Princess Caroline of Gloucester

It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Prince William Henry, Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh. (Discuss) Proposed since March 2012.

Princess Caroline of Gloucester (Caroline Augusta Maria; 24 June 1774 – 14 March 1775) was an infant member of the British Royal Family, a great-grandchild of George II, niece of George III and daughter of the 1st Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh and his wife, Maria Walpole, daughter of Sir Edward Walpole and his mistress Dorothy Clement.

Birth and Christening

Princess Caroline was born at Gloucester House, Piccadilly Street, London. Her father was the 1st Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh, eldest son of the Prince of Wales. Her mother was the 1st Duchess of Gloucester and Edinburgh (previously the Countess Waldrave), née Walpole. She was christened, privately, twenty-nine days later as Caroline Augusta Maria— her godparents were Frederick I of Württemberg (her uncle by marriage), the Duchess Augusta of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel (her paternal aunt and wife of the aforementioned) and the Duchess of Gloucester and Edinburgh (her mother).^[1]

Death

In early March 1775, the Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh became seriously ill with smallpox.^[2] He was so much "shaken in health"^[2] that he decided to go abroad, thinking that a change of scenery would be beneficial.^[2] Before he left, however, he wanted to make sure that none of children suffered so much, so he ordered the inoculation of Princess Sophia and Princess Caroline, which was performed on 3 March.^[2] Princess Sophia, aged two at the time, survived and the inoculation had no known repercussion on her.^[2] However, Princess Caroline, became seriously ill on 13 March,^[2] having seizures and fits.^[2] Princess Caroline of Gloucester died on 14 March, aged almost nine months. She was buried in St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle.^[3]

Bibliography

• Tait, William (1859). Tait's Edinburgh Magazine. Oxford Publishing. 

References