In 1801, the princess was sent for a seaside cure at Weymouth to improve her health.
[9] Among those staying with her was
the Hon. Charles FitzRoy, an
equerry 21 years older than she, and the son of
Charles FitzRoy, 1st Baron Southampton.
[20][21] Amelia fell in love with the equerry, desiring to marry him.
[9] The Queen was told of the affair by a servant but turned a blind eye. It was hoped that such discretion would prevent the King from discovering the liaison, which may have risked sending him into one of the bouts of mental illness to which he was becoming increasingly prone. Though she never gave up hope of marrying him,
[9] Amelia knew she could not legally marry FitzRoy due to the provisions of the
Royal Marriages Act passed by her father's Parliament (at least until she reached the age of 25, after which she could receive permission by the assent of the
Privy Council).[
[UWSL]citation needed[/UWSL]] She would later tell her brother
Frederick that she considered herself to be married, taking the initials A. F. R. (Amelia FitzRoy).
[9]
In 1808, Amelia had a severe attack of
measles and the depressing atmosphere at home with her mother in Windsor made her even more miserable. The anxious King George decided to send Amelia to Weymouth, accompanied by her sister Mary. Her health was improved only a little, but she found comfort in quietly resting. In 1809, she could occasionally take short walks in the garden. This improvement was temporary, and in August 1810 her sufferings grew sharper, while in October of that year she was seized with St. Anthony's fire (
erysipelas), which cut off all hope and confined her to her bed on the 25th. The king summoned his daughter's physicians to him at seven o'clock every morning and three or four other times during the day, questioning them minutely as to her condition. She lingered a few days more, waited upon to the last by her favourite and devoted sister, Mary.
[22] Her death occurred at 12:00pm on the same day as her brother
Edward's birthday, 2 November.
[23]
The dying princess had a mourning ring made for the King, composed of a lock of her hair under crystal set round with diamonds. He purportedly burst into tears upon receiving it.
[24] Otherwise, her will dictated all her possessions be given to Charles FitzRoy.
[21] Amelia was buried in the royal vault in
St George's Chapel,
Windsor.
[24][25] Her eldest brother, later
George IV, is reputed to have requested her
death mask.
