his sister, citing evidence from Charles Greville's diaries, as well as other factors. Historian Gillian Gill believes that Sophia secretly gave birth to
6650-493: The royal family's political enemies. The efforts of the Prince Regent to gain his sisters increased independence were further hastened along with Queen Charlotte's death in 1818. In her last years, Sophia resided in the household of her niece Princess Victoria of Kent (the future Queen Victoria), at Kensington Palace . There, she fell under the sway of Victoria's comptroller , Sir John Conroy , who took advantage of her senility and blindness; rumours also circulated that Sophia
6745-406: The situation. The Regency Bill of 1765 stated that if the King should become permanently unable to rule, Charlotte was to become regent. Her mother-in-law and Lord Bute had unsuccessfully opposed this arrangement, but as the King's illness of 1765 was temporary, Charlotte was aware neither of it, nor of the Regency Bill. The King's bout of physical and mental illness in 1788 distressed and terrified
6840-416: The spring of 1789. The conflict around the regency led to serious discord between the Prince of Wales and his mother. In an argument he accused her of having sided with his enemies, while she called him the enemy of the King. Their conflict became public when she refused to invite him to the concert held in celebration of the recovery of the King, which created a scandal. During this period, Queen Charlotte
6935-453: The strain that Charlotte felt. She had maintained a close relationship with Queen Marie Antoinette of France. Charlotte was 11 years older than Marie Antoinette, yet they shared many interests, such as their love of music and the arts, about which they were both enthusiastic. Never meeting face to face, they confined their friendship to pen and paper. Marie Antoinette confided in Charlotte upon
7030-440: The then rural towns of Kew and Richmond . He favoured an informal and relaxed domestic life, to the dismay of some courtiers more accustomed to displays of grandeur and strict protocol. Lady Mary Coke was indignant on hearing, in July 1769, that the King, the Queen, her visiting brother Prince Ernest and Lady Effingham had gone for a walk through Richmond by themselves without any servants: "I am not satisfied in my mind about
7125-401: The time of her engagement to George III in 1761, Charlotte had received "a very mediocre education". Her upbringing was similar to that of a daughter of an English country gentleman . She received some rudimentary instruction in botany , natural history , and language from tutors, but her education focused on household management and religion – the latter taught by
7220-477: The twelfth child and fifth daughter of King George III and Queen Charlotte . The young princess was christened on 1 December 1777 in the Great Council Chamber at St James's Palace by Frederick Cornwallis , Archbishop of Canterbury . Her godparents were Prince August of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg (her first cousin once-removed), the Duchess of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel (her first cousin twice-removed) and
7315-416: The two parties carefully so that his sisters could still enjoy some independence. During Sophia's lifetime, there were various rumours about her alleged incestuous relationship with her brother, Ernest Augustus, Duke of Cumberland , who later became the King of Hanover. The Prince Regent supposedly warned his sisters not to be alone in the same room with the Duke, and Cumberland was deeply unpopular with
7410-651: 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. Three days of public celebrations followed, and on 17 August 1761, Charlotte set out for Britain, accompanied by Adolphus Frederick and
7505-418: The western end of St James's Park . More private and compact, the new property stood amid rolling parkland not far from St James's Palace. Around 1762, the King and Queen moved to this residence, which was originally intended as a private retreat. The Queen came to favour this residence, spending so much of her time there that it came to be known as The Queen's House. Indeed, in 1775, an Act of Parliament settled
7600-409: The whole illuminated by small wax candles. After the company had walked round and admired the tree, each child obtained a portion of the sweets it bore, together with a toy, and then all returned home quite delighted." The practice of decorating a tree became popular among the British nobility and gentry , and later spread to the colonies. Among the royal couple's favoured craftsmen and artists were
7695-531: 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
7790-602: Was a "delightful though moody girl, pretty, delicate and passionate." As within her childhood, Sophia was devoted to her father, though she occasionally found him exasperating. She wrote that "the dear King is all kindness to me, and I cannot say how grateful I feel for it." Prior to 1788, King George had told his daughters that he would take them to Hanover and find them suitable husbands despite misgivings he had, which stemmed from his sisters' own unhappy marriages. He remarked, "I cannot deny that I have never wished to see any of them marry: I am happy in their company, and do not in
