Lolotte Forssberg
Encyclopedia
Lolotte Forssberg (1766–1840) was a Swedish noble
and lady-in-waiting
, later countess Stenbock. She was one of the most talked about people of her time as the possible child of King Adolf Frederick of Sweden
. Princess Sophia Albertine of Sweden investigated her birth in the 1790s and tried to have her acknowledged as the daughter of her father. The truth is unconfirmed, though it is considered likely that she was the illegitimate daughter of the king
, was said to tolerate her husband's affairs as long as he was discreet and did not take an official mistress, and the king never did have a mistress openly. King Adolf Fredrik died in 1771. Lolotte was adopted by assistant Eric Forssberg and Hedvig Charlotta D'Orchimont.
When the dowager queen Louisa Ulrika died in 1782, she entrusted Lolotte to her daughter, Princess Sophia Albertina, and asked her to see to her well-being. She was described as a person with great charm, which was often given as the reason to why she became so favoured by the royal family. Sophia Albertina was very fond of Lolotte, who became her companion.
Lolotte was indeed raised in the household of Louisa Ulrika on the recommendation of madame d’Ivry, and Louisa Ulrika was described as deeply devoted to Lolotte, whom she treated in private as her own child and promised a great future
. Louisa Ulrika also took a promise from Sophia Albertina that she should always love Lolotte and take care of her when Louisa Ulrika was dead
Sophia Albertina and her sister-in-law Hedwig Elizabeth Charlotte of Holstein-Gottorp made investigations on the matter and questioned the foster mother of Lolotte, who assured them that she was the biological mother, but who behaved suspiciously enough for them to doubt that she was telling the truth
The 12 October 1795 Sophia Albertina received an anonymous letter addressed to her with her mothers handwriting and seal
The letter was written by an anonymous woman who assured her that Lolotte was her sister but that her foster mother would never reveal anything, and that Louisa Ulrika had made a promise to Adolf Frederick that this fact was not to be revealed during the lifetime of Gustav III of certain reasons, and that Louisa Ulrika would have arranged a marriage for Lolotte to a noble if she had not died before
With the letter came a package containing a pearl necklace, a diamond and a miniature of Adolf Frederick.
On 30 November, Sophia Albertina advertised, in discreet wording, in the paper Dagligt Allehanda to search the identity of the unknown writer of the letter.
Sophia Albertina was by now herself convinced that Lolotte was her sister
and revealed the affair to the regent de facto, Gustaf Adolf Reuterholm
, and the royal family.
In January 1799, Sophia Albertina revealed the story to the minister of justice count Wachtmeister, who told her that he believed the story but that Lolotte could not be acknowledged withouth proof. The king questioned the foster mother of Lolotte who refused to admit anything by saying that she had given an oath of secrecy, and an investigation was issued by the monarch and the minister of justice
Gustav IV Adolf of Sweden made a public denial of Lolotte’s birth but eventually agreed to have Lolotte made official lady in waiting to Sophia Albertina and to be presented at court
Within the aristocraty, the rumour pointed out Lolotte as the daughter of king Adolf Frederick and the lady in waiting Ulrica Elisabeth von Liewen, which is regarded as the likely truth, though unconfirmed Queen Louisa Ulrika was to have promised to keep the birth of Lolotte secret and take care of her future, on condition that the relationship between Adolf Frederick and Liewen was kept secret, as she was deeply insulted by the adultery of her spouse: at the time, Adolf Frederick recently had another child with the ballerina Marguerite Du Londel
The likeness between Lolotte, Frederick Adolf and Liewen was also pointed out. Sophia Albertina admitted that she believed Liewen was the mother of Lolotte but that she would have like to have kept it a secret and that she was surprised that everyone seemed to suspect the same
), an unusual arrangement for a woman who was officially the child of a servant. Later, it was said that the story of her royal father was made up just so she could marry the count. Stenbock believed that a marriage to Lolotte made in the in-law of the royal house
Their marriage was ridiculed as a scandal by the nobility Lolotte was officially presented at court 10 May 1799 by Augusta von Fersen
The favoritism of the princess gave rise to the rumour that Lolotte was in fact the secret child of Sophia Albertina herself.
Sophie Albertine continued by making Lolotte her formal and official companion in 1800, her lady-in-waiting in 1818, and her head lady-in-waiting in 1823. At the death of Sophia Albertina in 1829, Lolotte was remembered in her will.
