Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen

Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen was the queen consort of King William IV of the United Kingdom and Hanover from 1830 to 1837. She was the daughter of Georg I, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen and Luise Eleonore of Hohenlohe-Langenburg. She married William, then Duke of Clarence, in 1818 after he had been searching for a suitable bride for several years. The marriage was arranged by their mutual uncle, King George III, who wanted to secure the succession of his dynasty. Adelaide and William had a happy but short-lived marriage. They had two daughters who died in infancy, and Adelaide suffered several miscarriages and stillbirths. After William's accession to the throne in 1830, Adelaide became a popular and respected queen consort. She supported her husband's policies of reform and modernization, and was involved in many charitable causes, especially those related to women and children. She also helped to shape the role of the monarchy in a changing society, by avoiding political interference and lavish expenditure, and by maintaining a dignified and modest lifestyle. She was known as "the Queen of Hearts" by the public for her kindness and compassion. Adelaide died in 1849 at the age of 57, twelve years after her husband. She was buried in the Royal Vault at Windsor Castle. She had no surviving children, and was succeeded as queen consort by her niece-in-law, Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, who married her nephew, Prince Albert. Adelaide's legacy includes the city of Adelaide in South Australia, which was named after her in 1836 by her husband's cousin, Captain John Hindmarsh, the first governor of the colony. ¹