Princess Amelia Sophia of Great Britain
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For other princesses known as Amelia, see Princess Amelia. For the daughter of George III, see Princess Amelia of the United Kingdom

Princess Amelia[1] Amelia (right) with her three eldest siblings, Anne, Caroline and Frederick Full name Amelia Sophia Eleanor Detail Titles and styles HRH The Princess Amelia[1] HRH Princess Amelia HSH Princess Amelia of Hanover Royal house House of Hanover Father George II Mother Caroline of Ansbach Born 10 July 1711(1711-07-10) Herrenhausen Palace, Hanover Died 31 October 1786 (aged 75) Soho, London Burial Westminster Abbey, London

British Royalty House of Hanover George II    Frederick, Prince of Wales    Anne, Princess of Orange    Princess Amelia Sophia    Princess Caroline Elizabeth    William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland    Mary, Landgravine of Hesse-Cassel    Louise, Queen of Denmark Grandchildren    Augusta Charlotte, Duchess of Brunswick    George III    Edward Augustus, Duke of York    Princess Elizabeth Caroline    William Henry, Duke of Gloucester    Henry Frederick, Duke of Cumberland    Princess Louisa Anna    Prince Frederick William    Caroline Matilda, Queen of Denmark Great-grandchildren    Princess Sophia of Gloucester    William Frederick, Duke of Gloucester

The Princess Amelia^[1] (Amelia Sophia Eleanor^[2]; 10 July 1711 – 31 October 1786) was a member of the British Royal Family, the second daughter of George II.

Early life

Princess Amelia^[1] was born at Herrenhausen Palace, Hanover, Germany. Her father was The Hereditary Prince of Brunswick-Lüneburg, the son of the Elector of Hanover. Her mother was Caroline of Ansbach, daughter of Johann Friedrich, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach.

At her birth she was styled HSH Princess Amelia of Hanover. She was known to her family as Emily.

Great Britain

Under the Act of Settlement 1701, Princess Amelia's grandfather became King of Great Britain on 1 August 1714 following the death of Queen Anne. Amelia's father became Duke of Cornwall, and was created Prince of Wales on 27 September 1714. Amelia became HRH Princess Amelia. She moved to Great Britain with her family and resided at St James's Palace in London.

On 11 June 1727, George I died and her father succeeded him as George II. Amelia was now styled HRH The Princess Amelia. She lived with her father until his death in 1760. She was the intended wife of Frederick II of Prussia, until his father forced him to marry Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Bevern, in 1733.

Later life

In 1751, Princess Amelia became ranger of Richmond Park after the death of Horace Walpole. Immediately afterwards, the Princess caused major public uproar by closing the park to the public, only allowing few close friends and those with special permits to enter.

This continued until 1758, when a local brewer, John Lewis, took the gatekeeper, who stopped him from entering the park, to court. The court ruled in favour of Lewis, citing the fact that, when Charles I enclosed the park in the 1600s, he allowed the public right of way in the park. Princess Amelia was forced to lift the restrictions.

In 1761, she became the owner of Gunnersbury Estate, Middlesex, and at some time between 1777 and 1784, commissioned a bath house, extended as a folly by a subsequent owner of the land in the 19th century, which still stands today with a Grade II English Heritage listing and is known as Princess Amelia's Bathhouse.

She also owned a property in Cavendish Square, Soho, London, where, on 31 October 1786, at which time she was the last surviving child of George II and his Queen Caroline, she died unmarried. She was buried in the Henry VII Lady Chapel in Westminster Abbey.

Titles, styles, honours and arms

Titles and styles

• 10 July 1711 – 27 September 1714: Her Serene Highness Princess Amelia^[1] of Hanover
• 27 September 1714 – 11 June 1727: Her Royal Highness Princess Amelia
• 11 June 1727 – 31 October 1786: Her Royal Highness The Princess Amelia

Arms

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

Ancestors

Legacy

• Amelia Island in Florida, United States is named for her, as is Amelia County in Virginia, United States.

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d e} The London Gazette refers to her as "(the) Princess Amelia" [1][2][3][4][5]
2. ^ Yvonne's Royalty Home Page: Royal Christenings
3. ^ Marks of Cadency in the British Royal Family

• Princess Amelia's Bathhouse
• Frederick II at LoveToKnow
• thePeerage.com