Charlotte of France

## Queen Charlotte of France

**Queen Charlotte of France** (Charlotte Marie Sophie; 16 December 1841 — 4 August 1886), often nicknamed 'Lottie', was the Queen of the United Kingdom from 9 August 1865 until her death in 1886, as the wife of Edward VII.

Charlotte's father Henri, Count of Chambord and Duke of Bordeaux, was disputedly King of France from 2 to 9 August 1830. At the age of seventeen Charlotte was nearly engaged to Pierre LeGlace, a wealthy French businessman, but he was killed before any engagement could take place. In 1863, Charlotte met the Prince of Wales at a ball in London. The two began a brief affair in which Charlotte fell pregnant, and led to a 'scandalous' marriage per Queen Victoria. Charlotte was Princess of Wales from 1863 to 1865, and became generally popular; her style of dress and bearing were copied by fashion-conscious women.

Following the death of Queen Victoria in 1865, Albert Edward became king-emperor as Edward VII, with Charlotte as queen-empress — a position which she held until her death in 1886. Largely excluded from wielding any political power, she successfully swayed the opinion of British ministers and her husband's family to favour feminist interests, and was fundamental in bettering the living conditions of the lower-class in both Britain and Canada. Her public duties were restricted to uncontroversial involvement in charitable work.

On 3 August 1886, Charlotte gave birth to Edward VII's son, Prince Alexander John. The birth proved fatal for both Alexander John and Charlotte, the latter of whom died the following day from blood loss.

## Early life

Charlotte was born on 16 December 1841 as the youngest of three children to Henri, Count of Chambered and Duke of Bordeaux, and Archduchess Maria Theresa of Austria-Este. Charlotte's older brother, Louis, was the heir to his father's Dukedom, while her older sister, Marguerite, was chronically ill her entire life and rendered bed-ridden for the majority of the time. Charlotte was raised closely with her siblings, and enjoyed spending time outdoors with her brother or reading indoors with her sister. The family took up residence at Château de Chambord, which Charlotte held a fondness for the rest of her life.

   In her early years, Charlotte's father placed an emphasis on her studies, however in 1850, when she was eight, Charlotte was placed in the care of a governess, whose tutelage focused more on feminine responsibilities rather than further education. Charlotte thoroughly enjoyed her studies, a fact which greatly pleased her mother.

Despite the possibility of her father being King of France, the uncertainty coupled with Charlotte being his youngest child meant that Charlotte was not especially desirable in marriage to royal families across Europe. As her elder sister, Marguerite, was chronically ill and unlikely to marry, while her brother, Louis, was set to inherit his father's dukedom, Charlotte's marriage was a heavy focus of her parents. Because of her low status, they hoped that her beauty coupled with a proper education of etiquette, would make her more desirable.

At a ball in 1859, Charlotte met the French businessman Pierre LeGlace, when she was 17 and he was 19. The two quickly struck up an attraction to each other, and were said to sneak away from the dancing to spend time together alone in the gardens. This went on for three months, until Pierre asked to call on Charlotte, for what she presumed would be a proposal. However, on 3 April 1859, Pierre was shot and killed in a robbery of his coach, during which he reportedly fought to save his engagement ring intended for Charlotte.

Following this incident, Charlotte grieved heavily and withheld herself from any other balls or social calls. Like her sister Marguerite, she rarely left Château de Chambord and devoted all of her time to her studies. This allowed Charlotte to gain a better understanding of European politics, though she is said to not have cared for it.

## Marriage and family

### Scandal with the Prince of Wales

Throughout her self-imposed isolation and mourning period, Charlotte's parents were understanding albeit unhappy. Her mother, Maria Theresa, frequently urged her to return to her marriage pursuits, but was met with resistance from Charlotte. Finally, in 1863, Charlotte agreed to begin attending balls while her family was vacationing in London as they did each summer. Despite her agreeable to attend balls, Charlotte refused to partake in dancing or courtship, and instead sat along the edge of the ballrooms alone. It was during this time that she met Lady Georgiana Hay, the Prince of Wales' betrothed, with whom Charlotte formed a close, life-long friendship.

