Whenever I visit a castle or a palace or a stately home, the bedrooms always stick out to me. They are often the height of luxury (sometimes quite literally) but can also feel quite stark. The idea of a bedroom being a public space is quite foreign to us, but in the past, it was not irregular. (At least not for the nobility…) When you visit the Georgian half of Hampton Court Palace, public vs private is on display everywhere. And Queen Caroline’s state bed at Hampton Court is a stunning but stark example.
Who Was Queen Caroline of Ansbach?
Caroline of Brandenburg-Ansbach was the wife of King George II. She was an incredibly popular consort and was widely mourned upon her death. Caroline was intelligent and compassionate, and quite patient. Though George and Caroline were considered to have had a very happy and successful marriage (with the standard largely being children- they had seven children survive to adulthood), he had several mistresses. And unfortunately, many served in her own bedchamber. (That seems to be a recurring theme in royal history…) And we get a peek into her life with her state bed…
Queen Caroline’s State Bed
When you walk into the chamber, you can’t look anywhere but at the bed. It was made for George and Caroline in 1715, and displays several different trends of the time. According to Historic Royal Palaces, “The design is known as Marotesque style, named after Daniel Marot (16631752) which incorporates Baroque elements such as a broken cornice and elaborate ‘cups’.” And the bright red damask fabric is so striking.
However, it looks like it might be the most uncomfortable bed known to man. I sincerely hope that there was the eighteenth century version of a pillow-top mattress to make it slightly more comfortable. Once you see a state bed, you understand why they aren’t used for anything more ceremony.
What do you think of Queen Caroline’s state bed?
Cheers,
The Historian
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