Princess Charlotte of Hesse-Darmstadt
Duchess Charles of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Charlotte Wilhelmine Christiane Marie of Hesse-Darmstadt (5 November 1755 – 12 December 1785[1]), was by marriage Duchess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz.
| Charlotte of Hesse-Darmstadt | |
|---|---|
| Duchess Charles of Mecklenburg-Strelitz | |
 Portrait by Charles-Alexis Huin, 1766 | |
| Born | 5 November 1755 Darmstadt |
| Died | 12 December 1785 (aged 30) Hanover |
| Spouse | |
| Issue | Duke Charles of Mecklenburg |
| House | Hesse-Darmstadt |
| Father | Prince George William of Hesse-Darmstadt |
| Mother | Countess Maria Louise Albertine of Leiningen-Falkenburg-Dagsburg |
Life
Charlotte was a daughter of Prince George William of Hesse-Darmstadt (1722-1782) from his marriage to Countess Maria Louise Albertine of Leiningen-Falkenburg-Dagsburg (1729-1818),[2] daughter of Count Christian Karl Reinhard of Leiningen-Dachsburg-Falkenburg-Heidesheim.
The princess was first engaged with the hereditary prince Peter Frederick William of Oldenburg, but the engagement was dissolved again[1] as a result of the onset of Peter's mental illness.
Charlotte married Charles of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (who later became the Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz), on 28 September 1784 in Darmstadt. He was previously married to Charlotte's older sister Friederike,[1] who had died in childbirth.[3] She thus became stepmother for her sister's five surviving children - her nieces and nephews.
The couple lived in Hanover, where Charles served as Governor-General for his brother-in-law, King George. Charlotte was delivered of a healthy boy in late 1785, but the birth was difficult[4] and Charlotte died as a result. Charles resigned from his post in Hanover and moved to Charlotte's mother in Darmstadt, who then took care of his children (both Frederike's and Charlotte's).[3]
Offspring
Her only child from her marriage to Charles was:
- Charles (1785-1837), General and President of the Prussian State Council