CAROLINE AMELIA

See also:

• AUGUSTA

AUGUSTA (1768-1821)  , queen of George IV. of Great Britain, second daughter of Charles William Ferdinand, duke of Brunswick-Wcilfenbuttel, was born on the 17th of May 1768 . She was brought up with great strictness, and her education did not fit her well for her subsequent station in life . In 1795 she was married to the then prince of Wales (see GEORGE IV.), who disliked her and separated from her after the birth of a daughter in January 1796 . The princess resided at Blackheath; and as she was thought to have been badly treated by her profligate husband, the sympathies of the people were strongly in her favour . About 1806 reports reflecting on her conduct were circulated so openly that it was deemed necessary for a commission to inquire into the circumstances . The princess was acquitted of any serious fault, but variousimproprieties in her conduct were pointed out and censured . In 1814. she left England and travelled on the continent, residing principally in Italy . On the accession of George in 1820, orders were given that the English ambassadors should prevent the recognition of the princess as queen at any foreign court . Her name also was formally omitted from the liturgy . These acts stirred up a strong feeling in favour of the princess among the English people generally; and she at once made arrangements for returning to England and claiming her rights . She rejected a proposal that she should receive an annuity of £50,00o a year on condition of renouncing her title and remaining abroad . Further efforts at compromise proved unavailing; Caroline arrived in England on the 6th of June, and one month later a bill to dissolve her marriage with the king on the ground of adultery was brought into the House of Lords .

The trial began on the 17th of

August 18en, and on the loth of November the bill, after passing the third reading, was abandoned . The public excitement had been intense, the boldness of the queen's counsel, Brougham and Denman, unparalleled, and the ministers felt that the smallness of their majority was virtual defeat . The queen was allowed to assume her title, but she was refused admittance to Westminster Hall on the coronation day, July 19, 1821 . Mortification at this event seems to have hastened her death, which took place on the 7th of August of the same year . See A Queen of Indiscretions, the Tragedy of Caroline of Brunswick, Queen of England, translafed by F . Chapman from the Italian of Graziano Paolo Clerici (London, 1907);. with numerous portraits, &c .