And her name is Charlotte Elizabeth Diana : first Charlotte since 1828

HRH Princess Charlotte Elizabeth Diana of Cambridge as announced by Kensington Palace earlier today.

She will be known as HRH Princess Charlotte of Cambridge. 

Charlotte is the first British princess Charlotte since October 5, 1828, when Princess Charlotte, eldest daughter of George III, died at Schloss Ludwigsburg in Württemberg.  She was born on September 29, 1766 at Buckingham House.

Charlotte, Princess Royal

She was baptized Charlotte Augusta Mathilda on October 27, 1766, at St. James's Palace. Her godparents were King Christian VII of Denmark and his wife, Caroline Mathilda (George III's sister) and her paternal aunt, Princess Louisa, who died two years later at the age of 19.  Charlotte was named as Princess Royal on June 22, 1789.  She married the Hereditary Prince Friedrich of Württemberg on May 18, 1797 at the Chapel Royal, St. James's Palace.  This was the second marriage for Friedrich, whose first wife, Augusta, (sister of Princess Caroline, the wife of the Prince of Wales), who died in 1788.

Charlotte and Friedrich had only one child, a stillborn daughter (April 27, 1798).  Friedrich became king in 1806.  He died in 1816. 

She was a godmother to her niece, Princess Alexandrina Victoria of Kent, although she was represented at the baptism by proxy.  She returned to London for the first time in 1827 to have surgery, returning to Ludwigslust, where she died a year later.

 On March 27, 1819, the Duchess of Clarence gave birth prematurely to a daughter, Charlotte, who lived for only a few hours. 

The birth was reported in the Times on April 9, 1819.  "It will be learned with concern that a less favourable report has been brought respecting the Duchess of Clarence, she having been attacked with an indisposition on Monday the 22nd of March, which continued upon her Royal Highness during the whole week, for which it was deemed necessary to bleed her several times; this caused a premature accouchement, and on Saturday morning the 27th of March, at half past 6 o'clock, her Royal Highness, attended by Dr. Andrew Halliday, gave birth of a female child.  The infant lived till one o'clock,  and then expired.  The Duchess was very unwell after the birth of the child, and in that state she continued several hours to such a degree that considerable danger was apprehended. Her Royal Highness, however, being pronounced better at 4 o'clock."

[The day before the birth of this Princess Charlotte, the Duchess of Cambridge gave birth to a son, Prince George.]

The infant princess was named for her grandmother, Queen Charlotte, and her first cousin,  Princess Charlotte Augusta of Wales, the wife of Prince Leopold of Saxe-Coburg-Saafeld, who died on November 6, 1817, following the birth of a stillborn son. She was only 21 years year old.

Charlotte was the only child of George, the Prince of Wales, the Prince Regent for his father, George III, and his wife, Princess Caroline of Brunswick, was born at Carlton House in London on January 7, 1796.

She was named for her two grandmothers, Queen Charlotte, George III's consort, and Princess Augusta, Duchess of Brunswick.

The Prince of Wales and Princess Caroline were first cousins, as George III and Princess Augusta were brother and sister.

The birth was announced in The Times on January 8.  "Yesterday morning, a few minutes after 9 o'clock. her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales was safely delivered of a princess at Carlton House by Dr. Underwood, who assisted as Accoucher, and it is with great pleasure that we are able announce that both her Royal Highness and the Infant are in a fair way of doing well.

"Her Royal Highness was ill about 7 o'clock the preceding evening, when notice of her expected delivery was sent to the Duke of Gloucester, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Lord Chancellor, and Lord President, who waited at Carlton House till the child was born, in order to testify the birth of it. The Princess was delivered near a month before her expected date. She has only been married nine months this day. The Royal Marriage was on the 8th of April, 1795.

"The Prince of Wales is much recovered, but we believe all parties are a little disappointed that the child is not a Boy.

"As son as the Princess was safely delivered, an express was sent with the news to their Majesties at Windsor.

On January 9, 1796, The Times reported "The Princess of Wales and the little Infant both promise to do well.  The enquiries after them at Carlton House yesterday to numerous, that Pall-mall was quite thronged with carriages."


The baby's names were announced on January 10.  "The infant Princess is to be called Caroline Charlotte Augusta. The King and Queen will be sponsors in person, the Duke and Duchess of Brunswick will be represented by proxy.

The infant Princess was baptized on February 11, 1796 in the Great Drawing Room at Carlton House by the Archbishop of Canterbury. 

At 5:30: p.m., the King and Queen and their daughters "went down the Park in two carriages, escorted by a party of Horse Guards to Carlton House," where they were received by the Prince of Wales.   Other members of the Royal Family also arrived at the Palace, and dinner was served at 6 p.m.

The baptism took place at 9:30 p.m.  The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Lord Chancellor and other great Officers of State," as well as the members of the King and Queen's Households, attendants on the Royal family, were also present.  All told, eighty persons were present for the baptism.

The Princess of Wales was seated in a "chair of state, at the top of the room, having the "infant Princess, who was in a grand State Cradle, before her."

The Sponsors were the King, Queen, and the Duchess of Brunswick.   After the ceremony, there was a "general distribution of refreshments."  The King and Queen and the Princesses, returned to Buckingham-House when the service was over.