Louise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz

The Year of Louise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz – The birth of a stillborn daughter

On 24 December 1793, Louise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz married the future King Frederick William III of Prussia. By mid-May, Frederick William left for the army, but Louise wrote to him often. By then, she was already pregnant with their first child. Frederick William returned home in September, just in time for Louise’s confinement. Louise wrote happily [read more]
Louise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz

The Year of Louise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz – The life and death of Prince Albert of Prussia (Part two)

Read part one here. Caroline von Rochow, a lady-in-waiting, commented on Albert’s marriage, “He had consistently displayed a kind of childlike love for his cheerful cousin, and he seized the opportunity of her broken engagement to the Prince of Vasa to ask his father for permission to take his place. The King was fond of [read more]
Friederike of Hesse-Darmstadt

The Year of Louise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz – The life and death of Friederike of Hesse-Darmstadt

The future Queen Louise of Prussia was just six years old when her mother died following childbirth with her tenth child. Princess Friederike of Hesse-Darmstadt was born on 20 August 1752 as the eldest daughter of Prince George William of Hesse-Darmstadt, who was the second son of Louis VIII, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt, and Countess Maria [read more]
Louise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz

The Year of Louise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz – The life and death of Georg, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (Part two)

Read part one here. On 6 November 1816, Georg succeeded his father as Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. The Hamburgh Correspondent wrote, “Our respected Grand Duke was in good health during the whole of his tour last summer, to Rebburg, Schwalbach, and Hildburghhausen, and returned amongst us in the same state. Some days after his return, [read more]
Louise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz

The Year of Louise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz – The life and death of Georg, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (Part one)

Louise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, Queen of Prussia, was close to all of her siblings, and her brother Georg was no exception. Georg was born on 12 August 1779 as the eighth child, but the eldest surviving son of the future Charles II, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz and his first wife, Princess Friederike of Hesse-Darmstadt. His full [read more]
frederick william iii
Louise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz

The Year of Louise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz – The life and death of King Frederick William III of Prussia (Part two)

Read part one here. Frederick William initially did not want to enter the Napoleonic Wars. As early as 1797, he had told his uncle, “Everybody knows that I abhor war and that I know of nothing greater on earth than the preservation of peace and tranquillity as the only system suited to the happiness of [read more]