Hedvig Sofia von Rosen, née Stenbock (23 June 1734 – 26 December 1809) was a Swedish countess and courtier. She was the ''

överhovmästarinna Court Mistress ( da, hofmesterinde; nl, hofmeesteres; german: Hofmeisterin; no, hoffmesterinne; sv, hovmästarinna) or Chief Court Mistress ( da, Overhofmesterinde; ('grand mistress'); ; no, overhoffmesterinne; sv, överhovmästarinna; russia ...

'' (royal governess) of the future Gustav IV Adolf of Sweden in 1778–1781, and for his brother Prince Carl Gustav, Duke of Småland in 1782–1783.

Life

Hedvig Sofia von Rosen was the daughter of count Fredrik Magnus Stenbock, ''

lantråd Lantråd is the title of the Head of Government of the Åland, Åland Islands in Finland. The person holding the office leads its regional government. The current Lantråd is Veronica Thörnroos. __NOTOC__ List List of Premiers of the Åland Isl ...

'' of Estonia, and Ebba Margareta De la Gardie, and married count Fredrik Ulrik von Rosen in 1756, with whom she had five children. She was appointed ''

statsfru A lady-in-waiting or court lady is a female personal assistant at a court, attending on a royal woman or a high-ranking noblewoman. Historically, in Europe, a lady-in-waiting was often a noblewoman but of lower rank than the woman to whom sh ...

'' to the queen,

Sophia Magdalena of Denmark Sophia Magdalena of Denmark ( da, Sophie Magdalene; sv, Sofia Magdalena; 3 July 1746 – 21 August 1813) was Crown Princess of Sweden by her marriage to Gustav III. She was liked by many in the Caps party, believing she was a symbol of virtue a ...

Hedvig Elisabeth Charlotte of Holstein-Gottorp Hedwig Elisabeth Charlotte of Holstein-Gottorp ( sv, Hedvig Elisabet Charlotta; 22 March 1759 – 20 June 1818) was Queen of Sweden and Norway as the consort of King Charles XIII and II. She was also a famed diarist, memoirist and wit. She is ...

describe her in her famous journal as well educated and sensible. At the birth of the crown prince in 1778, she was appointed head royal governess, with the title ''överhovmästarinna'', and the responsibility of the upbringing and the court of the royal child, consisting of two deputies (Brita Ebba Celestina von Stauden and

Maria Aurora Uggla Maria Aurora Uggla, married name Ehrengranat (1747–1826), was a Swedish lady in waiting and noble. She was the lady in waiting and confidant of the Swedish Queen, Sophia Magdalena of Denmark, and later the head of the court of Crown Prince Gustav ...

), two maids of honour (one her daughter Ebba Ulrika Beata von Rosen) and two ''

kammarfru A Chamber Woman (Danish: ''Kammerfrue''; German: ''Kammerfrau''; Swedish: ''Kammarfru'') was a court office in several European courts. The Chamber Woman was in charge of the wardrobe, cosmetics and other matters concerning the domestic managemen ...

''. During the trip of the king to the continent in 1780–1781, von Rosen was given a complete

power of attorney A power of attorney (POA) or letter of attorney is a written authorization to represent or act on another's behalf in private affairs (which may be financial or regarding health and welfare), business, or some other legal matter. The person auth ...

by the monarch to make any decisions as she saw fit regarding the crown prince during his absence. When the king fell ill abroad and there were fears that he would die, which would mean a minor regency for the crown prince, von Rosen took the crown prince from

Ulriksdal Palace Ulriksdal Palace ( sv, Ulriksdals slott) is a royal palace situated on the banks of the Edsviken in the Royal National City Park in Solna Municipality, 6 km north of Stockholm. It was originally called ''Jakobsdal'' for its owner Jacob De ...

to Stockholm on her own initiative. According to rumor, she had been advised to do so by the Governor of Stockholm, Sparre, to avoid the queen dowager, Louisa Ulrika of Prussia, from taking custody of the crown prince and thereby the regency in the event of the king's death. There were real fears of a coup by the queen dowager at this point, and

Adolf Fredrik Munck Adolf Fredrik, Count Munck (Mikkeli, Finland, 28 April 1749 – Massa, Italy, 18 July 1831), was a Swedish and Finnish noble during the Gustavian era. His family name is sometimes inaccurately given as "Munck af Fulkila" because his father usurp ...

reportedly also prepared to escape abroad in the event of Louisa Ulrika taking over the regency of the crown prince in the event of the king's death. The feared coup was avoided as the king soon recovered. Hedvig Elisabeth Charlotte commented in her journal, that it was an extraordinary measure of von Rosen to move her royal charge at that point, but that she had the legal right to do so by the power of attorney from the king and that it would not have been necessary for her to be advised to do so by Sparre. In 1781, the crown prince was upon the decision of his father the king declared free from the upbringing of women and turned over to male tutors, thereby dissolving his court of ladies-in-waiting (male members of the royal family had female courtiers only as children), despite the protests of the queen, who had preferred if the crown prince had been treated as a child a couple of years more. The year after, von Rosen filled the same office again upon the birth of the next prince, Prince Carl Gustav, Duke of Småland, but he died the following year.

References

* Gerd Ribbing (1958). Gustav III:s hustru. Sofia Magdalena. Stockholm: Alb. Bonniers Boktryckeri. ISBN * Gerd Ribbing (1959). Ensam drottning. Sofia Magdalena 1783-1813. Stockholm: Alb. Bonniers Boktryckeri. ISBN * Carl Carlson Bonde (1902). Hedvig Elisabeth Charlottas dagbok I (1775–1782). Stockholm: Norstedt & Söners förlag. Libris 8207712 sid 255 {{DEFAULTSORT:Rosen, Hedvig Sofia von 1734 births 1809 deaths Swedish ladies-in-waiting Swedish countesses Gustavian era people Governesses to the Swedish monarchy Court of Gustav III