WI: Surviving issue of Queen Anne of Great Britain

[Yorel]

Anne Stuart (1665-1714) was Queen of England and Scotland from 1702 to her death in 1714. She is mostly known for the 1707 Act of Union that transformed England and Scotland into Great Britain.

Anne's consort was Prince George of Denmark (1653-1708), a man whom she was deeply in love and who always supported her. Despite this however, the couple left no surviving children : out of 18 Pregnancies, 13 were either miscariages or stillborn while only one of the other five survived past little infancy. That child was William, Duke of Gloucester, who died in 1700 from smallpow, age 11. Because of her childless death, the successor of Queen Anne was her cousin George I, Elector of Hannover.

But what would be the consequences of Queen Anne leaving behind surviving issue? How does that affect Britain? What happens to Hannover? How will the Jacobites react?

You can think about this problem in two ways:

1) William, Duke of Gloucester, doesn't contract smallpox in 1700 and thus survives infancy.
or
2) Queen Anne is more successful in her pregnancies. This doesn't mean you have to let the 18 children survive past infancy! That's possible but would be close to ASB.

For those who would chose option 2, here is a list of Queen Anne's pregnancies :

1.Stillborn daughter (May 12, 1684)
2.Mary (June 2, 1685 - February 8, 1687)
3.Anne Sophia (May 12, 1686 - February 2, 1687)
4.Miscariage (January 1687)
5.Stillborn son (October 22, 1687)
6.Miscariage (April 16, 1688)
7.William, Duke of Gloucester (July 24, 1689 - July 29, 1700)
8.Mary (October 14, 1690)
9.George (April 17, 1692)
10.Stillborn daughter (March 23, 1693)
11.Stillborn child (January 21, 1694)
12.Stillborn daughter (February 18, 1695)
13.Miscariage (March 25, 1696)
14.Stillborn twins (March 25, 1697)
15.Miscarriage (December 1697)
16.Charles (September 15, 1698)
17.Stillborn son (January 25, 1700)

 

[Gonzaga]

I made the same question back in 2009. Maybe the answers I received then could contribute with the discussion here:
https://www.alternatehistory.com/discussion/showthread.php?t=114681

 

[Lord Douglas]

Was Anne simply supremely unlucky or did she or her husband have some kind of physical defect which gave her weak babies? Having 18 kids and none of them surviving past eleven is surely unusual even for the early modern age.

 

[Lord Grattan]

Was Anne simply supremely unlucky or did she or her husband have some kind of physical defect which gave her weak babies? Having 18 kids and none of them surviving past eleven is surely unusual even for the early modern age.

The present day (20th Century) theory is: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Systemic_lupus_erythematosus, perhaps in conjunction with: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antiphospholipid_syndrome

I note the "traditional" presumption that the couple's pregnancy "issues" were all on Anne's side.

 

[Shawn Endresen]

I note the "traditional" presumption that the couple's pregnancy "issues" were all on Anne's side.

Well, they pretty much have to be - anything capable of making 18 sickly or dead babies coming from the father would have to be genetic (since the fetus gets virtually no cellular machinery from the sperm), and if genetic, there should be symptoms in the father.

 

[Lord Grattan]

Well, they pretty much have to be - anything capable of making 18 sickly or dead babies coming from the father would have to be genetic (since the fetus gets virtually no cellular machinery from the sperm), and if genetic, there should be symptoms in the father.

That depends on the genetic defect.

 

[Darth_Kiryan]

1.Stillborn daughter (May 12, 1684)
2.Mary (June 2, 1685 - February 8, 1687)
3.Anne Sophia (May 12, 1686 - February 2, 1687)
4.Miscariage (January 1687)
5.Stillborn son (October 22, 1687)
6.Miscariage (April 16, 1688)
7.William, Duke of Gloucester (July 24, 1689 - July 29, 1700)
8.Mary (October 14, 1690)
9.George (April 17, 1692)
10.Stillborn daughter (March 23, 1693)
11.Stillborn child (January 21, 1694)
12.Stillborn daughter (February 18, 1695)
13.Miscariage (March 25, 1696)
14.Stillborn twins (March 25, 1697)
15.Miscarriage (December 1697)
16.Charles (September 15, 1698)
17.Stillborn son (January 25, 1700)

Damn. She was busy. How the hell could you have that many children.

