Happy Thanksgiving!

Wishing all our American friends a very Happy Thanksgiving! We will be taking Thanksgiving Day off to spend with family and friends so there will not be a Royal News Recap posted on Thursday, November 28, 2024. We hope all of you, whether celebrating Thanksgiving or not, have a wonderful day.  We’re thankful you are all part of our Unofficial Royalty family!

Royal News Recap for Wednesday, November 27, 2024

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Royal News Recaps are published Mondays-Fridays and on Sundays, except for Thanksgiving in the United States, Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. The Royal News Recap for Sundays will be a weekend recap. If there is any breaking or major news, we will add an update as necessary.

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Unofficial Royalty

Netherlands

Norway

Spain

Sweden

United Kingdom

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Disclaimer:Please be advised that any media article titles or content that appear in the Royal News which identify members of royal families with their maiden names, nicknames, incorrect style or title, etc., come directly from the media source and not from Unofficial Royalty. We encourage you to contact the media sources to express your concern about their use of the incorrect name, style, title, etc. Contact information can usually be found at the bottom of each media source’s main page.

November 28: Today in Royal History

© Unofficial Royalty 2024

Lilian Baels, Princess de Réthy, second wife of King Leopold III of the Belgians; Credit – Wikipedia

November 28, 1290 – Death of Eleanor of Castile, Queen of England, first wife of King Edward I of England, at Harby, Nottinghamshire, England; buried at Westminster Abbey in London, England
In 1254, Eleanor married the future King Edward I of England. The couple had 14 children, but only six survived childhood. Edward and Eleanor had a loving marriage and were inseparable throughout their married life.  Edward is one of the few English kings of the time period to apparently be faithful to his wife.  Eleanor accompanied her husband on Crusade and other military campaigns. In the autumn of 1209, Edward was attending a session of Parliament in Nottinghamshire.  Eleanor was following him north at a leisurely pace. On her way to Lincoln, Eleanor became ill. She reached the village of Harby in Nottinghamshire but she could go no further, so she sought lodging at the house of Richard de Weston in Harby. Eleanor’s condition worsened and messengers were sent to summon Edward to her bedside.  Edward was devastated when Eleanor died.  Her remains were taken to London where Eleanor was to be interred at Westminster Abbey.  It took 12 days to reach Westminster Abbey and twelve crosses, known as Eleanor Crosses, were erected at the places where her funeral procession stopped overnight.  Charing Cross in London is perhaps the most famous, but the cross there is a reconstruction. Only three original crosses survive although they have had some reconstruction.
Unofficial Royalty: Eleanor of Castile, Queen of England

November 28, 1489 – Birth of Margaret Tudor, Queen of Scots, daughter of King Henry VII of England, at the Palace of Westminster in London, England
Margaret was the daughter of King Henry VII of England, the first Tudor monarch, and Elizabeth of York, the eldest child of King Edward IV of England. She married three times to James IV, King of Scots (had one surviving child James V, King of Scots, the father of Mary, Queen of Scots), Archibald Douglas, 6th Earl of Angus (had one child Lady Margaret Douglas, the mother of Henry Stewart, Lord Darnley who married his first cousin Mary, Queen of Scots), and Henry Stewart, 1st Lord Methven (no children). When the Tudor line died out with the death of Queen Elizabeth I of England in 1603, Margaret’s great-grandson James VI, King of Scots succeeded to the English throne as King James I. Margaret is the ancestor of many past and present European royals.
Unofficial Royalty: Margaret Tudor, Queen of Scots

November 28, 1499 – Execution of Edward Plantagenet, 17th Earl of Warwick, son of George Plantagenet, Duke of Clarence and Isabel Neville, at Tower Hill, London, England; buried at Bisham Priory in Berkshire, England which was destroyed during the Dissolution of the Monasteries during the reign of King Henry VIII
Because he was a potential claimant to the English throne during the reign of King Henry VII, the first Tudor monarch of England, Edward Plantagenet, 17th Earl of Warwick was beheaded. His only surviving sibling Margaret Pole, 8th Countess of Salisbury had the same ending during the reign of King Henry VIII. On November 28, 1499, 24-year-old Edward Plantagenet, 17th Earl of Warwick, who had spent fourteen years imprisoned in the Tower of London, was beheaded on Tower Hill.
Unofficial Royalty: Edward Plantagenet, 17th Earl of Warwick

November 28, 1660 – Birth of Maria Anna Victoria of Bavaria, Dauphine of France in Munich, Electorate of Bavaria, later the Kingdom of Bavaria, now in the German state of Bavaria
Maria Anna Victoria was the wife of Louis, Le Grand Dauphin, the son of King Louis XIV of France. Her husband never became King of France because King Louis XIV outlived both his son and his grandson and when he died in 1715, Louis XIV was succeeded by his five-year-old great-grandson King Louis XV of France. Maria Anna Victoria and Louis, Le Grand Dauphin had three sons. The births of her three sons and at least six miscarriages had caused Maria Anna Victoria’s health to deteriorate. Her third son’s birth was very difficult, and on her deathbed, Maria Anna Victoria was convinced that her last childbirth had killed her. Maria Anna Victoria, aged twenty-nine, died on April 20, 1690.
Unofficial Royalty: Maria Anna Victoria of Bavaria, Dauphine of France

November 28, 1700 – Birth of Sophia Magdalene of Brandenburg-Kulmbach, Queen of Denmark and Norway, wife of King Christian VI of Denmark and Norway, at Castle Schonberg in the Margraviate of Brandenburg-Bayreuth-Kulmbach, now in Bavaria, Germany
In 1721, Sophia Magdalene married the future King Christian VI of Denmark and Norway. The couple had three children including King Frederik V of Denmark and Norway. Most of the Danish crown jewels come from Sophia Magdalene’s collection. Sophie Magdalene’s crown and other crown jewels can be seen today at Rosenborg Castle in Copenhagen, Denmark. Sophia Magdalene survived her husband by twenty-four years. She lived for the entire reign of her son King Frederik V and was alive for the first four years of the reign of her grandson King Christian VII.
Unofficial Royalty: Sophia Magdalene of Brandenburg-Kulmbach, Queen of Denmark

November 28, 1811 – Birth of King Maximilian II of Bavaria in Munich, Kingdom of Bavaria, now in Bavaria, Germany
Maximilian studied history and constitutional law at the University of Göttingen and the Friedrich Wilhelm University of Berlin (now Humboldt University) and reportedly said that had he not been born into his position, he would have liked to be a professor. In 1842, Maximilian married Marie Friederike of Prussia. The couple had two sons, King Ludwig II of Bavaria and,
King Otto of Bavaria. Both sons suffered from mental illness that severely hampered their abilities to rule Bavaria. Maximilian came to the throne suddenly in 1848, when his father abdicated, and quickly introduced reforms to the constitution to establish a more constitutional monarchy.
Unofficial Royalty: King Maximilian II of Bavaria

