The Year of Louise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz – Charlotte of Prussia: “Your good little heart” (Part one)

On 13 July 1798, Queen Louise of Prussia gave birth to her second, but eldest surviving, daughter, who was named Charlotte.

Louise’s chief lady-in-waiting wrote, “The child is healthy and beautiful, but the poor Queen was extremely weak.”¹ Luckily. Louise recovered quickly, and Charlotte joined her brothers, Frederick William and William, in the nursery. Four more surviving siblings would follow before her mother’s untimely death in 1810.

Charlotte’s christening took place on 3 August, which was also her father’s 28th birthday. As Louise still had a fever, the christening took place in the room next to the gallery.²

The children grew up in a loving home, although the threat of Napoleon loomed. Charlotte and her elder brothers had a little vegetable garden, and sometimes they sent their parents carrots, peas, lettuce and cabbage. Louise wrote, “It gave them so much joy to send it because they knew Papa and Mama would be very happy, and that warmed their little hearts!”³

When Charlotte was four years old, Louise wrote, “Charlotte is very tall, gentle and good, and her upbringing will not be difficult.”⁴ To her brother, she wrote, “Charlotte, pure as gold, good, gentle, funny…”⁵ In an undated letter, Louiser wrote to young Charlotte, “My dear Charlotte, I am sending you a thaler. Don’t think that I intend to pay for the charming little garland you sent me, which gives me so much joy. One cannot pay for what love offers us, this love that inspired you to make this garland, and think: it will give Mama joy, I love giving Mama joy. Rather, I am sending you this thaler so that today you may have the pleasure of helping a poor person and ensuring that a family man, wife and child might one day have a good bowl of soup and be satisfied. I know that the thought of doing good for others is a true delight of your good little heart, and I am pleased to be able to indirectly provide it with this pleasure.”⁶

In 1805, Charlotte was appointed a governess by the name of Margarethe von Wildermeth. Charlotte developed a close relationship with her, which lasted until the end of her life. Charlotte played with dolls and learned to knit and embroider. She learned to count to 100, and her handwriting was observed as being “quite lovely.”⁷   Her eighth birthday was spent without her mother, who was still grieving the death of a short-lived son named Ferdinand. Charlotte’s father wrote extensively to Louise about Charlotte’s birthday party.

Charlotte’s childhood came to an abrupt end when she and her family had to flee from Napoleon. Shortly after the Battle of Jena–Auerstedt in October 1806, Louise left for Schwerin while her children travelled separately via Schwedt, Stettin and Köslin to Danzig. While at Schwedt, Charlotte badly sprained her ankle.⁸ At Danzig, the princes were housed in the Lottriehouse, while Charlotte had a small house next door to herself. Her injured ankle continued to bother her. On 9 November, the children arrived in Königsberg, and Charlotte received a letter from Louise in which she wrote, “Continue to be a good, eager-to-learn child as you always have been, then you and your brothers and sisters will be the comfort of your parents, who are currently very unhappy.”⁹

For now, the children remained in Königsberg, but the mood was grim as their governess was sure the French would reach them. A few small gifts were given to the children on Christmas Eve despite their father’s order that no gifts should be exchanged. On 3 January 1807, Charlotte and her two older brothers travelled to Frost near Memel to see the Baltic Sea. They were soon briefly reunited with their parents.

Charlotte’s ninth birthday came shortly after the fall of Königsberg, but her father still gave a tea party for her and the other children. They weren’t able to return to Königsberg until January 1808. At the end of 1808, Charlotte’s parents set off for St Petersburg, and during this visit, a possible marriage between Charlotte and Grand Duke Nicholas, the younger brother of Emperor Alexander I of Russia, was discussed. Charlotte’s parents returned to Königsberg in February with gifts for the children. Charlotte received the Order of St Catherine in diamonds, and she wrote to Empress Elizabeth Alexeievna, “Your Imperial Majesty, allow me to express my most heartfelt thanks for the Order of St Catherine, which I received from Mama… Your most obedient servant, Charlotte.”¹⁰  It was her first order.

Around this time, Louise wrote about Charlotte, “Our daughter Charlotte gives me ever more joy; although reserved and introspective, she, like her father, conceals a warm, compassionate heart. She walks along seemingly indifferent, but has much love and compassion. This is why she possesses a certain nobility in her nature. If God keeps her alive, I foresee a brilliant future for her.”¹¹

At Christmas 1809, the family was finally able to return to Berlin. They were greeted by delighted citizens. Louise had just given birth to her final child, Prince Albert. Her recovery was slow, and she went to Mecklenburg to recover. Louise soon became feverish, and she was bled by the doctors. The news became increasingly urgent, and Frederick William decided to go to her at once, taking Frederick William and William with him. Louise died on 19 July 1810 at the age of 34, leaving behind her husband and seven young children. Charlotte and her brother Charles arrived two hours after their mother’s death. They had learned of her death en route from a passing farmer.¹² After their mother’s death, the children were sent out into the garden to pick flowers for a wreath.¹³

Her great-grandmother, also named Louise, wrote to her, “Your mother would have told you, be virtuous! I want to tell you in the name of your glorious mother, be as virtuous as she was. You have received your mother’s gifts, live also in her spirit and according to the example of this angel. Then your mother’s blessing will rest upon you.”¹⁴

Part two coming soon. 

1. Die Preußin auf dem Zarenthron by Marianna Butenschön p.26
2. Die Preußin auf dem Zarenthron by Marianna Butenschön p.26
3. Die Preußin auf dem Zarenthron by Marianna Butenschön p.27
4. Die Preußin auf dem Zarenthron by Marianna Butenschön p.27
5. Die Preußin auf dem Zarenthron by Marianna Butenschön p.27-28
6. Die Preußin auf dem Zarenthron by Marianna Butenschön p.28
7. Die Preußin auf dem Zarenthron by Marianna Butenschön p.29
8. Die Preußin auf dem Zarenthron by Marianna Butenschön p.30
9. Die Preußin auf dem Zarenthron by Marianna Butenschön p.31
10. Die Preußin auf dem Zarenthron by Marianna Butenschön p.37
11. Die Preußin auf dem Zarenthron by Marianna Butenschön p.37
12. Die Preußin auf dem Zarenthron by Marianna Butenschön p.38-39
13. Queen Louise of Prussia by Constance Wright p.231
14. Die Preußin auf dem Zarenthron by Marianna Butenschön p.39