Frederica Charlotte of Prussia- The forgotten Duchess of York (Part two)
After the wedding, Queen Charlotte wrote to Elisabeth Christine, “If anything could add to my satisfaction at the choice of my son, it would be the lively interest which your Majesty takes in the fate of this Princess, your pupil, and I assure you that a Princess brought up under your eye, and to whom you render so high a testimony, shall find in me not only a mother but a friend; and I hope that in gaining the Princess’s friendship, I shall also gain a part in yours, which would be of great value to me.”1
The new Duchess of York wrote home to her great-aunt about how well Queen Charlotte had kept her promise. She also wrote about how the Queen had placed a portrait of her great-aunt in her room “and that the sight of that dear face had moved her to tears, even in the midst of her bridal happiness, as the thought of the happy days she had spent under her aunt’s care came over her mind.”2 The newlyweds settled at Oatlands Park, which the Duke had had furnished three years earlier with a games room, a pool and a grotto.
The marriage ceremony (public domain)A second wedding ceremony took place in the Saloon at Buckingham House on 23 November. It was reported that “the Prince of Wales gave the bride away; and as soon as the religious service was finished, the Duchess of York went to his Majesty, and attempted to kneel, which the King with some difficulty prevented, and, raising her in his arms, embraced her most affectionately.”3
A caricature focusing on Frederica’s dowry © The Trustees of the British Museum, released as CC BY-NC-SA 4.0Frederica had joined a new court, but her mind was still in Prussia. The year after her wedding, her father, the King of Prussia, and the Emperor of Austria had signed a defensive alliance against France. Her father and brothers were now preparing to go to war as France demanded that Austria withdraw from territories in Flanders. Nevertheless, her sister-in-law, Princess Sophia, wrote, “What a joy it must be to Papa and Mama and all of us to see how fond they are of each other.”4
Frederica’s brother-in-law, the Prince of Wales (the future King George IV), was in Brighton at the time with his mistress, Mrs Fitzherbert. She was angry with Frederica because she refused to treat her as a sister-in-law.5 The Prince of Wales had married Maria Fitzherbert in 1785, but this marriage was invalid due to the Royal Marriages Act 1772. Having a mistress was no novelty in this family. The Duke of Clarence (later King William IV) was living with an actress named Mrs Jordan, and the Duke of Kent was living it up with Mme de St Laurent.
Bad news arrived when the French Republic was declared, and the French army had defeated the Austrians and taken Flanders. In January 1793, after the trial and execution of King Louis XVI, France declared war on Britain and the United Netherlands. The Duke of York was appointed commander-in-chief of the British forces and intended to push France out of Flanders. He departed in February. In September 1793, the Duke of York wrote home about how the British had been unsuccessful in taking Dunkirk from the French. Frederica was at Oatlands when the letter came, and she reportedly finished her game before opening the letter.6 The Duke was safe but he felt humiliated. The Prime Minister went to King George III and demanded that the Duke of York had to be withdrawn from his command.
He returned home in February 1794, but the recall would prove to be the end of his marriage to Frederica. She had little respect for a husband who had been publicly exposed as an inadequate commander. They separated, and the Duchess continued to live at Oatlands. Their separation was amicable, and the Duke often came to visit Oatlands. Their union had not produced any children, leaving the succession in doubt as the Prince of Wales had not contracted a legal marriage.7
Left with little choice due to his debt and the lack of heirs, the Prince of Wales married his first cousin, Caroline of Brunswick, on 8 April 1795. George later stated that the marriage was consummated on three occasions and that it was quite lucky that Caroline had fallen pregnant. She gave birth to the couple’s only child, Princess Charlotte, on 7 January 1796. The couple lived together at Carlton House for about a year but rarely saw each other. Dislike had grown to hate. Caroline moved out of Carlton House and could only spend one day a week with her daughter.
Frederica’s life at Oatlands became filled with animals. She showed great care for Princess Charlotte, who was trapped between her warring parents. Charlotte always enjoyed her visits to her aunt, as she too was a great lover of animals. Frederica had monkeys, pet dogs, kangaroos, ostriches, and parrots. She gained a reputation for her eccentricity, but Charlotte lovingly called her “the little Duchess.”8 According to Charlotte, Frederica’s “kindness is very great and her anxiety to please everybody and to make it agreeable is flattering to everyone’s feelings.”9
In November 1811, Charlotte had a particularly nice day at Oatlands, and she was “amazingly happy.” She was allowed to return in December, where she found Frederica “as kind as possible.”10
Frederica was always on Princess Charlotte’s side, and she was very happy when a possible match with the Prince of Orange was announced, as the Prince was Frederica’s nephew. Charlotte later wrote that Frederica “expressed herself as being excessively happy and glad, and indeed I have not seen her in such spirits for some time.”11 When the match was later cancelled, Frederica was “excessively angry” with Charlotte.12
Part three coming soon.
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