Maria Walpole
Maria Walpole (* 1736 in Windsor, Berkshire , † August 22, 1807 in London ) was a member of the British royal family by marriage.
Life
Maria was the daughter of Edward Walpole and his partner Dorothy Clements. Her grandfather, Robert Walpole, 1st Earl of Orford (1676–1745), was formally the first Prime Minister of Great Britain . She grew up at Frogmore House , a palace half a mile southwest of Windsor Castle . The fact that her parents were not married affected her social status.
On May 15, 1759, Maria married James Waldegrave, 2nd Earl Waldegrave († April 28, 1763), son of James Waldegrave, 1st Earl Waldegrave, and Maria Webbe. The marriage resulted in three daughters:
- Elizabeth Laura (1760–1816) ⚭ 1782 George Waldegrave, 4th Earl Waldegrave
- Charlotte Maria (1761–1808) ⚭ 1784 George FitzRoy, 4th Duke of Grafton
- Anna Horatia (1762–1801) ⚭ 1785 Admiral Lord Hugh Seymour-Conway
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On September 6, 1766, Mary married William Henry, Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh (1743-1805), the third son of the Prince of Wales , Friedrich Ludwig and Princess Augusta of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg , a brother of the British King George III The marriage was conducted in secret as the British royal family refused to consent to the marriage between the bridegroom and a widow of non-royal blood. Maria was never received at court. The couple lived on St. Leonard's Hill in Clewer near Windsor Castle . The marriage had three children:
- Sophia Mathilde (1773–1844), unmarried
- Caroline Auguste (1774–1775)
- Wilhelm Friedrich (1776–1834) ⚭ Princess Maria of Great Britain, Ireland and Hanover (1776–1857)
Royal Marriages Act of 1772
That of George III was a serious burden. The Royal Marriages Act , enforced in Parliament in 1772 , stipulated that none of his descendants were allowed to marry before the age of 25 without the consent of the king, and then only to princes and princesses of Protestant faith. Therefore most of his children sought a way out in secret and forbidden love affairs or remained unmarried.
Queen Sophie Charlotte's court was also referred to as a nunnery in later years .
Web links
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Walpole, Maria |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Maria, Duchess of Gloucester and Edinburgh; Waldegrave, Maria, Countess Waldegrave |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | British noblewoman, a member of the British royal family by marriage |
| DATE OF BIRTH | 1736 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Windsor (Berkshire) |
| DATE OF DEATH | August 22, 1807 |
| Place of death | London |