The Life of Langrave Friedrich II of Hesse-Cassel

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Archbishop-Elector of Cologne, Clemens August of Bavaria, Congress of Aix-la-Chapelle, Frederick I of Sweden, Friedrich II of Hesse-Cassel, King George II of Great Britain, Margravine Philippine Brandenburg-Schwedt, Princess Mary of Great Britain

Friedrich II of Hesse-Cassel (August 14, 1720 – October 31, 1785) was Landgrave of Hesse-Cassel from 1760 to 1785. He ruled as an enlightened despot, and raised money by renting soldiers (called “Hessians”) to Great Britain to help fight the American Revolutionary War. He combined Enlightenment ideas with Christian values, cameralist plans for central control of the economy, and a militaristic approach toward international diplomacy.

Early life

Friedrich was born at Cassel in Hesse, the son of Wilhelm VIII, Landgrave of Hesse-Cassel and his wife Dorothea Wilhelmine of Saxe-Zeitz. His paternal grandfather was Charles I, Landgrave of Hesse-Cassel, and his paternal uncle was King Frederick I of Sweden (Friedrich I, Landgrave of Hesse-Cassel). His education was initially entrusted to Colonel August Moritz von Donop and then from 1726 to 1733 to the Swiss theologian and philosopher, Jean-Pierre de Crousaz.

Marriages and Children

On May 8, 1740, by proxy in London, and on June 28, 1740 in person in Cassel, Friedrich married Princess Mary, fourth daughter of King George II of Great Britain, Elector of Hanover and Caroline of Brandenburg-Ansbach, daughter of Johann Friedrich, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach, and his second wife, Princess Eleonore Erdmuthe of Saxe-Eisenach.

They had four sons:

1. Wilhelm (December 25, 1741 – July 1, 1742)
2. William I, Elector of Hesse (June 3, 1743 – February 27, 1821)
3. Charles (December 19, 1744 – August 1836), father of Princess Louise Caroline of Hesse-Cassel and grandfather of King Christian IX of Denmark.
4. Friedrich (September 11, 1747 – May 20, 1837), father of Prince Wilhelm of Hesse-Cassel and grandfather of Louise of Hesse-Cassel, Queen of Denmark as the wife of King Christian IX of Denmark.

In December 1745, Friedrich landed in Scotland with 6000 Hessian troops to support his father-in-law, George II of Great Britain, in dealing with the Jacobite rising. Although he supported the “Protestant succession” in Great Britain on this occasion, Friedrich later converted from Calvinism to Catholicism.

In February 1749, Friedrich and his father visited the Archbishop-Elector of Cologne, Prince Clemens August of Bavaria, who received Friedrich into the Catholic Church.

Despite his exertions in support of her father, Friedrich’s marriage with the British princess was not a happy one. The couple were living apart from each other by 1747, and were formally separated in 1755. Mary moved to Denmark the following year to care for the children of her late sister Louise of Great Britain, who had died in 1751.

All three of the couple’s surviving sons moved with Mary to Denmark. Two of them, including Friedrich’s heir Wilhelm, later married Danish princesses, their first cousins. The younger sons lived permanently in Denmark, rising to high office in the court of their cousin; only Wilhelm returned to the Holy Roman Empire upon inheriting the principality of Hanau. He also later succeeded Friedrich II as Landgrave Wilhelm VIII of Hesse-Cassel.

Mary died in 1772, and Friedrich lost little time in marrying again. On January 10, 1773, at Berlin, he married Margravine Philippine Brandenburg-Schwedt daughter of Friedrich Wilhelm, Margrave of Brandenburg-Schwedt and Sophia Dorothea of Prussia. No children were born of this marriage.

Ruler

After being formally separated from his wife in 1755, Friedrich entered active service in the Prussian military. In 1760, he succeeded his father as Landgrave Friedrich II of Hesse-Cassel. Despite Friedrich’s Catholicism, the principality remained Calvinist, and Friedrich’s children were raised as Protestants in Denmark.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, it was a fairly widespread practice for smaller principalities to rent out troops to other princes. However, the practise was carried to excess in Hesse-Cassel, which maintained 7% of its entire population under arms throughout the eighteenth century.

