WI: Princess Charlotte of Wales' baby survives

Thomas Jefferson

Assuming the baby boy born to Princess Charlotte of Wales in 1817 survived, but the princess herself died, would he end up inheriting the throne of Hanover, or would he be passed over for Ernest Augustus because the descent was in the female line?
 

Lalli

Charlotte's son can't inherit Hanover because he is not direct male lineage. So Ernest August would still become king of Hanover and the baby will become king of United Kingdom. And there is another intresting butterfly. Charlotte's husband hardly will be king of the Belgians.
 

htgriffin

Lalli said:
And there is another intresting butterfly. Charlotte's husband hardly will be king of the Belgians.
Click to expand...
More to the point, the question of who get the nod (no Orleans of course, ant just about anyone within shouting distance of the senior Capet line is likely off the table.) for the crown if the Belgian revolt comes off....
 

Anarch King of Dipsodes

Lalli said:
Charlotte's son can't inherit Hanover because he is not direct male lineage. So Ernest August would still become king of Hanover and the baby will become king of United Kingdom. And there is another intresting butterfly. Charlotte's husband hardly will be king of the Belgians.
Click to expand...
Only if his older brothers, Frederick of York, William of Clarence, and Edward of Kent, all die without legitimate male offspring. York is already married to an elderly woman, so it's probable that he remains heirless.

William and Edward both married after Charlotte and her baby died, because an heir was needed. ITTL there is an heir, but no spare - so they may still do so. But butterflies may cause them to marry different women, or for one of William's stillborn twin sons to survive, or for Edward to beget a son instead of a daughter, or live longer and beget additional children including sons.
 

mcdnab

William of Clarence might still marry he is in the tl likely to succeed to the throne of Hannover and was in financial need with his brood of illegitimate children - so you might have him marry still.
The Duke of Kent was happy with his mistress and might not be as keen to marry in a tl where Charlotte's son survives his birth - however the incentive is still there given the infant mortality rate.

Interestingly Parliament might well rush through a new Regency Act once George IV ascends the throne (in OTL the Regency Act was first brought in after Clarence ascended the throne) - the only relevant document was the 1765 act (in which the Queen Charlotte or her mother in law the Princess Dowager of Wales were named) - the 1830 Act named Queen Adelaide if she produced a child by the King and in the event of Princess Alexandrina of Kent inheriting ahead of her 18th her mother was to be regent.

In these circumstances it might be interesting who is named regent (given George IV's health) - the obvious is the boy's father Leopold but a lot will depend on his relationship with Parliament and if his father in law approves or not.
The next in line won't be possible (that's York, Kent, Clarence, Cumberland and Cambridge ) as they will be a foreign sovereign (of Hannover).
 
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