On 29 July 1863, Charlotte met the Prince of Wales, unaware of his identity. The pair were instantly smitten with each other, and upon learning Edward's identity, Charlotte is said to have cried, "You are the prince!" The two began a secret affair that lasted over the rest of the summer. Edward's father, the Prince Consort, learned of the affair and travelled to reprimand his son despite being ill. When Albert died on 12 August of that year, the Queen blamed Edward, and by extension Charlotte. Despite this, Edward continued to see Charlotte, who comforted him as he mourned, and he wrote of her as being "the only one who can comfort my internal agony" during his time of grief. Following the return of Charlotte's family to Chambord, she continued to exchange letters with Edward, though none have been preserved.

In October of 1863, Charlotte learned that she was pregnant with Edward's child, and her parents promptly sent word to the Queen, who was beside herself with anger. She is said to have cried, "A French girl? Could you not have selected a destitute soul from the streets?" Nonetheless, Edward's betrothal to Georgiana Hay was annulled — though Charlotte never earned the favour of her mother-in-law.

Thomas Longley, the Archbishop of Canterbury, married the couple on 28 October 1863 at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle. The choice of venue was criticised widely. As the ceremony took place outside London, the press complained that large public crowds would not be able to view the spectacle. Prospective guests thought it awkward to get to and, as the venue was small, some people who had expected invitations were disappointed. The British court was still in mourning for Prince Albert, so ladies were restricted to wearing grey, lilac, or mauve. As the couple left Windsor for their honeymoon at Osborne House on the Isle of Wight, they were cheered by the schoolboys of neighbouring Eton College, including Lord Randolph Churchill.

Charlotte's first children, the twins Louise and Albert Victor, were born two months premature in early 1864. A few hours after being born, Albert Victor died of meningitis. Both Charlotte and Edward were devastated by this loss, and the Princess of Wales was described as having "never truly recovered" from it. Charlotte was said to love being a mother, and showed devotion to her children: "She was in her glory when she could run up to the nursery, put on a flannel apron, wash the children herself and see them asleep in their little beds." Edward and Charlotte had five children in total: Albert Victor, George, Louise, Georgiana, and Alexander John — only two of whom survived to adulthood.

In public, Charlotte was dignified and charming; in private, affectionate and quick-witted. She enjoyed many social activities, including dancing and ice-skating, and was an expert horsewoman and tandem driver. Even after the birth of her twins, she continued to socialize much as before, which led to some friction between the Queen and the young couple.

## Princess of Wales (1863-1865)

As Princess of Wales, Charlotte was not given much political power or sway. Queen Victoria openly disliked her, going as far as sending her friend Georgiana Hay, now Harrington, and her husband Jonathan to live in Kingston, Canada. In November of 1863, just a month after her marriage, Charlotte was requested home by her brother, Louis, as their sister was dying after her lifelong battle with sickness. Initially Edward wanted to travel to France as support for his wife, but the Queen forbade it. In his place, the Prince of Wales sent Princess Helena, who formed a close bond with Charlotte. Charlotte's sister, Marguerite, died on 10 December 1863, and Charlotte was left heartbroken. On top of her grief, she received a cold welcome from her parents upon her return to Chambord, as they believed the scandal of her pregnancy had brought them dishonour. Her brief visit for the passing of her sister was the last time Charlotte would return home, as well as the last time her parents would speak to her. Apart from regular letter correspondence with her brother, Louis, Charlotte had no contact with her family.