Landgrave Friedrich II hired out so many troops to his nephew, King George III of Great Britain, for use in the American War of Independence, that “Hessian” has become an American term for all German soldiers deployed by the British in the War. Friedrich used the revenue to finance his patronage of the arts and his opulent lifestyle. The architect Simon Louis du Ry transformed for Friedrich II the town of Cassel into a modern capital.

Landgrave Friedrich II died in 1785 at Castle Weißenstein, Cassel. He was succeeded by his eldest surviving son, Wilhelm who became Wilhelm IX, Landgrave of Hesse-Cassel. He was said to have inherited one of the largest fortunes in Europe at the time.

In 1803, Landgrave Wilhelm IX was created The Prince-Elector of Hesse. After the Napoleonic Wars Several other prince-electors of the Holy Roman Empire had been recognized as kings at the Congress of Vienna (1815), such as Bavaria, Württemberg and Saxony, Wilhelm attempted to join them by declaring himself King of the Chatti.

However, the European powers refused to recognize this title at the Congress of Aix-la-Chapelle (1818) and instead granted him the title Grand Duke of Hesse and the style of “Royal Highness.” Deeming the title of Prince-Elector to be superior in dignity to that of Grand Duke, Wilhelm chose to remain an Elector, even though there was no longer a Holy Roman Emperor to elect. Hesse-Cassel would remain an Electorate until it was annexed by Prussia in 1866.

March 5, 1723: Birth of Princess Mary of Great Britain, Landgravine of Hesse-Cassel

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Caroline of Brandenburg-Ansbach, King Christian IX of Denmark, King George II of Great Britain and Elector of Hanover, Landgrave Charles of Hesse-Cassel, Landgrave Friedrich II of Hesse-Cassel, Landgrave Friedrich of Hesse-Cassel, Landgravine of Hesse-Cassel, Louise of Hesse-Cassel, Princess Mary of Great Britain

Mary of Great Britain (March 5, 1723 – January 14, 1772) was the second-youngest daughter of King George II of Great Britain, Elector of Hanover and his wife, Caroline of Brandenburg-Ansbach, and Landgravine of Hesse-Cassel as the wife of Friedrich II, Landgrave of Hesse-Cassel.

King George II of Great Britain, Elector of Hanover

Early life

Princess Mary was born at Leicester House, Westminster, London during the reign of her grandfather King George I of Great Britain, Elector of Hanover. When she was born her father was the Prince of Wales, later King George II.

Her mother was Princess Caroline of Brandenburg-Ansbach, daughter of Johann Friedrich, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach (of the House of Hohenzollern) and his second wife, Princess Eleonore Erdmuthe of Saxe-Eisenach. Her father was the ruler of one of the smallest German states; he died of smallpox at the age of 32, when Caroline was three years old.

Prince Mary’s father succeeded, as King George II of Great Britain, Elector of Hanover on June 11, 1727, and she became “HRH The Princess Mary”. Upon her death in 1737, her mother, Queen Caroline, entrusted Mary to her elder sister Caroline, urging her to “do what she could to support the meek and mild disposition of Princess Mary”.

Princess Caroline of Brandenburg-Ansbach

Marriage

A marriage was negotiated with Landgrave Friedrich of Hesse-Cassel, the only son and heir of Wilhelm VIII, Landgrave of Hesse-Cassel, and his wife Dorothea Wilhelmine of Saxe-Zeitz.

For the marriage, Parliament voted Mary £40,000.

They were married by proxy at the Chapel Royal of St. James’s Palace in London on May 8, then in person on June 28, 1740 at Cassel. They had four sons, three of whom survived to adulthood.

Princess Mary was 17 and Landgrave Friedrich was 20 at the time of their marriage.

The marriage was unhappy, and Friedrich was said to be “brutal” and “a boor”. Friedrich reportedly subjected Mary to spousal abuse. In late 1746, Mary made an extended trip to Britain to escape his maltreatment. The couple separated in 1754 on Friedrich’s conversion to Roman Catholicism. She was supported by her father-in-law, who provided her with a residence in Hanau, as she did not wish to return to Great Britain, but to stay on the continent to raise her children.

