Caroline Matilda of Wales
Encyclopedia
Caroline Matilda of Great Britain (11 July 1751 – 10 May 1775) was Queen
of Denmark and Norway from 1766 to 1772 and a member of the British Royal Family
.
and Princess Augusta of Saxe-Gotha
. Her father died suddenly about three months before her birth. She was born at in London
, and was given the style and title HRH Princess Caroline Matilda, as daughter of the Prince of Wales, though, by the time of her birth, the title of Prince of Wales
had passed to her brother George
. Both of her names were used due to her aunt, Princess Caroline, being alive. The princess was christened ten days later, at the same house, by The Bishop of Norwich
, Thomas Hayter
. Her godparents were her brother The Prince of Wales
, her paternal aunt The Princess Caroline and her sister Princess Augusta. She was brought up by her strict mother away from the English court and was described as natural and informal; she enjoyed out-doors life and riding. She could speak Italian, French and German, and was described as an accomplished singer with a beautiful voice.
. The wedding took place on 8 November 1766 at Christiansborg Palace
in Copenhagen
. Her eldest brother, by then King George III, was anxious about the marriage, even though he wasn't fully aware that the bridegroom was mentally ill.
Caroline Matilda had two children, both of whom were officially recognized as the issue of Christian VII:
, who regarded the king's friends as immoral and acted to isolate Caroline Matilda from her husband. This was not difficult as her husband did not like her; there were rumours that he was homosexual.
The Danish king was persuaded to consummate the marriage for the sake of the succession, and after a son was born, he turned his interest to courtesan Støvlet-Cathrine, with whom he visited the brothels of Copenhagen. Caroline Matilda was unhappy in her marriage, neglected and spurned by the king. When Plessen was exiled from court in 1768, she lost her closest confidante, leaving her even more isolated.
In May 1768 Christian VII took his long tour of Europe, including stays in Altona
, Paris
and London
. During his absence, Caroline Matilda aroused attention when she took walks in Copenhagen; this was considered scandalous, as royal and noble Danish women normally only travelled by carriage in town. Caroline Matilda spent the summer at Frederiksborg Castle with her new child before returning to Copenhagen in the autumn.
as royal physician, who would later also become a minister in his court. He had met Struensee in Altona during the beginning of his travels. Struensee could apparently handle the king's instability, which was a great relief to the king's advisers, and the king developed a confidence in him.
Struensee encouraged the king to improve his relationship with Caroline Matilda, and Christian VII showed his attention to her in the form of a three-day birthday party on 22 July 1769.
The Queen was well aware that Struensee was behind these improvements, and her interest in the charming doctor developed. Her affection for the young doctor grew; in January 1770 he was given his own bedroom in the royal palace, and by spring 1770 he was her lover. A successful vaccination of the baby crown prince in May still further increased his influence.
In 1770, the king became more and more isolated and less counted upon as his mental health deteriorated; Caroline Matilda, until now ignored at court, became the centre of the royal court's attention, and gathered followers called “Dronningens Parti” (in English: "The Queen's Party"). She gained a new confidence and showed herself in public on horse-back dressed as a man.
Supported by her new informal power position at court, Struensee ruled through the king. On 15 September 1770 the King dismissed Bernstorff, and two days later Struensee became maître des requêtes (privy counsellor
), consolidating his power and starting the 16 month period generally referred to as the "Time of Struensee". When, in the course of the year, the king sank into a condition of mental torpor, Struensee's authority became paramount, and he held absolute sway for ten months, between 20 March 1771 and 16 January 1772.
During this time he issued no fewer than 1069 cabinet orders, or more than three a day. For this reason, he has been criticized for having an imprudent "mania" for reform. Other criticisms of Struensee are that he did not respect native Danish and Norwegian customs, seeing them as prejudices and wanting to eliminate them in favour of abstract principles.
Nor were Struensee's relations with the queen less offensive to a nation which had a traditional veneration for the royal House of Oldenburg, while Caroline Matilda's shameless conduct in public brought the Crown into contempt. Her way of openly demonstrating her new happiness, and riding in public dressed as a man, was seen as shocking. On the birthday of the king in 1771 she founded the order of Mathilde-Ordenen.
