Prince Alfred of Great Britain
Prince Alfred of Great Britain, Ireland and Hanover ( born September 22, 1780 Buckingham Palace; † August 20, 1782 in Windsor Castle ) was a member of the British royal family. He was the fourteenth child and ninth son of British King George III. and his wife Queen Charlotte. Alfred fell ill after a smallpox vaccination and died at the age of just two years, along with the death of his brother Prince Octavius six months later, this was a great shock to his parents. In his later bouts of madness that led King George imaginative conversations with his youngest sons.
Life
Prince Alfred was born on September 22, 1780 at Buckingham Palace .. He was the fourteenth child and ninth son of King George III and his wife Queen Charlotte of Mecklenburg -Strelitz.
The little prince was baptized the Archbishop of Canterbury in the Great Council Chamber of St James's Palace on 21 October 1780 by Frederick Cornwallis. His godparents were his eldest brother, the Prince of Wales, his second eldest brother Prince Frederick and his eldest sister, the Princess Royal. As fourteenth child and ninth son of his parents, his birth was not a big surprise, but the family was very happy; especially his sister Sophia, who called him according to his sister Elizabeth, her " grandson ".
Death and aftermath
1782 Prince Alfred has been vaccinated against smallpox. This was too much for the baby and in June he was sent to recovery with his governess Lady Charlotte Finch to Deal. It was hoped that the sea air, swimming in the water, and riding would improve his condition. During his stay in Deal, Alfred made popular with many people, including at an old woman, which he waved. Despite its charming character he troubled by outbreaks of spots and problems with his chest. When he returned to Windsor in August 1782, the doctors examined him and realized that the boy had only a few weeks to live. After bouts of fever and persistent problems with his chest, died Prince Alfred on August 20, 1782 in Windsor Castle with just under two years.
Although the budget does not officially mourned (this was not younger than fourteen years prescribed for royal children ), the loss hit his parents hard. According to Lady Charlotte Finch, the Queen wept much and " the loss hurt them very much, just like the king." Alfred was buried in Westminster Abbey, his remains were later on February 11, 1820 in the St. George's Chapel in Windsor Castle überführt.Sein father remained in his grief to him, and the sight of portraits of Alfred on a painting of the family of Thomas Gainsborough almost a year after Alfred's death, brought his three eldest sisters to tears in collapse. Six months after Alfred's death, his elder brother died Octavius also the smallpox virus, which further disturbed the king. During one of his bouts of madness in 1812, led King George imaginary conversations with his two youngest sons.
Alfred's youngest sister Princess Amalia was conceived in the months after Alfred's death and came almost exactly a year after he died to the world. He was the first of George III and Queen Charlotte's children who died, 75 years before his older sister Mary, who was the last survivor of George and Charlotte's fifteen children. Alfred was the only one among the first fourteen children, which never was an older sibling while he was still alive, the only younger child was born after his death.