(Mary Sophia) Charlotte Howe, Viscountess Howe (23 September 1703 – 13 June 1782), was a Hanover-born British

courtier A courtier () is a person who attends the royal court of a monarch or other royalty. The earliest historical examples of courtiers were part of the retinues of rulers. Historically the court was the centre of government as well as the officia ...

and politician. Born Baroness Sophia Charlotte Mary von Kielmansegg (probably in

Hanover Hanover ( ; ; ) is the capital and largest city of the States of Germany, German state of Lower Saxony. Its population of 535,932 (2021) makes it the List of cities in Germany by population, 13th-largest city in Germany as well as the fourth-l ...

), she was the eldest daughter of the Baron and Baroness von Kielmansegg (later Countess of Leinster and

Darlington Darlington is a market town in the Borough of Darlington, County Durham, England. It lies on the River Skerne, west of Middlesbrough and south of Durham. Darlington had a population of 107,800 at the 2021 Census, making it a "large town" ...

). The Baroness was a half-sister of George Louis, Elector of Hanover (the future

George I of Great Britain George I (George Louis; ; 28 May 1660 – 11 June 1727) was King of Great Britain and King of Ireland, Ireland from 1 August 1714 and ruler of the Electorate of Hanover within the Holy Roman Empire from 23 January 1698 until his death in 1727. ...

). It was popularly rumoured that the countess and her half-brother were lovers, and that her children were in fact his illegitimate offspring. When the elector became King of Great Britain in 1714, the von Kielmansegg family followed him to London. On 8 August 1719, Charlotte married Emanuel Howe, 2nd Viscount Howe. The king gave the couple £750 per annum, which was later raised to £1250. The couple had ten children, including Hon. George Augustus Howe, Hon. Richard Howe and Hon. William Howe (successively Viscounts Howe). Charlotte was naturalised as a British citizen by Act of Parliament in 1722. Lady Howe died in 1782 at her home in

Albemarle Street Albemarle Street is a street in Mayfair in central London, off Piccadilly. It has historic associations with George Gordon Byron, 6th Baron Byron, Lord Byron, whose publisher John Murray (publishing house), John Murray was based here, and Oscar ...

and was buried at Langar.

Notes

References

Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
{{DEFAULTSORT:Howe, Charlotte Howe, Viscountess Irish viscountesses Businesspeople from Hanover 1703 births 1782 deaths Ladies of the Bedchamber Nobility from Hanover Household of Augusta of Saxe-Gotha Charlotte Emigrants from the Holy Roman Empire to the Kingdom of Great Britain