Sir Richard Croft, 6th Baronet (9 January 1762 – 13 February 1818[2]) was an English physician to the British Royal Family and was the obstetrician to Princess Charlotte who became famous due to his role in "the triple obstetrical tragedy" of 1817.

[3] Croft began his medical training under Dr Rupert Chawner, an apothecary/surgeon residing at Burton-upon-Trent.

Croft was also trained by his father-in-law, Dr Thomas Denman, a preeminent obstetrician in London at the turn of the nineteenth century, whose textbook on childbirth had been first published in 1788.

At the beginning of the second stage of labour, Croft sent for Dr. John Sims, who arrived seven hours later.

He had correctly diagnosed a transverse lie of the baby during labour; however, forceps were not used as they had fallen into disfavour in the British medical community.

[7][8][9] Near his body a copy of Shakespeare's Love's Labour's Lost was found open with the passage (Act V, Scene II): "Fair Sir, God save you!

[11] Charlotte's pregnancy is known in medical history as "the triple obstetrical tragedy", due to the loss of the baby, the mother and the obstetrician.