Elisabeth Christine Ulrike of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel (8 November 1746 – 18 February 1840), was Crown Princess of Prussia as the first wife of Crown Prince Frederick William, her cousin and the future king Frederick William II of Prussia. Background and family Elizabeth Christine was the seventh child and third daughter of Charles I, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Princess Philippine Charlotte of Prussia. Her father was brother to the Queen of Prussia and the Queen of Denmark, while her mother was a sister of Frederick the Great. The luckless Ivan VI of Russia, who spent almost his entire life in captivity, was a first cousin. Elizabeth Christine held the rank of Duchess in Brunswick with the style of Serene Highness and the title of Princess ("Her Serene Highness Princess Elisabeth Christine"). Marriage King Frederick the Great was childless, and his heir presumptive was Crown Prince Frederick William. The king and his court were naturally anxious to see the crown prince settled into a suitable marriage. As the maternal niece of the king of Prussia and the paternal niece of the queen of Prussia, Elisabeth Christine was felt to be congenial and suitable to marry her cousin Crown Prince Frederick William and be the mother of next generation of the Prussian royal family. The wedding ceremony between Elisabeth Christine and Crown Prince Frederick William was originally planned to take place at Charlottenburg Palace's Chapel, but in the end took place on 14 July 1765, on the family country estate Schloss Salzdahlum. Elisabeth Christine was described as handsome in appearance and graceful in manner, and as a good dancer; other, more ambiguous epithets were also used: she was lively, high-spirited and impetuous in disposition, and she was engaging and outgoing in her interaction with everybody. Her beauty, intelligence and spirited manner made her a favorite of her uncle the king, who otherwise seldom took interest in women. King Frederick had hoped that the marriage would quickly produce an heir, and was delighted when Elisabeth Christine became pregnant not long after the wedding. It was a disappointment to him when Elisabeth Christine gave birth to a girl, Princess Frederica Charlotte, on 7 May 1767. Nevertheless, King Frederick II gifted his niece a breakfast service worth 40,000 thalers as a childbirth present. Count Lehndorff noted in his diary: "I'm convinced she would have preferred 3,000 thalers in cash". On her part, Elizabeth Christine showed little maternal