Caroline, the Illustrious: Coronation & Regency.
“The coronation of George II and Caroline of Ansbach at Westminster Abbey was utterly magnificent. Although it took place in October, the weather was fine and the new queen was resplendent in her brand new state robes, proudly drenched in pearls, diamonds and the finest of everything.
Sitting there at her side, observing the ceremony with great solemnity, George II must have blessed his good fortune. This was not another Sophia Dorothea, unhappy and desperated to escape, but the most loyal consort any king could wish for. Smart, shrewd and influential, Queen Caroline was more than a match for her husband.
Of course, she would never let George see that she was his superior in both intellect and politics. Far from it, in fact, as the new queen was quick to apparently defer to him in all things and in this deferenc, she gained even more influence. Her interjection in political meetings was always a little uncertain and she preferred to give the impression that she was reticent and reluctant to put her opinion forward, an approach that worked wonders.
Employing secret signals with Walpole, Caroline was a past master at implanting her schemes in George’s mind and letting him think that the ideas were his. Alongside Walpole, the queen exercised immense influence over the nation yet George, shortsighted and self-important, saw none of it. He saw instead only what Caroline and Walpole wanted him to see.
George I had not trusted his estranged son, George Augustus, to serve as Regent and he in turn had no intention of inviting his own son, Frederick, to take the role. Instead, he selected his wife and, in 1729, Caroline ruled over Great Britain whilst George went home to Hanover.
As apparently unassuming as ever, the queen meekly accepted the responsibility, even as in her heart she was no doubt rejoicing in having true power at last, the pinacle of her ambitions realized with Walpole at her side.
No sooner had she dried her tears at her husband’s departure than Queen Caroline was throwing herself into the job, holding her first Council less than a week after the king had departed. This was not ambition without ability though, because Caroline had both in spades. In fact, her husband could hardly have chosen a better candidate for the job.
The woman who had once been likened to Queen Elizabeth I proved herself a more than able regent, negotiating with foreign powers and even thrashing out the Treaty of Seville, which secured peace between Spain and England, restored England trade routes to America and passed responsibility for Gibraltar to the crown.
Of course, she wasn’t solely responsible for these discussions, but she had a confidence and lightness of touch that was welcome in negotiations. Caroline was given to listening to her own counsel over that of her ministers, enjoyed public popularity for her efforts to integrate into Britain and was a more valuable ally than any prime minister.”
From: “Queens of Georgian Britain”, by Catherine Curzon.
