1821.] [ 135 j 
- MEMOIRS OF EMINENT PERSONS 
RECENTLY DECEASED. 
CAROLINE AMELIA ELIZABETH, 
QUEEN of GREAT BRITAIN. 
WHS illustrious lady, whose per¬ 
sonal character, owing to tile per¬ 
severing malignity of her enemies, has 
been brought so prominently before the 
world, was born May 17th, 1768, and. 
was the daughter of the late Duke of 
Brunswick Wolfenbnttel, by the prin¬ 
cess Augusta, eldest sister of George 
III. king of Great Britain. 
The prince of Wales had lived to 
the age of thirty-three in a state of 
avowed celibacy, and seemed rather 
averse to marriage, on the plan of 
those unions which are arranged by 
state policy instead of mutual affection. 
That an heir might not be wanting to 
the British throne, the prince’s next 
brother, the duke of York, had, in 
1791, espoused a Princess of Prussia, 
but they had been married four years, 
with no prospect of children ; and as 
the Prince of Wales had contracted 
debts to a large amount lie consented 
to marry, on condition, as is generally 
understood, that his debts, which 
amounted to nearly half a million, 
should be paid. 
The lady whom the king and queen 
selected for his wife, was his first cou¬ 
sin, the princess Caroline of Bruns¬ 
wick, then twenty-five years of age. A 
ilegociation was immediately set on 
foot, the princess brought to England, 
and the marriage took place under cir¬ 
cumstances of the highest promise and 
most flattering auspices, on the 8th of 
April, 1795. 
On this occasion the prince’s income 
was increased to £125,000 per annum. 
But the connection proved unhappy 
from the beginning; the prince had 
attachments of the heart, and the high 
spirit of the lady could not brook neg¬ 
lect. She had been bred at the little 
court of her father at Wolfenbuttel, 
and afterwards was long resident at 
Berlin, where the manners and customs 
are by no means analogous to those of 
England. 
In a short time after the marriage, 
his highne s wrote a letter to his royal 
consort, declaring frankly his dislike 
to her, and his fixed and firm resolu¬ 
tion not to live as a husband with her. 
However, on the 7th of January, 1796, 
she was delivered of a daughter, the 
much lamented princess Charlotte of 
Wales. For some time the princess 
remained at Carlton house, but a sepa¬ 
ration finally took place, and the prin¬ 
cess had apartments assigned to her in 
Kensington palace. She was also al¬ 
lowed an annual stipend, and her 
household continued as at her marriage. 
On this occasion the prince addressed 
to her the following memorable letter : 
Windsor Castle , April 30 th, 1796. 
MADAM, 
As Lord Cholmondeley informs me that 
you wish I would define, in writing, the 
terms upon which we are to live, I shall 
endeavour to explain myself upon that 
head with as much clearness, and with as 
much propriety, as the nature of the sub¬ 
ject will admit. Our inclinations are net 
in our power, nor should either of us be 
held answerable to the other because na¬ 
ture has not made us suitable to each other. 
Tranquil and comfortable society is, how¬ 
ever, in our power 5 let our intercourse, 
therefore, be restricted to that, and I will 
distinctly subscribe to the condition which 
you required through lady Cholmondeley, 
that, even in the event of any accident 
happening to my daughter, which I trust 
Providence in liis mercy will avert, I should 
not infringe the terms of the restriction, by 
proposing, at any period, a connexion of a 
more particular nature. I shall now finally 
close this disagreeable correspondence ; 
trusting, that as we have completely ex-^ 
plained ourselves to each other, the rest of 
our lives will be passed in uninterrupted 
tranquillity. I am, Madam, 
With great truth, very sincerely, yours, 
t (Signed) George P. 
The princess dowager of Brunswick, 
her mother, coming to England, his 
majesty purchased a house for her at 
Blackheafh, and the princess had a 
house assigned her at the next door to 
that of her mother. From some cause, 
not yet ascertained,' but said to have 
arisen from some intercepted letters, 
written by the princess to her mother, 
(lie female part of tile royal family ap¬ 
pear to have been on bad terms with 
the princess of Wales; but the king, 
her uncle, gave her his full confidence 
and friendship, and frequently visited 
and dined with her at Blackheatli. 
She seems, however, to have been al¬ 
ways beset with spies, who reported, 
according to their practice of pleas¬ 
ing their employers, not in the most 
favourable terms. 
After 