On 17 June 1771 the royal court took summer residence at Hirschholm Palace
in present-day Hørsholm municipality
. Here, she lived happily with her children and her lover and was painted in the style of the newly modern country life; this summer is described as an idyll.
On 7 July 1771, Caroline Mathilde gave birth to her second child, Princess Louise Auguste
, whose father was almost certainly Struensee. This was also considered scandalous; the girl was called “la petite Struensee”, though officially accepted as princess.
The court moved to Frederiksborg Palace
on 19 November and then back to Christiansborg Castle on 8 January 1772.
The marriage of Caroline Matilda and Christian was dissolved by divorce in April 1772.
After the divorce, Struensee and his accomplice Enevold Brandt
were executed on 28 April 1772.
, a British diplomat, to negotiate for her release from imprisonment. On May 28, 1772, Caroline Matilda was deported on board a British frigate to Celle
, residing at Celle Castle
in her brother's German territory of Hanover
. She never saw her children again. In Celle, she was known for her charity toward poor children and orphans. She was also reunited with Louise von Plessen.
She did not give up hope of returning to Denmark and seeing her ex-husband deposed, but her indiscreet behaviour dismayed her brother, and he was reluctant to have her back in England, even if she had been willing to return.
In 1774, she became the center of a plot with the intent to make her the regent of Denmark as the guardian of the crown prince, instigated by Ernst Schimmelmann
with the Englishman Nathaniel Wraxall as a messenger. Wraxall met her many times and she used him as messenger to her brother, whose support she desired. She herself wrote a letter to her brother George III in 1775, in which she asked for his approval for the plan, which she referred to as “this scheme for my son's happiness.”
She died suddenly of scarlet fever
at Celle on 10 May 1775. She was buried
in the Stadtkirche St. Marien in Celle.
Queen consort
A queen consort is the wife of a reigning king. A queen consort usually shares her husband's rank and holds the feminine equivalent of the king's monarchical titles. Historically, queens consort do not share the king regnant's political and military powers. Most queens in history were queens consort...
of Denmark and Norway from 1766 to 1772 and a member of the British Royal Family
British Royal Family
The British Royal Family is the group of close relatives of the monarch of the United Kingdom. The term is also commonly applied to the same group of people as the relations of the monarch in her or his role as sovereign of any of the other Commonwealth realms, thus sometimes at variance with...
.
Early life
Caroline Matilda was the youngest child of Frederick, Prince of WalesFrederick, Prince of Wales
Frederick, Prince of Wales was a member of the House of Hanover and therefore of the Hanoverian and later British Royal Family, the eldest son of George II and father of George III, as well as the great-grandfather of Queen Victoria...
and Princess Augusta of Saxe-Gotha
Princess Augusta of Saxe-Gotha
Princess Augusta of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg was Princess of Wales between 1736 and 1751, and Dowager Princess of Wales thereafter. She was one of only three Princesses of Wales who never became queen consort...
. Her father died suddenly about three months before her birth. She was born at in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, and was given the style and title HRH Princess Caroline Matilda, as daughter of the Prince of Wales, though, by the time of her birth, the title of Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales is a title traditionally granted to the heir apparent to the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the 15 other independent Commonwealth realms...
had passed to her brother George
George III of the United Kingdom
George III was King of Great Britain and King of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until the union of these two countries on 1 January 1801, after which he was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland until his death...
. Both of her names were used due to her aunt, Princess Caroline, being alive. The princess was christened ten days later, at the same house, by The Bishop of Norwich
Bishop of Norwich
The Bishop of Norwich is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Norwich in the Province of Canterbury.The diocese covers most of the County of Norfolk and part of Suffolk. The see is in the City of Norwich where the seat is located at the Cathedral Church of the Holy and Undivided...
, Thomas Hayter
Thomas Hayter
Thomas Hayter was an English divine, who served as a Church of England bishop for 13 years.He was born in Chagdord, Devon , officially the son of George Hayter. It has often been claimed that Lancelot Blackburne was his father, but there is no conclusive evidence either way...
. Her godparents were her brother The Prince of Wales
George III of the United Kingdom
George III was King of Great Britain and King of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until the union of these two countries on 1 January 1801, after which he was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland until his death...
