Five Children of Charles I

 

Painted by Van Dyck in 1637, the group portrait shows from left to right Princess Mary (1631-60; future wife of Prince William II of Orange and mother of William III, who succeeded James II after the Glorious Revolution); Prince James (1633-1701; future James II, here still in his skirts as was the custom for very young boys); Prince Charles (1630-85; future Charles II); Princess Elizabeth (1635-50), and Princess Anne (1637-40). King Charles and Henrietta Maria had nine children in all, two of whom died at or just after birth. Their two other surviving children were Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester (1640-60), and Henrietta (1644-70; future wife of Philippe d’Orleans, brother of King Louis XIV; favourite sister of Charles II, who nicknamed her affectionately ‘Minette’).