Princess Charlotte Amalie of Denmark

Who was Princess Charlotte Amalie of Denmark?

Charlotte Amalie of Danmark was a Danish princess, issue of King Frederick IV of Denmark and Louise of Mecklenburg-Güstrow.

Charlotte Amalie never married and spent her entire life in Denmark, where she was active in court life. In contrast to her brother and sister-in-law, she had a good relationship with her stepmother, Anna Sophie Reventlow, with whom she lived closely. She tried to prevent the worst hostility at court when Anna Sophie became queen. On 8 April 1771, she was ordered to leave court, and she spent the rest of her life with the queen dowager Juliana Maria, which meant that she continued to spend a lot of her time at court with the queen dowager. As she preferred black wigs, she had ordered her staff to wear them also, and her court became known as "the court of the black wigs". After 1778, she no longer showed herself to the public, as she had become senile.

Charlottenlund Palace, where she spent her summers, was built and named after her in 1731–1733. She is also known as the benefactress of the writer Charlotte Baden, who was the niece of one of her first ladies-in-waiting, Anna Sophie von den Osten. Charlotte Baden was raised at her court, and Charlotte Amalie provided her with an education and an allowance. In her will, Charlotte Amalie created a foundation to benefit poor girls from all classes. Charlottenlund is named after her.