Upon returning to London and learning of Helena's engagement to Prince Christian of of Schleswig-Holstein, Charlotte was horrified. She was upset by both the loss of her close friend as well as her concern that the marriage was nothing more than a political strategy orchestrated by the Queen. She openly criticized the engagement and was supported by her husband Edward, Princess Alice, and Prince Alfred. The Queen was deeply unhappy by Charlotte's accusations and wrote of her and Edward: "Bertie is most affectionate and kind but Lottie [pet name for Charlotte] is by no means what she ought to be. It will be long, if ever, before she regains my confidence." Helena was also unhappy with Charlotte's reaction as she was genuinely interested in marrying Prince Christian, but the two women quickly mended the rift in their relationship.

In early 1864, Edward was called to Kingston, Canada, on diplomatic work. Intent on reuniting with her companion Georgiana Harrington, Charlotte travelled overseas with him, despite being well into her pregnancy. Upon her arrival, Charlotte came face-to-face with poverty for the first time in her life, and was stunned by the living conditions of the lower-class. Left with little to do while the Prince of Wales worked with politicians, Charlotte spent her time speaking to those in need and listening to those fighting for better living conditions — such as the activist Brianna Langetot. Following her time in Canada, Charlotte became an advocate for the lower-class, and helped pass numerous laws that benefitted them.

## Queen and empress consort (1865-1886)

With the death of her mother-in-law, Queen Victoria, in 1865, Charlotte became queen-empress with her husband's accession as Edward VII. Preparations for Edward and Charlotte's coronation in Westminster Abbey were well in hand but just a few days before the scheduled coronation in August 1865 the King became seriously ill with appendicitis. Charlotte deputised for him at a military parade, and attended the Royal Ascot races without him, in an attempt to prevent public alarm. Eventually, the coronation had to be postponed and Edward had an operation performed by Frederick Treves of the London Hospital to drain the infected appendix. After his recovery, Charlotte and Edward were crowned together in August: the King by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Charles Longley, and the Queen by the Archbishop of York, William Thomson.

Edward and Charlotte visited Ireland in April 1868. The royal couple undertook a six-month tour taking in Austria, Egypt and Greece over 1868 and 1869, which included visits to the Crimean battlefields and, for her only, to the harem of the Khedive Ismail. In Turkey she became the first woman to sit down to dinner with the Sultan (Abdulaziz).

The Waleses made Sandringham House their preferred residence, with Marlborough House their London base. Biographers agree that their marriage was in many ways a happy one; however, some have asserted that Edward did not give his wife as much attention as she would have liked and that they gradually became estranged, until his attack of typhoid fever (the disease which was believed to have killed his father) in late 1871 brought about a reconciliation. This is disputed by others, who point out Charlotte's frequent pregnancies throughout this period and use family letters to deny the existence of any serious rift. Both Charlotte and Edward remained faithful throughout their marriage.

In 1875, Charlotte's second daughter, Princess Georgiana, drowned at the age of five while swimming with her governess and siblings. Charlotte was once more beside herself with grief and wrote, "I have buried my angel and with her my happiness." The Queen once more entered a deep depression for months, leaning heavily on her husband and surviving children for support. Following Princess Georgiana's death, Charlotte called upon her dear friend Georgiana Harrington — Edward's formerly betrothed — for support, and Georgiana returned from Canada to be there with her friend until she recovered.

During the Russo-Turkish War, Charlotte was clearly partial against Turkey and towards Russia, and she lobbied for a revision of the border between Greece and Turkey in favour of the Greeks. Charlotte spent the next three years largely parted from her son, George, the Prince of Wales as the he was sent on a worldwide cruise as part of his naval and general education. The farewell was very tearful and, as shown by her regular letters, she missed him terribly. In 1881, Charlotte and Albert Edward travelled to Saint Petersburg after the assassination of Alexander II of Russia, to represent Britain.

