Caroline of Ansbach

Caroline of Brandenburg-Ansbach (Wilhelmina Charlotte Caroline; 1 March 1683 – 20 November 1737^[1]) was the wife of George II of Great Britain. During her time as queen consort she had a lot of power.

Caroline of Ansbach
Portrait by Michael Dahl, c. 1730
Queen consort of Great Britain Ireland Electress consort of Hanover
Tenure	11 June 1727 – 20 November 1737
Coronation	11 October 1727[1]
Born	(1683-03-01)1 March 1683 Ansbach, Holy Roman Empire
Died	20 November 1737(1737-11-20) (aged 54) St. James's Palace, London, Great Britain
Burial	17 December 1737 Westminster Abbey, London
Spouse	George II of Great Britain ​ ​ (m. 1705)​
Issue	Frederick, Prince of Wales Anne, Princess of Orange Princess Amelia Princess Caroline Prince George William William, Duke of Cumberland Mary, Landgravine of Hesse-Kassel Louisa, Queen of Denmark and Norway
Full name Wilhelmina Charlotte Caroline German: Wilhelmine Charlotte Karoline
House	Hohenzollern
Father	John Frederick, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach
Mother	Princess Eleonore Erdmuthe of Saxe-Eisenach

Early life

Caroline of Ansbach was born in Ansbach in Germany, the daughter of Johann Friedrich, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach, and his second wife, Princess Eleanor Erdmuthe Louise of Saxe-Eisenach. Orphaned at an early age, Caroline grew up an intelligent, cultured and attractive woman, and was much sought-after as a bride.

Possible marriages and marriage to George

She turned down the King of Spain because it would cause her to renounce the Protestant faith. Shortly after she met the son of the elector of Hanover They married in 1705. Over the next 30 years they had nine children.

Queen

George I of Great Britain died 11 June 1727. George Augustus ascended the throne as George II of Great Britain. Caroline held George on a string. When the Prime Minister Sir Robert Walpole met with the King he and Caroline had signs to communicate with each other. George never noticed.

Frederick the Prince of Wales, ca. 1724.

Both the King and Queen truly disliked their eldest son Frederick, Prince of Wales. Caroline once called him the Greatest Ass the world has ever known. They preferred Prince William, Duke of Cumberland over Fredrick.

Later years

Caroline died 20 November 1737. George was at her side. Caroline asked him to remarry on her deathbed, to which he replied "No, I shall only have mistresses" or in French, "Non, j'aurai seulement des maîtresses!" in tears.

The Princess of Wales, painted by Sir Godfrey Kneller in 1717.

After death

George had Caroline buried in Westminster Abbey. He bought two coffins with removable sides, so after he died they would lie together again.

Children

Caroline's nine pregnancies (from 1707-1724) resulted in eight live births. One of them, Prince George William (13 November 1717-17 February 1718), died in infancy. Seven of them lived to adulthood.

Name	Birth	Death	Notes
Frederick, Prince of Wales	1 February 1707	31 March 1751	married 1736, Princess Augusta of Saxe-Gotha-Altenberg; had issue
Anne, Princess Royal	2 November 1709	12 January 1759	married 1734, Prince Willem IV of Orange-Nassau; had issue
Princess Amelia	10 July 1711	31 October 1786
Princess Caroline	21 June 1713	28 December 1757
Prince Augustus George	9 November 1716	9 November 1716	stillborn
Prince George William	13 November 1717	17 February 1718	died in infancy
Prince William, Duke of Cumberland	26 April 1721	31 October 1765
Princess Mary	5 March 1723	14 January 1772	married 1740, Frederick II, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel (or Hesse-Cassel); had issue
Princess Louise	18 December 1724	19 December 1751	married 1743, Frederick V, King of Denmark and Norway; had issue

Ancestry

Ancestors of Caroline of Ansbach

8. Joachim Ernst, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach 4. Albert, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach[2] 9. Countess Sophie of Solms-Laubach 2. John Frederick, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach[3][2] 10. Joachim Ernst, Count of Oettingen-Oettingen 5. Countess Margaret Sophia of Oettingen[2] 11. Countess Anna Sibylla of Solms-Sonnenwalde 1. Caroline of Ansbach 12. William, Duke of Saxe-Weimar 6. John George I, Duke of Saxe-Eisenach[3][2] 13. Princess Eleonore Dorothea of Anhalt-Dessau 3. Princess Eleonore Erdmuth of Saxe-Eisenach[2] 14. Ernest, Count of Sayn-Wittgenstein 7. Countess Johanna of Sayn-Wittgenstein[2] 15. Countess Louisa Juliana of Erbach

Legacy

Caroline alongside Prince Albert, and Mary of Modena is regarded one of the most powerful British consorts in History.