The youngest child of Charles I and Henrietta Maria was born during the Civil Wars, in 1644, and baptized as Henrietta. History, however, knows her as Henriette Anne, or by her eldest brother’s fond nickname, Minette. . .

. . .The infant princess remained in Exeter as her father’s fortunes declined. The first year of her life was tranquil and in August 1645 Prince Charles spent a month in the city, during which time he visited his sister. She would only just have been learning to walk and talk, though in speech, as would later become apparent, she seems to have been somewhat advanced for her age. The Stuarts had a strong sense of family and Charles was always fond of his siblings. Henrietta would become his special favourite. . .

. . .The prince did not want to leave without saying farewell to the little sister he had got to know and love over the past eighteen months. Princess Henriette Anne  was then a thin ten-year-old, pretty in a frail way and