Princess Louise Caroline of Hesse-Kassel


Princess Louise Caroline of Hesse-Kassel was the consort of Friedrich Wilhelm, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg and the matriarch of the House of Glücksburg.

Early life

Louise Caroline was born at Gottorp, in the Duchy of Schleswig, to Prince Charles of Hesse-Kassel and Princess Louise of Denmark. Her elder sister Marie Sophie of Hesse-Kassel became Queen consort of Frederick VI of Denmark.

Marriage and issue

Friedrich Wilhelm and his relative Louise Caroline married in 1810. The couple had ten children:
Louise Caroline's son, Prince Christian, was named third-in-line to the throne of Christian VIII of Denmark in 1847. He succeeded his childless maternal second cousin, Frederick VII of Denmark, on 15 November 1863, the Hereditary Prince Ferdinand having deceased somewhat earlier.
Her grandchildren included King Frederik VIII of Denmark, Queen Alexandra of the United Kingdom, Empress Marie Feodorovna of All the Russias, King George I of the Hellenes and Crown Princess Thyra of Hanover.
At the time of her death, she was the last surviving grandchild of Frederick V of Denmark.