Caroline of Anspach
In her youth she had been a close friend of the philosopher Leibniz, she
also had interests in literature and theology as well. Her husband had no such intellectual leanings; while Caroline
often complained of boredom in his company, he frequently railed at her for being more like a school-mistress than
a princess.
The daughter of a minor German prince, Caroline married George, then Electoral Prince of Hanover, in September
1705. In 1714 her father-in-law became King of England, and she and her husband joined him there in October. In
the Hanoverian tradition. George I and his son were continually at loggerheads, and he detested
Caroline whom he called cette diablesse.Caroline of Anspach was the last Queen-consort of England to exercise any
marked degree of political power. Her influence over her husband, George II. combined with her alliance with the
masterful politician Robert Walpole, made the first decade of George's reign an era of political stability for
England.
An open breach occurred between 1717 and 1720, during which Caroline held court at Leicester House and at Richmond.
Round the Prince and Princess of Wales gathered disaffected politicians and a circle of intellectuals and divines
in whose conversation Caroline delighted. In an age when women had little formal education, Caroline was considered
a blue-stocking.
Caroline was the mother of eight children, of whom she was extremely fond - except for her eldest son, Frederick. Prince of Wales. Repeating the pattern of George II and his father. George II and his son loathed each other, while Caroline once remarked of Frederick: " If I was to see him in hell, I should feel no more for him than I should for any other rogue that ever went there.
George was devoted to her, physically they were well-suited- Her fair, buxom good-looks
were perfectly to his taste, and though he might temporarily stray, he always maintained good relations with his
wife.In 1727 George succeeded to the throne, and Caroline's influence was proved. Her ally in politics was Robert
Walpole, First Lord of the Treasury since 1721. George would readily agree to Walpoles policies if Caroline could
persuade him that he had really thought of them first himself. Four times she was 'guardian of the realm in the
King's absence - in 1729, 1732, 1735, and 1736 - 37.
The extent of Caroline's ecclesiastical patronage and her wisdom of choice in appointments have been frequently
exaggerated: she enjoyed the company of churchmen, especially those of unorthodox views, but she appointed bad
as well as good bishops - notably Hoadly. who was a more enthusiastic courtier than bishop.
In November 1737 she could no longer conceal from the King that she was suffering great pain from a ruptured womb,
she had hid the fact from her husband, fearing that his hatred of any illness would alienate him from her , but
it had grown worse. The King shouted that she looked like a calf with its throat cut and wept remorsefully at her
bedside. When she said that he must marry again, he sobbed that he would have mistresses, but that no woman should
replace her as his wife.
She died on November 20, 1737. George II survived Caroline by more than twenty years, but never married again. At his death he left instructions that they were to be buried side by side, with the coffins panels removed so that their dust might mingle.
