Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (1744 - 1818) was a German princess of the house ofMecklenburg and Queen consort of George III of the United Kingdom.
Charlotte was born in Mirow (now Germany) in 1744 being the eighth of 10 children of Prince Charles Louis of Mecklenburg-Sterlitz, Mr Mirow, and Elizabeth Albertine of Saxe-Hildburhausen.
On December 11, 1752, the elder brother of his father, the Duke Adolphus Frederick of Mecklenburg-Strelitz III, died without male issue, and Charlotte's older brother, Adolphus Frederick, succeeded him as Duke Adolf Frederick IV of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (because his father had died only six months earlier, on June 5, 1752). This position of Charlotteand her family changed considerably, as happened to be in control of a major part of the territories of Mecklenburg.
They were her brother and her widowed mother who decided to seek an advantageous marriage with commitment. At age 17 she was selected to be the wife of the young KingGeorge III of the United Kingdom, although she was not the first choice. He had alreadybeen linked with several young women considered unsuitable by both his mother, Augusta of Saxe-Gotha, and by his political advisers.
Charlotte came to Britain in 1761, celebrated their wedding at the Chapel Royal of St.James Palace on 8 September that year. Two weeks later, both were crowned at Westminster Abbey.
The marriage of Charlotte was happy and, apparently, the king was never unfaithful. In the course of their marriage had 15 children, of whom 2 died in infancy.
Queen Charlotte was particularly interested in the arts and supported Johann Christian Bach, who was her music teacher. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, who then only had 8years, he dedicated his Opus 3 to Charlotte. She also founded orphanages and a hospital for pregnant women. In addition, she was educated amateur botanist and helped establish what is today Kew Gardens. The education of women was of great importance to Charlotte and she had her daughters were better educated than womenwho were generally at the time.
After the onset of his illness, then misunderstood as madness, George III was placedunder the care of his wife, who could not visit as often as he wished, because of his erratic behavior and occasional violent reactions. However, Charlotte was stillsupported by her husband for his mental illness, was now known that the Porfiriansequel, which would worsen in old age.
He died in Dutch House in Surrey (after Kew Palace), the November 17, 1818, at 74years of age, being buried in the Chapel of St. George at Windsor Castle.
At the time of his death, was beside her eldest son, Prince of Wales, future George IV, who was holding her hand as she sat in a chair, posing for the family portrait that waspainted in that times.
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