| Princess Carolina | |
| Succession: | Princess consort of Nassau-Weilburg |
| Reign: | 5 March 1760 – 6 May 1787 |
| Reign-Type: | Tenure |
| Birth Date: | 28 February 1743 |
| Birth Place: | Leeuwarden |
| Death Place: | Kirchheimbolanden |
| House: | Orange-Nassau |
| Father: | William IV, Prince of Orange |
| Mother: | Anne, Princess Royal |
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Princess Carolina of Orange-Nassau (Wilhelmine Carolina; 16 February 1743 – 6 May 1787)[1] was a Dutch regent. She was the daughter of William IV, Prince of Orange, Stadtholder of the Netherlands, and Anne, Princess Royal. She was regent of the Netherlands from 1765 until 1766 during the minority of her brother, William V.
Princess Carolina was born in Leeuwarden,[1] the eldest daughter of William IV, Prince of Orange, Stadtholder of the Netherlands, and Anne, Princess Royal. In 1747, it was declared that the position of stadtholder could be inherited by females, thus making the young Princess Carolina the heir presumptive to the position of stadtholder. However, in 1748, a male heir, William, was born to her parents, thus displacing her and putting her second in line to the position. She was given a good education in music.
Princess Carolina's father died in 1751, making her three-year-old brother William V of Orange. At that point, her mother was appointed regent. Her marriage to Charles Christian of Nassau was discussed in 1758, but because of her position as the heir after her brother, her marriage was delayed by the government as well as by British monarch, who wished to discuss potential complications. In 1759, her mother died, and William V was still just ten years old. Then, Princess Carolina's paternal grandmother, Landgravine Marie Louise of Hesse-Kassel, was made regent. In 1760, Carolina finally married Charles Christian. Because of her position as the heir of her brother, the couple lived in The Hague at the Korte Voorhout and her spouse was appointed colonel in the Dutch army.
Her grandmother Marie Louise ruled until 1765, when she died. William V was now seventeen, but that was still not old enough to rule on his own, as he was legally a minor until his 18th birthday. So, Princess Carolina, being a legal adult, closest senior relative and the heir of the ruler, was therefore made regent. She ruled until 1766, when William V turned eighteen. Her rule was short and not remembered for much else than for the fact that she invited Mozart to perform in 1765.[2]
After her brother married and started to have children, Princess Carolina, now further and further away from the succession line, left for Germany. When her spouse served as the Dutch Governor of Maastricht in 1773–1784, she often lived with him there. Outside of her short regency, she never involved much in the political affairs of The Netherlands, and was occupied with constant child births.[2]
She died 6 May 1787 in Kirchheimbolanden, aged 44.[3]
On 5 March 1760 in The Hague, during the regency of her grandmother Dowager Princess Marie Luise, Princess Carolina married Charles Christian, Prince of Nassau-Weilburg. She was the only grandchild of George II of Great Britain who was married in his lifetime.[1] They had fifteen children, seven of whom survived to adulthood:
. Hugh Massingberd. Montgomery-Massingberd. Hugh . 1977. Burke's Royal Families of the World, 1st edition. London. Burke's Peerage. 0-85011-023-8. 240.