In her will, she asked The Queen to make certain bequests to members of her staff, and these bequests will be subject to Inheritance Tax in the normal way. Although the Royal family was always in the public view, Queen Charlotte herself led a very private and protected life. Although Charlotte attempted to expand her social circle, Augusta challenged her every step of the way, even going as far as to replace Charlotte’s German ladies-in-waiting with English ladies of Augusta’s choosing. After George descended into permanent madness in 1811, the Prince was declared Regent. As a token of their appreciation, it would be re-named the Queen Charlotte’s and Chelsea Hospital, and is now one of the most respected maternity hospitals in London. In fact, there are places all over the world named in her honor — from Queen Charlotte Sound in New Zealand, to Queen Charlotte Bay in West Falkland, to Charlottesville, Virginia. Charlotte, who was born May 19, 1744, was the youngest daughter of Duke Carl Ludwig Friedrich of Mecklenburg-Strelitz and Princess Elisabeth Albertine of Saxe-Hildburghausen. Rosheuvel, known for her work as a stage actress in Britain and for guest roles on TV shows like Luther and Silent Witness, lords over high society as Queen Charlotte. Queen Charlotte with her Two Eldest Sons, Johan Zoffany, 1765. Historian Mario de Valdes y Cocom contends that although Charlotte was German, her family was distantly descended from a 13th-century Black ancestor. Charlotte was also the mother of two future British monarchs, George IV and William IV. Though the two never actually me, they corresponded frequently. Queen Charlotte, the grandmother of Queen Victoria, also had a keen interest in America's politic and the ongoing War of Independence. From subjectively humble roots, Charlotte reporte… Charlotte, meanwhile, became her husband’s legal guardian, which placed her under a great deal of stress. Like other young ladies of her station, Charlotte was educated at home by private tutors. She introduced the Christmas tree to Britain. Even Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, was originally chartered as Queens College after Charlotte, though it was renamed in 1825 after Henry Rutgers, a hero in the Revolutionary War. Charlotte's contemporaries described her as having an "unmistakable African appearance." How Was Queen Victoria Related to Prince Albert? Read another story from us: The life of Mary Queen of Scots – Married 3 times, imprisoned and her untimely end. Caroline of Brunswick (Caroline Amelia Elizabeth; German: Caroline Amalie Elisabeth von Braunschweig-Wolfenbüttel; 17 May 1768 – 7 August 1821) was Queen of the United Kingdom and Hanover as the wife of King George IV from 29 January 1820 until her death … https://www.thoughtco.com/queen-charlotte-biography-4175819 (accessed April 3, 2021). Charlotte passed on her mixed-race heritage to her granddaughter, Queen Victoria, and to Britain’s present-day monarch, Queen Elizabeth II. Todays working royals are all descendents of King George V and Queen Mary, from the reigning monarch Queen Elizabeth II to her youngest great grandchild Prince Louis. She is the author of Daily Spellbook for the Good Witch, Wicca Practical Magic and The Daily Spell Journal. Charlotte's physician, Baron Stockmar, described her as having “a true mulatto face.”. Sophia Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz was born in 1744, the eighth child of Duke Charles Louis Frederick of Mecklenburg and his wife, Princess Elisabeth Albertine of Saxe-Hildburghausen, at the family castle in Mirow, Germany. Her husband, King George III, suffered from mental illness, and Charlotte ultimately served as his guardian until her death. When George recovered the following year, Charlotte deliberately sent a message by refusing to allow the Prince of Wales to attend a ball held in honor of the King's return to health. Sir Allan Ramsay is thought to have produced the most accurate representations. She was a natural Whig - with a passion for social reform and a passionate love of her people - and was fervently Christian, too. The claims about Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz trace to a historian named Mario de Valdes y Cocom, who argued that Charlotte though German, was directly descended from a black branch of the Portuguese royal family, related to Margarita de Castro e Souza, a 15th-century Portuguese noblewoman nine generations removed, whose ancestry she traces from the 13th-century ruler Alfonso III and his lover Madragana, whom Valdes tak… The Queen is the latest addition to a more than 100-year history of monarchs in the UK which started with William of Normandy. (2021, January 17). She sank into depression and developed quite a temper — both of which led to frequent disagreements with her children. QUEEN ELIZABETH II’S family history dates back to 1066 AD, through the entire British monarchy which includes a litany of kings and queens, some more famous than others. Although Sophia was not George’s choice, their bond was duty. The queen founded