Read Britain's Royal Families: The Complete Genealogy Online

Authors: Alison Weir

Tags: #Biography & Autobiography, #Royalty, #History, #General, #Historical, #Reference, #Genealogy & Heraldry, #Non Fiction

Britain's Royal Families: The Complete Genealogy (82 page)

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M
OTHER
:
Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
(

see here
, under
George III
).

S
IBLINGS
: (

see here
, under
George III
).

GEORGE IV

Baptised George Augustus Frederick, he was born on 12 August, 1762, at St James’s Palace, London, and was Duke of Cornwall and Rothesay, Earl of Carrick, Baron Renfrew and Lord of the Isles from birth. He was created Prince of Wales and Earl of Chester on 17 or 19 August, 1762. He was created Prince Regent of the United Kingdom by Act of Parliament on 5 February, 1811, because of his father’s incapacity; he held this title until his accession. He succeeded his father as King of Great Britain on 29 January, 1820, and was crowned on 19 July, 1821, at Westminster Abbey.

George IV married firstly
, privately and in contravention of the Act of Settlement 1701 and the Royal Marriages Act 1772, on 15 September, 1785, at her house in Park Lane, Mayfair, London:

Maria Anne

She was the daughter of Walter Smythe of Brambridge, Hants., by Mary, daughter of John Errington of Red Rice, Andover, Hants., and she was born on 26 July, 1756, at Brambridge, Hants. She married firstly Edward Weld (
d.
1775), of Lulworth Castle, Dorset, in 1775, and secondly Thomas FitzHerbert of Norbury, Derby, and Swynnerton, Staffs. (
d.
1781), in 1778. Her marriage to the Prince of Wales was invalid under British Law, but was recognised by Papal Brief in 1800 (Mrs FitzHerbert was a Roman Catholic). Maria formally adopted the following children:

1 Mary (‘Minnie’) Seymour, orphaned daughter of Lord Hertford, who later married Colonel Dawson Darner.

2 Mary Anne Smythe, the illegitimate daughter of Maria’s brother; she later married Captain Jerningham.

Maria spent most of her married life living apart from her husband. She died on 27 or 29 March, 1837, at Brighton, Sussex, and was buried in the R.C. Church of St John the Baptist, Brighton, Sussex. There was no issue of her marriage to George IV.

George IV married secondly
, on 8 April, 1795, at the Chapel Royal, St James’s Palace, London:

Caroline Amelia Elizabeth

She was the daughter of Charles II (William Ferdinand), Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, by Princess Augusta of Wales, granddaughter of George II. She was born on 17 May, 1768, at Brunswick, Germany. The King tried unsuccessfully to divorce her for adultery (then a treasonable crime on the part of his Consort), and she was refused admission to his coronation in 1821. She died on 7 August, 1821, at Brandenburg House, Hammersmith, London, and was buried at Brunswick.

Issue of marriage
:

1
Charlotte Augusta

She was born on 7 January, 1796, at Carlton House, London. She married Prince Leopold George Frederick of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfield (1790–1865) (later to become Leopold I, King of the Belgians) on 2 May, 1816, at Carlton House, London, and had issue:

1 Miscarriage; this occurred in July, 1816, at Camelford House, London.

2 Stillborn son; he was born on 5 November, 1817, at Claremont House, Esher, Surrey, and was buried in St George’s Chapel, Windsor.

Charlotte died on 6 November, 1817, at Claremont House, Esher, Surrey, in childbed, and was buried in St George’s Chapel, Windsor.

George IV also had the following
illegitimate issue:

By Grace Darymple, Mrs Elliott:

1 Georgina Frederica Augusta (?) (
b
.1782). She may have been the daughter of Lord Cholmondeley.

By Elizabeth Milbanke, Viscountess Melbourne (
d.
1818):

2 George (
b
.1784). Perhaps died young.

GEORGE IV

He died on 26 June, 1830, at Windsor Castle, and was buried in St George’s Chapel, Windsor.

He was succeeded by his brother William.

William IV

F
ATHER
:
George III
(

see here
)

M
OTHER
:
Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
(

see here
, under
George III
).

S
IBLINGS
: (

see here
, under
George III
).

WILLIAM IV

Baptised William Henry, he was born on 21 August, 1765, at Buckingham Palace. He was made a Knight of the Thistle on 5 April, 1770, and a Knight of the Garter on 19 April, 1782. He was created Duke of Clarence and St Andrews, and Earl of Munster on 20 May, 1789. He succeeded his brother George IV as King of Great Britain on 26 June, 1830, and was crowned on 8 September, 1831, at Westminster Abbey.

William IV married
, on 13 July, 1818, at Kew Palace, Surrey:

Adelaide Louisa Theresa Caroline Amelia

She was the daughter of George I (Frederick Charles), Duke of Saxe-Meiningen, by Louisa Eleanor, daughter of Christian Albert Louis, Prince of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, and she was born on 13 August, 1792, at Meiningen, Thuringia, Germany. She was crowned Queen Consort on 8 September, 1831, at Westminster Abbey. She died on 2 December, 1849, at Bentley Priory, Stanmore, Middlesex, and was buried in St George’s Chapel, Windsor.

Issue of marriage

1
Charlotte Augusta Louise

She was born on 27 March, 1819, at the Fürstenhof Palace, Hanover, and died the same day. She was buried at Hanover, Germany.

2
Stillborn child

It was born on 5 September, 1819, at Dunkirk, France.

3
Elizabeth Georgina Adelaide

She was born on 10 December, 1820, at St James’s Palace, London, where she died on 4 March, 1821. She was buried in St George’s Chapel, Windsor.

4
Stillborn child

It was born in the spring of 1822 at Bushey Park, Middlesex.

5
Stillborn twins

They were born in 1824.

William IV also had the following
illegitimate issue:

By Caroline von Linsingen (who alleged that William married her in 1784/5 or
c.
1790, in secret; this is very unlikely, although not impossible):

1 William (1784/5–drowned 1807).

By Dorothea Bland, Mrs Jordan (1761–1816):

2 George Augustus Frederick FitzClarence, Earl of Munster (1794–committed suicide 1842); he married Mary, illegitimate daughter of George Wyndham, 3rd Earl of Egremont, and had issue.