Caroline Of Orange-Nassau

Princess Carolina of Orange-Nassau, also known by her full name Wilhelmine Carolina, was born on 16 February 1743 in Leeuwarden, in the Dutch Republic. She was the eldest daughter of William IV, Prince of Orange and Stadtholder of the Netherlands, and Anne, Princess Royal. Her paternal grandparents were John William Friso, Prince of Orange, and Maria Louise of Hesse-Kassel. Her maternal grandparents were Frederick, Prince of Wales, and Augusta of Saxe-Gotha.

In 1747, it was declared that the position of stadtholder could be inherited by females, which made Princess Carolina the heir presumptive to the stadtholdership. However, this status was short-lived, as her parents' second child, William, was born in 1748, displacing her in the line of succession. She received education in music.

Following the death of her father in 1751, her three-year-old brother William V became the Stadtholder of the Netherlands. Her mother, Anne, Princess Royal, was appointed regent during his minority. In 1758, her marriage to Charles Christian of Nassau was considered but delayed due to political considerations and discussions involving the British monarchy. Her mother died in 1759, and her grandmother, Landgravine Marie Louise of Hesse-Kassel, became regent for her brother, William V, who was then ten years old.

Princess Carolina married Charles Christian of Nassau-Weilburg on 5 March 1760 in The Hague. The marriage took place during her grandmother’s regency. Charles Christian was appointed colonel in the Dutch army and served as the Dutch Governor of Maastricht from 1773 to 1784. The couple resided in The Hague at the Korte Voorhout.

Following her grandmother's death in 1765, her brother William V reached the age of majority but was still legally a minor until his 18th birthday in 1766. As the closest senior relative and a legal adult at the time, Princess Carolina served as regent of the Netherlands from 1765 until 1766, when William V was able to assume full power. Her brief regency included the notable event of inviting Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to perform in 1765.

Princess Carolina and Charles Christian had fifteen children, of whom seven survived to adulthood. Their children included Georg Wilhelm, Hereditary Prince of Nassau-Weilburg; Wilhelm Ludwig, Hereditary Prince; Princess Maria of Nassau-Weilburg; Princess Luise of Nassau-Weilburg; Frederick William, Prince of Nassau-Weilburg; Princess Caroline of Nassau-Weilburg; and Princess Amelia of Nassau-Weilburg, among others. Several children died in infancy or childhood, and some married into other noble families, such as the Princes of Wied-Runkel and Reuss-Greiz.

Princess Carolina's lifetime concluded with her death on 6 May 1787 in Kirchheimbolanden at the age of 44.