Caroline of Brunswick Queen Consort of George IV letter addressed to Lady Elgin her daughter Charlotte’s governess, mentioning one and only daughter of George IV and Caroline of Brunswick-Charlotte: 

“My dear Lady Elgin I flattered myself that your Ladyship have received a good account of Lord Elgin, and his amiable family, and that you are more comfortable upon the whole about that Subject as before-your Ladyship will be kind enough to give this present to little Charlotte, and I hope she is well and good. Believe me Madam your most Friend Caroline” 

The letter attached to cardboard (please see the images), size of the letter 18.5 cm x 23.5 cm   

CAROLINE OF BRUNSWICK (1768-1821) was forced upon the Prince of Wales, by his father, King George III. Caroline's mother was the King's sister. The first cousins were married in 1795. Three months after the birth of Princess Charlotte Augusta in 1796, she was deserted by her husband. Not long afterward, their daughter was also taken away from her. In 1806, Princess Caroline was censured for improprieties and unguarded speech. After her husband became Prince Regent in 1811, Caroline toured Europe. When there were scandalous rumors concerning her and Italian Bartolomeo Bergami, her husband sent secret agents to investigate the matter. In 1820, after the death of King George III, her husband, now King George IV, offered his wife a monetary settlement if she would remain abroad. Caroline refused, and her popularity in England aborted a proposed royal divorce bill in the House of Lords. When she tried to enter Westminster Abbey in July 1821 for her husband's coronation, she was barred. Caroline was crushed, and her health rapidly deteriorated. She died less than a month later at the age of 53. Geroge IV and Caroline had a child, Princess Charlotte of Wales. The Prince and Princess of Wales were formally separated after Charlotte’s birth and remained separated thereafter. During Charlotte’s formative years, her father left most of her care to the royal governesses, nurses, and servants and restricted her time with her mother to a daily visit. He also did not allow Princess Caroline to make any decisions regarding their daughter’s care. However, sympathetic staff allowed Princess Caroline to be alone with her daughter, something that George did not know because he was seldom around and had little contact himself with his own child. Princess Charlotte was a healthy, happy, and warm-hearted child despite her parents using her as a pawn against one another and despite them continually battling over her. When Charlotte was about one and half years old, her mother left her and began renting a home near Blackheath, a district in south east London that straddles the Royal Borough of Greenwich and the London Borough of Lewisham. At the time fathers had unequivocal rights to minor children and so even if Princess Caroline had wanted to take her daughter with her, she would not have been allowed. However, she did continue to visit the little Princess at Carlton House and sometimes she had her daughter driven to Blackheath for visits.   When Charlotte was eight, her father decided to live at Carlton House alone and moved his daughter into the adjacent Montague House. In her new residence everyone who surrounded her was paid. The move also took place without the presence of Charlotte’s governess, Lady Elgin, who was married to the 7th Earl of Elgin, well-known because he had removed the Elgin Marblesfrom the Parthenon, along with other sculptures from the Propylaea and Erechteum. George had been unhappy with Lady Elgin and forced her to retire, ostensibly because she was too old but more likely because he was angry with her for having taken his daughter Charlotte to see his father the King without his permission.      

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