5th Dragoon Guards


Princess Charlotte of Wales



Charlotte was born on 7th Jan 1796 the only child of the Prince Regent (George IV) and his estranged wife Princess Caroline of Brunswick. Charlotte had a difficult upbringing because of the bad feeling between her mother and father. She was an energetic tomboy and had an excitable and rebellious nature. She was very popular with the people of England. When she was 8 years old, in 1804, her grandfather, George III, granted the 5th Dragoon Guards the honour of being titled The Princess Charlotte of Wales's. Her father wanted her to marry the Prince of Orange and she reluctantly agreed but the prospective bridegroom refused to agree to having her mother, Caroline of Brunswick, live with them. Charlotte broke off the engagement and the Prince Regent ordered her to be confined at Cranbourne Lodge, Windsor. When told of this Charlotte ran into the street and she was helped into a cab to take her to her mother's. Eventually she was confined at Cranbourne Lodge.

Later she married Prince Leopold of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, on 2nd May 1816, and they were very happy together. The wedding was greeted with great celebrations throughout Britain. On 18th Oct 1816, Leopold was appointed Colonel of his wife's regiment. Later that summer she suffered a miscarriage. She became pregnant again in the spring of 1817 and there was great expectation of a more successful pregnancy. However, by 19th Oct, her due date, she had not given birth. When she finally gave birth on 5th Nov 1817 she was under the instructions of Sir Richard Croft, an accoucheur, or male midwife, who would not allow her any food after the 3rd Nov, and refused to use forceps for the delivery. The child was a still-born boy, born in the presence of Prince Leopold and some officials who were needed to witness a royal birth. Charlotte was unwell, vomiting and bleeding profusely. She died after midnight, in the early hours of 6th November 1817. The nation mourned the loss of their future Queen for a long time. Shops were closed for 2 weeks. The Prince Regent felt unable to attend her funeral, and Prince Leopold was "as if he had lost his heart". He continued to carry out his duties as Colonel of the 5th Dragoon Guards until 21st July 1831 when he became King of the Belgians. The painting is by George Dawe, completed in 1817.



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by Stephen Luscombe