4 November 1631 Birth of Mary Princess Royal
On 4 November 1631 Mary, Princess Royal was born. This royal event
took place at St. James's Palace in London.
Family
Mary was the eldest daughter of King Charles I of England,
Scotland and Ireland and his wife Henrietta Maria of France.
So Mary was named after her mother.
Her paternal grandparents were James VI of Scotland (he ruled as
James I of England) and Anne of Denmark.
Her maternal grandparents were King Henry IV of France and
Maria de' Medici.
Mary was thus a member of the House of Stuart.
Youth
In 1642, King Charles I of England designated her Princess Royal,
thus establishing the tradition that the eldest daughter of the
British sovereign might bear this title.
Love and Marriage
King Charles I of England wanted that Mary would marry her first
cousin Balthasar Charles, Prince of Asturias, the son of King
Philip IV of Spain.
Charles I Louis, Elector Palatine was also a suitor for her hand.
However both proposals fell through and she was betrothed to
William, the son and heir of Frederick Henry, Prince of Orange
and Stadtholder of the United Povinces and of Amalia of Solms-
Braunfels.
Their marriage took place on 2 May 1641 at the Chapel Royal
at the Whitehall Palace in London.
In 1642, Mary moved to the Dutch Republic with her mother
Queen Henrietta Maria (the Queen was able to return to England
in 1643)
In March 1647, Mary's husband William II, succeeded his
father as stadtholder. However in November 1650, just
after his attempt to capture Amsterdam from his political
opponents he died of smallpox.
Duty
A few years later Willem (later William III) was born.
Mary, now a Dowager, was obliged to share the guardianship
of her infant son with her mother-in-law, Amalia of Solms-
Braunfels and her brother-in-law Frederick William I,
Elector of Brandenburg. They had more power over the young
Prince's affairs than she.
Mary, Princess Royal was unpopular with the Dutch, because of
her sympathies with her own family, the Stuarts.
Her moral reputation was damaged by rumours that she was
having an affair with Henry Jermyn, a member of her brother's
household.
In 1657, she became regent on behalf of her son for the
principality of Orange, but the difficulties of her position led her
to implore the assistance of her first cousin King Louis XIV of
France.
In September 1660, she returned to England.
Death
On 24 December 1660, Mary Princess Royal and Princess of
Orange died of smallpox at Whitehall Palace. She was buried
in Westminster Abbey.
Source pictures: Wikipedia
took place at St. James's Palace in London.
Family
Mary was the eldest daughter of King Charles I of England,
Scotland and Ireland and his wife Henrietta Maria of France.
So Mary was named after her mother.
Her paternal grandparents were James VI of Scotland (he ruled as
James I of England) and Anne of Denmark.
Her maternal grandparents were King Henry IV of France and
Maria de' Medici.
Mary was thus a member of the House of Stuart.
Youth
In 1642, King Charles I of England designated her Princess Royal,
thus establishing the tradition that the eldest daughter of the
British sovereign might bear this title.
Love and Marriage
King Charles I of England wanted that Mary would marry her first
cousin Balthasar Charles, Prince of Asturias, the son of King
Philip IV of Spain.
Charles I Louis, Elector Palatine was also a suitor for her hand.
However both proposals fell through and she was betrothed to
William, the son and heir of Frederick Henry, Prince of Orange
and Stadtholder of the United Povinces and of Amalia of Solms-
Braunfels.
Their marriage took place on 2 May 1641 at the Chapel Royal
at the Whitehall Palace in London.
In 1642, Mary moved to the Dutch Republic with her mother
Queen Henrietta Maria (the Queen was able to return to England
in 1643)
In March 1647, Mary's husband William II, succeeded his
father as stadtholder. However in November 1650, just
after his attempt to capture Amsterdam from his political
opponents he died of smallpox.
Duty
A few years later Willem (later William III) was born.
Mary, now a Dowager, was obliged to share the guardianship
of her infant son with her mother-in-law, Amalia of Solms-
Braunfels and her brother-in-law Frederick William I,
Elector of Brandenburg. They had more power over the young
Prince's affairs than she.
Mary, Princess Royal was unpopular with the Dutch, because of
her sympathies with her own family, the Stuarts.
Her moral reputation was damaged by rumours that she was
having an affair with Henry Jermyn, a member of her brother's
household.
In 1657, she became regent on behalf of her son for the
principality of Orange, but the difficulties of her position led her
to implore the assistance of her first cousin King Louis XIV of
France.
In September 1660, she returned to England.
Death
On 24 December 1660, Mary Princess Royal and Princess of
Orange died of smallpox at Whitehall Palace. She was buried
in Westminster Abbey.
Source pictures: Wikipedia
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