She was the fourth child of eight born to King Frederick William II of Prussia and Queen Frederica Louisa.

The marriage was arranged as a part of an alliance between the House of Orange and Prussia, but it was also, in fact, a love match and became a happy one.

In Berlin, the couple lived with her birth family in royal state in the "Niederländischen Palais" ('Dutch Palace').

[1] In 1806, Wilhelmine was again forced to flee from the French army, and settled under difficult economic circumstances in Poland.

[1] She was a student of Friedrich Bury, financed an Italian study trip for Bonaventura Genelli, and supported the renovation of the royal museum.