The year 2021 marks the 125th anniversary of the birth of the Duchess of Windsor. The Duchess of Windsor - A collection of articles was written to mark the anniversary for the website History of Royal Women. The collection focuses on important dates in her life and walks you through them as the year goes by.Opinions on the Duchess remain divided - even now. Hopefully, this collection will help you form your opinion.
The life and times, and mysterious death of an ambitious Empress in exile, unloved by many.
Carolina of Orange-Nassau (1743 – 1787) was born the daughter of William IV, Prince of Orange, and Anne, Princess Royal and was thus the granddaughter of King George II. It was upon the King's orders that she was named after his wife, Caroline of Ansbach. She was the first of Anne and William's children to survive to adulthood. When her father was at last made stadtholder of all seven united provinces, Carolina was included in the line of succession, in the event she had no brothers. A brother was eventually born, but due to his weak health, she remained an important figure. Carolina married Charles Christian of Nassau-Weilburg and suffered the loss of half her children, either in childbirth or infancy. Despite this, she acted as regent for her minor brother while heavily pregnant and remained devoted to him and the Dutch republic. Her children married well and her descendants sit upon the royal thrones of Europe, truly making her a grandmother of Europe.