In 1814, plans were afoot by the Prince Regent to have his daughter married to the Prince of Orange, heir to William I of the Netherlands. There were serious discussions and Charlotte even signed the marriage treaty: there would be no personal union, with their eldest son becoming King of Britain and the second son becoming King of the Netherlands, with the German branch of the House of Orange succeeding to the Dutch throne in absence of a second son.
Charlotte had no desire to marry the Prince of Orange. She was infatuated with Prince Frederick of Prussia and hoped he might make his interest in marriage to her father. The Princess of Wales also disliked the Dutch match and had popular support; when Charlotte told the Prince of Orange that her mother would have to be welcome into their home, he refused, ultimately dooming the match, although the Prince Regent continued to force the match as late as 1815 despite opposition within the royal family.
While the Prince of Orange cannot openly favor Charlotte's mother given he is reliant upon the Prince Regent's approval to marry her, let's say that in a private meeting with Charlotte he agrees that her mother will be welcome in their home. This impresses Charlotte who abandons her infatuation with the Prussian Prince and agrees to marry the Prince of Orange. What effects would this have? Obviously there is a chance that she could die in childbirth but let's assume that she has 2-3 healthy children and succeeds George IV upon his death. How might the Caroline age differ from that of the OTL Victorian?
We know as Charlotte had Whig sympathies so we could certainly see her favorable to Catholic Emancipation and the Reform Acts; the Prince of Orange would certainly shuffle between the Netherlands and England, as the marriage treaty agreed she would not be forced to leave England, and at any rate she did not believe that a future Queen of England should live abroad. What effects might this have on the Netherlands, especially if Belgium revolts against Dutch domination? The British may be more keen to support a United Netherlands if there are familial ties, but I suppose it depends on the British government at the time.
Thoughts?
Charlotte had no desire to marry the Prince of Orange. She was infatuated with Prince Frederick of Prussia and hoped he might make his interest in marriage to her father. The Princess of Wales also disliked the Dutch match and had popular support; when Charlotte told the Prince of Orange that her mother would have to be welcome into their home, he refused, ultimately dooming the match, although the Prince Regent continued to force the match as late as 1815 despite opposition within the royal family.
While the Prince of Orange cannot openly favor Charlotte's mother given he is reliant upon the Prince Regent's approval to marry her, let's say that in a private meeting with Charlotte he agrees that her mother will be welcome in their home. This impresses Charlotte who abandons her infatuation with the Prussian Prince and agrees to marry the Prince of Orange. What effects would this have? Obviously there is a chance that she could die in childbirth but let's assume that she has 2-3 healthy children and succeeds George IV upon his death. How might the Caroline age differ from that of the OTL Victorian?
We know as Charlotte had Whig sympathies so we could certainly see her favorable to Catholic Emancipation and the Reform Acts; the Prince of Orange would certainly shuffle between the Netherlands and England, as the marriage treaty agreed she would not be forced to leave England, and at any rate she did not believe that a future Queen of England should live abroad. What effects might this have on the Netherlands, especially if Belgium revolts against Dutch domination? The British may be more keen to support a United Netherlands if there are familial ties, but I suppose it depends on the British government at the time.
Thoughts?