[1] Born into an ancient House of Mecklenburg, he was the third son of Frederick, Duke of Mecklenburg-Grabow, and his wife, Landgravine Christine Wilhelmine of Hesse-Homburg.

Mecklenburg-Schwerin began its existence during a series of constitutional struggles between the duke and the nobles.

The heavy debt incurred by Charles Leopold, who had joined Russian Empire in a war against Sweden, brought matters to a head; Charles VI interfered, and in 1728 the imperial court of justice declared the duke incapable of governing.

Under this prince, who became ruler de jure in 1747, the Convention of Rostock, by which a new constitution was framed for the duchy, was signed in April 1755.

His household employed Johann Gottfried Müthel as an organist and cembalist, and Konrad Ekhof as a comedian.