I would like to think that maybe one or two survived with William, and with William being able to ascend as King would be interesting. It would secure the succession, as well as, as the saying goes "an heir and a spare"

 

[Stateless]

Damn. She was busy. How the hell could you have that many children.

She loved the sex. Seriously, she was completely devoted to her husband, and genuinely loved him, unusual for many royal marriages of the time. What's interesting is that any child will be a member of the House of Oldenburg, thanks to Prince George of Denmark.

 

[AuroraBorealis]

Damn. She was busy. How the hell could you have that many children.

I would like to think that maybe one or two survived with William, and with William being able to ascend as King would be interesting. It would secure the succession, as well as, as the saying goes "an heir and a spare"

I'd say let the two elder sisters survive as well

Mary and Anne Sophia

how's that for a couple of spares....

If William is still sickly though, Mary's marriage prospects will be pivotal as the English won't want her marrying off to a foreign king or Crown Prince ( as much as I did entertain the idea of her cousin Karl XII) that will drag them into wars on the continent not of their liking, but a second son would be doable.

would she not even be considered for a strictly english marriage perhaps as well or one of the Scots noble families for at lieast one of them.

 

[Darth_Kiryan]

She loved the sex. Seriously, she was completely devoted to her husband, and genuinely loved him, unusual for many royal marriages of the time. What's interesting is that any child will be a member of the House of Oldenburg, thanks to Prince George of Denmark.

So, perhaps a union of Denmark-England? That's a possibility, especially if you could somehow swing it to be William who inherits both crowns.

 

[Yorel]

I note the "traditional" presumption that the couple's pregnancy "issues" were all on Anne's side.

Really? I thought some supposed the issue was because Prince George had syphilis and transmitted it to the baby (which wasn't a good thing).

Damn. She was busy. How the hell could you have that many children.

She loved the sex. Seriously, she was completely devoted to her husband, and genuinely loved him, unusual for many royal marriages of the time.

Exactly what stateless_englishman said. Royal marriages were generally arranged out of political reasons: few were made out of true love, although some arranged marriage did turn out very well.
Marriage were the two spouses were very devoted to each other often resulted in many children. One of such example, which is also better known than that of Queen Anne, is Maria Theresa of Austria and her husband Francis I : althoug arranged, it was said to be very close and Maria Theresa had some 15 or 16 pregnancies, although only 10 of her children survived (If I remember correctly). Another example I know is that of Philip William, Elector Palatine, who was deeply in love with his second wife : they had 17 children, although only roughly half of them survived infancy.

 

[Stateless]

So, perhaps a union of Denmark-England? That's a possibility, especially if you could somehow swing it to be William who inherits both crowns.

Obviously there will be butterflies, but OTL the male line of the House of Oldenburg ran into trouble in 1863 when Frederic VII of Denmark died without legitimate issue. Had there been a surviving descendant of Prince George of Denmark and Queen Anne, they could have inherited the throne.

 

[REICHFURST]

Froim the all Queen Anne's 18 pregnancies, the most probablities to survive were the two oldest surviving daughters, Mary and Anna Sophia, who both died at consecuence of an outbreak of smallpox within days of difference in February 1687. I didn't found anything who supposed that both girls are weakened or handiccaped, so without the smallpox, they could survive infancy and perhaps could exist a Queen Mary III or Anne II....

 

[Gonzaga]

Froim the all Queen Anne's 18 pregnancies, the most probablities to survive were the two oldest surviving daughters, Mary and Anna Sophia, who both died at consecuence of an outbreak of smallpox within days of difference in February 1687. I didn't found anything who supposed that both girls are weakened or handiccaped, so without the smallpox, they could survive infancy and perhaps could exist a Queen Mary III or Anne II....

That is interesting. As the possible Mary III was born in 1685 it would mean that the first negotiations for her marriage would probably be done by William III. Would he try to keep the House of Nassau in England, perhaps arraging a marriage of Mary with John William Friso (we could have other couple William and Mary ).

