Henrietta of England
Henrietta of England (16 June 1644 (26 June n.s.) – 30 June 1670) was born a Princess of England and Scotland as the youngest daughter of King Charles I of England and his consort Henrietta Maria of France. Fleeing England with her governess aged three, she moved to the court of her first cousin Louis XIV of France. She was known as Minette.[1] She married Philippe of France, Monsieur, brother of King Louis XIV, and became known as Madame at court.[2] Very popular with the court, Henriette was known for her flirtatious nature which was the cause of various arguments between husband and wife.[3] Louise de La Vallière and Madame de Montespan were part of her household prior to being Louis XIV's mistresses.[4] Henriette was instrumental to the completion of the Secret Treaty of Dover prior to her unexpected death in June 1670. The reason for her death has never been conclusively determined; while some argue that it was by poison administered by her husband's lover the Chevalier de Lorraine, historians have also argued that she was felled by a perforated peptic ulcer.[5] The Jacobite claims to the throne following the death of Henry Benedict Stuart descend from her through her daughter Anne Marie, Queen of Sardinia.
| Henrietta of England | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duchess of Orléans | |||||
 Henrietta as Minerva holding a painting of her husband by Antoine Mathieu. | |||||
| Born | 16 June 1644 Bedford House, Exeter, England | ||||
| Died | 30 June 1670 (aged 26) Château de Saint Cloud, France | ||||
| Burial | 4 July 1670 Royal Basilica of Saint Denis, France | ||||
| Spouse | Philippe of France, Duke of Orléans | ||||
| Issue Detail | Marie Louise, Queen of Spain Anne Marie, Queen of Sardinia | ||||
| |||||
| House | House of Stuart | ||||
| Father | Charles I of England | ||||
| Mother | Henrietta Maria of France | ||||
| Religion | Church of England Roman Catholic | ||||
Issue
- Marie Louise d'Orléans (26 March 1662 – 12 February 1689) married Charles II of Spain, no issue.
- Philippe Charles d'Orléans, Duke of Valois (16 July 1664 – 8 December 1666).
- Stillborn daughter (9 July 1665).
- Anne Marie d'Orléans (27 August 1669 – 26 August 1728) married Victor Amadeus II, Duke of Savoy (future king of Sardinia) and had issue.
Titles and styles
- 16 June 1644 – 31 March 1661: Her Royal Highness Princess Henrietta of England
- 31 March 1661 – 30 June 1670: Her Royal Highness Madame, Duchess of Orléans (Granddaughter of France)
Henrietta Of England Media
Portrait of Henrietta holding a dog, possibly painted in 1665.
A posthumous painting by Peter Lely of Henrietta commissioned by her brother Charles II and presented to Exeter Guildhall, in which it still hangs, in recognition of her birth in the city
Henrietta's arms as Duchess of Orléans with the coronet of a daughter of France
References
Bibliography
- Barker, Nancy Nichols: Brother to the Sun King; Philippe, Duke of Orléans, Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore/London, 1989