Who was Caroline of Ansbach? Everything You Need to Know

Quick Facts

British Celebrities Born In March

Also Known As: Caroline of Brandenburg-Ansbach

Died At Age: 54

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: George II of Great Britain (m. 1705)

father: John Frederick - Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach

mother: Princess Eleonore Erdmuthe of Saxe-Eisenach

siblings: Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach, Princess Dorothea Friederike of Brandenburg-Ansbach, William Frederick

children: Anne - Princess Royal and Princess of Orange, Frederick - Prince of Wales, Louise of Great Britain, Prince George William, Prince William - Duke of Cumberland, Princess Amelia of Great Britain, Princess Caroline of Great Britain, Princess Mary of Great Britain, stillborn son Hanover

Born Country: Germany

Empresses & Queens British Women

Died on: November 20, 1737

place of death: London, England, United Kingdom

Diseases & Disabilities: Hernia

Cause of Death: Strangulated Bowel

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1

What role did Caroline of Ansbach play in British politics?

Caroline of Ansbach played a significant role in British politics as the Queen consort of King George II. She acted as a political advisor and was involved in various diplomatic and political affairs during her time.
2

How did Caroline of Ansbach contribute to the arts and culture during her reign?

Caroline of Ansbach was a patron of the arts and played a key role in promoting cultural activities in Britain. She supported artists, musicians, and writers, contributing to the flourishing cultural scene of the era.
3

What reforms did Caroline of Ansbach support during her time as Queen consort?

Caroline of Ansbach was known for her support of various social and educational reforms. She advocated for improvements in healthcare, education, and the welfare of women and children, leaving a lasting impact on British society.
4

What was Caroline of Ansbach's influence on fashion and style trends of the time?

Caroline of Ansbach was known for her sophisticated and elegant style, which influenced fashion trends during her reign. She popularized certain clothing styles and accessories that became fashionable among the nobility and upper classes.
5

How did Caroline of Ansbach support charitable causes and philanthropy?

Caroline of Ansbach was actively involved in charitable endeavors and philanthropic work. She supported various charitable organizations and initiatives aimed at helping the less fortunate, contributing to the welfare of society during her time as Queen consort.

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Childhood & Early Life

Caroline of Ansbach was born Wilhelmina Charlotte Caroline, on March 1, 1683, in Ansbach, Holy Roman Empire. Her father, John Frederick, was the ruler of one of the smallest German states in the empire, Brandenburg-Ansbach. Her mother, Princess Eleonore Erdmuthe, hailed from the royal house of Wettin. Caroline had a younger brother named Margrave William Frederick.

Her father passed away when she was 3 years old, and his eldest son from his first marriage took over the throne. Following this, her mother took both her children with her to her native place, Eisenach. However, things were not easy for them there, as Caroline’s mother was married off to the elector of Saxony against her will. Hence, Caroline, along with her mother and brother, moved to Dresden.

Caroline’s stepfather died of smallpox after contracting the disease from one of his mistresses. However, the family stayed there for 2 more years, until Caroline’s mother’s death in 1696. Caroline was just 13 years old back then and could not take care of either herself or her brother. She thus moved to Ansbach, to stay with her elder stepbrother.

Her stepbrother, Margrave George Frederick II, was not interested in keeping his stepsiblings with him. This led the orphan brother and sister to seek asylum in Lützenburg, just outside Berlin. Their family friends Frederick and Sophia Charlotte stayed there. Frederick was the elector of Brandenburg and the heir to the throne of Prussia.

A few years later, in 1701, her guardians, Frederick and Sophia, became the king and queen of Prussia, respectively. They raised Caroline and her brother as their own children.

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Education & Marriage

Sophia Charlotte was a woman with a strong character and a high level of intelligence. She served as a strong influence to Caroline, who began spending a lot of time educating herself. At the royal court of Prussia, Caroline was exposed to high-level academicians and intellectuals, owing to her guardian’s interest in academics. Many philosophers and scholars were invited to the royal court from time to time.

Earlier, Caroline had received very little formal education. Thus, this was an entirely new experience for her. She had poor handwriting, and it remained poor throughout her life. Nevertheless, she developed an intellectual bent of mind.

As her education was supervised by Sophia, Caroline turned out to be academically exceptional. Sophia once stated that Berlin turned into “a desert” whenever Caroline moved away for a few days.

