Charlotte is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. Nicknamed the Queen City, Charlotte and the county containing it are named in honor of the German Princess Charlotte of Mecklenburg, who had become queen consort of British King George III the year before the city's founding. Charlotte has become a major U.S. financial center and is now the second largest banking center in the United States (after New York). The nation's largest financial institution by assets, Bank of America, calls the city home. Charlotte is also a major center in the US motorsports industry, with NASCAR having multiple offices in and around Charlotte.