Anne, Princess Royal and Princess of Orange

Princess Anne Princess Royal; Princess of Orange Portrait by Bernard Accama, 1736 Consort 25 March 1734 – 22 October 1751 Consort to William IV, Prince of Orange Issue Carolina of Orange-Nassau Princess Anna of Orange-Nassau William V, Prince of Orange Detail Titles and styles HRH The Princess-Regent of Friesland HRH The Princess of Orange HRH The Princess Royal HRH The Princess Anne HRH Princess Anne HSH Princess Anne of Hanover Royal house House of Orange-Nassau House of Hanover Father George II Mother Caroline of Ansbach Born 2 November 1709(1709-11-02) Herrenhausen Palace, Hanover Baptised 2 November 1709 Herrenhausen Palace, Hanover Died 1 December 1759 (aged 50) The Hague

British Royalty House of Hanover George II    Frederick, Prince of Wales    Anne, Princess of Orange    Princess Amelia Sophia    Princess Caroline Elizabeth    William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland    Mary, Landgravine of Hesse-Cassel    Louise, Queen of Denmark Grandchildren    Augusta Charlotte, Duchess of Brunswick    George III    Edward Augustus, Duke of York    Princess Elizabeth Caroline    William Henry, Duke of Gloucester    Henry Frederick, Duke of Cumberland    Princess Louisa Anna    Prince Frederick William    Caroline Matilda, Queen of Denmark Great-grandchildren    Princess Sophia of Gloucester    William Frederick, Duke of Gloucester

Princess Anne, Princess Royal and Princess of Orange (2 November 1709 – 12 January 1759) was the second child and eldest daughter of George II and his consort, Queen Caroline. She was the wife of William IV of Orange, the first hereditary stadtholder of the Netherlands. Princess Anne was the second daughter of a British sovereign to hold the title Princess Royal, and later Princess-Regent of Friesland

[edit] Early life

HSH Princess Anne of Hanover, Duchess of Brunswick and Lüneburg was born at Herrenhausen Palace, Hanover, five years before her paternal grandfather, the Elector Georg Ludwig, succeeded to the British throne as George I. She was christened shortly after birth at Herrenhausen Palace.^[1]

[edit] Great Britain

Upon her grandfather's ascension in 1714, it became established practice that the legitimate children and the male-line grandchildren of a British Sovereign would be titled prince or princess of Great Britain and Ireland and styled Royal Highness; great-grandchildren in the male line would be prince or princess of Great Britain and Ireland and styled Highness. Her father ascended on 11 June 1727.

[edit] Princess Royal

On 30 August of that year, George II created his eldest daughter Princess Royal. Charles I first bestowed this title on his eldest daughter, Mary, Princess of Orange (mother of William III), in 1642. However, the title fell from use until the reign of George II. (Princess Anne became Princess Royal during the lifetime of her aunt, Queen Sophia Dorothea of Prussia, who had been eligible for this honour but did not receive it.)

[edit] Marriage

On 25 March 1734, the Princess Royal married William IV, Prince of Orange. She ceased to use her substantive British title, in favour of her courtesy title from her husband's hereditary principality. The music played on her wedding was by George Frideric Handel, whose favourite pupil she was, learning composing, singing and playing the harpsichord. She remained a life-long supporter, attending his operas and subscribing to his music. She quarreled with her brother, the prince of Wales about her choice. The performance of Poro (opera) was canceled when it became known she had had a miscarriage in 1736.

[edit] Regency

When her husband died in 1751, Anne was appointed regent for her 3 year-old son William. She was at first a good leader in the government with her quick decision-making skills, but she later became tyrannical and unpredictable.

[edit] Later life

She continued to act as regent until her death in 1759, at The Hague, Netherlands, when she was replaced by her mother-in-law, Marie Louise of Hesse-Kassel, and by Ludwig Ernst von Brunswick-Lüneburg-Bevern. When she too died, Anne's daughter, Carolina, was made regent until William V turned 18 in 1766.

[edit] Titles, styles, honours and arms

[edit] Titles and styles

• 2 November 1709 – 27 September 1714: Her Serene Highness Princess Anne of Hanover
• 27 September 1714 – 11 June 1727: Her Royal Highness Princess Anne
• 11 June – 30 August 1727: Her Royal Highness The Princess Anne
• 30 August 1727 – 25 March 1734: Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal
• 25 March 1734 – 22 October 1751: Her Royal Highness The Princess of Orange
• 22 October 1751 – 12 January 1759: Her Royal Highness The Princess-Regent of Friesland

[edit] Issue

The Prince and Princess of Orange-Nassau had a stillborn son, in 1735, and two stillborn daughters, in 1736 and 1739. They also had a daughter, Anna (1746), who died in infancy. Their other children were:

[edit] Ancestors