orphanages and, in 1809, became the patron of London’s General Lying-in Hospital, one of the first maternity hospitals in Great Britain. Two decades later, in 1788, George became ill again, and this time it was much worse. King George III and Queen Charlotte were music connoisseurs with German tastes, who gave special honour to German artists and composers. Queen Charlotte was born a German princess far away from the British crown. Charlotte and her siblings were also educated in religious matters by a priest who lived with the family. Charlotte would provide funding to prevent the hospital from closing. Her heavy German accent and tumultuous relationship with George’s mother, Princess Augusta, made it difficult for her to adapt to English court life. Her royal subjects knew nothing about her racial background. Alas, it never came to be. Margarita de Castro y Souza was a Moor noblewoman who married into the Portuguese royal family. But the queen in question is Charlotte, who married King George III (yes, that King George) six hours after arriving in London and meeting him for the first time on Sept. 8, 1761. Sir Walter Scott said that her relatives from the House of Mecklenburg-Strelitz were "ill-colored, orang-outang looking figures, with black eyes and hook-noses." Queen Charlotte, wife of the English King George III (1738-1820), was directly descended from Margarita de Castro y Sousa, a black branch of the Portuguese Royal House. Charlotte’s husband suffered from intermittent bouts of mental illness throughout his adult life. Queen Charlotte in the studio of Allan Ramsay, oil on canvas, (1762). By 1811, George was declared insane and placed under Charlotte's guardianship, as per the Regency Bill of 1789. According to Olwen Hedley, Queen Charlotte's biographer, "As a young mother, [Queen Charlotte] extended her liberality to the eight-year-old Wolfgang … Portrait of King George III and Queen Charlotte of the United Kingdom. Behauptung: Queen Charlotte of Britain was a mixed-race woman of African ancestry. Photo by Northern Ireland Office CC By 2.0. The Duchess of Kent died at half-past nine on 16 March 1861. During the first episode in 1765, George’s mother Augusta and Prime Minister Lord Bute managed to keep Charlotte completely unaware of what was happening. Wigington, Patti. She was a close friend of Queen Marie Antoinette. Charlotte was taught the basics of language, music, and art, but much of her education was focused on domestic life and household management, in preparation for future as a wife and mother. Queen Victoria also mentioned her mother’s “sore hand”; and it was the hand of her mother, which the Queen held at her death. In 1761, when she turned 17, Princess Sophia was betrothed — rather unexpectedly — to the King of England, George III. (“Lying-in” was a slang term for childbirth, back in the day, while “General” meant accepting all cases.). Charlotte was the eighth child of the Prince of Mirow, Germany, Charles Louis Frederick, and his wife, Elisabeth Albertina of Saxe-Hildburghausen. Historians traced Queen Charlotte’s lineage directly from Castro, making her mixed-race; something quite profound for its day. Like other young ladies of her station, Charlotte was educated at home by private tutors. “I don’t think a prisoner could wish more ardently for his liberty than I wish to be rid of my burden and see the end of my campaign. Although she spoke no English at first, Charlotte learned the language of her new country quickly. Charlotte had the first evergreen in her house in 1800, decorating it with sweetmeats, almonds, fruits and toys. In 1764, an eight-year-old Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart arrived in Great Britain with his family, as part of their grand tour of Europe. When Charlotte was seventeen years old, she was sent from Germany to marry George III, five years her senior. She was the grandmother of Queen Victoria, and the great-great-great-great grandmother of the current Queen Elizabeth II. In addition, she educated herself about diplomatic matters, and exercised a quiet and discreet influence over her husband’s political affairs, both foreign and domestic. The Relationship Between Queen Elizabeth II and Queen Victoria, Biography of Queen Victoria, Queen of England and Empress of India, Biography of Elizabeth of York, Queen of England, Industry and Agriculture History in Europe. So what kind of Queen would Charlotte have been? I would be happy if I knew this was the last time,” she would write in 1780 about her pregnancy with her 14th child, Prince Alfred, according to Janice Hadlow’s The Strangest Family: The Private Lives of George III, Queen Charlotte, and the Hanoverians. "Biography of Queen Charlotte." Charlotte was a patroness of the arts and a keen amateur botanist. ill-colored, orang-outang looking figures, with black eyes and hook-noses. It is often said that she was her father's favourite; he affectionately called her "Emily". During her reign as Queen, Charlotte was the subject of racially-charged insults about her appearance. They were