Mecklenburg-Strelitz Archives - History of Royal Women

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

Tuesday, 13 October 2026, 6:00 Moniek Bloks 0

Read part one here. Friederike would not survive her tenth childbirth. She gave birth to a girl on 19 May 1782, and the little girl died the following day. Friederike died three days after the birth on 22 May 1782; she was still only 29 years old. Her daughter, Louise, later wrote, “My dear first [read more]

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

Saturday, 10 October 2026, 6:00 Moniek Bloks 0

Charles II, future Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, was the father of Louise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, Queen of Prussia. Charles was born on 10 October 1741 as the sixth but third surviving child and second son of Duke Charles Louis Frederick of Mecklenburg and Princess Elisabeth Albertine of Saxe-Hildburghausen. Another three siblings would survive to adulthood, including [read more]

Augusta of Cambridge – My old loving heart (Part five)

Monday, 4 May 2026, 6:00 Moniek Bloks 0

Read part four here. Mary, who also happened to be Marie’s cousin, supported Marie by publicly appearing with her, driving around. Her husband later wrote, “I certainly think the English relations have behaved better & are more sensible about it all. The parents are the worst and ought to be ashamed of themselves.” Augusta believed [read more]

Augusta of Cambridge – A contemporary of Queen Victoria (Part four)

Saturday, 2 May 2026, 6:00 Moniek Bloks 0

Read part three here. Augusta became very fond of her niece, Mary (the future Queen Mary), and Mary often wrote to her to keep her informed. The Teck family frequently had financial troubles and had been forced to spend some time on the continent to save money. By 1885, they were regularly back in England, [read more]

Augusta of Cambridge – The daughter of her mother (Part three)

Thursday, 30 April 2026, 6:00 Moniek Bloks 0

Read part two here. Frederick William and Augusta were now the reigning Grand Duke and Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. Researchers looking back at their reign would describe Frederick William as having a “pathological stinginess” which “hindered necessary investments in all areas.” However, he had inherited a considerable debt, which he managed to pay off within [read more]

Augusta of Cambridge – Dear, old England (Part two)

Wednesday, 29 April 2026, 6:00 Moniek Bloks 0

Read part one here. Augusta quickly fell pregnant, but their first child – a son – was stillborn. A second son was born two years later, but he did not survive his first birthday. Their third son, Adolphus Frederick, born on 22 July 1848, survived to adulthood. Shortly before his birth, Mary Adelaide wrote, “You [read more]