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| '''Sophia Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz''' (], ] - ], ]) was the ] of ]. | '''Sophia Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz''' (], ] - ], ]) was the ] of ]. | ||
| ] | |||
| ⚫ | The daughter of Duke Charles Louis Frederick and Elizabeth of Saxe-Hilburghausen Albertin, she was born in ] in her father's duchy of ], ]. Having been selected as the bride of the young king George (who had already flirted with several young women considered unsuitable by his mother, ], and by his political advisors), she arrived in Britain in ] and the couple were married at the ] in ], ], on ] of that year. | ||
| ⚫ | The youngest daughter of Duke Charles Louis Frederick and Elizabeth of Saxe-Hilburghausen Albertin, she was born in ] in her father's duchy of ], ]. Having been selected as the bride of the young king George (who had already flirted with several young women considered unsuitable by his mother, ], and by his political advisors), she arrived in Britain in ] and the couple were married at the ] in ], ], on ] of that year. | ||
| ⚫ | Despite not having been his first choice, and having been treated with a general lack of sympathy by his mother, Charlotte's relationship with her husband soon blossomed, and he is not known ever to have been unfaithful to her. In the course of their marriage, they had fifteen children, |
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| ⚫ | Despite not having been his first choice, and having been treated with a general lack of sympathy by his mother, Charlotte's relationship with her husband soon blossomed, and he is not known ever to have been unfaithful to her. In the course of their marriage, they had fifteen children, all but two —Octavius and Alfred—survived into adulthood. Charlotte remained supportive of her husband as his mental illness, now believed to be ], worsened in old age. However, she pre-deceased him, dying at ], their family home in ]. She was buried at ]. | ||
| ⚫ | The medium-large ] city of ] was named for her by ]'s uncle Thomas Polk fairly early in ]. Also, another city named for her is ], the provincial capital of ], ]. The ] of ], ] (now ]), and Queens College of Charlotte are also named for her. | ||
| Queen Charlotte was a descendant, through six lines, of Margarita de Castro y Sousa, a black, Moorish, or mixed-race member of the Portuguese royal family who lived in the ]. Charlotte's biographer Olwen Hedley states that Queen Charlotte's personal physician, ], described his patient as having "true mulatto features" ("''ein wahres Mulattengesicht''"). | Queen Charlotte was a descendant, through six lines, of Margarita de Castro y Sousa, a black, Moorish, or mixed-race member of the Portuguese royal family who lived in the ]. Charlotte's biographer Olwen Hedley states that Queen Charlotte's personal physician, ], described his patient as having "true mulatto features" ("''ein wahres Mulattengesicht''"). The Queen's ancestry was important to contemporary ]. | ||
| ⚫ | The medium-large ] city of ] was named for her by ]'s uncle Thomas Polk fairly early in ]. Also, another city named for her is ], the provincial capital of ], ]. The ] of ], ] (now ]), and Queens College of Charlotte are also named for her. | ||
| ==External links and references== | |||
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| * | |||
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| ⚫ | * | ||
| *Olwen Hedley ''Queen Charlotte'' J Murray, January 1975, ISBN 0719531047 | |||
| ] | ] | ||
Revision as of 03:25, 24 December 2004
Sophia Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (May 19, 1744 - November 17, 1818) was the queen consort of King George III.
The youngest daughter of Duke Charles Louis Frederick and Elizabeth of Saxe-Hilburghausen Albertin, she was born in Mirow in her father's duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, Germany. Having been selected as the bride of the young king George (who had already flirted with several young women considered unsuitable by his mother, Augusta of Saxe-Gotha, and by his political advisors), she arrived in Britain in 1761 and the couple were married at the Chapel Royal in St James's Palace, London, on September 8 of that year.
Despite not having been his first choice, and having been treated with a general lack of sympathy by his mother, Charlotte's relationship with her husband soon blossomed, and he is not known ever to have been unfaithful to her. In the course of their marriage, they had fifteen children, all but two —Octavius and Alfred—survived into adulthood. Charlotte remained supportive of her husband as his mental illness, now believed to be porphyria, worsened in old age. However, she pre-deceased him, dying at Kew Palace, their family home in Surrey. She was buried at St. George's Chapel, Windsor.
Queen Charlotte was a descendant, through six lines, of Margarita de Castro y Sousa, a black, Moorish, or mixed-race member of the Portuguese royal family who lived in the 15th century. Charlotte's biographer Olwen Hedley states that Queen Charlotte's personal physician, Christian Friedrich, Baron von Stockmar, described his patient as having "true mulatto features" ("ein wahres Mulattengesicht"). The Queen's ancestry was important to contemporary Abolitionists.
The medium-large Southern US city of Charlotte, North Carolina was named for her by James K. Polk's uncle Thomas Polk fairly early in America's history. Also, another city named for her is Charlottetown, the provincial capital of Prince Edward Island, Canada. The Queen Charlotte Islands of British Columbia, Queens College (now Rutgers University), and Queens College of Charlotte are also named for her.
External links and references
- Royal Genealogies
- King George III: Mad or Misunderstood?
- PBS's Frontline documents Queen Charlotte's "negroid" features
- Olwen Hedley Queen Charlotte J Murray, January 1975, ISBN 0719531047