The Death of Queen Caroline at Brandenburgh House
In 1821, the Queen of England, Caroline of Brunswick, died at Brandenburgh House, the home of Elizabeth Craven, Margravine of Anspach, in Hammersmith. She was uncrowned and died in sad circumstances, rejected by her callous husband King George IV, who refused to acknowledge her or even give her a home to live in. If she had not been invited to reside at Brandenburgh House by Elizabeth Craven, the poor German princess would have had no roof over her head at all. The Margravine had left England some time before, and was not present when Caroline died, nor was her son Keppel, who had returned to Naples to be with his mother. This letter was written to her from Brandenburgh House in August 1821 by their friend Sir Lumley Skeffington, reporting the melancholy news. It has never been published, and is in the British Library, where it is not catalogued under either Caroline's or Elizabeth Craven's name. It is in the unsorted papers of Keppel Craven. Dated Wednesday August 8th