Mary, Princess Royal and Princess of Orange
Princess Mary, Princess Royal, Princess of Orange and Duchess of Nassau ( Mary Henrietta of Orange- Nassau, born Stuart; * November 4, 1631 at St. James 's Palace, London, † December 24, 1660 at the Palace of Whitehall, ibid ) was the eldest daughter of King Charles I of England, Scotland and Ireland and his wife, Henrietta Maria of France.
She was the wife of William II, Prince of Orange and the Duke of Nassau (1626-1650) and mother of King William III. of England. Princess Mary was the first daughter of a British monarchs who bore the title Princess Royal.
Youth
Charles I made Henrietta Maria in 1642 to the Princess Royal, and so began the tradition that the eldest daughter of the monarch can carry this item. The reason for the title was the desire of Mary's mother, Henrietta Maria, a daughter of Henry IV of France, the title of the eldest daughter of the French kings, " Madame Royale " to imitate.
Marriage
Mary's father wanted her to marry a son of Philip IV of Spain. Even her cousin Elector Karl Ludwig I. of the Palatinate was a possible marriage candidate. Both projects failed, however, and she was married to William, son and heir of the Lieutenant Frederick Henry of Orange. The marriage took place on 2 May 1641 the King Chapel at Whitehall Palace in London, but not completed for some years because of the young age of the bride. In 1642, Maria began but already with her mother to Holland and started over from 1644 as a daughter of the governor participate in public life.
Later life
In March 1647 her husband Wilhelm II succeeded his father as governor. However, he died in November 1650, shortly after his attempt to bring Amsterdam under his control, of smallpox. The only child of the couple, William III. Came a few days later to the world. The princess dowager of Orange had to share of Brandenburg, the guardianship of their child with the grandmother Amalie and Elector Friedrich Wilhelm. Because of its proximity to her family, the Stuarts, it was unpopular with the Dutch. After the hospitality they had for their brothers in exile, the titular King Charles II and James, Duke of York, struck the public opinion against them completely in order, and it was forbidden to receive their relatives. Between 1654 and 1657 the princess spent most of the time outside Holland. In 1657, she was for her son in the Principality of Orange regent, but the difficulties in their office led them to seek the help of Louis XIV of France who conquered the Principality.
The restoration of Charles II in England improved the position of Mary and her son in Holland. In September 1660, she returned to England, where she died of smallpox in December but in Whitehall Palace. She was buried in Westminster Abbey.