Frederica of Mecklenburg-Strelitz

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Famous statue by Johann Gottfried Schadow of Frederica (right) with her sister Louise ("Prinzessinengruppe"), Marmor, 1797

Duchess Frederica of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (3 March 1778-29 June 1841), Duchess of Cumberland and later Queen of Hanover, was the consort of Prince Ernest Augustus, 1st Duke of Cumberland (later King Ernst August I of Hanover), the fifth son and eighth child of King George III of the United Kingdom and Queen Charlotte.

[edit] Early life

Her Highness Duchess Frederica Louise Caroline Sophie Alexandrine (Friederike Luise Caroline Sophie Alexandrine in German) was born in Hanover, the fifth daughter of Duke Charles II of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (1741-1816) and his first wife, Frederica (1752-1782), the daughter of George William, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt. Her father assumed the title of Grand Duke of Mecklenburg on 18 June 1815. Duchess Frederica was the niece of her future mother-in-law, Queen Charlotte (formerly Duchess Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz).

[edit] First marriage

Duchess Frederica married firstly His Royal Highness Prince (Frederick) Louis of Prussia (5 November 1773-23 December 1796), the younger son of King Frederick William II of Prussia, on 26 December 1793 at the Royal Palace, Berlin. This marriage was dissolved in 1796

[edit] Second marriage

She then married His Serene Highness Frederick William, Prince of Solms-Braunfels (22 October 1770-13 April 1814) on 10 December 1798 at Berlin.

[edit] Third marriage

Fourteen months after her second husband's death, she was married for a third time on 29 May 1815 at the parish church of Neustrelitz, Germany, and again on 29 August 1815 at Carlton House, London to His Royal Highness Field Marshal Prince Ernest Augustus, Duke of Cumberland.

[edit] Queen of Hanover

The Duchess of Cumberland became Queen of Hanover upon the ascension of her third husband to the Hanoverian throne on 20 June 1837. Queen Frederica of Hanover died in 1841 at Hanover and was buried in the Chapel at Schloss Herrenhausen.

[edit] Titles, Style, Honours & Arms

[edit] Titles

• 1778-1793: Her Highness Duchess Frederica of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
• 1793-1796?8?: Her Royal Highness Princess Frederick Louis of Prussia
• 1798-1815: Her Highness The Princess of Solms-Braunfels
• 1815-1837: Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cumberland and Teviotdale
• 1837-1841: Her Majesty Queen Frederica of Hanover

[edit] Issue