November 28, 1848 – Death of Amalie of Württemberg, Duchess of Saxe-Altenburg, wife of Joseph, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg, in Altenburg, Duchy of Saxe-Altenburg, now in Thuringia, Germany; buried in the Ducal Mausoleum in the Altenburg Cemetery, in 1974, the remains of those buried in the Mausoleum were removed and reburied in the grounds of the cemetery
Following her marriage in 1817 to Joseph, the future Duke of Saxe-Altenburg, Amalie became involved with charitable causes in her new home. She founded the Industrial School for orphaned children in Hildburghausen and a Women’s Association the following year. After her father-in-law became Duke of Saxe-Altenburg in 1826, the family, which included the couple’s six daughters, moved to Schloss Altenburg, and she continued with her philanthropic work, establishing several schools and institutions in Altenburg. Amalie died at the age of 48.
Unofficial Royalty: Amalie of Württemberg, Duchess of Saxe-Altenburg

November 28, 1857 – Birth of King Alfonso XII of Spain at the Royal Palace in Madrid, Spain
Full name: Alfonso Francisco de Asís Fernando Pío Juan María de la Concepción Gregorio Pelayo
17-year-old Alfonso became King of Spain in 1874. During Alfonso XII’s reign, the monarchy was consolidated and government institutions were stabilized, repairing the damage that the recent internal struggles had left. For this Alfonso earned the nickname “The Peacemaker.” In 1878, Alfonso married his first cousin Princess Maria de las Mercedes of Orléans, and they had three children. On November 25, 1885, three days before his 28th birthday, King Alfonso XII died from tuberculosis, leaving two daughters and his queen pregnant with her third child. It was decided that Alfonso’s widow Maria Christina would rule as regent until the child was born. If the child were a male, he would become king. If the child were a female, Alfonso and Maria Christina’s elder daughter María Mercedes would become queen. On May 17, 1886, a son was born who immediately became King Alfonso XIII.
Unofficial Royalty: King Alfonso XII of Spain

November 28, 1862 – Birth of Infanta Maria Antonia of Portugal, Duchess of Parma, second wife of Roberto I, Duke of Parma, in Bronnbach, Grand Duchy of Baden, now Wertheim in the German state of Baden-Württemberg
Maria Antonia youngest of the seven children of the deposed Miguel I, King of Portugal. In 1884, she married Roberto I, titular Duke of Parma, as his second wife. Roberto’s first wife Maria Pia of Bourbon-Two Sicilies had died due to puerperal fever (childbed fever) in 1882, a week after the birth of her twelfth child, a stillborn boy. Maria Antonia and Roberto had twelve children of their own including Zita who married Karl I, the last Emperor of Austria, and Felix who married Grand Duchess Charlotte of Luxembourg.
Unofficial Royalty: Infanta Maria Antonia of Portugal, Duchess of Parma

November 28, 1899 – Death of Virginia Oldoini, Countess of Castiglione, mistress of Napoleon III, Emperor of the French, in Paris, France; buried at Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris, France
Virginia Oldoïni, Countess of Castiglione was the mistress of Emperor Napoleon III of France from 1856-1857. Virginia’s affair with the Emperor ended in 1857, and she returned to Italy. Four years later, the Kingdom of Italy was established, and Virginia maintained that her influence had, in part, contributed to the unification. By 1861, she had moved to France where she settled in Passy before returning to Paris. By then a very wealthy woman, she devoted much of her time and fortune to her newfound passion, photography. She died at the age of 62.
Unofficial Royalty: Virginia Oldoini, Countess of Castiglione, mistress of Napoleon III, Emperor of the French

November 28, 1901 – Birth of Edwina Ashley, Countess Mountbatten of Burma, wife of Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma, at Broadlands, her family’s home in Romsey, Hampshire, England
Birth name: Edwina Cynthia Annette Ashley
As the wife of the wife of Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma, Edwina was a member of the extended British Royal Family. Her grandfather was Sir Ernest Cassel, a successful financier and capitalist who had become one of the richest men in Europe. He had been a close friend and advisor of King Edward VII who had bestowed several honors on him during his reign. Upon his death, Sir Ernest left an estate valued at over £6 million (approx. £240 million today), a large portion of which went to Edwina. Edwina and her husband had two daughters, Lady Patricia Mountbatten and Lady Pamela Mountbatten who were first cousins of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.
Unofficial Royalty: Edwina Ashley, Countess Mountbatten of Burma

November 28, 1916 – Birth of Princess Lilian, Princess de Réthy, second wife of King Leopold III of the Belgians, born Mary Lilian Baels in London, United Kingdom
Full name: Mary Lilian Henriette Lucie Josephine Ghislaine
Lilian and Leopold married in a religious ceremony on September 11, 1941. This was against Belgian law requiring a civil ceremony to be held first. They had planned to wait until after the war to hold a civil ceremony, but Lilian’s pregnancy led them to hold the civil ceremony on December 6, 1941, at which point their marriage was made public. The announcement was met with mixed reactions from the Belgian people. While some sent congratulations, many others felt that the marriage sullied the memory of Leopold’s first wife, their beloved Queen Astrid who died in a car accident, and that Lilian was nothing more than a “social climber.” Despite this, the couple had a very close and happy marriage. She also had a close relationship with Leopold’s three children – Josephine-Charlotte, Baudouin, and Albert. Leopold gave Lilian the title ‘Princess de Réthy’, and it was decided that any children would not have succession rights. They would, however, be styled and titled HRH Prince/Princess of Belgium.  Lilian and Leopold had three children.
Unofficial Royalty: Princess Lilian, Princess de Réthy

November 28, 1935 – Birth of Prince Hitachi of Japan, son of Emperor Shōwa (Hirohito) of Japan and brother of Emperor Emeritus Akihito of Japan at the Tokyo Imperial Palace in Tokyo, Japan
During the American Occupation of Japan, following World War II, Prince Hitachi was tutored in English and Western culture. In 1958, he graduated from Gakushuin University Faculty of Science Department of Chemistry with a Bachelor’s degree. He then became a research student at the University of Tokyo Graduate School of Science studying cellular biology. Prince Hitachi met his future wife Hanako Tsugaru, daughter of Count Yoshitaka Tsugaru, the last representative of the Tsugaru clan, while they were both students at The Gakushuin. The couple married in 1964 but they had no children. In 1969, Prince Hitachi became a Research Associate of the Japanese Foundation for Cancer Research. The results of his work on carcinogenesis and cancer biology were recognized worldwide and were published in prestigious journals. As the son and then the brother of The Emperor, Prince Hitachi was expected to represent his country internationally and participate in charitable works. As he grew older, his responsibilities in these areas have lessened.
Unofficial Royalty: Prince Hitachi of Japan

