Elizabeth Christina Ulrika Brunswick-Wolfenbuttel The first wife of the heir to the Prussian throne, Frederick William II. Date of Birth: 09.11.1746 Country: Germany

1. Biography of Elisabeth Christine Ulrike von Braunschweig-Wolfenbüttel
2. Troubled Marriage and Scandal
3. Exile and Return
4. Legacy and Death

Biography of Elisabeth Christine Ulrike von Braunschweig-Wolfenbüttel

Elisabeth Christine Ulrike von Braunschweig-Wolfenbüttel was born to Duke Karl I of Braunschweig-Wolfenbüttel and Philippine Charlotte of Prussia, the younger sister of Frederick the Great. She was the first wife of the heir to the Prussian throne, Friedrich Wilhelm II. Their marriage was arranged by King Friedrich, who intended for Elisabeth Christine to bring order to the future king's personal life and provide him with heirs. They were married on July 14, 1765 in Wolfenbüttel.

Troubled Marriage and Scandal

However, King Friedrich's plans did not come to fruition. After the birth of their daughter, tensions arose in the heir's household. Friedrich Wilhelm continued his affairs with French actresses and dancers, while Elisabeth Christine, a confident and beautiful woman, refused to tolerate it. She found solace in the company of young officers from the Potsdam Guard. In 1769, Elisabeth Christine became pregnant, and her attempt to flee Prussia with her lover was discovered. To prevent any illegitimate claims to the Prussian throne, Friedrich Wilhelm demanded permission from his uncles to officially dissolve the marriage, which was soon granted. A few days after the divorce, Elisabeth Christine left for Küstrin. Frederick the Great forced his nephew Friedrich Wilhelm to remarry just three months after the divorce.

Exile and Return

Elisabeth Christine was exiled to Stettin Castle as a state criminal, accompanied only by a few companions. Over time, King Friedrich began to show more concern for his niece, and after his death in 1786, she gained even more personal freedom. In 1774, she took up residence in the former administrative building in Police. In 1810, Stettin was occupied by the French, and "Lisbeth from Stettin" was allowed to build a modest summer palace called Friedrichsgnade ("Grace of Friedrich"). She never saw her brothers and sisters again, but Friedrich Wilhelm IV was her only guest.

Legacy and Death

Elisabeth Christine passed away in 1840 at the age of 93. She was beloved by the townspeople, and the news of her death was accompanied by tolling bells throughout the city. She did not wish to be buried among the "old people in Braunschweig" and ordered the construction of her own mausoleum in her beloved park. When the park became privately owned, her remains were reburied in the palace church in Stettin on the night of July 19, 1849. Some sources indicate that there was another reburial later at the Wawel Cathedral in Krakow.

Elisabeth Christine had one daughter, Friederike, with Friedrich Wilhelm II, who was raised alternately by her paternal grandmother, Luise Amalie von Braunschweig-Wolfenbüttel, and her father's second wife, Friederike of Hesse-Darmstadt. In 1791, Friederike married the Duke of York.