Princess Augusta of Cambridge

Infobox British Royalty|royal
name = Augusta of Cambridge
title = Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz


imgw = 175
reign = 6 September 1860 – 30 May 1904
spouse = Friedrich Wilhelm, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
issue = Adolf Friedrich V, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
full name = Augusta Caroline Charlotte Elizabeth Mary Sophia Louise
titles = "HRH" The Dowager Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
"HRH" The Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
"HRH" The Hereditary Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
"HRH" Princess Augusta of Cambridge
royal house = House of Mecklenburg
House of Hanover
father = Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge
mother = Princess Augusta of Hesse-Kassel (or Hesse-Cassel)
date of birth = 19 July 1822
place of birth = Palace of Montbrillant, Hanover
date of death = Death date and age|1916|12|5|1822|7|19|df=yes
place of death = Neustrelitz, Mecklenburg-Strelitz
place of burial = Mirow, Mecklenburg-Strelitz|

Princess Augusta of Cambridge (19 July 1822 – 5 December 1916), was a member of the British Royal Family, a granddaughter of George III. She married into the Grand Ducal House of Mecklenburg-Strelitz and became the Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz.

Early life

Princess Augusta was born on 19 July 1822 at the Palace of Montbrillant, Hanover. Her father was Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge, the seventh son of George III and Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. Her mother was Princess Augusta, Duchess of Cambridge (née Princess Augusta of Hesse-Kassel or Hesse-Cassel).

The Princess spent her earlier years in Hanover where her father was the viceroy on behalf of his brother, George IV.

Princess Augusta had one brother, Prince George, Duke of Cambridge; and one sister, Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge, later Duchess of Teck. As such, Princess Augusta was a first cousin of Queen Victoria and aunt to Mary of Teck, later a consort of George V.

Marriage

On 28 June 1843, Princess Augusta married her first cousin, Friedrich Wilhelm of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, at Buckingham Palace, London. Upon the marriage Augusta became "HRH" The Hereditary Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz and, on 6 September 1860, "HRH" The Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz following the death of her father-in-law.

The marriage of the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess produced two children:
* An unnamed son, 1845–1845
* Duke Adolph Friedrich (22 July 1848 – 11 June 1914), who succeeded his father as Grand Duke Adolf Friedrich V in May 1904.

Later life

Although she spent most her adult life in Germany, the Grand Duchess Augusta retained close personal ties to the British royal family. She frequently visited her mother, the Duchess of Cambridge, at her Kensington Palace apartments.

After her mother's death in 1889, the Grand Duchess acquired a house in London's Buckingham Gate area, where she spent a portion of the year until advanced old age made it impossible for her travel abroad.

In making preparations for the coronation of Edward VII and Queen Alexandra in 1901, the Duke of Norfolk consulted her on matters of etiquette and attire. This was due to her presence at the coronation of William IV and Queen Adelaide seventy-one years earlier. She was nine years old at the time and kissed the Queen's hand. She was also able to provide details of the coronation of Queen Victoria for which no written records existed (she was then sixteen).

The Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Sterlitz was particularly close to her niece, the future Queen Mary. However, old age prevented her from attending the coronation of George V (who was her first cousin twice removed) and Queen Mary at Westminster Abbey on 22 June 1911.

Following the outbreak of World War I the British government suspended the pension she had been receiving as a member of the British Royal Family. [cite news | title =Princess loses pension| publisher =New York Times| date =1914-09-19| url =http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9B07EEDB1438EF32A2575AC1A96F9C946596D6CF| accessdate = 2007-10-24 ] During the war the Swedish embassy passed letters from the Queen to her aunt who still lived in Germany.

As an elderly lady, she was known for being cantankerous. When Princess Maud of Wales became Queen of Norway, Augusta asked she had, "become the Queen of a revolutionary throne". During Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee Celebrations, Augusta said in a loud voice, "Why is she thanking God in the street?" as Queen Victoria sat in her carriage for a blessing.

She was also known as being quite shrewd and intelligent. In his book, "Queen Mary" (the Queen's official biography), James Pope-Hennessy reports that the Queen's Aunt Augusta was not fond of the new science of photography, fearing it would intrude deeply into the private lives of royal personages.

The Dowager Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz died in Neustrelitz and was buried in Mirow. As the longest-lived grandchild of George III, she was the last link to the British branch of the House of Hanover.

At the time of her death, she was 94 years, 4 months and 16 days old, making her the longest-lived British princess of the blood royal until Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone, a male-line granddaughter of Queen Victoria, broke the record in 1977. Princess Alice died aged over 97 years old.

Titles, styles, honours and arms

Titles and styles

*19 July 1822 – 28 June 1843: "Her Royal Highness" Princess Augusta of Cambridge
*28 June 1843 – 6 September 1860: "Her Royal Highness" The Hereditary Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
*6 September 1860 – 30 May 1904: "Her Royal Highness" The Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
*30 May 1904 – 5 December 1916: "Her Royal Highness" The Dowager Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz

Ancestors

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1= 1. Princess Augusta of Cambridge
2= 2. Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge
3= 3. Princess Augusta of Hesse-Kassel
4= 4. George III of the United Kingdom
5= 5. Duchess Sophia Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
6= 6. Prince Frederick of Hesse
7= 7. Princess Caroline Polyxene of Nassau-Usingen
8= 8. Frederick, Prince of Wales
9= 9. Princess Augusta of Saxe-Gotha
10= 10. Charles Louis Frederick, Duke of Mecklenburg-Mirow
11= 11. Princess Elizabeth Albertine of Saxe-Hildburghausen
12= 12. Frederick II, Landgrave of Hesse
13= 13. Princess Mary of Great Britain
14= 14. Prince Charles William of Nassau-Usingen
15= 15. Countess Caroline Felizitas of Leiningen-Dagsburg-Heidesheim
16= 16. George II of Great Britain
17= 17. Margravine Caroline of Brandenburg-Ansbach
18= 18. Frederick II, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg
19= 19. Princess Magdalena Augusta of Anhalt-Zerbst
20= 20. Adolf Frederick II, Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
21= 21. Christiane Emilie of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen
22= 22. Ernest Frederick I, Duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen
23= 23. Sophia Albertine of Erbach-Erbach
24= 24. William VIII, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel
25= 25. Dorothea Wilhelmine of Saxe-Zeitz
26= 26. George II of Great Britain (= 16)
27= 27. Margravine Caroline of Brandenburg-Ansbach (= 17)
28= 28. Prince Charles of Nassau-Usingen
29= 29. Princess Christine Wilhelmine of Saxe-Eisenach
30= 30. Count Christian Charles Reinhard of Leiningen-Dagsburg-Heidesheim
31= 31. Countess Katherina Polyxene of Solms-Rodelheim

References