Princess Carolina of Orange-Nassau

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Princess Carolina of Orange-Nassau, Princess of Nassau-Weilburg (February 28, 1743, Leeuwarden- May 6, 1787, Kirchheimbolanden) was the daughter of William IV, Prince of Orange, Stadtholder of the Netherlands, and HRH Anne, the Princess Royal,

Her maternal grandparents were George II of Great Britain and Caroline of Ansbach.

[edit] Regent

Princess Carolina was born in Leeuwarden. In 1747, it was declared that the position of Stadtholder could be inherited by females, thus making the young Princess Carolina the heiress presumptive to the position of Stadtholder. However, in 1748, a male heir, Willem, was born to her parents, thus displacing her and putting her second in line to the position.

Princess Carolina's father died in 1751, making her three-year-old brother Willem V of Orange. At that point, her mother was appointed Princess-Regent. However, in 1759, her mother died, and Willem V was still just ten years old. Then, Princess Carolina's paternal grandmother, Princess Marie Luise, was made Princess-Regent. Princess Marie-Luise was regent until 1765, when she died. Willem V was now seventeen, but that was still not old enough to rule on his own. So, Princess Carolina was made Princess-Regent. She ruled until 1766, when Willem V turned eighteen.

[edit] Marriage and children

On 5 March 1760, during the regency of Princess Marie Luise, Princess Carolina married HSH Duke Karl Christian of Nassau-Weilburg. They had eleven children:

[edit] External links