Charlotte Of Mecklenburg-Strelitz - The Bridgerton Queen

Sophie Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz was born on May 19, 1744, in Merlot, Germany. She was the daughter of Duke Charles Louis Frederick of Mecklenburg and his wife Elisabeth Albertine of Saxe-Hildburghausen, who herself was a distant cousin of George III's mother, Augusta of Saxe-Gotha. According to some historians, Charlotte was descendant from the 13th century Portuguese monarch Alfonso III and his North African mistress Madragana. Research into her origins has not yet yielded any conclusive proof, but it would make for an exciting twist in her personal history. Charlotte's brother, Adolphus Frederick IV, inherited the duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz in 1752, and the family moved from Merlot to Neustrelitz. Charlotte received an excellent education. Among her teachers was the poet Frederike Elisabeth von Grabow. Charlotte soon mastered several languages and was educated in natural sciences, arts and home economics. She was also a gifted letter writer. A fictitious letter to the Prussian king Frederick II, in which she complained about the conduct of the Prussian army in Mecklenburg, achieved notoriety, was printed and thus reached England, bringing the princess to the attention of her later husband George III. However, such a letter has never been found in the archives and is now considered a PR action from the British crown. In 1661, Simon Harcourt, the first Earl Harcourt, was sent to Mecklenburg-Strelitz to negotiate the marriage contract for the union between Charlotte and King George III. The marriage contract was signed on August 15, 1661, and on August 17, the 17-year-old Charlotte, who spoke no English, left her home and traveled via Hanover to Stade, where she boarded the royal yacht. During the crossing to England, she became so seasick that her diamond-encrusted wedding dress no longer fitted her, according to the chroniclers of the time. On September 8, 1761, she arrived at St. James's Palace, where she met her husband for the first time. Six hours after their first meeting, Charlotte married King George III in the royal chapel of St. James's Palace. George wanted a wife who did not meddle in politics. As Charlotte, who was barely educated at the time, had no interest in politics at all, the couple soon found themselves on common ground. Despite George's weak mental state, the couple was remarkably happy together. Furthermore, the royals were immensely popular, so much so that during a visit to the theater shortly after their wedding, the crowd pressed against the royal carriage with such enthusiasm that four people were crushed to death in the process. On September 22, 1761, the coronation of George III and his 17-year-old wife Charlotte took place. The new queen made rapid progress in learning English. She loved playing cards, horseback rides, and liked to entertain the court with singing and harpsichord. On August 12, 1762, she gave birth to her first child, who was to be followed by 14 more children, two of whom died in infancy. Charlotte gave birth to two British kings, George IV and William IV. Her daughter Charlotte became queen of Württemberg. Her son Edward later became the father of the legendary Queen Victoria, and her son Ernest Augustus became king of Hanover. The royal family lived an almost bourgeois, simple and uncomplicated everyday life. The king and queen took great care in the upbringing of their children. Charlotte showed great interest in the development of the royal botanical gardens at Kew. For her services to the botanical gardens, she was later awarded the honorary title of Queen of Botany by the British people. Today, Kew Gardens is still known as one of the most beautiful gardens in Great Britain. Furthermore, it was Charlotte who made Buckingham Palace, which was then known as Buckingham House, the main residence of the British royals. Charlotte quickly adapted to her new country and role as queen. She was known among her acquaintances as a chatterbox. The queen was also known to be very kind to her staff and their children. From her homeland, Charlotte brought along two Pomeranians, Phoebe and Mercury. The dogs were always with her and she regularly gave courtiers a puppy from the pair. The outgoing nature of the queen clashed with George's quiet style, who preferred a less formal and more relaxed home front. Therefore, the king and Charlotte would often go for a walk in Kew Gardens without their entourage. Charlotte loved music and hired Johann Christian Bach, who was the son of Johann Sebastian Bach, as her music teacher. She also invited the child protégé Mozart to perform for her. The queen shared a close friendship with Marie Antoinette, Queen of France, with whom she shared many interests. They never met in person, but often wrote to one another. Upon the start of the French Revolution, Charlotte had rooms prepared to provide a safe haven for the French royal family. She was deeply saddened when the news about the execution of her friend reached her. Some of Charlotte's characteristics, shown in the TV series Bridgerton, are based on historical facts, although they are heavily adapted and romanticized. For example, the queen was indeed a professional matchmaker. Annually, she'd organize the Queen Charlotte's Ball for debutantes. The ball is currently still held, although its focus has shifted from entering high society to teaching business skills, networking, etiquette and fundraising for charities. Debutantes being presented courtesy to a large birthday cake in honor of Queen Charlotte. Furthermore, Charlotte was also fond of gossip and addicted to snuff, with which she dealt with her headaches. Charlotte's later years were rather sad. In 1811, King George III, who had suffered from mental illness in phases before, suffered a relapse from which he never recovered. He went blind and was completely mentally deranged for the remainder of his life, with Charlotte in charge of the king's person. The couple retired to Windsor, where Charlotte herself fell victim to depression. Eventually, Charlotte became afraid of the king's violent outbursts and refused to be alone with him in a room. After having been British Queen for 57 years, Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz died on November 17, 1818 at Kew Palace. She was buried at St. George's Chapel in Windsor Castle. Her husband died just over a year later. Thank you for watching.