Charles Hesse Charles Hesse ( c . 1791 — 24 February 1832 ) was a Prussian - born officer of the British Army , notable for his liaison with the young Princess Charlotte of Wales . He was the son of a Prussian merchant who made a fortune from various enterprises including supplying clothes to the Russian Army . His education took place under the guidance of the Margrave of Ansbach , who was resident in England . After completing his education he returned to Berlin , where he was expected to inherit his father ' s fortune . However , the Prussian defeat in the War of the Fourth Coalition ruined his father , as the King of Prussia was unable to pay him for the clothes supplied to the Prussian Army . Charles Hesse was sent back to England and taken under the protection of the now - widowed Margravine of Ansbach ( formerly Lady Craven ) . The Duchess of York , who had been born a Princess of Prussia , also interested herself on her countryman ' s behalf , and in December 1808 , at the age of seventeen , Hesse was given a commission as cornet in the 18th Light Dragoons by the Duke of York , Commander - in - Chief of the Forces . His promotion to lieutenant was purchased in May 1809 . Hesse was good - looking , attractive and a good horseman , and was soon received in society . However , his good fortune led to rumours about his parentage which Hesse did nothing to dispel . Lady Blessington says Hesse was presumed to be a son of the Margrave and Margravine of Ansbach from before their marriage , while Captain Gronow says that Hesse was generally believed to have been fathered by the Duke of York . Either way , Lady Blessington comments that " the calibre of his mind could not be better proved , than by his preferring to have it believed that he was the illegitimate child of persons of high rank , rather than the legitimate son of a respectable banker at Berlin " . When Hesse was posted with his regiment to Bognor , in his vanity he sought to attract the attention of Princess Charlotte of Wales , only daughter of the Prince Regent , who was staying there . Several letters were exchanged between the couple through Margaret Mercer Elphinstone ( later Countess de Flahaut ) , though General Garth also delivered some letters under the impression they were from Charlotte ' s mother the Princess of Wales , who was estranged from the Regent . When the romance was discovered Hesse was sent out to Spain with his regiment . Hesse served in the Peninsular War between February 1813 and April 1814 , and was present at all the actions where the 18th Light Dragoons were engaged , including Morales on 2 June 1813 , Vittoria on 21 June , where he was severely wounded in the wrist , Nivelle on 10 November 1813 , the Nive in December , Orthez on 27 February 1814 , Croix d ' Orade on 8 April , and Toulouse on 10 April . In late 1813 negotiations began for Princess Charlotte ' s marriage to the Hereditary Prince of Orange , and Hesse was requested to return her letters and a portrait , which had been sent out and delivered personally to him by Lord Wellington after the Battle of Vittoria . Hesse was initially reluctant to part with them but eventually relented . Lady Blessington states the letters and portrait were recovered by the Margravine of Ansbach ' s son Keppel Craven at the instigation of Princess Charlotte herself , while Gronow says Hesse surrendered them to Admiral Lord Keith on the request of the Regent . The letters were still in the possession of the Countess de Flahaut ( Keith ' s daughter ) in 1845 . On Hesse ' s return from Spain , he was received back into favour by the Margravine of Ansbach and stayed with the Duchess of York at Oatlands , but the Regent refused to receive him at Carlton House . In August 1814 the Princess of Wales left England for a tour on the Continent , and Hesse accompanied her as equerry . He travelled in her suite as far as Naples , and remained there when the Princess travelled on to Rome in March 1815 . On 18 June 1815 Hesse was present with the 18th Light Dragoons at the Battle of Waterloo , where he was wounded ; he was consequently awarded the Waterloo Medal . On 22 February 1816 he was promoted ( without purchase ) to be captain of a troop of the Staff Corps of Cavalry , and he retired on half - pay on 25 February 1819 . On 17 January 1825 he married Mary Elizabeth , daughter of Thomas Chambre of Nottingham Place . Captain Gronow describes his friend Hesse ' s life as " full of singular incidents " , and mentions an occasion when his overly close friendship with the Queen of Naples had caused him to be deported from the country . He was also a noted duellist . In 1832 , following a dispute over a game of cards , Hesse fought a duel in the Bois de Vincennes with Count Léon , an illegitimate son of Napoleon Bonaparte . Hesse fired first , without waiting , and Léon ' s return shot wounded Hesse in the chest . Charles Hesse died at Nogent - sur - Marne on 24 February 1832 .