The Royal Danish CollectionRosenborgLouise Augusta

Louise Augusta

Princess Louise Augusta was married to Frederik Christian of Augustenborg in 1786. She was the mother of Caroline Mathilde, the Queen of Christian VIII.

Louise Augusta was officially the daughter of Christian VII and Queen Caroline Mathilde, but it is almost certain that the King’s physician, J.F. Struensee, was her real father. She was separated from her biological parents soon after the disclosure of their relationship. Caroline Mathilde was expelled and Struensee was executed the year after the birth of Louise Augusta.

After her political marriage to Duke Frederik Christian of Augustenborg, the couple lived for a long period at Christiansborg Palace, where Louise Augusta was often the centre of Court life. Through her whole life she had a close relationship with her brother, Frederik VI, whom she supported, also after he and her husband came into political disagreement.

 

Relations

J.F. Struensee, 1824

Portrait of Count J.F. Struensee. Copy by Hans Hansen, 1824, of original by Jens Juel.

Caroline Mathilde, 1771

Caroline Mathilde. Copy of original by Jens Juel from 1771.

Louise Augusta, 1771

Portrait of Princess Louise Augusta as a child. Pastel by H.P. Sturz, 1771.

16 Frederik VI's Room

Like Frederik V's Cabinet and Christian VII's Room, this narrow room is one of the interiors designed by Johannes Wiedewelt in 1782-1784.

15 Christian VII's Room

This room, together with Frederik V's Cabinet and Frederik VI's Room, was designed in 1782 1784 for the Royal Coin Cabinet after drawings by Johannes Wiedewelt.

Johann Friedrich Struensee

J.F. Struensee was born in Germany. He was educated in Halle and worked after that as a physician in Altona. In 1768, Struensee became physician to the mentally ill Christian VII, and after having travelled with the King, he moved to Copenhagen.

Caroline Mathilde

Caroline Mathilde became the Queen of Denmark in 1766, when she married Christian VII. She was a sister of King George III of Great Britain. Caroline Mathilde was the mother of Frederik VI and Princess Louise Augusta.

Portrait of Caroline Mathilde, ca. 1767

This portrait of Caroline Mathilde is from around 1767, and is therefore one of the earliest portraits we have of her. The picture depicts the young queen about a year after she married the Danish king, Christian VII. It therefore portrays her before she began her famous affair with the king’s personal physician JF Struensee. The painting is attributed to the Danish artist Peder Als (1727-1776) who was one of the artists who paved the way for neoclassicism in Danish portraiture. He also painted other royal portraits, not just of Caroline Mathilde, but of the king and the crown prince. The queen is portrayed here with her hair powdered white, and adorned with lace which falls over her right shoulder. She wears an aqua blue dress adorned with lace along the neckline, and bows on the chest and arms. She has adorned her ears and neck with white stones in the form of earrings and an aqua blue necklace. On the left of the queen is a bouquet of white flowers with a light blue bow.