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The woman behind "Mad King George"
In the autumn of 1761, a mysterious fleet of ships finally made landfall in the english port of Harwich after withstanding three sea storms. However, the members of the fleet did not stop to rest, but hurried to St. James's Palace in London.
George III, who had recently ascended the throne, received them in the palace. George III did not have the heart to listen to the compliments of the crowd, but only looked at a lady in the crowd- only to see that she was pale because of the fatigue of the boat, but it added a little pity and cuteness. She was None other than Princess Sophia Charlotte, the fiancée of George III.
Sophia Charlotte (1744–1818) was born in Mecklenburg-Strellitz, northern Germany, the youngest daughter of the family.
At this point, there are only six hours left before the wedding. Seventeen-year-old Charlotte knew she would become queen, but she couldn't predict the joys and sorrows she would experience in the future.
01] Marriage that can be encountered without seeking
On the night of the wedding, Charlotte's mood was overwhelmed with anxiety. Born in a small principality with only a limited education in royal etiquette and no english speaking, how could she afford to be queen of England?
Charlotte before marriage was worried about the upcoming royal life.
Under the intimate arrangement of George III, Charlotte's doubts soon dissipated. George III was not only able to communicate with Charlotte fluently in German, but also sent a large number of jewels as a wedding gift, which made Charlotte feel touched and sweet.
Princess Sophia Charlotte and the Servant of Mecklenburg-Strellitz / Johann Georg Cesenis
Charlotte is full of jewelry, headdresses, earrings, necklaces, bracelets are all available.
A peculiar buckle expresses the couple's beautiful vision of marriage. In the center of this clasp, Charlotte and George III's hair is intertwined, surrounded by diamonds and rubies in the shape of a ouroboros, symbolizing eternity.
A clasp containing the hair of George III and Queen Charlotte, with GR, CR and crown motifs on both sides of the black enamel clasp.
George III also presented Charlotte with a miniature portrait of himself. The portrait depicts the smiling side face of George III, surrounded by diamonds, that Charlotte loves.
Portrait of Queen Charlotte / John Zofani
Miniature portrait of George III/in the Royal Collection
Queen Charlotte once wore a miniature portrait of George III strung in three rows of pearls and worn it on her wrist.
Perhaps under the influence of George III, Charlotte gradually developed her own jewelry taste after marriage. The most notable of her many jewelry collections is undoubtedly arcot ii.
The Arkott 2 diamond was held by George IV, the Duke of Westminster, Harry Winston and others, and was auctioned for $3,375,000 in 2019.
Arkott Diamond 2 was once set in the Crown of Westminster and worn by Leolia Grosvenor, wife of the second Duke of Westminster.
Queen Charlotte's box of jewelry is also exquisite. / Made in 1734 by Emmanuel Aichel and decorated with gold, diamonds, rubies, mother-of-pearl and other precious materials
As she spent time with George III, Charlotte became more and more aware of happiness. Unlike other scandal-ridden members of the royal family, George III was single-minded in his devotion to Charlotte.
George III not only arranged the best food and clothing for Charlotte, but also specially organized a birthday ball, inviting many nobles from famous families and elegant conversations to celebrate Charlotte's birthday.
In 1780, George III hosted the first Queen Charlotte's Ball. While the ball celebrates the queen's birthday, an adult ceremony is also held for the invited noble girls.
Gradually, the Queen Charlotte Ball became a social event valued by British high society. At this annual ball, noble girls who have reached the age of eighteen will be introduced to the king and queen in turn, and the queen's evaluation will affect their reputation and status in the social circle. Therefore, the guests went to great lengths to get a word of appreciation and a smile from Queen Charlotte.
The ladies practiced their manners repeatedly in order to gain the queen's favor.
The sweet and harmonious married life brought the crystallization of love to the George III couple. Less than a year after their marriage, Charlotte gave birth to her eldest son, George, Prince of Wales, and since then she has given birth to 14 children, forming a happy and harmonious extended family.
The crown princes were dressed in uniform and looked energetic.
George III was a rare father who carefully recorded the height changes of each child.
For Charlotte, it was lucky to have such a peaceful and sweet life after marrying into the royal family. She did not ask for more and single-mindedly handled the affairs of the royal family. However, a seed of change had long been buried in her marriage to George III.
02, under the sweetness, the undercurrent surges
As a country, there are still 15 children to be raised, and charlotte's burden can be imagined. However, Buckingham Palace, where she and George III lived, is full of warm traces of life. Charlotte carefully decorated the rooms in the mansion. For her, a house that has been personally taken care of is called "home".
George III bought Buckingham Palace shortly after her marriage, where Queen Charlotte had 14 children born.