, her paternal aunt The Princess Caroline and her sister Princess Augusta. She was brought up by her strict mother away from the English court and was described as natural and informal; she enjoyed out-doors life and riding. She could speak Italian, French and German, and was described as an accomplished singer with a beautiful voice.
Marriage
At the age of fifteen, Caroline Mathilde, as she was known in Denmark, left her family behind in Britain in order to travel to Denmark and marry her cousin, Christian VII of DenmarkChristian VII of Denmark
Christian VII was King of Denmark and Norway and Duke of Schleswig and Holstein from 1766 until his death. He was the son of Danish King Frederick V and his first consort Louisa, daughter of King George II of Great Britain....
. The wedding took place on 8 November 1766 at Christiansborg Palace
Christiansborg Palace
Christiansborg Palace, , on the islet of Slotsholmen in central Copenhagen, is the seat of the Folketing , the Danish Prime Minister's Office and the Danish Supreme Court...
in Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
. Her eldest brother, by then King George III, was anxious about the marriage, even though he wasn't fully aware that the bridegroom was mentally ill.
Caroline Matilda had two children, both of whom were officially recognized as the issue of Christian VII:
- Frederick VI of DenmarkFrederick VI of DenmarkFrederick VI reigned as King of Denmark , and as king of Norway .-Regent of Denmark:Frederick's parents were King Christian VII and Caroline Matilda of Wales...
(1768–1839) - Princess Louise Auguste of DenmarkLouise Auguste of DenmarkLouise Auguste of Denmark, Duchess of Augustenborg or Louise Augusta, was a Danish princess, officially daughter of King Christian VII of Denmark and Queen Caroline Mathilde...
(1771–1843)
Queen Caroline Mathilde
Caroline Mathilda was described as vivid and charming. Although not called a beauty, she was regarded as attractive; it was said, that her appearance was able to attract the attention of men without the criticism of women. However, her natural and unaffected personality was not popular at the strict Danish court. She was close to her first lady-in-waiting, Louise von PlessenLouise von Plessen
Countess Louise von Plessen was a Danish lady-in-waiting and writer.- Life :She was the daughter of Count Christian August von Berckentin , the Danish ambassador to Austria, and his wife Susanna Margrethe von Boineburg zu Honstein...
, who regarded the king's friends as immoral and acted to isolate Caroline Matilda from her husband. This was not difficult as her husband did not like her; there were rumours that he was homosexual.
The Danish king was persuaded to consummate the marriage for the sake of the succession, and after a son was born, he turned his interest to courtesan Støvlet-Cathrine, with whom he visited the brothels of Copenhagen. Caroline Matilda was unhappy in her marriage, neglected and spurned by the king. When Plessen was exiled from court in 1768, she lost her closest confidante, leaving her even more isolated.
In May 1768 Christian VII took his long tour of Europe, including stays in Altona
Altona, Hamburg
Altona is the westernmost urban borough of the German city state of Hamburg, on the right bank of the Elbe river. From 1640 to 1864 Altona was under the administration of the Danish monarchy. Altona was an independent city until 1937...
, Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
and London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. During his absence, Caroline Matilda aroused attention when she took walks in Copenhagen; this was considered scandalous, as royal and noble Danish women normally only travelled by carriage in town. Caroline Matilda spent the summer at Frederiksborg Castle with her new child before returning to Copenhagen in the autumn.
Affair
The king returned to Copenhagen on 12 January 1769, bringing with him Johann Friedrich StruenseeJohann Friedrich Struensee
Count Johann Friedrich Struensee was a German doctor. He became royal physician to the mentally ill King Christian VII of Denmark and a minister in the Danish government. He rose in power to a position of “de facto” regent of the country, where he tried to carry out widespread reforms...
as royal physician, who would later also become a minister in his court. He had met Struensee in Altona during the beginning of his travels. Struensee could apparently handle the king's instability, which was a great relief to the king's advisers, and the king developed a confidence in him.
The Queen was well aware that Struensee was behind these improvements, and her interest in the charming doctor developed. Her affection for the young doctor grew; in January 1770 he was given his own bedroom in the royal palace, and by spring 1770 he was her lover. A successful vaccination of the baby crown prince in May still further increased his influence.
