with Louise's mother for a marriage between Louise and Charles. Part of this desire for Charles to marry stemmed from King Louis XV of France who recognised the succession of the House of Hanover, he also hoped that the legitimate Stuart line would not die out and would be an ongoing threat to the Hanoverians. The negotiations were delicate, since Louise's family had little money of their own and relied totally on the goodwill of the Empress Maria Theresa, who provided financial care for the family. On 28 March 1772, Louise was married by proxy to Charles Edward in Paris. The couple met for the first time on 14 April 1772, when they renewed their marriage vows in person in the town of Macerata, Italy. Louise was henceforward recognised by Jacobites as Queen of England, Scotland, France and Ireland. The marriage was reported to have been consummated. Shortly afterwards, the couple travelled to Rome as a party in four State coaches, arriving at the Palazzo Muti on 22 April 1772. The Muti would be her home until she separated from her husband a few years later. On 25 April, Charles presented Louise with wedding gifts for his new bride, said to compose of 40,000 crowns and a gold box, set with diamonds. Charles and Louise spent the first two years of their married life in Rome. While they were not formally received by the Vatican as "King and Queen of England", they were popular in Roman society. They regularly attended operas, concerts and receptions together. On account of her beauty, popular society gave her the nickname the "Queen of Hearts". In spite of the difference in their ages (he was 52, while she was 20), the couple were at first happy together, but there were several shadows on the relationship. There was no sign of Louise conceiving a child and Charles began drinking heavily. Charles had been encouraged in the belief that, if he married, the pope would recognise him as King of England and Scotland, and France might provide funds for another Jacobite rising. Louise had virtually been promised that she would be treated as a queen. Instead, Charles found his hopes both of a son and of diplomatic recognition disappointed, while Louise found herself married to an old prince with no prospects. Charles and Louise left Rome in August 1774. They briefly resided at a villa between Parma