Charlotte's taste for life amazed the artists in the court. John Zofani, a member of the Royal Academy of Arts, often painted portraits of Charlotte, recording the queen's life at Buckingham Palace with delicate and precise brushstrokes.
John Zofani's "Queen Charlotte and Her Two Firstborns" with an arrow on the right is the eldest son George the Prince of Wales (later George IV), and on the left is the second son, Prince Frederick Augustus, who is on the knee of the queen
· Clock
The court stipulated that two o'clock in the afternoon was the time for the children to eat, and the floor clock pointed to two and a half o'clock, meaning that the two princes were visiting their mothers after dinner.
· Tabletop furnishings
On the table behind Charlotte are two dolls with canes, and the puppets have obvious Chinese styles in appearance and clothing.
· Vanity mirror
Queen Charlotte's dresser is covered in fine lace cloth, filled with gold dressers and surrounded by three red bows.
John Zofani's Queen Charlotte was always graceful and gentle. According to the rules, the king and queen dined together at four o'clock in the afternoon every day, and Charlotte put on an expensive and formal dress early in the morning, with headdresses, earrings, neck ornaments, and bracelets, as a sign of respect for customs and rituals.
Queen Charlotte and Her Two Firstborn Sons / John Zofani / 1765
Elegantly dressed, Charlotte is playing gently with the children.
Charlotte carefully selects the household items in the palace, and she likes the luxurious texture of the golden sparkle, but also does not forget to reconcile it with elegant ornaments.
Charlotte's Sever vase, with dark blue enamel and gilded decoration, depicts scenes of life in the center
The Worcester Porcelain Factory's tea set, with the pattern marked "KEW" in the center of the porcelain dish, is speculated to have been customized for Charlotte and George III while living in Kew Gardens
Gilded perfume bottle with base supported by a sphinx / made by Matthew Bolton
Charlotte not only has a unique experience in home furnishings, but is also a good female worker. She once made a cream-colored pocket pouch, which was finely sewn with colored silk and sequins on the outside, lined with pink silk, and could hold ten sewing tools. Such exquisite craftsmanship is not inferior to that of the court craftsmen.
This pocket bag was given by Charlotte to her friend Mrs. Delany, who is also proficient in female workers.
In addition to Buckingham Palace, Mr. and Mrs. George III also lived in Windsor Castle, Kew Gardens, and Charlotte always had a way to make each residence comfortable and livable. During the day, George III went out to hunt deer on horseback and enjoy the thrill of galloping; Charlotte took care of the children in the house with the female dependents, reading and chatting in her spare time, wandering in the world of knowledge.
Mr. and Mrs. George III loved nature, and their place of residence was always full of birds and flowers. / Rose Garden inside Buckingham Palace
In the beautiful blue and white room, I had the privilege of sitting there reading The Hermit with you... How lucky to have such a good company!
—Charlotte's letter to her daughter's governess
Queen Charlotte's reading desk / circa 1780 / Mahogany, mother-of-pearl and other precious materials
Carved mahogany bookcase / William Weir / 1762-67
Charlotte had thought that she and George III would continue to live like this. However, life is so playful: I don't know when charlotte noticed that something was wrong with her husband. He began to talk nonsense and do strange things as if he were crazy.
The outbreak of the American Revolutionary War caused George III to lose a large number of American colonies, which is said to have been one of the important factors that led to his insanity.
The doctors tried everything they could, but still could not get George III back to normal. Charlotte was impatient, but helpless. To make matters worse, the eldest son, the Prince of Wales, has always been at odds with his father, and his desire to seize power has long been there.
Just as the Prince of Wales was about to ascend to the throne, the doctor announced: The king's illness has been completely cured! Hearing the news, the palace was filled with cheers, and Charlotte was also excited.
1789 / Charles Swain production
Charlotte, who loved her husband, also entrusted someone with the "George III Healing Medal" to show joy and celebration.
Queen Charlotte and Her Two Children / circa 1764-1769 / Alan Ramsey
Charlotte and the children are looking forward to returning to their former warm life as soon as possible.
However, Charlotte, who accompanied George III day and night, found that her husband occasionally made strange moves. Charlotte couldn't help but wonder: Was George III's illness really cured?
Soon, harsh reality answered Charlotte's question. One night, George III's old illness recurred and he even fainted on the ground after going mad. Doctors believed that George III had to live separately from his wife and children, but Charlotte insisted on living with her husband.