Princess Mary of Great Britain, Langravine of Hesse-Cassel

In 1756, Mary moved to Denmark, to take care of the children of her sister Louise of Great Britain, the first wife of King Frederik V of Denmark and Norway, who had died in 1751.

Princess Mary took her children with her, and they were raised at the royal court and her sons were married to Danish princesses. Her husband succeeded his father as Landgrave Friedrich II of Hesse-Cassel in 1760.

Landgrave Friedrich II of Hesse-Cassel ruled as an enlightened despot, and raised money by renting soldiers (called “Hessians”) to Great Britain to help fight the American Revolutionary War. He combined Enlightenment ideas with Christian values, cameralist plans for central control of the economy, and a militaristic approach toward international diplomacy.

Landgrave Friedrich II of Hesse-Cassel

Princess Mary was technically a Landgravine for the last twelve years of her life, despite her estrangement from her husband.

Princess Mary died on January 14 or 16, 1772, aged 48 at Hanau, in the Holy Roman Empire.

After Mary’s death her widowed husband Friedrich lost little time in marrying again. On 10 January 10, 1773, at Berlin, he married Margravine Philippine of Brandenburg-Schwed, daughter of Friedrich Wilhelm, Margrave of Brandenburg-Schwedt and Sophia Dorothea of Prussia, the ninth child and fifth daughter of King Friedrich Wilhelm I of Prussia and Sophia Dorothea of Hanover, sister of King George I of Great Britain, grandfather of Landgrave Friedrich II’s first wife Mary.

Philippine thus became stepmother to Friedrich’s three surviving sons: Wilhelm, Charles, and Friedrich. Philippine would not produce any legitimate children herself however.

During her marriage, Philippine led a widely independent life, even setting up her own court. On March 1, 1777, she gave birth to an illegitimate son, Georg Philippson, fathered by the later Württemberg statesman Georg Ernst Levin von Wintzingerode. She also helped reconcile her husband with his children from his first marriage, from whom he had been estranged since 1754.

Children and Descendants

1. Wilhelm (December 1741 – July 1, 1742)

2. Wilhelm I, Elector of Hesse (June 3, 1743 – February 27, 1821)
Originally Landgrave Wilhelm IX of Hesse-Casseland following the reorganization of the imperial states of the Holy Roman Empire during the mediatisation, called the the Reichsdeputationshauptschluss of 1803, the Landgraviate of Hesse-Cassel was raised to the Electorate of Hesse with Landgrave Wilhelm IX, now an Imperial Elector, taking the title Wilhelm I, Elector of Hesse.

3. Charles (December 19, 1744 – August 17, 1836). Brought up with relatives at the Danish court, he spent most of his life in Denmark, serving as royal governor of the twin duchies of Schleswig-Holstein from 1769 to 1836 and commander-in-chief of the Norwegian army from 1772 to 1814.

Landgrave Charles of Hesse-Cassel

On August 30, 1766 at the Christiansborg Palace Chapel, Landgrave Charles of Hesse-Cassel married his maternal first cousin, Princess Louise of Denmark and Norway who was a daughter to King Frederik V of Denmark and Norway, and his first wife Princess Louise of Great Britain (his aunt and the sister of his mother Princess Mary of Great Britain).

The marriage took place with her brother King Christian VII’s consent, despite advice given against it, due to many accusations of debauchery by Landgrave Charles and the poor influence he had on the King. This, however, did not last, as Christian VII’s warm feelings for him soon evaporated, and in the spring 1767, the couple left Copenhagen to live in Hanau.

Charles and Louise’s eldest daughter, Princess Marie of Hesse-Cassel, married her cousin King Frederik VI of Denmark.

Charles and Louise’s other daughter, Princess Louise Caroline of Hesse-Cassel, was the consort of Friedrich Wilhelm, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg. Amongst their children was Prince Christian who later became King Christian IX of Denmark. This made Princess Louise Caroline of Hesse-Casseland the matriarch of the House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, which became the ruling house of the kingdoms of Denmark, Greece, and Norway…and technically the United Kingdom.