passionate admirers of the music of George Frideric Handel. She came into the world on May 19, 1744, as Sophia Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, a northern German territory that at the time was part of the Holy Roman Empire. She married into the royal family in 1761 becoming the wife of King George III. She hung out with Mozart. By using ThoughtCo, you accept our. Gradually, over the next few years, George descended into permanent madness. Charlotte arrived in England on September 7, 1761, and the next day, met her prospective groom for the first time. In particular, she became involved in English-German relations, and may have had some influence in British intervention in Bavaria. Duchess Sophia Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, was the queen consort of George III of the United Kingdom. Their court hosted performances by Bach and Mozart, and they enjoyed the compositions of Handel and many others. Wigington, Patti. She was the second longest-serving consort in British history, after the present Duke of Edinburgh. Conclusive evidence of Charlotte's ancestry has likely been lost to history. Charlotte and the prince reconciled in 1791. She and George were married that evening, just a few hours after meeting. From her facial features to her adorably stylish outfits — here are 16 times Princess Charlotte looked just like her royal relatives. Queen Charlotte, wife of the English King George III (1738-1820), was directly descended from Margarita de Castro y Sousa, a black branch of the Portuguese Royal House. She was born after the early deaths of her two elder brothers, Octavius (1779–1783) and Alfred (1780–1782). Mozart c. 1780, detail from portrait by Johann Nepomuk della Croce. ThoughtCo uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. The riddle of Queen Charlotte's African ancestry was solved as a result of an earlier investigation into the black magi featured in 15th century Flemish paintings. She had a dysfunctional family. If you google Queen Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, you'll quickly come across a historian called Mario de Valdes y Cocom. The similarities don't end with the Queen, as Charlotte also bears a resemblance to other members of the royal family, such as her mother Kate Middleton and late grandmother Princess Diana. Nevertheless, it remains important to reflect upon this element of her story, as well as to consider how the concepts of race and royalty play out in society today. But in the late 18th century Queen Charlotte, wife of King George III (1738-1820), may have been the country’s first multiracial royal. Queen Charlotte (born Sophia Charlotte of Mecklenberg-Strelitz) was the Queen of England from 1761–1818. Sophia Charlotte, born on May 19, 1744, was the eighth child of Charles Louis Frederick, the Prince of Mirow, Germany, and his wife, Elisabeth Albertina. Portrait painters of the royal family played down Charlotte’s African features, much to the Queen’s dismay. Portrait of the British queen consort Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. Princess Amelia was born on 7 August 1783, at the Royal Lodge, Windsor, the youngest of George III and Queen Charlotte's 15 children as well as the only one born at Windsor Castle. She was a soft touch. By now, Charlotte was well aware of the Regency Bill, but still had to battle against the Prince of Wales, who had designs of his own on the Regency. Impressive, to be sure, but being pregnant for a good part of her marriage weighed on the Queen. Follow the line of succession and get to know the royals you know and love such as Prince Charles, Prince William, and Princess Eugenie, as as well as Queen Elizabeths parents King George VI and The Queen Mother Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon with the interactive family … King George III: British Ruler During the American Revolution, Biography of Mary of Teck, Royal British Matriarch, British Royal Weddings from Victoria to Meghan Markle, 1952: Princess Elizabeth Becomes Queen at 25. Later, Mozart would dedicate his Opus 3 piece to the Queen. Explorers, such as Captain James Cook, would bring the Queen — something of an amateur botanist — new species of plants, which she displayed and expanded in her gardens. One such find, the South African flower, the Bird of Paradise, was named Strelitzia reginae in her honor. Sophia Charlotte, born on May 19, 1744, was the eighth child of Charles Louis Frederick, the Prince of Mirow, Germany, and his wife, Elisabeth Albertina. Mary Queen of Scots, mother of James I of England, was the cousin of Elizabeth I who executed her for treason, and both were descended from … Is the Queen related to Elizabeth I? Since he would soon need an heir of his own, and Charlotte was from a minor duchy in the northern part of Germany that had no political machinations, she must have seemed like a perfect match. She was pregnant regularly, yet still managed to find time to organize the decoration of a lodge in Windsor Park, which was where she and her family spent most of their time.