CAROLINE. AMELIA Er.tzvuErn Queen of (Ieorge IV. of England. She was the second daughter of Charles \Villiam Fer dinand. Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbiittel. and Princess Augusta of Britain. sister of George She was born on May 17. 1768. and on April 8. 1795, was married to the Prince of Wales, who, with no love for his cousin. con sented to the union for the sake of liquidating his debts. She soon complained of his intimacy with Mrs. Fitzherbert and Lady Jersey. The King sought to reconcile the royal pair: but after the birth of their daughter. Princess Char lotte, January, 1796. the Prince of Wales de serted his wife. She received public sympathy and support, especially when official attempts were made to discredit her. In 181• she ob tained leave to travel, and lived in Italy for some time, but acted imprudently in showing favor to her courier, Bergami, and his family. When her husband became King in 1820. she was offered an annuity of £50,000 sterling to re nounce the title of Queen and live abroad but she refused. and made a triumphal entry into London. whereupon the Government instituted
proceedings, for divorce on a charge of adultery. Indiscreet conduct was proved; but the manner in which she had been used by her husband. and the splendid defense of Brougham. caused such a feeling in her favor that the Ministry aban Boned the divorce bill, after it had passed the House of Lords. She assumed the rank of royalty, hut was repulsed from Westminster Abbey when she insisted on her right to corona tion with her husband. July 29, 1821. Nine days afterwards she died. In (iireet disregard of the King's desire. the funeral procession, on its way to Brunswick, where Caroline was buried. passed through the city of London; but not before lives had been lost in an encounter with the Life Guards at Hyde Park Corner. Consult : of Qu en ('aroline. by Nightingale (London, 1820) ; Adolphus (London, 1821) ; Iluish (Lon don, 1821) ; Wilk (London. 1822) ; also Clerke, Life of Her Majesty Queen Caroline (London, 182I).