Whatever the truth of Lolotte's true identity, the stories of her birth, both that she was the secret daughter of the king, and that she was the secret child of the princess, were among the most talked about of the era. When she married in 1799, she was referred to as ”one of the most talked about people at that time”. The truth of her parentage is unconfirmed, but it is considered likely that she was the secret illegitimate daughter of king Adolf Frederick and Ulla von Liewen
castle, which, as entailed property, remained in his line to the present day.
Nobility
Nobility is a social class which possesses more acknowledged privileges or eminence than members of most other classes in a society, membership therein typically being hereditary. The privileges associated with nobility may constitute substantial advantages over or relative to non-nobles, or may be...
and lady-in-waiting
Lady-in-waiting
A lady-in-waiting is a female personal assistant at a royal court, attending on a queen, a princess, or a high-ranking noblewoman. Historically, in Europe a lady-in-waiting was often a noblewoman from a family highly thought of in good society, but was of lower rank than the woman on whom she...
, later countess Stenbock. She was one of the most talked about people of her time as the possible child of King Adolf Frederick of Sweden
Adolf Frederick of Sweden
Adolf Frederick or Adolph Frederick was King of Sweden from 1751 until his death. He was the son of Christian August of Holstein-Gottorp, Prince of Eutin and Albertina Frederica of Baden-Durlach....
. Princess Sophia Albertine of Sweden investigated her birth in the 1790s and tried to have her acknowledged as the daughter of her father. The truth is unconfirmed, though it is considered likely that she was the illegitimate daughter of the king
Background
Officially the child of a servant at the royal court, she was widely rumored to be the child of king Adolf Fredrik and the noble lady in waiting Ulla (Ulrica Elisabeth) von Liewen (1747–1775). The queen, Louisa Ulrika of PrussiaLouisa Ulrika of Prussia
Louisa Ulrika of Prussia was Queen of Sweden between 1751 and 1771 as the spouse of King Adolf Frederick of Sweden, and queen mother during the reign of King Gustav III of Sweden.-Background:...
, was said to tolerate her husband's affairs as long as he was discreet and did not take an official mistress, and the king never did have a mistress openly. King Adolf Fredrik died in 1771. Lolotte was adopted by assistant Eric Forssberg and Hedvig Charlotta D'Orchimont.
When the dowager queen Louisa Ulrika died in 1782, she entrusted Lolotte to her daughter, Princess Sophia Albertina, and asked her to see to her well-being. She was described as a person with great charm, which was often given as the reason to why she became so favoured by the royal family. Sophia Albertina was very fond of Lolotte, who became her companion.
Investigation
In May or April 1795, a letter was found during a dinner at Sophia Albertina. The letter was addressed to an unnamed woman from another unnamed woman, and described the circumstances during the birth and childhood of Lolotte, at the time companion of Sophia Albertina The letter claimed Lolotte was born in the seventh month as the daughter of king Adolf Frederick and was left in the care of a merchant. The mother was not clearly pointed out, but could from the wording be interpreted to be either queen Louisa Ulrika or a lover of Adolf Frederik. In 1776, on the suggestion of the French chamber maid of Louisa Ulrika, madame d’Ivry, the child was moved to the custody of the spouse of the queen dowagers French hovmästare, from which she was taken care of by the queen dowager herself, after which her foster mother was sworn to an oath of silence The letter also criticized Sophia Albertina for not having made Lolotte her lady in waiting and married her to a noble, but excused her with the suggestion, that she was perhaps not aware that Lolotte was her sister The letter was clearly written by someone with knowledge about the affairs at court, and it also contained information which seemed likely.Lolotte was indeed raised in the household of Louisa Ulrika on the recommendation of madame d’Ivry, and Louisa Ulrika was described as deeply devoted to Lolotte, whom she treated in private as her own child and promised a great future
. Louisa Ulrika also took a promise from Sophia Albertina that she should always love Lolotte and take care of her when Louisa Ulrika was dead
Sophia Albertina and her sister-in-law Hedwig Elizabeth Charlotte of Holstein-Gottorp made investigations on the matter and questioned the foster mother of Lolotte, who assured them that she was the biological mother, but who behaved suspiciously enough for them to doubt that she was telling the truth
The 12 October 1795 Sophia Albertina received an anonymous letter addressed to her with her mothers handwriting and seal
The letter was written by an anonymous woman who assured her that Lolotte was her sister but that her foster mother would never reveal anything, and that Louisa Ulrika had made a promise to Adolf Frederick that this fact was not to be revealed during the lifetime of Gustav III of certain reasons, and that Louisa Ulrika would have arranged a marriage for Lolotte to a noble if she had not died before
With the letter came a package containing a pearl necklace, a diamond and a miniature of Adolf Frederick.