4. Friedrich (September 11, 1747 – May 20, 1837). He was the last surviving legitimate grandchild of King George II of Great Britain, dying one month before Queen Victoria (granddaughter of his first cousin King George III) ascended to the throne.

Landgrave Friedrich of Hesse-Cassel

On December 2, 1786 in Biebrich, Friedrich of Hesse-Cassel married Princess Caroline of Nassau-Usingen (1762 – 1823), a remarkable heiress of a family which became extinct in the male line. 1781 he bought Rumpenheim Castle, Offenbach, from his brother Charles, and it became the family’s seat. He became known as Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel-Rumpenheim, and his descendants are known as the Hesse-Kassel-Rumpenheim branch of the House of Hesse, one of only two branches that survived to the present day.

Princess Augusta of Hesse-Cassel, Duchess of Cambridge

Friedrich and Caroline’s daughter was Princess Augusta of Hesse-Cassel (1797 – 1889) who was the wife of Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge, the tenth-born child, and seventh son, of George III of the United Kingdom and Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. The longest-lived daughter-in-law of George III, she was the maternal grandmother of Mary of Teck, wife of George V of the United Kingdom.

Friedrich and Caroline’s son, Prince Wilhelm of Hesse-Cassel
married his cousin Charlotte of Denmark (1789–1864) who was a daughter to Frederik, Hereditary Prince of Denmark and Norway, and Sophia Frederica of Mecklenburg-Schwerin.

Princess Charlotte of Denmark

They were the parents of Princess Louise of Hesse-Cassel who was the wife of Christian IX of Denmark.

King Christian IX of Denmark and Princess Louise of Hesse-Cassel were the parents of Princess Alexandra of Denmark the wife of the future King Edward VII of the United Kingdom.

Therefore, through Alexandra’s descent from Princess Mary of Great Britain and her sister Princess Louise, brings another line from King George II of Great Britain into the current British Royal Family.

November 3, 1777: Birth of Princess Sophia of the United Kingdom. Part III.

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Frogmore, George III of the United Kingdom, Kensington Palace, King George IV of the United Kingdom, Princess Charlotte of Wales, Princess Mary of Great Britain, Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom, Sophia Dorothea of Great Britain, Windsor Great Park

Sophia was a favourite of her niece, Princess Charlotte of Wales, as the young princess liked her gentle character and had a certain fascination for the gossip surrounding Sophia’s past. Charlotte detested her other aunts, and once wrote, “I can hardly believe [Sophia] belongs to them- so wholly different is she in thoughts, opinions, matters. Her nobleness and rectitude of mind renders her no favourite here. The constant scenes of intrigue, of tracasseries, she can but ill support.”


 The Prince Regent’s efforts to help his sisters led to the marriages of Mary and Elizabeth, and Queen Charlotte’s death in 1818 allowed Augusta and Sophia their domestic freedom, though it was too late for them to marry. From her mother Sophia inherited Lower Lodge at Windsor Great Park, which she in turn gave to the Prince Regent. The death of Princess Augusta in 1840 resulted in Sophia inheriting Clarence House and Frogmore.

After the queen’s death, Sophia lived in Kensington Palace during her final years, next to her niece Princess Victoria of Kent, the future Queen Victoria. As a result, Princess Sophia was one of the few paternal relatives that Victoria saw often. Like her sister-in-law the Duchess of Kent, Sophia fell under the spell of Victoria’s comptroller Sir John Conroy and let him manage her money. The princess became a part of the Duchess of Kent’s social circle and, in return, Sophia spied for Conroy when he was absent from Kensington Palace. 

Sophia also reported to Conroy on what she heard at St. James’s Palace, as she had privileged access to courtiers as well as to her two elder brothers. Gossipmongers speculated that Conroy’s successful ability to deal with the “bullying inopportunities” of Sophia’s illegitimate son endeared her to him, while some historians write that Conroy took advantage of Sophia, who in her last years had become “dizzy, easily muddled… mourning her fading looks” and a “confused, nearly blind aunt.”