November 28, 1952 – Death of Elena of Montenegro, Queen of Italy, wife of King Vittorio Emanuele III of Italy, at Montpellier, France; buried at Saint-Lazare Cemetery in Montpellier, France
In 1896, Elena married the future King Vittorio Emanuele III of Italy. The couple had two children including Vittorio Emanuele III’s brief successor King Umberto II of Italy and Giovanna who married Tsar Boris III of Bulgaria. Elena’s husband abdicated on May 9, 1946, hoping that a new King, his son Umberto II, would bring support for continuing the monarchy in an upcoming referendum. However, his son would only reign for several weeks before Italy became a Republic in an overwhelming vote. After the abdication, Vittorio Emanuele and Elena went into exile, settling in Alexandria, Egypt. Vittorio Emanuele died in Alexandria in 1947, and in 1950, Elena moved to Montpellier, France, to undergo treatment for cancer. She died of a pulmonary embolism at the age of 79.
Unofficial Royalty: Elena of Montenegro, Queen of Italy

November 28, 1962 – Death of Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands at Het Loo near Apeldoorn, the Netherlands; buried at Nieuwe Kerk, in Delft, the Netherlands
Queen Wilhelmina holds the record for the longest-reigning Dutch monarch, 58 years. Her reign spanned World War I, the Great Depression, and World War II. In 1901, Wilhelmina married Heinrich of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. The couple had one child, Queen Juliana who succeeded her mother. On September 4, 1948, after a reign of nearly 58 years, Queen Wilhelmina abdicated in favor of her daughter and Juliana became Queen of the Netherlands. On November 22, 1962, the Dutch government announced that while there was no reason for immediate concern, Wilhelmina’s health had taken a turn for the worse. On November 28, 1962, Wilhelmina died at the age of 82 due to heart disease. After Wilhelmina’s death, it was announced that her condition during the last weeks of her life was more serious than had been announced.
Unofficial Royalty: Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands

November 28, 1972 – Death of Sibylla of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Duchess of Västerbotten, wife of Prince Gustaf Adolf of Sweden, Duke of Västerbotten and mother of King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden, in Stockholm, Sweden; buried at the Royal Cemetery at Haga Park in Solna, Sweden
Sibylla was a great-grandchild of Queen Victoria through her father Charles Edward, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, the posthumous son of Queen Victoria’s youngest son Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany. In 1932, she married Prince Gustaf Adolf of Sweden, Duke of Västerbotten. Prince Gustaf Adolf was the eldest son of Crown Prince Gustaf Adolf of Sweden (the future King Gustaf VI Adolf of Sweden) and was therefore second in the line of succession to the Swedish throne. Sibylla and Gustaf Adolf had four daughters and one son including the current King of Sweden, Carl XVI Gustaf. Tragically, Prince Gustaf Adolf was killed in a commercial airplane crash in 1947, seven months after the birth of his son Carl Gustaf, at the Kastrup Airport in Kastrup, Denmark near Copenhagen. After her stepmother-in-law Queen Louise died in 1965, Sibylla was the senior royal princess and acted in a supporting role for her father-in-law King Gustaf VI Adolf. Unfortunately, Sibylla did not live long enough to see her son Carl Gustaf become king. She died of colon cancer at the age of 64, less than a year before her son would become king.
Unofficial Royalty: Sibylla of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Duchess of Västerbotten

November 28, 1982 – Death of Helen of Greece, Queen Mother of Romania, wife of King Carol II of Romania, at Lausanne, Switzerland; initially buried at the Greek Orthodox Church in Lausanne, Switzerland; reburied at the new Archdiocesan and Royal Cathedral at Curtea de Argeș, Romania on October 19, 2019
The daughter of King Constantine I of Greece and Princess Sophie of Prussia, in 1921, Helen married the future King Carol II of Romania. They had one son, King Michael of Romania. Within a few years, Carol began an affair with Magda Lupescu, and in 1925 he renounced his rights to the throne and left the country. Helen was given the title Princess of Romania. Helen’s marriage to Carol was unsuccessful and the couple divorced. She was the Queen Mother of Romania during the reign of her son King Michael. Helen was noted for her humanitarian efforts to save Romanian Jews during World War II, which led to her being named Righteous Among the Nations by Israel. In 1947, King Michael was forced to abdicate the throne, and Romania was proclaimed a republic. Michael and Helen soon left Romania. Helen lived the rest of her life in exile, dying at the age of 86.
Unofficial Royalty: Helen of Greece, Queen of Romania

November 28, 2021 – Death of Prince Andrew Romanov at an assisted living center in San Anselmo, California; buried at Olema Cemetery in Olema, California
Andrew was the son of Prince Andrei Alexandrovich of Russia and his first wife Duchess Elisabetta Sasso-Ruffo Di Sant Antimo from the Italian noble House of Ruffo di Calabria. Andrew’s paternal grandparents were Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich of Russia (grandson of Nicholas I, Emperor of All Russia) and Grand Duchess Xenia Alexandrovna of Russia (daughter of Alexander III, Emperor of All Russia and sister of Nicholas II, Emperor of All Russia). Known as Andrew Romanoff after he came to the United States in 1949, he was one of the disputed pretenders to the Headship of the Russian Imperial Family from 2016 – 2021. Andrew died surrounded by his family, on November 28, 2021, two months short of his 99th birthday.
Unofficial Royalty: Andrew Romanoff, born Prince Andrew Romanov

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Royal News Recap for Tuesday, November 26, 2024

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Royal News Recaps are published Mondays-Fridays and on Sundays, except for Thanksgiving in the United States, Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. The Royal News Recap for Sundays will be a weekend recap. If there is any breaking or major news, we will add an update as necessary.

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Unofficial Royalty

Japan

Jordan

Monaco

Multiple Monarchies

Netherlands

Norway

Saudi Arabia

Spain

United Kingdom

Disclaimer: Please be advised that any media article titles or content that appear in the Royal News that identify members of royal families with their maiden names, nicknames, incorrect style or title, etc., come directly from the media source and not from Unofficial Royalty. We encourage you to contact the media sources to express your concern about their use of the incorrect name, style, title, etc. Contact information can usually be found at the bottom of each media source’s main page.