 

[AuroraBorealis]

Froim the all Queen Anne's 18 pregnancies, the most probablities to survive were the two oldest surviving daughters, Mary and Anna Sophia, who both died at consecuence of an outbreak of smallpox within days of difference in February 1687. I didn't found anything who supposed that both girls are weakened or handiccaped, so without the smallpox, they could survive infancy and perhaps could exist a Queen Mary III or Anne II....

Probably the former then, while william lives her marriage prospects are more open, but once he dies and she is Crown Princess Royal its going to get a lot more limited....

Anne on the other hand can be married to a Crown Prince somewhere for good political benefits.... both would probably marry sometime b/n 1700 and 1705 probably at the latest. Which puts them in the midst of the War of Spanish Succession and the 3rd (Great) northern War.

Active English allies during the period would be the Hapsburgs ( Archduke Karl perhaps for Anne), Savoy, the Netherlands of course, Portugal, and Prussia, others would be in Denmark or Sweden ( but they would be first cousins their in both cases, I am thinking Karl XII of course shortly after Denmarks first initial exit(truce) from that war. Obviously that could only be Anne again. Thats a dim prospect though. Or perhaps Hannover.

having thought about it some more...John William Friso would probably be favoured by William, post Mary II, for Mary if William still dies to maintain the links to the Netherlands after his death. Does this hinder or help the latters prospects with respect to Williams 5 stadtholderates and the principality of Orange?

As much as I like the the idea of Anne married off to Karl XII or Karl VI for political reasons they probably both founder for different political reasons or religious reasons in the case of the latter. Anne would probably be raised a devout Anglican, if shes allowed to keep her religion, then it could go ahead she probably wont want to convert as Elizabeth Christine finally had to agree to.

William now...hmm he was sickly most of his life but...let me think...and look round...using the same basis as for the the two daughters...

Even with three potential heirs dropping to two, the Act of Settlement becomes unlikely as well. As well as all the Scots consequences that followed...Personal union probably continues there for now...and the moves towards integration would probably still occur, just as a more gradual and less imperative pace.

 

[The Professor]

I made the same question back in 2009. Maybe the answers I received then could contribute with the discussion here:
https://www.alternatehistory.com/discussion/showthread.php?t=114681

Definitely some good questions raised.

1) Does the political union remain, and how?
2) How long is William's reign?
3) Who does he marry? Who is his best match in terms of succession?
4) Does this mean a better relationship with Denmark?
5) What are the geopolitical effects of all the above?

 

[Antipater]

A surviving William, Duke of Gloucester seems quite possible IMO. The House of Stuart would still end, its replacement would be the Danish House of Oldenberg. This would be interesting because King William would no doubt be aware that his Continental cousins were absolute monarchs. It is also probable that the English royal family would choose to marry Danish, as opposed to various German princes in an attempt to maintain family ties.

I think you would still have the same dissatisfaction in Scotland and Ireland with the House of Oldenburg as you would with the House of Hanover. In England I imagine there would be less opposition to his rule than George faced (especially during the last days of Anne) since William would be more "English."

Politically, I imagine that William would not favor the Whigs as George I came to. Having actually grown up in England and having an understanding of domestic politics, I cannot imagine him wanting to associate with those who sought to limit the monarchy even further. Less Whig political domination means no Age of Walpole, and perhaps no tradition of a strong Prime Minister dominating the Government.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Hey I am planning on writing a TL about Queen Anne's two daughters and Prince William and I was wondering who they would marry and I was looking for suggestions

 

[Gonzaga]

Hey I am planning on writing a TL about Queen Anne's two daughters and Prince William and I was wondering who they would marry and I was looking for suggestions

I suggested before the marriage of one of the daugthers to John William Friso, Prince of Orange. Maybe other could be married to the OTL George II of Great Britain (who at the time was the heir of Hanover) in order to the keep the ties with the Hanoverians and secure Protestant successors. But it seems that George IOTL married Caroline of Ansbach because he really loved her, so I'm not sure it would work.
For her son, maybe in order to keep the relations with Sweden under control now that an Oldenburg would be king of England, what about Ulrika Eleonora?