In 1770, the king became more and more isolated and less counted upon as his mental health deteriorated; Caroline Matilda, until now ignored at court, became the centre of the royal court's attention, and gathered followers called “Dronningens Parti” (in English: "The Queen's Party"). She gained a new confidence and showed herself in public on horse-back dressed as a man.
Supported by her new informal power position at court, Struensee ruled through the king. On 15 September 1770 the King dismissed Bernstorff, and two days later Struensee became maître des requêtes (privy counsellor
Privy council
A privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a nation, typically, but not always, in the context of a monarchic government. The word "privy" means "private" or "secret"; thus, a privy council was originally a committee of the monarch's closest advisors to give confidential advice on...
), consolidating his power and starting the 16 month period generally referred to as the "Time of Struensee". When, in the course of the year, the king sank into a condition of mental torpor, Struensee's authority became paramount, and he held absolute sway for ten months, between 20 March 1771 and 16 January 1772.
During this time he issued no fewer than 1069 cabinet orders, or more than three a day. For this reason, he has been criticized for having an imprudent "mania" for reform. Other criticisms of Struensee are that he did not respect native Danish and Norwegian customs, seeing them as prejudices and wanting to eliminate them in favour of abstract principles.
Nor were Struensee's relations with the queen less offensive to a nation which had a traditional veneration for the royal House of Oldenburg, while Caroline Matilda's shameless conduct in public brought the Crown into contempt. Her way of openly demonstrating her new happiness, and riding in public dressed as a man, was seen as shocking. On the birthday of the king in 1771 she founded the order of Mathilde-Ordenen.
On 17 June 1771 the royal court took summer residence at Hirschholm Palace
Hirschholm Palace
Hirschholm Palace, also known as Hørsholm Palace, was a royal palace located in present-day Hørsholm municipality just north of Copenhagen, Denmark...
in present-day Hørsholm municipality
Hørsholm
Hørsholm Kommune is a municipality in the Copenhagen Capital Region in the northern part of the island of Zealand in eastern Denmark. The municipality covers an area of 31 km², and has a total population of 24,197...
. Here, she lived happily with her children and her lover and was painted in the style of the newly modern country life; this summer is described as an idyll.
On 7 July 1771, Caroline Mathilde gave birth to her second child, Princess Louise Auguste
Louise Auguste of Denmark
Louise Auguste of Denmark, Duchess of Augustenborg or Louise Augusta, was a Danish princess, officially daughter of King Christian VII of Denmark and Queen Caroline Mathilde...
, whose father was almost certainly Struensee. This was also considered scandalous; the girl was called “la petite Struensee”, though officially accepted as princess.
The court moved to Frederiksborg Palace
Frederiksborg Palace
Frederiksborg castle is a castle in Hillerød, Denmark. It was built as a royal residence for King Christian IV, and is now known as The Museum of National History. The current building replaced a previous castle erected by Frederick II, and is the largest Renaissance palace in Scandinavia...
on 19 November and then back to Christiansborg Castle on 8 January 1772.
Divorce
Struensee and Caroline Matilda were both arrested in the middle of the night between 16 January and 17 January, after a masked ball at the royal theatre at Christiansborg Castle. Caroline Matilda was taken to Kronborg Castle to await her judgment. She was allowed to keep her daughter with her. She is believed to have been pressed or manipulated to admit the relationship by the interrogator. She was not given any advisers. She initially denied her relationship to Struensee in the hope of saving him.The marriage of Caroline Matilda and Christian was dissolved by divorce in April 1772.
After the divorce, Struensee and his accomplice Enevold Brandt
Enevold Brandt
-Biography:Enevold Brandt was born in Copenhagen, and studied law at the University of Copenhagen. He became assistant judge of the Supreme Court of Copenhagen in 1764, royal chamberlain in 1769, and afterwards superintendent of the Royal Theatre...
were executed on 28 April 1772.
Later life
Caroline Matilda's brother, George III, sent Sir Robert Murray KeithRobert Murray Keith
Robert Murray Keith was a British diplomat. He was descended from a younger son of the 2nd Earl Marischal.Keith was minister in Vienna in 1748 and from 1753 Minster-plenipotentary. In 1757, he transferred to St. Petersburg and remained there until October 1762, when the imperial government...
