Why is Charlotte called the ‘Queen City’? What to know about its royal namesake

Charlotte is as American as it gets, but the city does have a royal nickname – the Queen City.

Charlotte’s ties to the American Revolution are numerous –The Charlotte Observer recently published a map of Charlotte area Revolutionary War sites – but the city is named for Queen Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, according to the city’s website.

Mecklenburg County, you may guess, was also named for Queen Charlotte. Or at least, after the Dukedom where she was born, according to Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.

Who was Queen Charlotte?

Queen Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz was the wife of King George III. She was unusual for her knowledge of botany, history, language and religion, according to the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library. At the time of Charlotte’s birth in 1744, it was uncommon for women to read and write.

In fiction, “Bridgerton” fans may recognize Charlotte as the haughty, meddling queen overseeing the marriage mart. Like her fictional interpretation, the real Queen Charlotte had 15 children, 13 of whom survived to adulthood.

Charlotte married George at age 17, and moved to what is now known as Buckingham Palace. She is credited with introducing the Christmas tree, a German custom, to Britain, the Charlotte Observer previously reported.

Other Queen Cities

Other cities also bear the nickname.

• Cincinnati, Ohio is the only other major Queen City, according to The Enquirer. But Cincinnati was incorporated two decades after Charlotte. Maybe Queen City II?
• Buffalo, New York became a “Queen City” in the late 1800s, but not for a tie to royalty. The New 96.1 reported the nickname stemmed from the city being the largest in the Great Lakes region.
• In the mid 1800s, Meridian, Mississippi also became known as the “Queen City,” because it served as an important railroad stop between Louisiana and Ohio, The Meridian Star reported.

Portions of this story were previously published in The Charlotte Observer.

Eva Flowe

The Charlotte Observer

Eva Flowe is a North Carolina native and a graduate of the University of South Carolina. She joined the Charlotte Observer as part of the NC service journalism team in April 2026.