Louise of Great Britain

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For the later Princess of Great Britain called Louisa, see Princess Louisa of Great Britain.
Louise of Great Britain
Louise's portrait as queen of Denmark and Norway, aged 23, by Carl Gustav Pilo
Queen consort of Denmark and Norway
Tenure 6 August 1746 – 19 December 1751
Spouse Frederick V of Denmark
Issue
Sophia Magdalena, Queen of Sweden
Caroline, Electress of Hesse
Christian VII of Denmark
Louise, Princess Charles of Hesse-Kassel
House House of Oldenburg
House of Hanover
Father George II
Mother Caroline of Ansbach
Born (1724-12-07)7 December 1724 (Old Style)
Leicester House, London, England
Died 19 December 1751(1751-12-19) (aged 27)
Christiansborg Palace, Copenhagen, Denmark
Burial Roskilde Cathedral, Denmark
The Queen portrayed the year of her death, by court painter C.G. Pilo

Louise of Great Britain (Danish: Louise af Storbritannien; 7 December 1724 – 19 December 1751) was Queen of Denmark and Norway from 1746 until her death, as the first wife of King Frederick V. She was the youngest surviving daughter of George II of Great Britain and Caroline of Ansbach.

Early years

Princess Louise was born as the fifth daughter and youngest child of the then Prince and Princess of Wales, on 7 December 1724, at Leicester House, London. She was baptised "Louisa" there on 22 December.[1] Her godparents were her elder sister and two cousins: Princess Amelia of Great Britain, Princess Louisa Ulrika of Prussia (for whom Sarah Lennox, Duchess of Richmond and Lennox, stood proxy), and Frederick, Prince Royal of Prussia, later Frederick the Great (for whom Henry de Nassau d'Auverquerque, 1st Earl of Grantham, stood proxy).[1]

On 11 June 1727, when Louise was two years old, her grandfather, George I, died, and her father ascended the throne as George II.

Crown Princess

In a dynastic marriage, Louise wed Prince Frederick of Denmark and Norway on 11 December 1743 at Altona, Holstein. Frederick's father, King Christian VI, hoped the marriage would lead to British support for his or his son's claim to the throne of Sweden.[2] The couple had five children, one of whom did not survive birth. Although the marriage was arranged, the couple got along quite well. Frederick was comfortable with her, and Louise pretended not to notice his adultery.

Queenship

When her husband ascended the throne, on 6 August 1746, as Frederick V, Louise became Queen of Denmark and Queen of Norway.

Queen Louise was very popular in Denmark,[2] and it is estimated that her popularity also made her husband popular. Interested in music, dance and theatre, the royal court was given a more easy going tone than under her strictly religious parents-in-law. Louise had a vivacious personality, allowing her to easily socialize with others.[2] In 1747, she arranged for the Italian opera company of Pietro Mingotti whose members included Christoph Willibald Gluck and Giuseppe Sarti to play at the royal court theatre, and in 1748, the French Du Londel Troupe was invited for dramatic performances. She was very appreciated for her effort to speak the Danish language, as the royal Danish court spoke mostly German, and her effort to speak Danish with her children became much appreciated.[3] She was described as well educated and good at conversation, not beautiful but very dignified and well suited in her part as a queen.

Early death

While pregnant with her sixth child, Louise died due to complications from a miscarriage on 19 December 1751, at Christiansborg Palace, Copenhagen, predeceasing her husband by fourteen years. She was buried at Roskilde Cathedral.

Titles, styles, honours and arms

Louise's catafalque

Titles and styles

  • 7 December 1724 – 11 June 1727: Her Royal Highness Princess Louisa[1] of Wales
  • 11 June 1727 – 11 December 1743: Her Royal Highness The Princess Louisa
  • 11 December 1743 – 6 August 1746: Her Royal Highness The Crown Princess of Denmark and Norway
  • 6 August 1746 – 19 December 1751: Her Majesty The Queen of Denmark and Norway

Arms

On 30 August 1727, as a child of the sovereign, Louise was granted use of the arms of the realm, differenced by a label argent of three points, each bearing torteaux gules.[4]

Issue

ImageNameBirthDeathNotes
Prince ChristianCopenhagen, 7 July 1745Frederiksborg, 3 June 1747died in infancy
Sophia Magdalena, Queen of Sweden3 July 174621 August 1813married, 1766, Gustav III, King of Sweden; had issue
Caroline, Electress of Hesse10 July 174719 January 1820married, 1763, William I, Elector of Hesse; had issue
King Christian VII29 January 174913 March 1808married, 1766, Princess Caroline Matilda; had issue
Louise, Princess Charles of Hesse30 January 175012 January 1831married, 1766, Prince Charles of Hesse-Kassel; had issue

Ancestry

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 The London Gazette refers to her as "Princess Louisa"
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Bregnsbo, p. 347.
  3. ↑ Bregnsbo, p. 349.
  4. ↑ Marks of Cadency in the British Royal Family
Bibliography

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Louise of Great Britain.
Louise of Great Britain
Cadet branch of the House of Welf
Born: 7 December 1724 Died: 19 December 1751
Royal titles
Preceded by
Sophia Magdalene of Brandenburg-Kulmbach		 Queen consort of Denmark and Norway
1746–1751 		Vacant
Title next held by
Juliana Maria of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel
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