Hedwig Elisabeth Charlotte of Holstein-Gottorp (Swedish: Hedvig Elisabet Charlotta; 22 March 1759 – 20 June 1818) was the queen consort of Charles XIII of Sweden and II of Norway.

She made a personal success with her cheerful temperament and became a center of the royal court, where she was for some time informally called "Little Duchess" and was noticed for her beauty and vividness, wittiness and ease with words.

In contrast to the shy Queen, Sophia Magdalena of Denmark, "Duchess Lotta" was lively, witty, and flirtatious, and was in many ways the female center of the court.

It would be a good thing, if she introduced that custom, as our by nature somewhat melancholic nation could need some cheering up"[1] She participated in the amateur theatre which were an important part at the royal court at the reign of Gustav III, both as an actress and as a dancer.

[2] After being subjected to criticism that she and Princess Sophia Albertina distracted the King from the affairs of state by pursuit of pleasure, she retired from the stage in 1783.

Her intimate friendship with Countess Sophie von Fersen inspired rumors of bisexuality which, true or not, were repeated throughout her time as royal Duchess, by both Francisco de Miranda in 1786 and later by Frederica of Baden.

From 1783, she had a long term relationship with Count Carl Piper, whom she herself referred to as her lover in her secret correspondence to Sophie von Fersen.

She was indifferent to the affairs of her spouse as they gave her the opportunity to live more freely herself, and she expressed her frustration when her husband's lack of lovers made him more focused toward her, which exposed her to his suspicions and accusations: "As long as he had his mistresses, things were better, but since the last one was exiled because she allowed herself to be insolent towards the King, and he has not provided himself with a new one, his temperament has grown worse, and I have daily been subjected to outbursts because of this, which has occurred even in front of the staff.

Gustav III studied certain letters after his late mother in the company of others, as they contained information regarding the alleged love affair between his mother, Queen Louisa Ulrika, and Count Carl Gustaf Tessin, and the complaints from Adolf Frederick, King of Sweden over the attention Tessin gave his consort:"It is undoubtedly so, that these papers can give reason for reflection; it does lead me to consider how easily a poor woman is judged and how unfortunate it is to have a heart filled with emotion, for a tender nature is a misfortune as well as a blessing, and no human can resist the power of love, even though friendship must at times be the comfort for the wise one, yes, nothing is more true than the inscription who were once placed upon the image of God of Love: 'Eho you are, her is your true master, he has been, he is and always will be.'

"[10]In 1782, she participated as a mediator in the reconciliation between Gustav III and his mother at her deathbed, after they had been in conflict since 1778, when the Queen Dowager supported the rumour that the Crown Prince was illegitimate and the son of Count Adolf Fredrik Munck af Fulkila.

Sweden's ally France was displeased about the war, and Gustav III gave her the task to act as the go-between in his negotiations with the French ambassador.

Adolf Fredrik Munck later blackened her in the eyes of the King by claiming that France was informed about the Swedish war plans through her friendship with Camille du Bois de la Motte.

The female members of the nobility, led by Jeanna von Lantingshausen, issued a political demonstration in a social boycott of the monarch by refusing to participate in his court life while continuing to visit Hedvig Elisabeth Charlotte and her sister-in-law Sophie Albertine, who were known to be in opposition to the Security Act, and who demonstrated themselves by refusing to participate in representation.

[15] This was effective, because the Queen, Sophia Magdalena, was reclusive and Hedvig Elisabeth Charlotte and Sophie Albertine had always fulfilled most of the representation at court, and the King accused her of leading: "A guard which placed themselves above all authority.

[16] The demonstration was effectively put to a halt when the King had Jeanna von Lantingshausen banished from court and refused any contact with his sister and his sister-in-law.

[16] During the Riksdag of 1789, she supported Adolf Ludvig Stierneld as leader of the opposition, and when he was imprisoned, she asked Gustaf Mauritz Armfelt to request his release from Gustav III.

[17] The autumn of 1789, Hedvig Elisabeth Charlotte played a central role in a conspiracy to depose Gustav III and place her husband Duke Charles upon the throne.

[12] Her ideal was the Swedish Constitution of 1772, which she saw as a good tool for an enlightened aristocracy, and the war and the Union and Security Act had made her a leading part of the opposition.

[20] On 2 May 1776, at the Stockholm Palace, Hedvig Elisabeth Charlotte was initiated into the Freemasonry by the Grand Master of the Swedish Freemasons, her own consort Duke Charles.

However, Duke Charles gave Hedvig Elisabeth Charlotte access to the first three grades of the regular male Freemasonic order.

When Boheman attempted to initiate King Gustav IV Adolf in 1803, he refused, warned by Gustaf Mauritz Armfelt that the lodge was in fact a society of the Illuminati conspiring against him.

[31] Queen Hedvig Elizabeth Charlotte held a salon, the so-called "Green table" (the colour of the tablecloth), where women discussed politics while sewing.

[34] It was due to her effort that the former king was allowed to reunite with his wife and children, who had initially been placed in separate house arrest.

[36] During a dinner, General Baron Georg Adlersparre told her that Jean Baptiste Bernadotte had asked him whether her spouse (Charles XIII) had any issue, and was interested when he found that he had not.

She stated that she disliked party divisions but also absolute monarchy, and wished for the public to decide about the matters concerning them through "elected representatives".

[40] The Gustavian party asked her to accept the post of regent, exclude the newly appointed Augustenburg and adopt the former Crown Prince Gustav as heir.

[53] The Queen described Désirée Clary as good-hearted, generous and pleasant when she chose to be and not one to plot, but also as immature and a "spoiled child",[54] who hated all demands and was unable to handle any form of representation.

[61] Hedwig Elizabeth Charlotte is known for her famous diary, which is a valuable historical source that describes the Swedish Royal Court between August 1775 and October 1817.

Her diary has also been considered partially unreliable in its obvious personal bias on the part of the duchess against her brother-in-law King Gustav III.

It gives the queen as a small-minded, propriety-obsessed martinet, and blames Charlotte for her decision to leave her husband and return to Paris.