Princess Caroline of Denmark

Princess Caroline of Denmark (28 October 1793 – 31 March 1881), was the eldest surviving daughter of King Frederick VI of Denmark. She was unofficially known as "Kronprinsesse Caroline" (English: Crown Princess Caroline) prior to her marriage, and later as "Arveprinsesse Caroline" (English: Hereditary Princess Caroline). She married her father's first cousin, Hereditary Prince Ferdinand, who was heir presumptive to the throne from 1848 to 1863. Early life Princess Caroline was born at Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen on 28 October 1793. Her parents were Crown Prince Frederick (the future King Frederick VI of Denmark) and his spouse and first cousin, Princess Marie of Hesse-Kassel. Her paternal grandfather King Christian VII being mentally unstable, her father had acted as regent since 1784. Her birth was much welcomed by the public, as her siblings had died soon after their birth. Four months after her birth, on 26 February 1794, Christiansborg Palace was destroyed by fire. Subsequently, Princess Caroline moved with her parents to Amalienborg Palace where she grew up, spending the summers at Frederiksberg Palace. At the death of her grandfather Christian VII of Denmark in 1808, her father ascended as king. She had a very close relationship with her father. She was given a broad, but not very thorough or deep, education. Caroline was not described as either talented or beautiful. She met Hans Christian Andersen in 1822 and was very interested in his writing and adventure. Her father had no surviving sons and Caroline and her sister Vilhelmine Marie (1808-1891), were excluded from succession to the throne as a result of Salic Law. Despite this fact, however, she was still commonly called and referred to as Crown Princess prior to her marriage, as the eldest child of her father, though she did not have the formal title.