The Year of Louise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz – The early years of Queen Louise (Part one)

On 10 March 1776, Friederike of Hesse-Darmstadt, Duchess Charles of Mecklenburg-Strelitz¹ gave birth to her sixth but third surviving child – a daughter named Louise. She had two elder surviving sisters, Charlotte and Therese. Her two younger surviving siblings were Frederica and her father’s heir, Georg. A younger half-brother named Charles joined the family in 1785. Louise’s father was a brother of Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, Queen of the United Kingdom. He served as Governor-General in Hanover for his brother-in-law, King George.

Louise lost her mother on 22 May 1782 when she died during the birth of her 10th child. She was still only 29 years old. Louise would later write, “My dear first mother died in 1782,  a loss that will remain etched in my heart – may Heaven reward her as she deserves.”²

Her father remarried a year and a half later to a woman the children already knew well, their maternal aunt Charlotte. The year 1785 was one of goodbyes – Louise’s eldest sister, yet another Charlotte, was married to Frederick, Duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen, at the age of 15. A more tragic goodbye came in December when her stepmother died 14 days after giving birth to her first child. Her child, a son named Charles, survived. Louise also wrote about the death of her stepmother and aunt, “A very sad day for my heart… May God grant me a heart like yours!”³

This time, her father chose not to remarry, but the children still had to be cared for. This fell to Countess Maria Louise Albertine of Leiningen-Dagsburg-Falkenburg, the children’s grandmother, who took in her granddaughters. Louise affectionately called her grandmother, “Mabuscha.”⁴ The two boys stayed in Hanover while the girls moved to Darmstadt. They would never have a normal family life again, despite her father’s resignation from his post in Hanover in 1787. He and the two boys moved to Darmstadt, but the family lived in separate residences.

The years in Darmstadt were happy. Louise, Therese and Frederica’s education focused on the French language, which was the language of royalty. Their teacher was Salomé de Gélieu. They also took classes in reading, writing, religion, music, art and literature.⁵ Louise and Frederica often travelled with their grandmother, such as to the Netherlands, where they saw the sea for the first time. Louise was devoted to her grandmother and later wrote to her, “I can never repay you for all the good you have done for me. You founded my earthly and spiritual happiness. I can do nothing to show you my gratitude; I will remain in your debt forever.”⁶ Louise, Frederica, and Georg became especially close during their time in Darmstadt.

Therese was married to Karl Alexander, 5th Prince of Thurn and Taxis, in 1789. The siblings continued to write to each other, and they sent each other gifts. Louise wrote to Therese, “Dear, beloved Therese… How long has passed since we last saw each other, when will I finally be granted this happiness, this happiness that a sister who adores you so longs for?”⁷ Therese had married into a wealthy family and often sent the most expensive gifts.

Louise and Frederica began the lessons for their confirmation in February 1792 with pastor Lichthammer. On the day of her confirmation, Louise wrote to Therese, “The work that is to make us happy throughout our lives is accomplished; praise be to God for eternal and unbreakable loyalty…”⁸ Louise was a good student but one of her main problems would always be spelling. Nevertheless, Louise’s education focused on her becoming the perfect wife.

In that her teacher had succeeded, and Louise’s future husband later wrote, “My wife had an infinitely natural and correct understanding and an equally correct, critical overview. However, her philosophical and aesthetic education was somewhat lacking as she was somewhat neglected in her youth, as one would call it these days. I would like to say, thank God that it was so, for she came from her father’s or grandmother’s house with a pure, unprejudiced mind and the highest feeling for all that is good and beautiful.”⁹

Frederica and Louise were confirmed together in the City Church in Darmstadt on 15 June 1792, and one month later, the family travelled to Frankfurt for the imperial coronation of Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor. They were only meant to stay one day, but they managed to prolong their stay to attend several festivities.

Read part two here.

1. She was never the Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, as she died before her husband succeeded as Grand Duke.
2. Luise, die Königin and ihre geschwister by Carolin Philipps p.25
3. Luise, die Königin and ihre geschwister by Carolin Philipps p.26
4. Luise, die Königin and ihre geschwister by Carolin Philipps p.28
5. Friederike von Preußen by Carolin Philipps p.27
6. Luise, die Königin and ihre geschwister by Carolin Philipps p.32
7. Luise, die Königin and ihre geschwister by Carolin Philipps p.37
8. Luise, die Königin and ihre geschwister by Carolin Philipps p.52
9. Luise, die Königin and ihre geschwister by Carolin Philipps p.61