Caroline grew up to a beautiful and attractive young woman. Thus, she began receiving many proposals for marriage. One of the first proposals was from Archduke Charles of Austria, who later became the Holy Roman Emperor. However, Caroline rejected the offer, as she was not in favor of converting to Catholicism from Lutheranism.

After Sophia Charlotte’s death, Caroline mourned for days. Sophia’s death also meant that she needed to find a suitor for herself.

Prince George Augustus of Hanover had heard a lot about Caroline’s beauty. Thus, he visited the court in disguise to observe her. He was smitten by her good looks and strong character. Being an intelligent woman, Caroline also found out a lot about him and then agreed to marry him.

George and Caroline got married in August 1705. George was heir to the Electorate of Hanover and the third in line for the throne of Great Britain. By mid-1706, Caroline became pregnant. She gave birth to Prince Frederick in 1707. Over the next few years, Caroline had three more children: Anne, Amelia, and Caroline.

As the Princess of Wales and the Queen of Britain

After the death of Queen Anne of Britain, George I became the new king. Hence, George Augustus was crowned as the prince of Wales, making Caroline the princess of Wales.

However, old King George I failed to impress the people of Britain due to his old German ways of running the empire. This led his son to become more popular with the public. Hence, George emerged as the main opposition to King George I of Britain.

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In 1717, Caroline had another son, Prince George. Back then, her husband and her father-in-law had not been on good terms for a few years. They had frequent disagreements. On the baptism ceremony of the newborn, the father–son had a dispute over the choice of godparents for the baby. George was placed under house arrest. He also faced banishment from the royal court.

Although Caroline was free, she decided to stay with her husband in house arrest. The couple moved into ‘Leicester House,’ while the children remained in care of King George I. During this period, the couple had three more children: William, Mary, and Louise.

Caroline decided to play a role in some sort of reconciliation between her husband and her father-in-law. She befriended one of the former politicians in the court, Sir Robert Walpole, who helped her in her efforts. Soon, the father–son duo reconciled publicly, and Walpole regained an important place in the ministry. Over the next few years, Walpole became one of the most influential politicians of Britain.

Caroline was known to be a woman who was more intelligent than her husband. She was an avid reader and had a deep interest in science and philosophy. Gradually, she became extremely popular with the public, as a patron of art and philosophy. She also took care of her people and freed many prisoners.

In 1727, King George I passed away and Caroline’s husband took over as King George II of Britain, with Caroline as the queen. Frederick, her eldest son, thus became the heir apparent to the throne. Prince Frederick, however, soon became the face of the opposition, and this led to a strained relationship between him and his mother, Caroline.

As a queen, Caroline was known for her strong political influence. King George II consulted her on many important matters. Whenever the king was away, she took charge on his behalf.

She also strengthened the position of the ‘House of Hanover’ in the British Empire during the period of instability. She eventually emerged as one of the strongest and most popular British queens ever.

Death

Throughout her life, Caroline of Ansbach suffered from many dangerous illnesses. During the final years of her life, she suffered from gout. Back in 1724, she suffered from hernia during childbirth. She passed away on November 20, 1737. She was survived by eight children: five daughters and three sons. Her eldest son, Frederick, was not invited to her funeral.

Her death was mourned by both the public and the king. King George II loved her dearly and thus never remarried.

Facts About Caroline of Ansbach

Caroline of Ansbach was known for her sharp wit and intelligence, often engaging in intellectual conversations with leading thinkers and politicians of her time.

She was a devoted mother to her children, providing them with a strong education and nurturing their interests in various fields such as science, literature, and the arts.

Caroline was a patron of the arts and sciences, supporting artists, writers, and scholars during her time as Queen of Great Britain.

Despite the constraints of her position as a royal consort, Caroline actively participated in political affairs and was known for her keen insights and diplomatic skills.

Caroline of Ansbach was a progressive thinker for her time, advocating for social reforms and educational advancements that would benefit the people of Britain.

Caroline of Ansbach Biography

You wanted to know

What role did Caroline of Ansbach play in British politics?

How did Caroline of Ansbach contribute to the arts and culture during her reign?

What reforms did Caroline of Ansbach support during her time as Queen consort?

What was Caroline of Ansbach's influence on fashion and style trends of the time?

How did Caroline of Ansbach support charitable causes and philanthropy?