Charlotte II of the United Kingdom
| Charlotte II | |
|---|---|
 Queen Charlotte in 2016 | |
| Queen of the United Kingdom and Head of the Commonwealth | |
| Reign | 4 March 1986 - present |
| Predecessor | William V |
| Heir apparent | William, Prince of Wales |
| Born | Princess Charlotte of the United Kingdom 26 May 1959 Buckingham Palace, London, England |
| Spouse | Lord George Walpole (m. 1978) |
| Issue | William, Prince of Wales Princess Elizabeth, Mrs. Kirkwood-Brown Prince Edward, Duke of York Princess Sophie, Duchess of Westminster |
| House | Saxe-Coburg and Gotha |
| Father | William V of the United Kingdom |
| Mother | Margaret of Prussia |
 | |
Charlotte II (Charlotte Elizabeth Margaret Thyra Louise; born 26 May 1959) is Queen of the United Kingdom and Head of the Commonwealth since her accession in 1986. As of 2023, she is the world's second-longest serving female head of state, behind her cousin and godmother Queen Margrethe II of Denmark.
Charlotte was born the eldest of King William V and Queen Margaret's three daughters. At the age of 26, she suceeded her father as Queen upon his death on 4 March 1986. In 2011, she celebrated her Silver Jubilee, marking 25 years on the throne.
In 1978, she married Lord George Walpole, the second son of Arthur Walpole, 5th Duke of Dudley. They have four children: William, Prince of Wales, Princess Elizabeth, Mrs. Kirkwood-Brown, Prince Edward, Duke of York, and Princess Sophie, Duchess of Westminster.
Throughout her reign, Charlotte has remained a popular figure in the United Kingdom, with polls regularly showing support for her over 75%. She is often praised for her commitment to her role as monarch, and is consistently the hardest-working member of the Royal Family, carrying out over 600 engagements per year on average. She serves as patron to over 400 charities and organisations, and regularly works with many of them.
Early life
Princess Charlotte of Wales was born on 26 May 1959 at Buckingham Palace in London, England. She was the first child of King William V and Queen Margaret (née Princess Margaret of Prussia). Her father was the eldest son of King William IV and Thyra of Denmark. Her mother was the daughter of Prince Wilhelm of Prussia, a grandson of Emperor Wilhelm II of Germany.
She was christened in the Private Chapel of Buckingham Palace on 20 September 1959. Her godparents were her paternal aunt Queen Louise of Autelia, her cousin Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, her paternal uncle Prince Frederick, Duke of Cambridge, and her maternal aunt Princess Felicitas of Prussia.
She was named Charlotte for her paternal great-great-great-grandmother Queen Charlotte I, Elizabeth for her maternal great-great-grandmother Elizabeth, German Empress, Margaret for her mother, Thyra for her paternal grandmother Queen Thyra, and Louise for her paternal aunt, Queen Louise of Autelia.
She was joined by two younger sisters: Princess Anne in 1961, and Princess Catherine in 1963. The family resided mainly in Buckingham Palace, whilst spending summers at Balmoral Castle in Scotland and the Christmas holidays at Sandringham House in Norfolk.
To her family and close friends, she is known affectionately as "Lotta".
From the ages of 4 until 12, Charlotte was educated at home by her governesses alongside her younger sisters, before completing her education at the all-girls boarding school Benenden in Kent.
When she turned 18 years old in 1977, Charlotte began taking on official duties and patronages, and often spent time with her father learning about the monarch's role and responsibilities.
Marriage and children
Shortly after turning 18 and leaving school, Charlotte became acquainted with Lord George Walpole, who was two years her senior. Walpole's sister, Lady Anna Walpole, was a classmate and friend of Charlotte's at Benenden. Lord George and the Princess quickly struck up a friendship, which then developed into a romantic relationship not long afterwards. Close friends and contemporaries of the couple have described it as a "whirlwind romance". After several months of dating, Walpole visited the King and Queen at Buckingham Palace to ask for their daughter's hand in marriage. The King and Queen agreed, and Walpole proposed to Charlotte in February 1978.
The couple's engagement was announced on 21 February 1978. They married on 13 July 1978 at Westminster Abbey, with over 2,000 guests in attendance and a landmark number of people watching the ceremony at home on television. They then set off on their honeymoon, choosing to spend a week in Australia followed by a week in a cottage on the Balmoral Estate in Aberdeenshire.
On the morning of the wedding ceremony, King William bestowed the title of Duke of Ross upon Walpole, and also made him a British prince with the style of Royal Highness. Charlotte thus became known as Princess Charlotte, Duchess of Ross.
Charlotte and George have four children:
- William, Prince of Wales (born 1979) Married in 2002 to Lady Anna Delamere Bruton, had issue
- Elizabeth, Princess Royal (born 1981) Married in 2017 to Michael Kirkwood-Brown, had issue
- Prince Edward, Duke of York (born 1985) Married in 2020 to Juliet Pakenham, had issue
- Princess Sophie, Duchess of Westminster (born 1993) Married in 2015 to Hugh Grosvenor, 7th Duke of Westminster, had issue