On 30 November, Sophia Albertina advertised, in discreet wording, in the paper Dagligt Allehanda to search the identity of the unknown writer of the letter.
Sophia Albertina was by now herself convinced that Lolotte was her sister
and revealed the affair to the regent de facto, Gustaf Adolf Reuterholm
Gustaf Adolf Reuterholm
Baron Gustaf Adolf Reuterholm , was a Swedish statesman.-Early career:...
, and the royal family.
In January 1799, Sophia Albertina revealed the story to the minister of justice count Wachtmeister, who told her that he believed the story but that Lolotte could not be acknowledged withouth proof. The king questioned the foster mother of Lolotte who refused to admit anything by saying that she had given an oath of secrecy, and an investigation was issued by the monarch and the minister of justice
Public recognition
In 1799, Sophia Albertina announced in public that Lolotte was her sister in Sweden and Germany. The announcement made a scandal in Germany and the Preussian royal court initially refused to receive Sophia Albertina and Lolotte when they arrived to BerlinGustav IV Adolf of Sweden made a public denial of Lolotte’s birth but eventually agreed to have Lolotte made official lady in waiting to Sophia Albertina and to be presented at court
Within the aristocraty, the rumour pointed out Lolotte as the daughter of king Adolf Frederick and the lady in waiting Ulrica Elisabeth von Liewen, which is regarded as the likely truth, though unconfirmed Queen Louisa Ulrika was to have promised to keep the birth of Lolotte secret and take care of her future, on condition that the relationship between Adolf Frederick and Liewen was kept secret, as she was deeply insulted by the adultery of her spouse: at the time, Adolf Frederick recently had another child with the ballerina Marguerite Du Londel
Marguerite Morel
Marguerite Morel as married Marguerite Du Londel, was a French ballerina, and actress and opera singer. She was active in Sweden 1755-1771 and at that time counted as the perhaps notable star in the ballet in Sweden...
The likeness between Lolotte, Frederick Adolf and Liewen was also pointed out. Sophia Albertina admitted that she believed Liewen was the mother of Lolotte but that she would have like to have kept it a secret and that she was surprised that everyone seemed to suspect the same
Marriage and later life
Lolotte was engaged to count Carl Edvard Gyldenstolpe, who broke the engagement in 1798, and in January 1799 to count Gustaf Harald Stenbock, courtier of Sophia Albertina, who had assisted in the investigations. Sophia Albertina arranged a marriage between Lolotte and count Gustaf Harald Stenbock, (related to queen Katarina StenbockKatarina Stenbock
Catherine Stenbock was the third and last consort of King Gustav I of Sweden, and Queen consort of Sweden between 1552 and 1560...
), an unusual arrangement for a woman who was officially the child of a servant. Later, it was said that the story of her royal father was made up just so she could marry the count. Stenbock believed that a marriage to Lolotte made in the in-law of the royal house
Their marriage was ridiculed as a scandal by the nobility Lolotte was officially presented at court 10 May 1799 by Augusta von Fersen
Augusta von Fersen
Christina Augusta von Fersen, as married Löwenhielm , was a Swedish noble and lady-in-waiting. She is a well-known figure of the Gustavian Age, and is known in history as one of "The Three Graces" at court, and as royal mistress to king Charles XIII of Sweden.-Background:Augusta was the daughter of...
The favoritism of the princess gave rise to the rumour that Lolotte was in fact the secret child of Sophia Albertina herself.
Sophie Albertine continued by making Lolotte her formal and official companion in 1800, her lady-in-waiting in 1818, and her head lady-in-waiting in 1823. At the death of Sophia Albertina in 1829, Lolotte was remembered in her will.
Whatever the truth of Lolotte's true identity, the stories of her birth, both that she was the secret daughter of the king, and that she was the secret child of the princess, were among the most talked about of the era. When she married in 1799, she was referred to as ”one of the most talked about people at that time”. The truth of her parentage is unconfirmed, but it is considered likely that she was the secret illegitimate daughter of king Adolf Frederick and Ulla von Liewen
Issue
Lolotte Forsberg had a child in her thirties. Her son inherited in 1854 the SundbySundby
Sundby is a locality in Ekerö Municipality, Stockholm County, Sweden it had 271 inhabitants in 2005....
castle, which, as entailed property, remained in his line to the present day.
- descendants of Lolotte Forsberg