November 27: Today in Royal History

© Unofficial Royalty 2024

Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge, Duchess of Teck; Credit – Wikipedia

November 27, 1635 – Birth of Françoise d’Aubigné, Marquise de Maintenon, mistress and morganatic second wife of King Louis XIV of France, at the Château of Lussac-les-Châteaux in Vienne, France
Françoise was first a mistress of King Louis XIV and became his morganatic second wife after the death of his first wife. She founded the Maison Royale de Saint-Louis, endowed by Louis XIV in Saint-Cyr, France. The Maison Royale was designed to be a school for girls from poorer noble families, much as Françoise had been in her childhood. Following Louis XIV’s death, Françoise retired to Saint-Cyr where she died and was buried in the school’s chapel.
Unofficial Royalty: Françoise d’Aubigné, Marquise de Maintenon

November 27, 1640 – Birth of  Barbara Palmer, 1st Duchess of Cleveland, mistress of King Charles II of England, born Barbara Villiers in the parish of St. Margaret’s, Westminster, London, England
In 1659, Barbara married Roger Palmer, later 1st Earl of Castlemaine. At the end of 1659, Roger and his new wife left with other supporters of the exiled  King Charles II of England, joining him in the Netherlands. In 1660, Barbara became Charles’ mistress and continued as his mistress when Charles II returned to England later that year. Barbara gave birth to six children, some of them, possibly all, were the children of Charles II. Among Barbara’s descendants are Diana, Princess of Wales; Sarah, Duchess of York; the Mitford sisters; philosopher Bertrand Russell; and British Prime Minister Sir Anthony Eden. In 1673, King Charles II cast Barbara aside and took Louise de Kérouaille as his newest favorite mistress. Barbara eventually reconciled with King Charles II and he enjoyed an evening in her company a week before he died in February 1685.
Unofficial Royalty: Barbara Palmer, 1st Duchess of Cleveland, mistress of King Charles II of England

November 27, 1676 – Birth of Friedrich Anton Ulrich, Prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont in Waldeck, Principality of Waldeck and Pyrmont, now in Hesse, Germany
Friedrich Anton Ulrich was the Count of Waldeck-Pyrmont from 1706 – 1712 and then the first Prince of Waldeck-Pyrmont from 1712 – 1728. In 1700, Friedrich Anton Ulrich married Luise of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld and the couple had eleven children. Friedrich Anton Ulrich’s most notable accomplishment was his building program which resulted in considerable indebtedness for the small principality. With the building of the Residenzschloss Arolsen, the town of Arolsen became the main town of the Principality of Waldeck-Pyrmont.
Unofficial Royalty: Friedrich Anton Ulrich, Prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont

November 27, 1698 – Birth of Countess Marianne von Thun-Hohenstein, the second of the four wives of Josef Johann Adam, Prince of Liechtenstein
On February 3, 1716, seventeen-year-old Marianne married the widowed Prince Josef Johann Adam. The marriage did not even last a month. Three weeks after the marriage, on February 23, 1716, Marianne died in Vienna and was buried in the Old Crypt at the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary in Vranov, Moravia, now in the Czech Republic.
Unofficial Royalty: The Four Wives of Josef Johann Adam, Prince of Liechtenstein

November 27, 1757 – Birth of Mary Robinson, mistress of King George IV of the United Kingdom, born Mary Darby in Bristol, England
Mary Robinson was a noted English poet and actress who became the first mistress of the future King George IV, while he was still Prince of Wales. Their relationship lasted just two years. Her first book of poetry, Poems By Mrs. Robinson,  was published in 1775. She soon caught the attention of Georgina Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire who became somewhat of a patron to Mary, sponsoring the publication of Mary’s second book of poetry, Captivity. While performing as Perdita in an adaptation of Shakespeare’s A Winter Tale in 1779 at the Drury Lane Theater in London, Mary caught the attention of The Prince of Wales who attended a performance and was instantly smitten.
Unofficial Royalty: Mary Robinson, Mistress of King George IV of the United Kingdom

November 27, 1763 – Death of Princess Isabella of Parma, Infanta of Spain, first wife of the future Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II, at Hofburg Palace in Vienna; buried in the Imperial Crypt at the Capuchin Church in Vienna, Austria
In 1760, Isabella and Joseph, both 18 year olds, were married. They had two daughters but neither survived childhood. When Isabella was six months pregnant with her second child, she developed a fever and it soon became clear that she had smallpox. Her high fever induced labor three months early, and on November 22, 1763, she gave birth to a premature second daughter. As Isabella requested, the baby was baptized Maria Christina but died the same day. On November 27, 1763, one month and three days before her 22nd birthday, Isabella died from smallpox.
Unofficial Royalty: Isabella of Parma, Archduchess of Austria

November 27, 1833 – Birth of Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge, Duchess of Teck, at Cambridge House in the Kingdom of Hanover in Hanover, Kingdom of Hanover, now in Lower Saxony, Germany, where her father served as Viceroy of Hanover
Full name: Mary Adelaide Wilhelmina Elizabeth
The daughter of Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge, Mary Adelaide was a male-line grandchild of King George III of the United Kingdom, a first cousin of Queen Victoria, and the mother of Mary of Teck, wife of King George V. Through her daughter Queen Mary, Mary Adelaide is the great-grandmother of Queen Elizabeth II and an ancestor of the members of the House of Windsor. Mary Adelaide married Prince Francis of Teck and the couple had three sons and one daughter. She devoted her life to charity, serving as the first royal patron of Barnardo’s, a charity still in existence, founded by Thomas Barnardo in 1866 to care for vulnerable children and young people. Barnardo’s has a long history of royal patrons and presidents including Queen Alexandra, Queen Mary (Mary Adelaide’s daughter), Queen Elizabeth II, Diana, Princess of Wales, and Queen Camilla.
Unofficial Royalty: Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge, Duchess of Teck

November 27, 1896 – Death of Elisabeth of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, Princess of Lippe, wife of Leopold III, Prince of Lippe, in Niederkrossen, then in the Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, now in the German state of Thuringia; buried at the Stadtkirche St. Andreas in Rudolstadt, then in the Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, now in the German state of Thuringia
In 1852, 18-year-old Elisabeth married 30-year-old Leopold III, Prince of Lippe but their marriage was childless. Elisabeth used all the means at her disposal for charitable causes. She published a booklet with Bible verses for every day of the year and designed wall decorations with Bible verses. The booklet and wall decorations were mass-produced and the proceeds went to Elisabeth’s charitable causes. Devoted to children, Elisabeth founded a school, the Elisabeth-Anstalt. On December 8, 1875, Elisabeth’s husband Leopold III, Prince of Lippe, aged 54, died  after suffering a stroke. After Leopold’s death, Elisabeth moved into her widow’s residence at the New Palais in Detmold and continued her charitable work. Elisabeth became ill with pneumonia, and died on November 27, 1896, at the age of sixty-three. As per her wishes, Elisabeth was not buried at the traditional burial site of the princely family of Lippe but rather in the princely crypt at the Stadtkirche St. Andreas in Rudolstadt, then in the Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, now in the German state of Thuringia, where members of her birth family were buried.
Unofficial Royalty: Elisabeth of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, Princess of Lippe

