Princess Elizabeth of Clarence

Princess Elizabeth Full name Elizabeth Georgiana Adelaide DetailTitles and styles HRH Princess Elizabeth of Clarence Royal house House of HanoverFather William IVMother Adelaide of Saxe-MeiningenBorn 10 December 1820(1820-12-10)
St. James's Palace, LondonDied 4 March 1821(aged 0)
Burial St George's Chapelin Windsor Castle

Princess Elizabeth of Clarence (Elizabeth Georgiana Adelaide; 10 December 1820 – 4 March 1821) was a member of the British Royal Family, a granddaughter of George III. Elizabeth would have succeeded to the throne instead of Queen Victoria, had it not been for her sudden and untimely death. If she had lived she would have ascended to the throne after the death of her father William IV. Princess Elizabeth, who it was assumed would become, in due course, Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom. At the time of her birth she was third in line of the order of succession to the british throne behind her uncle, Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany and her father The Duke of Clarence.

1 Early life
2 Heiress
3 Death
4 Titles, styles, honours and arms
- 4.1 Titles and styles
5 See also
6 References

Early life

Princess Elizabeth was born on 10 December 1820 at St. James's Palace, London. Her father was The Prince William, Duke of Clarence (later William IV), the third eldest son of George III and Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. Her mother was The Duchess of Clarence (nee Princess Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen), the daughter of George I, the Duke of Saxe-Meiningen.

As a granddaughter of a British monarch, she was styled Her Royal Highness Princess Elizabeth of Clarence.

British Royalty House of Hanover William IV Princess Charlotte of Clarence Princess Elizabeth of Clarence

Heiress

The birth of Princess Elizabeth was a significant event in 19th century Britain. Her father, the Duke of Clarence, was the second in line to the throne following the death of Elizabeth's cousin, Princess Charlotte of Wales in 1817, and their grandfather George III in 1820. Since the Duke's two elder brothers, George IV and Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany were both without legitimate children, and the King and the Duke of York was estranged from their wives, it seemed likely that Princess Elizabeth would succeed as Queen in years to come. Her mother, the Duchess of Clarence, had several difficult pregnancies, and Elizabeth's elder sister, Princess Charlotte of Clarence, died on the day of her birth, making it unlikely for the Duke and Duchess to produce a son who could displace her.[1]

Death

Although she was born before term, Elizabeth enjoyed good health at first, however she died in infancy, succumbing to convulsions and dying of intertwining of the bowels on 4 March 1821.[2] She was buried in the Royal Vault at St. George's Chapel in Windsor Castle. Her cousin, Princess Victoria of Kent, whose place she had taken in the line of succession on her birth, succeeded Elizabeth's father and became Queen in 1837.

Queen Victoria kept a bust of Princess Elizabeth in her private apartments in Kensington Palace.[3][4]

Titles, styles, honours and arms

Titles and styles

10 December 1820 – 4 March 1821: Her Royal Highness Princess Elizabeth of Clarence

As a granddaughter of George III, Princess Elizabeth would normally have been styled Royal Highness. However, the London Gazette of the 6 March 1821 which announced her death gave her style as Her Highness, noting her as "Niece to the King and granddaughter to the late king George the III."[5]

v • d • e British princessesThe generations indicate descent from George Iwho formalised the use of the titles prince and princess for members of the British Royal Family. Where a princess may have been or is descended from George I more than once her most senior descent, by which she bore or bears her title, is used. 1st Generation

Sophia, Queen in Prussia

2nd Generation

Anne, Princess Royal and Princess of Orange · The Princess Amelia Sophia · The Princess Caroline Elizabeth · Mary, Landgravine of Hesse-Cassel · Louise, Queen of Denmark-Norway

3rd Generation

Augusta, Duchess of Brunswick · Princess Elizabeth · Princess Louisa · Caroline Matilda, Queen of Denmark-Norway

4th Generation

Charlotte, Queen of Württemberg · The Princess Augusta Sophia · Elizabeth, Landgravine of Hesse-Homburg · Sophia of Gloucester · Caroline of Gloucester · The Princess Mary, Duchess of Gloucester · The Princess Sophia · The Princess Amelia

5th Generation

Charlotte Augusta of Wales · Frederica of Cumberland · Charlotte of Clarence · Victoria of the United Kingdom · Elizabeth of Clarence · Augusta, Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz · Mary Adelaide, Duchess of Teck

6th Generation

Victoria, German Empress and Queen of Prussia · Alice, Grand Duchess of Hesse and by Rhine · Helena, Princess Christian of Schleswig-Holstein · Frederica, Baroness Alfons von Pawel-Rammingen · The Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll · Marie of Cumberland · Beatrice, Princess Henry of Battenberg

7th Generation