7885-478: 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. She maintained a close relationship with Queen Marie Antoinette of France, and the French Revolution
7980-661: Was an amateur botanist who took a great interest in Kew Gardens . In an age of discovery, when such travellers and explorers as Captain James Cook and Sir Joseph Banks were constantly bringing home new species and varieties of plants, she ensured that the collections were greatly enriched and expanded. Her interest in botany led to the South African flower, the bird of paradise, being named Strelitzia reginae in her honour. Queen Charlotte has also been credited with introducing
8075-629: 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
8170-555: Was buried at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle . Her husband died just over a year later. She is the longest-serving female consort and second-longest-serving consort in British history (after Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh ), having served as such from her marriage (on 8 September 1761) to her death (17 November 1818), a total of 57 years and 70 days. On the day before her death, the Queen dictated her will to her husband's secretary, Sir Herbert Taylor , appointing him and Lord Arden as her executors; at her death, her personal estate
8265-573: Was caricatured in satirical prints which depicted her as an unnatural mother and a creature of the Prime Minister. In January 1789 The Times accused the Opposition of beginning "a most scurrilous attack on the queen, not only by private conversation, but through the medium of the prints in their interest". Queen Charlotte and the Prince of Wales finally reconciled, on her initiative, in March 1791. As
8360-402: Was discreet and indirect, as demonstrated in the correspondence with her brother Charles. She used her closeness with George III to keep herself informed and to make recommendations for offices. Apparently her recommendations were not direct, as she on one occasion, in 1779, asked her brother Charles to burn her letter, because the King suspected that a person she had recently recommended for
8455-509: Was in awe of Conroy because of his ability to deal effectively with the "bullying importunities" of Sophia's supposed illegitimate son. Sophia frequently served as his spy on the Kensington household as well as on her two elder brothers, while Conroy squandered most of her money. The princess died on 27 May 1848 at her residence in Vicarage Place, Kensington Palace. The Princess Sophia was born at Buckingham House , London on 3 November 1777,
8550-504: Was made a Hanoverian baroness on the orders of George IV, and Conroy was named a Knight Commander of the Hanoverian Order . After having been blind for over ten years, on the morning of 27 May 1848, Princess Sophia became ill at her residence at Vicarage Place, Kensington; she was visited by her sister Mary, sister-in-law Queen Adelaide , and nephew-in-law Prince Albert . Sophia's death occurred at 6:30 later that day, when Mary,
8645-537: Was played by Frances White in the 1979 television series Prince Regent , by Helen Mirren in the 1994 film The Madness of King George , by Golda Rosheuvel in the 2020 Netflix original series Bridgerton , and by India Amarteifio in her younger years and Rosheuvel, in her older years, in Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story . Strelitzia , a genus of flowering plants native to South Africa that has become ubiquitous in warm-weather regions worldwide,
8740-432: Was rarely raised; Queen Charlotte feared the subject as something which had always discomforted the King and would push him back into insanity. Furthermore, the queen, strained from her husband's illness, wanted the princesses to remain close to her. As a result, like most of her sisters, Princess Sophia was forced to live her life as a companion of her mother. The princesses were not allowed to mix with anyone outside of
8835-485: Was sometimes subjected to demonstrations. After having attended a reception in London on 29 April 1817, she was jeered by a crowd. She told the crowd that it was upsetting to be treated like that after such long service. The Queen died in the presence of her eldest son, the Prince Regent, who was holding her hand as she sat in an armchair at the family's country retreat, Dutch House in Surrey (now known as Kew Palace ). She
8930-563: 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
9025-495: Was valued at less than £140,000 (equivalent to £12,300,000 in 2023 ), with her jewels accounting for the greater portion of her assets. In her will, proven at Doctor's Commons on 8 January 1819, the Queen bequeathed her husband the jewels she had received from him, unless he remained in his state of insanity, in which case the jewels were to become an heirloom of the House of Hanover. Other jewels, including some gifted to Charlotte by
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