, a British diplomat, to negotiate for her release from imprisonment. On May 28, 1772, Caroline Matilda was deported on board a British frigate to Celle
Celle
Celle is a town and capital of the district of Celle, in Lower Saxony, Germany. The town is situated on the banks of the River Aller, a tributary of the Weser and has a population of about 71,000...
, residing at Celle Castle
Celle Castle
Celle Castle or, less commonly, Celle Palace, in the German town of Celle in Lower Saxony was one of the residences of the House of Brunswick-Lüneburg...
in her brother's German territory of Hanover
Electorate of Hanover
The Electorate of Brunswick-Lüneburg was the ninth Electorate of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation...
. She never saw her children again. In Celle, she was known for her charity toward poor children and orphans. She was also reunited with Louise von Plessen.
She did not give up hope of returning to Denmark and seeing her ex-husband deposed, but her indiscreet behaviour dismayed her brother, and he was reluctant to have her back in England, even if she had been willing to return.
In 1774, she became the center of a plot with the intent to make her the regent of Denmark as the guardian of the crown prince, instigated by Ernst Schimmelmann
Ernst Heinrich von Schimmelmann
Ernst Heinrich von Schimmelmann was a German-Danish politician, businessman and patron of the arts. His father was Heinrich Carl von Schimmelmann.-Early life and career:Ernst von Schimmelmann was born in Dresden...
with the Englishman Nathaniel Wraxall as a messenger. Wraxall met her many times and she used him as messenger to her brother, whose support she desired. She herself wrote a letter to her brother George III in 1775, in which she asked for his approval for the plan, which she referred to as “this scheme for my son's happiness.”
She died suddenly of scarlet fever
Scarlet fever
Scarlet fever is a disease caused by exotoxin released by Streptococcus pyogenes. Once a major cause of death, it is now effectively treated with antibiotics...
at Celle on 10 May 1775. She was buried
Burial
Burial is the act of placing a person or object into the ground. This is accomplished by excavating a pit or trench, placing an object in it, and covering it over.-History:...
in the Stadtkirche St. Marien in Celle.
Titles and styles
- 11 July 1751 – 8 November 1766: Her Royal Highness Princess Caroline Matilda of Wales
- 8 November 1766 – 10 May 1775: Her Majesty The Queen of Denmark and Norway
Ancestors
Fiction
- Robert Neumann – The Favourite of the Queen (Der Favorit der Königin) (1935)
- Edgar Maass - The Queen's Physician (1948)
- Norah LoftsNorah LoftsNorah Lofts, née Norah Robinson, was a 20th century best-selling British author. She wrote more than fifty books specialising in historical fiction, but she also wrote non-fiction and short stories...
– The Lost Queen (1969) - Per Olov EnquistPer Olov EnquistPer Olov Enquist, better known as P. O. Enquist, is a Swedish author. He has worked as a journalist, playwright and novelist...
– The visit of the royal physician (Livläkarens besök) (1999)
Film
- In The DictatorThe Dictator (film)The Dictator is a 1935 British historical drama film directed by Victor Saville and starring Clive Brook, Madeleine Carroll, Emlyn Williams and Helen Haye...
(1935), Caroline Matilda is played by Madeleine CarrollMadeleine CarrollEdith Madeleine Carroll was an English actress, popular in the 1930s and 1940s.-Early life:Carroll was born at 32 Herbert Street in West Bromwich, England. She graduated from the University of Birmingham, England with a B.A. degree...
.
Music
- Peter Maxwell DaviesPeter Maxwell DaviesSir Peter Maxwell Davies, CBE is an English composer and conductor and is currently Master of the Queen's Music.-Biography:...
– Caroline MathildeCaroline Mathilde (ballet)Caroline Mathilde is a two-act ballet to music by Sir Peter Maxwell Davies. Its original choreographer was Flemming Flindt.It tells the story of the eighteenth century English princess Caroline Mathilde who was sent to Denmark aged 15 to be married to the 17-year-old schizophrenic Danish King,...
(ballet; 1991)