Eventually, George III was transferred to Kew Gardens for treatment, and Charlotte and the children lived in the "Kew Palace", not far away, and visited him regularly. / The picture shows the "Qiu Palace" located in The Qiu Garden
Charlotte's situation became more and more difficult. Not only did she have to endure a long separation from her husband, but she also had to raise many children alone. George III's condition is not optimistic, and how can his son, the Prince of Wales, be profligate and scandalous, and how can he take on the responsibility of a country?
The Regency Act of 1789 was amended to provide that if the king lost the ability to rule, the eldest son, the Prince of Wales, would be regent, but the king and his minor children would be placed under the supervision of Queen Charlotte.
All kinds of worries weighed on her heart, making Charlotte gradually become melancholy and lonely. She moved to a new estate and made fewer and fewer public appearances.
03, the queen who has not been knocked down
After George III was completely insane, the lush green, flower-filled Frogmore Manor became Charlotte's best "refuge." Here, Charlotte can forget about her pain for a moment, practice painting, needlework, or take a stroll in the garden.
The Frogmore House was built during the reign of Charles II and bought by Queen Charlotte in 1792 as a holiday home for herself and her daughters.
Free-growing plants and exquisite and gorgeous household objects gave Charlotte a lot of comfort at this time. She loves the colorful flowers and the softness and toughness of the trees. To this end, she commissioned the painter Mary Moser to freeze the scene of flowers in the manor room.
Mary Moser was a member of the Royal Academy of Art in the 18th century, and Queen Charlotte collected many of her still life paintings
Mary Moser was commissioned by Queen Charlotte to decorate the walls and ceilings of the manor rooms.
Marble mantel clock / 1789-90 / Benjamin Vulliamy
Buying exquisite household items can also make Charlotte feel good.
Gold-plated chest of drawers / beech, pine, mahogany and walnut
In order to take care of the outdoor garden, Charlotte put a lot of thought into it. At Charlotte's behest, the garden was renovated: the mounds were lush with vegetation, the woods were green, winding paths cut through the woods, and the elaborately designed bridges spanned the slightly flooded ponds... Charlotte also introduced more than 4,000 plants to make the garden look more vibrant.
Gothic summer house in frogmore gardens
A corner of Frogmore Gardens
Charlotte's love of plants is well known. She keeps a close eye on voyages and expeditions, incorporating new plant varieties brought back by explorers into her collection.
Queen Charlotte is also said to have introduced Britain's first Christmas tree
Sometimes Charlotte thinks of George III's illness and falls into a pang of sentimentality. If her husband never recovers, what else can she do alone?
As a mother of 15 children, Charlotte understands the difficulties of women's childbearing and child growth, so she has found what to do. Soon, Charlotte returned to the public eye, not only founding an orphanage to house homeless children, but also generously sponsoring a maternity hospital to provide better medical care for pregnant women.
George III, Queen Charlotte, and Their Six Older Children / John Zofani / 1770
Charlotte, who has many children, hopes that her people can also have a peaceful and warm family life.
Because of George III's illness, Charlotte also followed the development of medicine and always hoped to find the exact cause of her husband's sudden "madness". However, she could not wait for that day.
"Queen Charlotte" / Thomas Lawrence
Charlotte grew old, but she wore a miniature portrait of her husband on her hands as she did when she was young.
Charlotte died in November 1818 at the age of 74 in The Palace. George III, on the other hand, remained in a bad state of mind, unable to understand or believe in his wife's death.
Queen Charlotte is in British history
The longest-reigning king's spouse,
For exactly 57 years, she was unable to communicate with George III
We have been working together, but we have been together for a lifetime.
Queen Charlotte / 1781 / Thomas Gainsborough
Queen Charlotte's temperament is very human.
Today, the influence of Queen Charlotte is still traceable:
She lived in the Queen's Cottage in Kew Gardens
preserved, carefully maintained,
Opened to the public in 1898;
Once a country retreat for royalty, Queen Charlotte's Cottage is now a place where people can take a stroll and savor the history.
She has a keen interest and effort in botany
Won the respect of scholars,
Naming of the South African plant "Crane Orchid",
It was people's greetings to Charlotte;
Strelitzia reginae, also known as the "Bird of Paradise", commemorates Charlotte because the reginae has the meaning of "queen".
And one of the most famous maternity hospitals in London
Queen Charlotte and Chelsea Hospital,
This queen is also recorded
Selfless dedication to the cause of women and children.
Queen Charlotte wrote to her governess out her decision to vaccinate her children against smallpox.
Perhaps, fate has long foreshadowed in the darkness.
Looking back, the British emissaries who picked up Charlotte were taken away
Conveys the dictation of George III:
"You should step on deck and become queen of England."
To this end, Charlotte has gone through hardships and dangers, all the way forward,
Always fighting against the winds and waves of fate.
Either way, she did.
Editor | Kieran
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