 Sophia often dined with the household, but the Duchess of Kent despised her. Princess Victoria was aware her aunt was a spy and the two never became close. Sophia’s wealth allowed Conroy to live a rich lifestyle, acquiring for himself a house in Kensington for £4,000, as well as two other estates for £18,000. Sophia was also responsible for certain members of Victoria’s household gaining higher statuses; Victoria’s governess Louise Lehzen, for instance, was made a Hanoverian baroness on the orders of George IV, and Conroy was named a Knight Commander of the Hanoverian Order.

Death
After having been blind for over ten years, on the morning of 27 May 1848, Princess Sophia became ill at her residence at Vicarage Place, Kensington; she was visited by her sister Mary, sister-in-law Queen Adelaide, and nephew-in-law Prince Albert. Sophia’s death occurred at 6:30 later that day, when Mary, the Duchesses of Kent and Cambridge were present.

The princess was buried at Kensal Green Cemetery in London, immediately in front of (east of) the central chapel rather than at Windsor Castle, as she wished to be near her brother, Prince Augustus Frederick, Duke of Sussex (who lies on the opposite side of the path). After her death, it was discovered that Conroy had squandered most of her money and that the princess had virtually no estate to bequeath. Charles Greville wrote an entry in his diary on 31 May:

“The Princess Sophia died a few days ago, while the Queen [Victoria] was holding the Drawing-room for her Birthday. She was blind, helpless, and suffered martyrdom; a very clever, well-informed woman, but who never lived in the world.”

November 3, 1777: Birth of Princess Sophia of the United Kingdom. Part I.

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Charlotte Sophia of Mecklenburg- Strelitz, George Frederic Handel, George III of the United Kingdom, Princess Mary of Great Britain, Sophia of Great Britain

Princess Sophia of the United Kingdom (Sophia Matilda; November 3, 1777 – May 27, 1848) was the twelfth child and fifth daughter of King George III and Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. Sophia is perhaps best known for the rumours surrounding a supposed illegitimate child to whom she gave birth as a young woman.


The Princess Sophia was born at Buckingham House, London on November 3, 1777, the twelfth child and fifth daughter of King George III and Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. The young princess was christened on December 1, 1777 in the Great Council Chamber at St James’s Palace by Frederick Cornwallis, Archbishop of Canterbury. Her godparents were Prince August of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg (her first cousin once-removed), Princess Philippine Charlotte of Prussia Duchess of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel (her first cousin twice-removed) and Duchess Louise Frederica of Württemberg, the Duchess of Mecklenburg (wife of her first cousin once-removed), all of whom were represented by proxies.

Upon Sophia’s birth, King George ensured his daughters and younger sons would have allowances; through a provision of Parliament, Sophia and her elder sisters were each to receive an annual income of £6,000 either upon their marriages or the king’s death. The royal household was very rigid and formal, even when only the royal family were together in private. For instance, when the King entered a room, his daughters were expected to stand up, remain silent until addressed, and not leave until given permission. Queen Charlotte made attempts to be economical where possible; the younger princesses wore country-made dresses, which were less expensive, and ate plain food.

Sophia’s early life was focused on education. Lady Charlotte Finch served as her governess, a role she performed for all the royal children. As with the strict education and discipline received by her brothers, Lady Charlotte through the sub-governesses chosen by Queen Charlotte arranged expert tutors to give the princesses lessons in English, French, music, art, and geography; Sophia and her sisters were also allowed to play sports and boisterous games with their brothers. The queen sought to combine her daughters’ entertainments with educational benefits. Sophia and her siblings were brought up with an exposure to theatre and were entertained with special performances.

Princess Sophia’s first appearance in public occurred when she accompanied her parents and elder siblings to a commemoration for George Frideric Handel, held at Westminster Abbey on May 26, 1784.

By 1792 Sophia and her sister Mary were being included in more family activities, and at age fourteen, Sophia debuted at court on her father’s birthday, June 4, 1792. According to biographer Christopher Hibbert, in her young adulthood Sophia was a “delightful though moody girl, pretty, delicate and passionate.” As within her childhood, Sophia was devoted to her father, though she occasionally found him exasperating. She wrote that “the dear King is all kindness to me, and I cannot say how grateful I feel for it.”