November 27, 1908 – Death of Grand Duke Alexei Alexandrovich of Russia, son of Alexander II, Emperor of All Russia, in Paris, France; the first to be interred in the newly built Grand Ducal Mausoleum adjacent to the Peter and Paul Cathedral in St. Petersburg, Russia
Alexei is most well-known for his coast-to-coast official visit to the United States in 1871 where one of the highlights was buffalo hunting with Buffalo Bill Cody, General George Armstrong Custer, and General Philip Sheridan. Being the fourth of six sons, Alexei had a career in the Russian Imperial Navy. He was ultimately promoted to Admiral-General and Chief of the Fleet and Naval Department and Chairman of the Admiralty Board. At the end of the Russo-Japanese War in 1905, when the Russian naval fleet was defeated, Alexei was dismissed from all naval posts.  He then spent most of the time in Paris, France in a house he had bought in 1897. There he welcomed writers, painters, actors, and actresses. He loved living in Paris and was a familiar figure in restaurants and theaters. He died of pneumonia on November 27, 1908, in Paris at the age of 58.
Unofficial Royalty: Grand Duke Alexei Alexandrovich of Russia

November 27, 1955 – Birth of Andreas, titular 8th Prince of Leiningen, pretender to the Headship of the House of Leiningen, and the heir to his brother Prince Karl Emich of Leiningen, one of the disputed pretenders to the Headship of the Russian Imperial Family and the throne of Russia since 2013, in Frankfurt am Main, then in West Germany, now in the German state of Hesse
The Monarchist Party of Russia recognizes Andreas’ Prince Karl Emich of Leiningen as the heir to the Russian throne and the Head of the Russian Imperial House. The claim will pass to Andreas and his descendants born of equal marriages upon the death of Karl Emich, and on the condition that they should convert to Russian Orthodoxy. There is no indication that Andreas or any of his children, who are Lutheran, have any interest in this claim. In 1981, Andreas married Princess Alexandra of Hanover, the sister of Prince Ernst August (V) of Hanover, and the couple had three children.
Unofficial Royalty: Andreas, 8th Prince of Leiningen

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Royal News Recap for Monday, November 25, 2024

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Royal News Recaps are published Mondays-Fridays and on Sundays, except for Thanksgiving in the United States, Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. The Royal News Recap for Sundays will be a weekend recap. If there is any breaking or major news, we will add an update as necessary.

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Unofficial Royalty

Jordan

Monaco

Norway

Spain

United Kingdom

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Accession to the Throne – Spain

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2024

Throne Room in the Royal Palace of Madrid; Credit – Wikipedia

The last accession to the Spanish throne occurred when King Juan Carlos I abdicated in favor of his son King Felipe VI on June 19, 2014. On June 18, 2014, King Juan Carlos I signed the law granting the abdication which would take effect just after midnight. King Felipe VI was sworn in and proclaimed King of Spain on June 19, 2014, in a ceremony in the Palacio de las Cortes in Madrid Spain, the meeting place of the Congress of Deputies, the lower house of the Cortes Generales, the Spanish legislature. After the abdication, the former king and his wife retained their titles, His Majesty King Juan Carlos and Her Majesty Queen Sofia.

History

A tapestry showing the wedding of Isabella and Ferdinand; Credit – Wikipedia

The crowns of the Kingdom of Castile and the Kingdom of Aragon were united for hereditary purposes by the 1469 marriage of their monarchs, Queen Isabella I of Castile and King Ferdinand II of Aragon. Although some consider this union as the formation of the Kingdom of Spain, the two kingdoms continued to exist separately for more than two centuries. It was not until the Nueva Planta Decrees of 1707 and 1716 signed by Felipe V, the first Bourbon King of Spain, that the two kingdoms were formally merged into a single state.

No monarch of Spain or any part of Spain that previously was an independent kingdom has been crowned since King Ferdinand I of Aragon in 1414, Queen Isabella I of Castile in 1474, and Queen Catherine of Navarre in 1494. After the 17th century, all Spanish monarchs were proclaimed and acclaimed by the Roman Catholic Church. Since the 18th century, all Spanish monarchs have been proclaimed before the Cortes Generales, the Spanish legislature. During these ceremonies, the Spanish royal regalia was displayed but not worn.

What Happens?

The Captain General’s Sash

King Juan Carlos placing the red sash of the Captain General of the Armed Forces on his son King Felipe VI

At 9:30 AM on June 19, 2014, in the Audience Room of the Zarzuela Palace in Madrid, King Juan Carlos placed the red sash of the Captain General of the Armed Forces on his son King Felipe VI. The new king assumed supreme command of the Army, Navy, and Air Force. Several members of the Royal Family, the Minister of Defense, the Chief of the Defense Staff, the Chiefs of Staff of the Army, Navy, and Air Force, and the Director General of the Civil Guard were present.

The Oath Before the Cortes Generales

The Palace of the Cortes, home of the Congress of Deputies, the lower house of the Spanish Legislature, where the Proclamation Ceremony took place; Credit – De Luis García, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=73304264

Title 2 Article 61 of the Spanish Constitution states that the Spanish monarch “on being proclaimed before the Cortes Generales, shall take an oath to discharge their duties faithfully, to abide by the Constitution and the law and ensure that they are abided by, and to respect the rights of citizens and the Autonomous Communities.”

King Felipe VI, Queen Letizia, their elder daughter Infanta Leonor, now heir presumptive to the throne with the title The Princess of Asturias, and their younger daughter Infanta Sofía arrived at the Palace of the Cortes in Madrid, home of the Congress of Deputies, the lower house of the Spanish legislature at 10:30 AM. Regarding Infanta Leonor being the heir presumptive and not the heir apparent, currently, Spain’s succession law is male-preference cognatic primogeniture. This means that Leonor, as the elder of King Felipe’s two daughters, is first in line to inherit the throne, and she is the heir presumptive. However, if her parents have a son, which seems unlikely at this point, he would be the heir apparent and Leonor would forfeit the title of Princess of Asturias and the other titles to her brother. There have been discussions of changing the succession law to absolute primogeniture, where the eldest child, regardless of gender, inherits the throne, but no legislation has been forthcoming. If Leonor ascends to the throne, she will be Spain’s first queen regnant since Queen Isabella II, who reigned from 1833 to 1868.

King Felipe VI receives military honors with his wife Queen Letizia and his daughters (left to right) Infanta Sofia and Leonor, Princess of Asturias; Credit – By Ministry of the Presidency. Government of Spain, Attribution, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=33488717

The King, Queen, and their daughters were received by Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy and Chief of the Defense Staff Admiral General Fernando García Sánchez. They were then given military honors, the national anthem was played and the King reviewed the troops present.

