Portrait Lives #2: Queen Charlotte

Starting soon, because of my vacation, I have to publish a post every other day. Sorry!

Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, the spouse of George III, had 15 children. She had to deal with a husband who had continual attacks of madness from porphyria, Mad King George as they say. Charlotte was such a happy woman before the days of George's madness, then became cold and cruel in result of the stress he caused her.  But through it all she still loved her husband tenderly.   More importantly, Charlotte may be England's first Queen of African ancestry through her relation to Margarita de Castro e Souza. She has interesting facial features, contrasting from those of her husband. However, her African features may have been painted to emphasize them more in result of the campaign to abolish slavery which was present at the time. I will start with her in her teens.

1. aged about 17 by Johann Georg Ziesenis 

2. aged about 18 by Allan Ramsay

4. aged 23 with her first daughter
by Francis Cotes. She is proud of her.
So sweet!

3. aged about 20 by Johann Zoffany

5. aged 25 with her first sons by Allan Ramsay

6. She Looks Pretty Old for 27
by Johann Zoffany, No offense!
it's her artist's fault

7. Big Wigs at 34 by Thomas
Gainsborough

8. Looking Pretty Cool at 63 and Not Minding it
by Peter Stroehling

Queen Charlotte died at 74 of pneumonia in 1818.

At this site you can see the chair Charlotte died in, not that you would like to, I understand if you don't share much of a fancy for death or anything related to it:

http://www.regencyhistory.net/2011/10/queen-charlotte-1744-1818.html

Sources:
"Was this Britain's first black queen?" by Stuart Jeffries-The Guardian; March 11, 2009:  http://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/mar/12/race-monarchy

"The Madness of Queen Charlotte" by Laura Purcell;  January 21,  2012: http://laurapurcell.com/the-madness-of-queen-charlotte/

Queen Charlotte's Chair: http://www.hrp.org.uk/KewPalace/stories/queencharlotteschair