CAROLINE, AMELIA ELIZABETH, wife of George IV. of Great Britain, was the second daughter of Charles William. Ferdinand, duke of Brunswick Wolfenbuttel, and of the princess Augusta of Britain. She was born on the 17th May, 1768, and spent her youth under great restraint at her father's court. In 1795, she was married to the prince of Wales. The marriage was disagreeable to him, and although she bare him a daugh ter, the princess Charlotte, he separated from her immediately on her recovery from childbed; and she lived by herself in a country residence at Blackheath, the object of much sympathy, the people regarding her as the victim of her husband's love of vice. Reports to her discredit led the king, in 1808, to cause investigation to be made into her conduct, which was found to be imprudent, but not criminal. In 1814, she obtained leave to visit Brunswick, and afterwards to make a further tour. She visited the coasts of the Mediterranean, and lived for some time on the lake of Como, an Italian, by name Bergami, being all the while in her company. When her husband ascended the throne
in 1820, she was offered an annuity of £50,000 sterling to renounce the title of queen, and live abroad; but she refused, and made a triumphal entry- into London, whereupon the government instituted proceedings against her for adultery. that was very offensive was proved as to her conduct; but the manner in which she had been used by her husband, and the splendid defense of Brougham, caused such a general feeling in her favor, that the ministry were obliged to give up the divorce bill, after it had passed the house of lords. She now fully assumed the rank of royalty, but was refused coro nation, and turned awav from the door of Westminster abbey on the day of the corona tion of her husband. the died on 7th Aug., 1821.