Charlotta Sparre

She was introduced at court at the age of twelve, where she was appointed hovfröken (maid-of-honor) to queen Ulrika Eleonora of Sweden.

[1] Her beauty made her famous at the royal French court at Versailles, where she was known as “la charmante rose” when she stayed in France from 1739 to 1742 with her relative Ulla Sparre, the wife of Count Carl Gustaf Tessin.

[3] She served as överhovmästarinna to the next Swedish Crown Princess and Queen, Sophia Magdalena of Denmark, consort of Gustav III of Sweden, from 1767 until 1795: first as sub-mistress under Anna Maria Hjärne and Ulrika Strömfelt and formally as head mistress of the robes from 1780; Hjärne and Strömfelt only officiated during larger ceremonies, while Sparre was in service during everyday life.

During the summers of 1767 and 1768, she tried to reconcile the Crown Prince couple to consummate their marriage at Ekolsund Castle, which first seemed successful, but eventually failed.

However, Sparre's health and increasing weight caused her to spend more and more time in retirement in her rooms, and her appointment as courtier had become a mere formality when she eventually lost the position in 1795, which made her daughters leave court in solidarity with her.