Birth of Princess Mary ~ Duchess Of Gloucester & Edinburgh
Princess Mary, Duchess of Gloucester and Edinburgh, was born on 25th April 1776, at Buckingham Palace.
Mary, was the eleventh child, and fourth daughter, of King George III and his Queen Charlotte of Meklenburg-Strelitz.
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 her more formal behaviour.
Mary was considered to be the most beautiful daughter, but King George and Queen Charlotte were keen to shelter their children, particularly the girls.
Mary spent most of her time with her parents and sisters.
Around 1796 Mary fell in love with Dutch Prince Frederik, while he and his family were living in exile in London.
Frederik was a son of William V, Prince of Orange, and younger brother to the future King William 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 went into official mourning.
On 22nd July 1816, Mary was married to her first cousin, Prince William Frederick, Duke of Gloucester & Edinburgh.
They were both already 40 years old.
The couple lived at Bagshot Park, but after William’s death Mary moved to White Lodge in Richmond Park, London.
Due to their late age at marrying, they had no children together.
Princess Mary led a rather uneventful life, and died on 30th April 1857 at Gloucester House, London, aged 81.
She was the last-surviving and longest-lived child of King George, and Queen Charlotte’s fifteen children.
During her life, Mary had seen four monarchs on the throne.
Her father George III.
Two of her brothers, George IV and William IV.
Her niece Queen Victoria, was on the throne when Mary died.