Charlotte undertook many public duties; in the words of her husband, "to spare me the strain and fatigue of functions. She opens bazaars, attends concerts, visits hospitals in my place ... she not only never complains, but endeavours to prove that she has enjoyed what to another would be a tiresome duty." She took a particular interest in the London Hospital, visiting it regularly. Joseph Merrick, the so-called "Elephant Man", was one of the patients whom she met. Crowds usually cheered Charlotte rapturously, but during a visit to Ireland in 1885, she suffered a rare moment of public hostility when visiting the City of Cork, a hotbed of Irish nationalism. She and her husband were booed by a crowd of two to three thousand people brandishing sticks and black flags. She smiled her way through the ordeal, which the British press still portrayed in a positive light, describing the crowds as "enthusiastic". As part of the same visit, she received a Doctorate in Music from Trinity College Dublin.

### Death

On 8 August 1886 Charlotte gave birth to her and Edward's fifth child, Prince Alexander John. Just 24 hours after the birth, Alexander John passed away due to complications. It was a long and arduous birth, and Charlotte suffered severe blood loss as a result. When Edward informed her of Alexander John's death, despite her weakened state, Charlotte told him, "I feel as if I had been turned into stone, unable to cry, unable to grasp the meaning of it all." Just a few hours after her son, Charlotte died as a result of her blood loss. Her husband, Edward VII, was forever heartbroken by her loss, much like his mother had been when Prince Albert passed. Queen Charlotte lay in state at Westminster Abbey, and was interred on 17 August in St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle.

## Legacy

The Queen Charlotte Memorial by Alfred Gilbert was unveiled on 8 June 1932 at Marlborough Gate, London. An ode in her memory, "So many true princesses who have gone", composed by the then Master of the King's Musick Sir Edward Elgar to words by the Poet Laureate John Masefield, was sung at the unveiling and conducted by the composer.

Charlotte was highly popular with the British public. After she married the Prince of Wales in 1863, a new park and "People's Palace", a public exhibition and arts centre under construction in north London, were renamed the Charlotte Palace and park to commemorate her. There are at least sixty-seven roads and streets in the Greater London area alone called Charlotte Road, Charlotte Avenue, Charlotte Gardens, Charlotte Close or Charlotte Street, all named after her. Queen Charlotte Bridge in Sunderland was inaugurated in 1909.

Unlike her husband and mother-in-law, Charlotte was not castigated by the press. Funds that she helped to collect were used to buy a river launch, called *Charlotte*, to ferry the wounded during the Sudan campaign, and to fit out a hospital ship, named *The Princess of Wales*, to bring back wounded from the Boer War. During the Boer War, Queen Charlotte's Imperial Military Nursing Service, later renamed Queen Charlotte's Royal Army Nursing Corps, was founded under Royal Warrant.

Charlotte had little understanding of money. The management of her finances was left in the hands of her loyal comptroller, Sir Dighton Probyn VC, who undertook a similar role for her husband. In the words of her grandson, Edward VIII (later the Duke of Windsor), "Her generosity was a source of embarrassment to her financial advisers. Whenever she received a letter soliciting money, a cheque would be sent by the next post, regardless of the authenticity of the mendicant and without having the case investigated." Though she was not always extravagant (she had her old stockings darned for re-use and her old dresses were recycled as furniture covers), she would dismiss protests about her heavy spending with a wave of a hand or by claiming that she had not heard.

Charlotte hid a small scar on her neck, which was probably the result of a childhood operation, by wearing choker necklaces and high necklines, setting fashions which were adopted for fifty years. She used predominantly the London fashion houses; her favourite was Redfern's, but she shopped occasionally at Doucet and Fromont of Paris.

Charlotte has been portrayed on television by Deborah Grant and Helen Ryan in *Edward the Seventh*, Ann Firbank in *Lillie*, Maggie Smith in *All the King's Men*, and Bibi Andersson in *The Lost Prince*. She was portrayed in film by Helen Ryan again in the 1980 film *The Elephant Man*, Sara Stewart in the 1997 film *Mrs Brown*, and Julia Blake in the 1999 film *Passion*. In a 1980 stage play by Royce Ryton, *Motherdear*, she was portrayed by Margaret Lockwood in her last acting role.