The death of Princess Charlotte, daughter of the future George IV, in 1817 due to complications following the birth of a stillborn son, was a personal tragedy for the family but it didn't end there.
The knock on impact of Charlotte's death was far reaching, the family's grief was echoed across the country but beyond that, there was now a succession crisis worse than any in English history.
There was not one surviving, legitimate, grandchild of George III. The loss of Charlotte and her baby wiped out two generations of legitimate heirs. It was the 'race for a new heir' which led to the birth of Victoria, later Queen Victoria.
