The Year of Louise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz – Frederica of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, A sacred duty (Part seven)

Read part six here.

On 26 June 1830, King George IV died and was succeeded by the Duke of Clarence, who became King William IV, as the Duke of York had died in 1827. The new King was not particularly fond of the Cumberlands. This relationship became even more strained when the Duke of Cambridge was appointed Viceroy of Hanover, rather than Ernest Augustus. But the political situation would not allow them to leave again. Frederica wrote that it was “her sacred duty” to prepare her son for the possibility of becoming King of England himself one day.¹

On 11 September 1832, a terrible accident occurred, which Frederica would describe as “one of the most terrible days of my entire life.”² Her son, George, was already blind in his right eye following his bout with illness in 1829. She wrote, “Last Tuesday… George was playing in the garden, and seeing some poor people outside, he gave himself the pleasure of giving them alms. He returned, swung his purse very vigorously in a circle, and struck his eye with the silver-clad purse. It was the left one, which is his very good eye.”³

At first, it didn’t look too serious, and doctors treated the eye with leeches and bandages. But several weeks later, the eye was still no better, and it became clear that George would not regain his sight. Frederica was “completely devastated.”⁴

By 1835, Frederica was 57 years old, and she also had ongoing health issues. She spent the summer months of 1834 and 1835 at Pymont to take the cure. However, a challenge still lay ahead. On 20 June 1837, King William IV died and Victoria succeeded him in the United Kingdom, but Hanover passed to Ernest Augustus, making Frederica Queen of Hanover at the age of 59. Initially, Frederica stayed in Berlin and witnessed the events from afar. In general, Ernest Augustus was well-received as King. He wrote to Frederica’s brother, “I am extremely, indeed I can truly say, delighted with my journey, for everywhere I have been, I have found the greatest proofs of love, respect and loyalty.”⁵ In July, Frederica travelled from Berlin to Hanover with her son, George.

The new King and Queen settled into the Old Palace, across from the Leine Palace. It was the same place where she had been born six decades ago. Who knew that she would one day return there as Queen? The summer months were spent at the Montbrillant Palace. They had already been involved in renovations when it became apparent that King William IV would have no more children. Frederica was known to be a generous Queen, and she even called on the King of Prussia if needed. Despite her continued ill-health, she enjoyed being Queen. Her husband, who was seven years older than she, was in excellent health.

As it happened, Frederica lost a good deal of family during the last years of her life. Her brother, Carl, died on 21 September 1837. Her sister, Therese, had been “incurably ill” and “in great pain” since November 1838. She died on 12 February 1838. The Prussian King, Frederick William III, died on 7 April 1840. She also remained concerned with the health of her son, George. In December 1838, he fell ill with measles and a high fever just before he was supposed to undergo another operation on his eye. Frederica stayed by his bedside, despite her own illnesses. He recovered and underwent the operation in September 1840. It yielded no immediate results, but she believed there was hope for the future.

Frederica remained in ill health throughout the winter of 1840/1841. She was present for her birthday celebrations in March, but she wasn’t able to stand long. By April, she was spending most of her time in bed with stomach pains. On 27 June, she was given Holy Communion, and Ernest Augustus remained with her until 2 a.m., when she finally fell asleep. He was awoken by the physician at 8 a.m. because Frederica was worse. He went to her and held her hand, and she told him, “This is death.”⁶ Nevertheless, she held on for one more day. She died on 29 June 1841 with her husband, her son George, and her daughter Frederica by her side. She died in the same room where she had been born.

Ernest Augustus wrote, “She was everything in the world to me, everything is lost to me, for I can truly say that I lived only for her…”⁷

On 7 July, Frederica’s funeral took place, and she was interred in the crypt of the castle church. Her husband wrote, “Only the wall of the castle separates her from me, and I had a key made so that I can enter and pray at her coffin.”⁸

After his own death in 1851, his coffin and Frederica’s coffin were moved into a newly built mausoleum in the gardens at Herrenhausen. The mausoleum of her sister, Louise, had served as a model for it.

1. Friederike von Preußen by Carolin Philipps p.309
2. Friederike von Preußen by Carolin Philipps p.320
3. Friederike von Preußen by Carolin Philipps p.320
4. Friederike von Preußen by Carolin Philipps p.320
5. Friederike von Preußen by Carolin Philipps p.336
6. Friederike von Preußen by Carolin Philipps p.356
7. Friederike von Preußen by Carolin Philipps p.354
8. Friederike von Preußen by Carolin Philipps p.357