Reprehensible Facts About Frederica Of Mecklenburg, The Royal Black Widow
Frederica of Mecklenburg wanted one thing: to marry her way to the Hanoverian throne, even if she left a trail of corpses in her wake. Needless to say, she made some powerful enemies along the way.
These are the reprehensible facts about Frederica of Mecklenburg, the royal black widow.
1. She Was Well-Connected
Frederica of Mecklenburg was of the highest European pedigree—even if she didn’t always act like it. Born in the vaunted Altes Palais in Hanover in March of 1778, she was the fifth daughter of the eventual Grand Duke of Mecklenburg. Her royal lineage connected her to the thrones of the United Kingdom, Prussia and beyond.
But her royally scandalous behavior knew no borders.
2. She Lost Her Mother Early On
Perhaps the thing that made Frederica such a troublemaker was that she never had a good example to follow—and the reason why was devastating. Sadly, her mother passed away when she was still very young while giving birth to her ninth and final sibling.
Her father was, of course, heartbroken over the loss but he found a suitable replacement…one that was rather close to home.
3. Her Father Handed Her Off
Following her mother’s passing, Frederica, along with her many siblings, moved from the Altes Palais to Herrenhausen Palace. Her poor father, too distraught over his wife’s and youngest child’s deaths, left little Frederica in the care of a governess, Frau von Wolzogen. In the meantime, the Duke went in pursuit of a new bride and mother for his brood of children.
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4. She Got A New Mommy
By all accounts, Frederica and her siblings took to the Governess von Wolzogen. No one could replace their mother…or so they thought. About two years after Frederica’s mother’s death, her father remarried—and his choice was mate was seriously twisted.
He tied the knot to Princess Charlotte of Hesse-Darmstadt, AKA Frederica’s aunt—her deceased mother’s younger sister!