Prior to 1788, King George had told his daughters that he would take them to Hanover and find them suitable husbands despite misgivings he had, which stemmed from his sisters’ own unhappy marriages. He remarked, “I cannot deny that I have never wished to see any of them marry: I am happy in their company, and do not in the least want a separation.”

However, the King suffered his first bout of illness that year, when Sophia was aged eleven. Sophia remarked of her father’s behaviour, “He is all affection and kindness to me, but sometimes an over kindness, if you can understand that, which greatly alarms me.” Further lapses into insanity occurred in 1801 and 1804, thus forestalling talk of marriage for his daughters. The question of matrimony was rarely raised; Queen Charlotte feared the subject, something which had always discomforted the King, would push him back into insanity. Furthermore, the queen, strained from her husband’s illness, wanted the princesses to remain close to her.

As a result, like most of her sisters, Princess Sophia was forced to live her life as a companion of her mother. The princesses were not allowed to mix with anyone outside of the Royal Court, and rarely came into contact with men other than pages, equerries, or attendants. Constantly chaperoned, the girls frequently complained about living in a “Nunnery”. For entertainment, the queen read sermons to them and the princesses practised embroidery. On one occasion Sophia wrote their days were so “deadly dull… I wished myself a kangaroo.

The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester: The OTHER William & Mary.

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Charlotte Sophia of Mecklenburg- Strelitz, Duchess of Gloucester, George III, King George III of Great Britain, King George IV of the United Kingdom, Prince William Frederick of Great Britain, Princess Mary of Great Britain, Queen Victoria, Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom of Great Britain, Robert Walpole, The Prince Regent

Princess Mary was born on April 25, 1776, at Buckingham Palace, London. Her father was the reigning British monarch, George III. Her mother was Queen Charlotte, the youngest daughter of Duke Charles Louis Frederick of Mecklenburg (1708–1752) and of his wife Princess Elisabeth of Saxe-Hildburghausen (1713–1761).

The King was a devoted father, finding time to regularly visit the royal nursery. Engaging in active play with his young children, he behaved quite informally in contrast to the dignified Queen Charlotte, who had more difficulty abandoning the formal behaviour expected of their class. Despite her outer reserve, however, Charlotte took a role as conscientious as her husband in their children’s upbringing. For the royal princesses, the Queen carefully oversaw their welfare, education, and development of moral values. Faced with less time due to her public duties and close marriage to the King, she appointed Lady Charlotte Finch to manage the royal nursery and administer her ideas.

According to Flora Fraser, Mary was considered to be the most beautiful daughter of George III; Fraser calls her a “bland beauty”. Mary danced a minuet for the first time in public at the age of sixteen in June 1791, during a court ball given for the king’s birthday. In the spring of 1792 she officially debuted at court. Around 1796 Mary fell in love with the Dutch Prince Frederik, while he and his family lived in exile in London. Frederik was a son of Willem V, Prince of Orange, the Dutch stadholder, and younger brother to the future King Willem I of the Netherlands. However Frederik and Mary never wed because George III stipulated that her elder sisters should marry first. In 1799 Prince Frederik died of an infection while serving in the army, and Mary was allowed to go into official mourning.

Prince William Frederick was born on January 15, 1776 at Palazzo Teodoli in via del Corso, Rome. His father was Prince William Henry, Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh, the third son of Frederick Louis, Prince of Wales (eldest son of King George II and Caroline of Brandenburg-Ansbach), and Princess Augusta of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg the daughter Friedrich II, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg (1676–1732) and Magdalena Augusta of Anhalt-Zerbst (1679–1740).

Prince William Frederick’s mother, Maria Walpole was the illegitimate daughter of Edward Walpole and Dorothy Clement. Maria was a granddaughter of Robert Walpole, considered to be the first Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (1721–41). As a great-grandson of George II he held the title of Prince of Great Britain with the style His Highness, not His Royal Highness, at birth. Today, a great grandchild in the male line descendant of a British sovereign will not have any princely title or style as this was limited by the Letters Patent issued in 1917.