Jesús Posada, President of the Congress of Deputies (left), and Pío García-Escudero Márquez, 4th Count of Badarán, President of the Senate (right) greet the King, the Queen, and their two daughters

At the entrance to the Palace of the Cortes, the King, the Queen, and their two daughters were greeted by Jesús Posada, President of the Congress of Deputies, and Pío García-Escudero Márquez, 4th Count of Badarán, President of the Senate. After entering the Palace of the Cortes through the Puerta de los Leones (Doors of the Lions), used on only solemn occasions, the King, the Queen, and their two daughters were greeted by Francisco Pérez de los Cobos (in Spanish), President of the Constitutional Court, Carlos Lesmes Serrano President of the General Council of the Judiciary, and leaders of the Government.

Members of the Congress of Deputies (the lower house) and the Senate (the upper house) were gathered in the chamber. Former Prime Ministers of Spain, Presidents of the Autonomous Communities, and other government officials were in the guest gallery.

Also present were relatives of King Felipe VI: his mother Queen Sofia, his eldest sister Infanta Elena and her son Felipe de Marichalar, his paternal aunt Infanta Pilar, his paternal aunt Infanta Margarita and her husband Carlos Zurita y Delgado, Duke of Soria, his maternal uncle the former King Constantine II of Greece and his wife Queen Anne-Marie (born a Princess of Denmark), his second cousin once removed Prince Carlos of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, Infante of Spain, Duke of Calabria and his wife Princess Anne of Orléans. Queen Letizia’s family also attended.

The Spanish Regalia; Credit – Wikipedia

During the ceremony, the Spanish regalia were displayed but not worn. Jesús Posada, President of the Congress of Deputies began by offering thanks to the previous monarch King Juan Carlos and his wife Queen Sofia, and expressed his hopes that the new reign would be fruitful.

King Felipe VI of Spain takes the oath before the Cortes Generales during the proclamation ceremony at the Palacio de las Cortes in Madrid; Credit – Wikipedia

Jesús Posada, President of the Congress of Deputies then proceeded to swear in King Felipe VI, who said the following oath: “I swear to faithfully carry out my duties, to uphold and ensure the upholding of the Constitution and the laws, and to respect the rights of citizens and autonomous communities.”

King Felipe VI giving his speech during the proclamation ceremony

Jesús Posada, President of the Congress of Deputies then made the proclamation: “In compliance with the Constitution, Don Felipe de Borbón y Grecia is hereby proclaimed King of Spain and will reign under the name of Felipe VI. Long live the King! Long live Spain!” After the proclamation, the new King was cheered and the national anthem was played. King Felipe VI then gave a speech to the Cortes General, ending the speech by giving thanks in Spanish, Catalan, Basque, and Galician.

Other Events Relating to the Accession

Left to Right: King Juan Carlos, The Princess of Asturias, King Felipe VI, Queen Letizia, Infanta Sofia, and Queen Sofia greet wellwishers from the balcony of the Royal Palace

Outside the Palace of the Cortes, a military parade was held in honor of the new King of Spain. King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia traveled by car through the streets of Madrid, lined with thousands of people. Upon arriving at the Royal Palace, King Felipe, Queen Letizia, King Juan Carlos, Queen Sofia, and members of the royal family went out onto the central balcony of the Royal Palace to greet the people. Afterward, King Felipe and Queen Letizia held a reception for 2,000 guests.

During previous proclamations, a crucifix and the Book of the Gospels had been displayed but this was not done during King Felipe VI’s proclamation. The traditional Mass of the Holy Spirit was not celebrated in the Church of San Jerónimo el Real. However, a few days later a Mass was celebrated in the chapel of the Zarzuela Palace, attended by King Felipe VI, Queen Letizia, King Juan Carlos, and Queen Sofia.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • Acto de proclamación del rey de España el 19 de junio de 2014. (2014). Wikipedia.org; Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proclamaci%C3%B3n_de_Felipe_VI
  • King Felipe VI calls for “New Spain” as he is sworn in. (2014, June 19). BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-27918094
  • Spain’s New King Felipe VI swears Oath. (2014, June 19). Syracuse. https://www.syracuse.com/news/2014/06/spains_new_king_felipe_vi_swears_oath.html
  • Wikipedia Contributors. (2024). Felipe VI. Wikipedia; Wikimedia Foundation.
  • Wikipedia Contributors. (2019). Monarchy of Spain. Wikipedia; Wikimedia Foundation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monarchy_of_Spain

November 26: Today in Royal History

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Dagmar of Denmark, Empress Maria Feodorovna of Russia; Credit – Wikipedia

November 26, 1504 – Death of Queen Isabella I of Castile and León, wife of King Ferdinand of Aragon, mother of Catherine of Aragon, at Medina del Campo, Spain; buried at the Capilla Real in Granada, Spain
Isabella was the wife of King Ferdinand of Aragon and the mother of Catherine of Aragon, the first wife of King Henry VIII of England. Her great-grandfather was John of Gaunt, son of King Edward III of England. The marriage of Queen Isabella I of Castile and León (reigned 1474 – 1504) and King Ferdinand II (Fernando in Spanish) of Aragon (reigned 1479 – 1516) led to the political unification of the Kingdom of Aragon and the Kingdom of Castile and León into the Kingdom of Spain under their grandson King Carlos I of Spain who later also became Charles V, Holy Roman Empire.
Unofficial Royalty: Queen Isabella I of Castile and León

November 26, 1647 – Birth of Maria Hedwig of Hesse-Darmstadt, Duchess of Saxe-Meiningen, first wife of Bernhard I, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen, in Giessen, Landgraviate of Hesse-Darmstadt, now in Hesse, Germany
In 1671, Marie Hedwig married Bernhard I, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen. The couple had seven children. In 1680, Marie Hedwigs’s husband Bernhard and his six brothers, who collectively governed the Duchy of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg, concluded a treaty of separation, with each brother getting a portion of the Duchy of Saxe-Gotha Altenburg and becoming a Duke. One of the seven new duchies was the Duchy of Saxe-Meinigen and Bernhard became the first Duke of Saxe-Meinigen. However, the principality’s coat of arms featured a black hen, which was seen at the time as a symbol of magic and witchcraft. Marie Hedwig said she would not move to the “land of the black hen”. Nine weeks before the planned move, Marie Hedwig died after giving birth to her youngest child just a few weeks earlier.
Unofficial Royalty: Maria Hedwig of Hesse-Darmstadt, Duchess of Saxe-Meiningen

November 26, 1767 – Birth of Prince Platon Alexandrovich Zubov, lover of Catherine II (the Great), Empress of All Russia
Prince Platon Alexandrovich Zubov was the last lover of Catherine II (the Great), Empress of All Russia. There was a thirty-eight-year age difference between Platon and Catherine. He was also one of the conspirators in the assassination of Catherine II’s son and successor Paul I, Emperor of All Russia, and one of the fourteen people present at Paul’s murder.
Unofficial Royalty: Prince Platon Alexandrovich Zubov, lover of Catherine II (the Great), Empress of All Russia

