It is believed that the fashion for miniature portraits which were sometimes worn as necklaces or bracelets or more formally displayed in the home, can be attributed to Queen Charlotte (1744-1818). She married King George III in 1761 only six hours after arriving on British shores on the 8th September 1761. King George III commissioned a miniature portrait to give to his queen as a wedding gift.
"Portrait miniatures were being produced all over Europe, but nothing paralleled the popularity it found in Britain, especially between around 1769 to 1830. In short, it was a favoured Regency form of expression and decoration." (janeausten.co.uk).
Many places around the world have been named after Queen Charlotte: Charlottetown (Prince Edward Island, Canada), Queen Charlotte Bay (West Falkland), Queen Charlotte Sound (South Island, New Zealand), Charlottesville (Virginia, USA), Charlotte (North Carolina, USA) and Mecklenburg County, (Virginia, USA). For more information, see royal.uk.