On August 25, 1805, Prince William Frederick’s father died, and he inherited the titles Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh and Earl of Connaught. From 1811 until his death he was Chancellor of the University of Cambridge. Prince William Frederick was offered the position of King of Sweden in 1812 by some members of the Swedish nobility, but the British government would not allow it.

Because of the unequal character of his parents’ marriage, he was excluded from membership in the German House of Hanover, being considered only a British prince. For instance, he and his sister were not listed in the genealogical listing of the electoral house of Hanover in the Königlicher Groß-Britannischer und Kurfürstlicher Braunschweig-Lüneburgscher Staats-Kalender. He was also not invited to sign the family compact of the House of Brunswick-Lüneburg in 1831, which means that he was not considered an agnate of the royal (electoral) house in Germany. The Hanoverian Dynasty was a collateral branch of the House of Brunswick, which in turn was a branch of the House of Guelph.

During Prince William Frederick’s stay in Stockholm in 1802–1803, his interest and rumoured affair with Aurora Wilhelmina Koskull attracted a lot of attention, and he reportedly had plans to marry her. Queen Charlotte recalled that William Frederick said of Koskull: “If she was your daughter, I would marry her!” He was admitted to the University of Cambridge (Trinity College) in 1787, and granted his MA in 1790.

Princess Mary’s upbringing was very sheltered and she spent most of her time with her parents and sisters. King George III and Queen Charlotte were keen to shelter their children, particularly the girls. Prince William Frederick had been encouraged to stay single, so that there might be a suitable groom for Princess Charlotte of Wales, the heiress to the throne, even if no foreign match proved suitable; she had married Prince Leopold of Saxe-Coburg ten weeks earlier.

Princess Mary and Prince William Frederick were married on July 22, 1816. The marriage took place at St. James’s Palace, London. On their wedding day, Mary’s brother, The Prince Regent, (future King George IV) raised the bridegroom’s style from Highness to Royal Highness, an attribute to which Mary’s rank as daughter of the King already entitled her. As mentioned previously, Prince William Frederick, as a great-grandson of George II, he held the title of Prince of Great Britain with the style His Highness, not His Royal Highness. Legally, Princess Mary would have adopted her husbands style of Highness, despite it being a lower style than a Royal Highness. Since Princess Mary was a Royal Highness from birth, The Prince Regent merely elevated her husband to the higher style.

The new Duke and Duchess of Gloucester lived at Bagshot Park in Surrey. They had no children together; they had married when both were 40.

He was active in many walks of life, and on April 27, 1822 chaired the first Annual General Meeting of London’s new United University Club. Politics, however, was not among them; he entered the House of Lords rarely, and he voted on few of the great issues of his time. He did advocate the abolition of slavery, and he supported Caroline of Brunswick the wife of George IV and the Duke of Sussex against George IV when the king tried unsuccessfully tried to divorce her after succeeding to the throne.

As Duke of Gloucester, he kept more state than the King; he never permitted a gentleman to be seated in his presence (which King George did as an exceptional favour) and expected to be served coffee by the ladies of any party he attended, and that they would stand while he drank it. The general estimate of his capacity is given by his nickname, “Silly Billy”; he was also called “Slice of Gloucester” and “Cheese”, a reference to Gloucester cheese. The Duke died on November 30, 1834 at Bagshot Park, and was buried in St. George’s Chapel, Windsor.

Mary was the last surviving child of George III, and was said to be the favourite aunt of her niece, Queen Victoria. Princess Mary was quite close to her eldest brother, and she shared his dislike toward his wife, their cousin Caroline of Brunswick. When the latter left for Italy, Princess Mary congratulated her brother “on the prospect of a good riddance. Heaven grant that she may not return again and that we may never see more of her.” Princess Mary died on April 30, 1857 at Gloucester House, Weymouth, aged 81. At the time of her death, she was the last surviving child as well as the longest-lived child of King George III and Queen Charlotte.