November 26, 1847 – Birth of Princess Dagmar of Denmark, Empress Maria Feodorovna of Russia, wife of Alexander III, Emperor of All Russia, mother of Nicholas II, Emperor of All Russia, at the Yellow Palace in Copenhagen, Denmark
Full name: Marie Sophie Frederikke Dagmar
Dagmar, known as Minnie in the family, was the daughter of King Christian IX of Denmark,  the sister of King Frederik VIII of Denmark, Queen Alexandra of the United Kingdom, and King George I of Greece. In 1864, Minnie became engaged to Tsarevich Nicholas Alexandrovich of Russia, the eldest son and heir of Alexander II, Emperor of All Russia. However, Nicholas died from meningitis in 1865, at the age of 21. Minnie married Nicholas’ brother, the new heir to the throne, the future Alexander III, Emperor of All Russia. The couple had six children, including Nicholas II, Emperor of All Russia.
Unofficial Royalty: Dagmar of Denmark, Empress Maria Feodorovna of Russia

November 26, 1869 – Birth of Queen Maud of Norway, daughter of King Edward VII of the United Kingdom, wife of King Haakon VII of Norway, born Princess Maud of Wales at Marlborough House in London, England
Full name: Maud Charlotte Mary
In 1896, Maud married her first cousin Prince Carl of Denmark, the son of Maud’s maternal uncle King Frederik VIII of Denmark. Maud and Carl had one child, Prince Alexander of Denmark, later King Olav V of Norway. In 1905, the Norwegian government began searching for candidates to become King of Norway after the dissolution of the union between Sweden and Norway. Because of his descent from prior Norwegian monarchs, and his wife’s British connections, Carl was the overwhelming favorite. In 1905, Carl officially became King of Norway. He took the name Haakon VII and his two-year-old son was renamed Olav and became Crown Prince of Norway. Maud never gave up her love for her native country and visited often. However, she fulfilled her duties as Queen of Norway.
Unofficial Royalty: Maud of Wales, Queen of Norway

November 26, 1894 – Wedding of Nicholas II, Emperor of All Russia and Alix of Hesse and by Rhine in the Grand Church of the Winter Palace in Saint Petersburg, Russia
In 1894, when the family was all gathered in Coburg for the wedding of Alix’s brother Ernst and their first cousin Victoria Melita of Edinburgh and Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Nicholas and Alix became engaged. Sadly, in the fall of 1894, Nicholas’ father fell ill. Sensing that there was not much time left, Emperor Alexander III instructed Nicholas to send for Alix. Despite his ailing health, Emperor Alexander III insisted on greeting her in full uniform and gave her his blessing. Alexander III died ten days later, leaving the 26-year-old Nicholas as the new Emperor of All Russia. Although originally planning to marry the following spring, the wedding was quickly arranged and the couple married on November 26, 1894, in the Grand Church of the Winter Palace.
Unofficial Royalty: Wedding of Nicholas II, Emperor of All Russia and Alix of Hesse and by Rhine
Unofficial Royalty: Nicholas II, Emperor of All Russia
Unofficial Royalty: Alix of Hesse and by Rhine, Empress Alexandra Feodorovna of Russia

November 26, 1912 – Death of Marie of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, Countess of Flanders, mother of Albert I, King of the Belgians, in Brussels, Belgium; buried at the Church of Our Lady of Laeken near Brussels, Belgium
Princess Marie of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen was one-half of the couple who secured the future of the Belgian royal dynasty. Marie was the daughter of Sovereign Prince Karl Anton of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen and the sister of the future King Carol I of Romania. In 1867, Marie married Prince Philippe of Belgium, Count of Flanders, the second surviving son of Leopold I of the Belgians. In 1869, ten-year-old Leopold, Duke of Brabant, the only son and heir of Philippe’s brother King Leopold II, fell into a pond, caught pneumonia, and died. Hoping for a crown prince because only males could inherit the throne, Leopold II and his wife had another child, but the child was a girl. Marie and Philippe’s elder son Baudouin was second in line to the throne until he died in 1891 from influenza. Then Marie and Philippe’s younger son Albert became second in line to the throne. Marie lived long enough to see her son Albert succeed his uncle King Leopold II as King Albert I in 1909. She died from pneumonia at the age of 67.
Unofficial Royalty: Princess Marie of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, Countess of Flanders

November 26, 1943 – Death of Prince Hubertus of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, son of Charles Edward, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, killed in action during World War II in Velyki Mosty, Ukraine; buried in the family cemetery at Callenburg Castle in Coburg, Bavaria, Germany
At the end of World War I, the Workers’ and Soldiers Council of Gotha, deposed Hubertus’ father as Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. Five days later, Charles Edward signed a declaration relinquishing his rights to the throne but remained Head of the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. In 1932, Hubertus’ elder brother Johann Leopold made an unequal marriage against the Saxe-Coburg and Gotha House Act of March 1, 1855, and renounced succession rights for himself and any children from the marriage. As the next son, Hubertus was designated the heir to his father as Head of the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. Hubertus became a member of the Nazi Party and saw action with the German Army on the Eastern Front during World War II. He served as a first lieutenant on the High Command of the Army and was deployed as a Luftwaffe pilot serving as a squadron leader. Hubertus was killed in action in an airplane crash at the age of 34 on November 26, 1943, in Velyki Mosty, in present-day Ukraine.
Unofficial Royalty: Prince Hubertus of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha

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Unofficial Royalty

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Disclaimer: Please be advised that any media article titles or content that appear in the Royal News that identify members of royal families with their maiden names, nicknames, incorrect style or title, etc., come directly from the media source and not from Unofficial Royalty. We encourage you to contact the media sources to express your concern about their use of the incorrect name, style, title, etc. Contact information can usually be found at the bottom of each media source’s main page.

