Frederica Henriette was born in Bernburg, Anhalt-Bernburg, Holy Roman Empire as the fourth daughter and the youngest child of Charles Frederick, Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg (1668-1721) by his first wife Sophie Albertine of Solms-Sonnenwalde (1672-1708).

In Bernburg on 11 December 1721 she married Leopold, Prince of Anhalt-Köthen and they had one daughter: Prince Leopold is famous for being the patron of the composer Johann Sebastian Bach.

Moreover, Leopold had to contribute more and more to the Prussian military, leaving him with less money for music.

[2][3] Bach blamed Frederica Henriette's lack of interest in music for his having to leave Köthen, although she was dead by the time he took up his post in Leipzig.

Frederica Henrietta suffered from "pulmonary weakness", and died in April 1723 aged 21 and was buried in St. Jakob, Köthen.