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Wilhelmine of Prussia, Queen of the Netherlands

Potsdam, 18 Nov 1774 – The Hague, 12 Oct 1837

10 facts3 sources

Facts and their sources

  • Born18 Nov 1774, Potsdamnot verified1 source
  • TitleConsort of the Netherlands, 1815–1837or queen consort, 1815–1837not verified1 source
  • Titlequeen consort, 1815–1837or Consort of the Netherlands, 1815–1837not verified1 source
  • Died12 Oct 1837, The Haguenot verified1 source
  • FatherFriedrich Wilhelm II of Prussianot verified1 source
  • MotherFrederika Louisa of Hesse-Darmstadtnot verified1 source

A life in time

  1. 18 Nov 1774

    Born in Potsdam

  2. 1792–1810

    5 children are born

  3. 1815–1837

    Consort of the Netherlands

  4. 1815–1837

    Queen consort

  5. 12 Oct 1837

    Dies in The Hague, aged 62

Family

See the tree

Parents

Partner

Children · 5

During her lifetime

She lived through 7 decades. Pick one to hear and see what it was like around Potsdam.

General history, not a record about the family: each item says where it comes from.

The 1770s · Wilhelmine is born in Potsdam

In the news1770–1771

Migration during the 1770-71 famine

During the great famines of 1770–71, peasants from other parts of Germany migrated to Prussia where food supplies were more accessible.

Getting around

Dangers and Hardships of 18th-Century Travel

Travel was often physically demanding and dangerous, with carriages that were frequently uncomfortably sprung or unsprung, causing travelers to suffer from motion sickness or injury. Due to the poor state of roads and the threat of highwaymen, travelers often carried weapons or avoided unnecessary trips, with some prominent figures never leaving their home region.

In Europe1772–1795

Poland is partitioned

Russia, Prussia and Austria divided Poland among themselves in three steps until, in 1795, it vanished from the map for 123 years.

Daily life

Cooking on open hearths without ovens

Ordinary people typically relied on open fires or basic hearths without ovens for cooking, as these were common in the region before the introduction of modern stoves around 1800. Daily meals were seasonal and often consisted of dairy products, grain-based dishes, and limited meat, with lard being used extensively.

What people wore

Practical Work Clothes for Women

Working women wore practical, loose-fitting clothing like an apron, headscarf, and cap, with shorter skirts and wide sleeves to allow free arm movement while handling water, fire, or animals.

Music

Festival courtship and entertainment

During town fairs, young men purchased sweets and confections for their sweethearts, with the lover placing the first piece into the girl's mouth. Young people also frequented local inns to enjoy dancing, singing, and string music.

At the table

Coffee and cheap surrogates were daily staples

By the late 18th century, coffee became a common daily necessity for ordinary people, often mixed with cheap surrogates like chicory or roasted rye and barley to stretch the expensive beans.