Johanna Clara Louise Lehzen was born in the Kingdom of Hanover on 3 October 1784, the youngest of ten children born to the Lutheran pastor Joachim Friedrich Lehzen and his wife Melusine Palm.
Forced by circumstances to work for her living since she was young, Lehzen was employed by an aristocratic German family von Marenholtz.
She served as governess to the family's three daughters, and earned positive references.

Based on these references, Lehzen became part of the household of Princess Victoria, Duchess of Kent in December 1819.
In that role, she held the position of governess to twelve-year-old Princess Feodora of Leiningen, the daughter of the princess from her first marriage.
In her second marriage, Princess Victoria had married Prince Edward Augustus, Duke of Kent and Strathearn, who was, at the time, fourth in line for the British throne.
Lehzen and the entire household were moved to England in 1817 so that the new Duchess of Kent's child might be born there, strengthening the child's claim to the throne.
The baby was a girl, christened Alexandrina Victoria after her mother and her godfather, Alexander I of Russia; she would grow up to be Queen Victoria.
Johanna Clara Louise Lehzen was born in the Kingdom of Hanover on 3 October 1784, the youngest of ten children born to the Lutheran pastor Joachim Friedrich Lehzen and his wife Melusine Palm. Forced by circumstances to work for her living since she was young, Lehzen was employed by an aristocratic German family von Marenholtz. She served as governess to the family's three daughters, and earned positive references.
Based on these references, Lehzen became part of the household of Princess Victoria, Duchess of Kent in December 1819. In that role, she held the position of governess to twelve-year-old Princess Feodora of Leiningen, the daughter of the princess from her first marriage. In her second marriage, Princess Victoria had married Prince Edward Augustus, Duke of Kent and Strathearn, who was, at the time, fourth in line for the British throne. Lehzen and the entire household were moved to England in 1817 so that the new Duchess of Kent's child might be born there, strengthening the child's claim to the throne. The baby was a girl, christened Alexandrina Victoria after her mother and her godfather, Alexander I of Russia; she would grow up to be Queen Victoria.
Louise Lehzen