Lady Anne Hamilton (16 March 1766 – 10 October 1846) was a courtier and writer, and friend of the British queen Caroline of Brunswick.

Life

Lady Anne Hamilton was born in 1766. She was the daughter of Archibald Hamilton, 9th Duke of Hamilton. She became a

lady-in-waiting 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 Caroline of Brunswick, Princess of Wales and estranged wife of

the Prince Regent George IV (George Augustus Frederick; 12 August 1762 – 26 June 1830) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and King of Hanover from the death of his father, King George III, on 29 January 1820, until his own death ten y ...

, replacing Hester Lisle in 1812. She held this post until the following year, when the Princess went into voluntary exile in Italy. Lady Anne had radical sensibilities and on the Prince succeeding as George IV on 29 January 1820, repeatedly urged Caroline to return and claim her position as Queen Consort of Great Britain. She and radicals such as Henry Brougham and William Cobbett saw the Queen as a focus for the reformist Whig opposition. She crossed to France to meet Caroline at St. Omer, and with Alderman Matthew Wood, a radical former Lord Mayor of London, escorted her back to the capital. She resumed her position in Caroline's household, accompanying her to her trial for adultery in the House of Lords in August 1820, and remaining almost her sole supporter among ladies of consequence until her acquittal. When Caroline sought admittance to the Coronation in Westminster Abbey to take her rightful place beside George on 19 July 1821, Lady Anne Hamilton and Lady Hood were her two ladies-in-waiting. Being debarred and humiliated broke Caroline's spirit, and Hamilton was with her until her death on 7 August 1821 and her burial in Brunswick later that month. Lady Anne was described by Creevey, at the trial, as "full six feet high and bears a striking resemblance to one of Lord Derby's great red deer" Lady Anne Hamilton published a satirical epic poem called ''Epics of the Ton'' in 1807. The work, which was published anonymously, satirised the main figures involved in what was called "The Delicate Investigation" of the morality and suspected adultery of Caroline of Brunswick. Hamilton referred to the main characters by their initials. Lady Anne Hamilton Matthew Wood and Caroline of Brunswick

Lady Anne Hamilton Matthew Wood and Caroline of Brunswick

In 1805 and in 1815 she was painted by James Lonsdale and these portraits were exhibited at the

Royal Academy The Royal Academy of Arts (RA) is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly in London. Founded in 1768, it has a unique position as an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects. Its pur ...

.Lady Anne Hamilton
James Lonsdale, Victoria and Albert Museum, retrieved 29 December 2014 Lady Anne was also included in a number of satirical prints by

Theodore Lane Theodore Lane (1800–1828) was an English painter and engraver. Life Lane was the son of a poor drawing-master from Worcester. At 14 he was apprenticed in London to John Barrow of Weston Place, St. Pancras, an artist and colourer of prints. L ...

in 1820 and 1821. In 1832 a book was published which claimed to reveal facts about the royal household. It was titled ''Secret History of the Court of England from the accession of George the Third until the Death of George the Fourth'' and was attributed to "Lady Anne Hamilton". This book was written by a woman who had gained Hamilton's confidence and is referred to as "S.W." in correspondence. A strong suspect for this role is

Olivia Serres Olivia Serres (3 April 1772 – 21 November 1834), known as Olive, was a British painter and writer, born at Warwick. She is also known as an English impostor, who claimed the title of Princess Olive of Cumberland. Origins and early career Ol ...

(born Wilmot). The resulting scandal meant that the publisher had to flee to avoid prosecution and Hamilton had to spend some time in France. However a subsequent biographer of Queen Caroline attributes the record of her demeanour and words as she lay dying directly to Hamilton as author of this work. Hamilton died in White Lion Street,

Islington Islington () is a district in the north of Greater London, England, and part of the London Borough of Islington. It is a mainly residential district of Inner London, extending from Islington's High Street to Highbury Fields, encompassing the ar ...

, in 1846. She was buried in Kensal Green Cemetery.

Works

Hamilton was said to have been the author of two publications. However one of these was a forgery.Lady Anne Hamilton
LibraryThing, retrieved 29 December 2014

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hamilton, Anne 1766 births 1846 deaths 18th-century British women 19th-century British women British ladies-in-waiting British satirists Burials at Kensal Green Cemetery Daughters of British dukes Anne Women satirists Court of George III of the United Kingdom