Anne, Princess Royal and Princess of Orange

Princess Anne, Princess Royal and Princess of Orange (2 November 1709 – 12 January 1759) was the second child and eldest daughter of George II and his consort, Queen Caroline. She was the wife of William IV of Orange, the first hereditary stadtholder of the Netherlands. Princess Anne was the second daughter of a British sovereign to hold the title Princess Royal, and later Princess-Regent of Friesland

Early life

HSH Princess Anne of Hanover, Duchess of Brunswick and Lüneburg was born at Herrenhausen Palace, Hanover, five years before her paternal grandfather, the Elector Georg Ludwig, succeeded to the British throne as George I. She was christened shortly after birth at Herrenhausen Palace.^[2]

Great Britain

Upon her grandfather's ascension in 1714, it became established practice that the legitimate children and the male-line grandchildren of a British Sovereign would be titled prince or princess of Great Britain and Ireland and styled Royal Highness; great-grandchildren in the male line would be prince or princess of Great Britain and Ireland and styled Highness. Her father ascended on 11 June 1727.

Princess Royal

On 30 August of that year, George II created his eldest daughter Princess Royal. Charles I first bestowed this title on his eldest daughter, Mary, Princess of Orange (mother of William III), in 1642. However, the title fell from use until the reign of George II. (Princess Anne became Princess Royal during the lifetime of her aunt, Queen Sophia Dorothea of Prussia, who had been eligible for this honour but did not receive it.)

Marriage

On 25 March 1734 at St. James' Palace, the Princess Royal married William IV, Prince of Orange. She ceased to use her substantive British title, in favour of her courtesy title from her husband's hereditary principality. The music played on her wedding was by George Frideric Handel, whose favourite pupil she was, learning composing, singing and playing the harpsichord. She remained a life-long supporter, attending his operas and subscribing to his music. She quarreled with her brother, the prince of Wales about her choice. The performance of Poro (opera) was canceled when it became known she had had a miscarriage in 1736.

Regency

When her husband died in 1751, Anne was appointed regent for her 3 year-old son William. She was at first a good leader in the government with her quick decision-making skills, but she later became tyrannical and unpredictable.

Later life

She continued to act as regent until her death in 1759, at The Hague, Netherlands, when she was replaced by her mother-in-law, Marie Louise of Hesse-Kassel (or Hesse-Cassel), and by Ludwig Ernst von Brunswick-Lüneburg-Bevern. When she too died, Anne's daughter, Carolina, was made regent until William V turned 18 in 1766.

Titles, styles, honours and arms

Titles and styles

Arms

On 31 January 1719, as a grandchild of the sovereign, Anne was granted use of the arms of the realm, differenced by a label argent of five points, each bearing a cross gules. On 30 August 1727, as a child of the sovereign, Anne's difference changed to a label argent of three points, each bearing a cross gules.^[3]

Issue

The Prince and Princess of Orange-Nassau had a stillborn son, in 1735. Their other children were:

Name	Birth	Death	Notes
Stillborn Daughter	19 December 1736	19 December 1736
Stillborn Daughter	22 December 1739	22 December 1739
Carolina, Princess-Regent of Friesland	28 February 1743	6 May 1787	married 1760, Karl Christian of Nassau-Weilburg; had issue
Anna Marie of Orange-Nassau	15 November 1746	29 December 1746
Willem V Batavus	8 March 1748	9 April 1806	married, 1767, Princess Wilhelmina of Prussia; had issue

Ancestors

Ancestors of Anne, Princess Royal and Princess of Orange

Dutch royalty
Anne, Princess Royal and Princess of Orange House of Hanover Cadet branch of the House of Este Born: 2 November 1709 Died: 12 January 1759
Vacant Title last held by Marie Louise of Hesse-Kassel	Princess Consort of Orange 1734 – 1751	Vacant Title next held by Wilhelmina of Prussia
British royalty
Vacant Title last held by Princess Mary	Princess Royal 1727 – 1759	Vacant Title next held by Princess Charlotte