The DYING WILL Of Queen Charlotte

The DYING WILL Of Queen Charlotte
The fate of Queen Charlotte's estate remains somewhat ambiguous due to the uncertainty surrounding whether she ever drafted a will during her lifetime. It is possible she never considered it necessary, assuming she would not outlive her husband, thereby leaving most of her possessions to him. During the long eighteenth century, many women did not outlive their husbands, largely due to the perils of childbirth. Remarkably, despite spending almost twelve years of her life pregnant, Queen Charlotte defied these odds and lived to the age of seventy-four. Even as her husband descended into madness, she clung to the hope of his recovery, which might explain her delay in drafting a will. However, by autumn 1818, her eldest son alerted her to the severity of her health decline, with her doctors giving little hope for recovery.
In early May 1818, after a particularly severe seizure, her private secretary, Lt. General Sir Herbert Taylor, strongly advised her to create a will. Though she initially refused, General Taylor began cataloging her possessions in preparation. Throughout the summer, he presented several drafts to the Queen, but she remained resistant. By early November, as her condition worsened, the Prince Regent was informed by her physicians of the urgency of her situation. He then visited Kew Palace and advised his mother to settle her affairs while she still had the strength.
The Queen's personal property, excluding Crown possessions, was valued at just under £140,000. She had instructed that her debts, as well as the legacies and annuities for her servants and courtiers specified in her will, be paid from her own funds. If her funds were insufficient, the necessary amount was to be raised through the sale of her personal property. Queen Charlotte was aware that her sons and married daughters were financially provided for, so she left the majority of her estate to her four youngest daughters: Princesses Augusta, Elizabeth, Mary, and Sophia. These inheritances were designated for their sole benefit and were to remain their independent property, even in the event of marriage. Princess Elizabeth and Princess Mary eventually married during the Regency period, while Princess Augusta and Princess Sophia remained single.
Queen Charlotte's most prized possessions were not her estates at Windsor but her extensive collection of jewels. In her will, she meticulously divided them into three distinct categories: those purchased by King George III at their marriage for £50,000, the exquisite Indian diamonds gifted by the Nawab of Arcot, and various other jewels she had acquired over the years. She included a provision that if King George III regained his mental faculties, the jewels he had given her would be returned to him. Otherwise, they were to pass to his German relatives, the House of Hanover.
The Arcot Diamonds, mentioned in the second category, had a fascinating history. These flawless, pure white diamonds were likely mined in the Golconda region of southern India in the seventeenth century. The collection featured five large brilliants, either oval or pear-shaped, weighing between 23 and 38 carats. They were named after their donor, Muhammad Ali Khan Wallajah, the Nawab of Arcot, who gifted them to Queen Charlotte in 1777 as gratitude for King George III and the British East India Company's support of his rule.
One of the Arcot diamonds reached Queen Charlotte through an unusual series of events. During a reception in India, the Nawab wore a ring set with one of the large diamonds. When Thomas Rumbold, the British Governor of the province, admired the ring and asked for a closer look, the Nawab handed it over. Rumbold then placed the ring on his finger and thanked the Nawab for the "gift." Despite the Nawab's protests, Rumbold kept the ring, leveraging the Nawab's need for British support. However, Colonel Sir Alexander Crosby, stationed in Madras and disapproving of Rumbold's actions, devised a plan to reclaim the diamond. He persuaded the Nawab to write a letter to Queen Charlotte, offering her the ring as a symbol of gratitude. The letter arrived in Britain ahead of Rumbold, who, upon visiting the King and Queen, was compelled to present the ring to Charlotte.
The third category in Queen Charlotte's will comprised jewels she had received as gifts or purchased herself. She directed that all jewels in the second and third categories be sold, with the proceeds divided equally among her four daughters. However, it appears the Prince Regent had other plans, disregarding his mother's wishes and the well-being of his sisters.