November 25: Today in Royal History

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Ernst Ludwig, Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine; Credit – Wikipedia

November 25, 1120 – Death of William the Ætheling, Duke of Normandy, son and heir of King Henry I of England, on the White Ship
King Henry I of England had two children who survived childhood, a daughter Matilda, sometimes called Maud, born in 1102, and a son William Ætheling, born in 1103. On November 25, 1120, Henry I and his son boarded separate ships in Normandy to return to England. William sailed aboard the White Ship along with his illegitimate half-brother Richard of Lincoln, his illegitimate half-sister Matilda, Countess of Perche, Richard d’Avranches, 2nd Earl of Chester, and many of the heirs of the great estates of England and Normandy. By the time the White Ship was ready to set sail, there were about 300 people on board. William ordered the captain of the White Ship to overtake the ship of King Henry I so that the White Ship would be the first ship to return to England. Unfortunately, the White Ship hit a submerged rock and capsized. William’s bodyguard quickly got the heir to the throne into the safety of a dinghy. However, William Ætheling heard the screams of his half-sister Matilda FitzRoy, Countess of Perche, and ordered the dinghy to turn back to rescue her. At this point, the White Ship began to sink and the many people in the water desperately sought the safety of William’s dinghy. The chaos and the weight were too much causing William Ætheling’s dinghy to capsize and sink without a trace. The chronicler Orderic Vitalis claimed that only two people survived the shipwreck by clinging to a rock all night. Eventually, Henry I’s lack of a male heir caused an eighteen-year-long civil war called The Anarchy between his daughter Matilda and his nephew King Stephen who more or less seized the English throne after Henry I’s death.
Unofficial Royalty: William the Ætheling, Duke of Normandy
Unofficial Royalty: The Sinking of the White Ship and How It Affected the English Succession

November 25, 1120 – Death of Matilda FitzRoy, Countess of Perche, illegitimate daughter of King Henry I of England, on the White Ship
See the entry of William the Ætheling, Duke of Normandy above.
Unofficial Royalty: Matilda FitzRoy, Countess of Perche
Unofficial Royalty: The Sinking of the White Ship and How It Affected the English Succession

November 25, 1120 – Death of Richard of Lincoln, illegitimate son of King Henry I of England, on the White Ship
See the entry of William the Ætheling, Duke of Normandy above.
Unofficial Royalty: Richard of Lincoln
Unofficial Royalty: The Sinking of the White Ship and How It Affected the English Succession

November 25, 1253 – Birth of Katherine of England, daughter of King Henry III of England, at the Palace of Westminster in London, England
The description by 13th-century chronicler Matthew Paris that Katherine was “‘mute and useless
though with a most beautiful face” has often been interpreted that she had some kind of intellectual disability or degenerative disease. However, it may indicate that Katherine merely had a stammer or some other speech impediment. Katherine did have some kind of illness during the spring of 1257, that resulted in her death on May 3, 1257, when she was three and a half years old. Her parents King Henry III and Queen Eleanor deeply mourned her death and were emotionally distraught.
Unofficial Royalty: Katherine of England

November 25, 1609 – Birth of Henrietta Maria of France, Queen of England, daughter of King Henri IV of France, wife of King Charles I of England, at Hotel du Louvre in Paris, France
When Henrietta Maria was six months old, her father was assassinated while driving in his carriage through the streets of Paris. Her nine-year-old eldest brother then became King Louis XIII. In 1625, Henrietta Maria married King Charles I of England. The couple had nine children including King Charles II, King James II, Mary, Princess Royal who married Willem II, Prince of Orange (parents of King William III of England), and Princess Henrietta who married her first cousin Philippe, Duke of Orléans, the brother of King Louis XIV of France. To the English people, Henrietta Maria’s Catholic beliefs made her different and dangerous at a time when Catholic plots and subversion were feared. She did not speak English before she married and always had difficulties speaking and writing English. When the English Civil War started, which eventually led to the execution of King Charles I, Henrietta Maria escaped to France where she settled in Paris with the support of her nephew King Louis XIV. She lived in her native France for the rest of her life.
Unofficial Royalty: Henrietta Maria of France, Queen of England

November 25, 1638 – Birth of Catherine of Braganza, Queen of England, daughter of King João IV of Portugal, wife of King Charles II of England, at the Ducal Palace in Vila Viçosa,  Portugal
Full name: Catarina Henriqueta
In 1662, Catherine married King Charles II of England in two ceremonies, a private Catholic one, and a public Anglican one.  Catherine’s Roman Catholicism made her an unpopular queen. Despite fathering at least 16 illegitimate children with his mistresses, Charles had no children with Catherine.  It is thought that Catherine did have at least three miscarriages.  Despite having many mistresses, Charles insisted that Catherine be treated with respect and sided with her over his mistresses when he felt she was not receiving the respect she was due.
Unofficial Royalty: Catherine of Braganza, Queen of England

November 25, 1743 – Birth of Prince William Henry of Wales, Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh, at Leicester House in London, England
William Henry was one of the two brothers of King George III whose marriages caused the passing of the Royal Marriages Act in 1772. The act stipulated that no descendant of King George II under the age of 25, with the exception of descendants of princesses who married into foreign families, could marry without obtaining the consent of the sovereign. Over the age of 25, those wishing to marry without obtaining consent needed to inform the Privy Council of their intention. They would then be free to marry in a year if no objection had been raised by Parliament. In 1766, William Henry married Maria Waldegrave, Countess Waldegrave, née Walpole. William Henry and Maria’s marriage was held in secret as William Henry’s marriage to a widow of non-royal rank and illegitimate birth would not have been acceptable. King George III was unaware of this marriage until 1772. The Royal Marriages Act was repealed on March 26, 2015, as a result of the 2011 Perth Agreement. The Royal Marriages Act’s provisions were replaced by less limited restrictions that apply only to the first six people in the line of succession to the British throne.
Unofficial Royalty: Prince William Henry of Wales, Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh

November 25, 1868 – Death of Joseph, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg in Altenburg, Duchy of Saxe-Altenburg, now in Thuringia, Germany; buried in the Ducal Mausoleum in Altenburg Cemetery, in 1974, all of the remains in the mausoleum were removed and buried in an unmarked grave elsewhere in the cemetery
Joseph became Duke of Saxe-Altenburg upon his father’s death in 1834. As a ruler, Joseph was very conservative and was against any sort of reform. With unrest spreading through Europe in 1848, Joseph quickly brought in troops to squash the growing demands for a free state in Altenburg. Despite his attempts, the people refused to back him and Joseph was forced to abdicate on November 30, 1848, just two days after the death of his wife. As he had no male heirs, he was succeeded by his younger brother Georg. After his abdication, Joseph moved to Schloss Fröhliche Wiederkunft, his castle in Wolfersdorf, where he spent the next fifteen years restoring and expanding the estate. He lived for nearly 20 years after his abdication, dying at the age of 79.
Unofficial Royalty: Joseph, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg

November 25, 1868 – Birth of Ernst Ludwig, Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine, grandson of Queen Victoria, at Neues Palais in Darmstadt, Grand Duchy of Hesse and by Rhine, now in Hesse, Germany
Full name: Ernst Ludwig Karl Albert Wilhelm
Ernst Ludwig was the son of Queen Victoria’s daughter Princess Alice and Ludwig IV, Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine. He made an unsuccessful marriage to his first cousin Princess Victoria Melita of Edinburgh and Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. The couple had one daughter who died in childhood. They waited until after Queen Victoria’s death to divorce. In 1905, Ernst Ludwig married Princess Eleonore of Solms-Hohensolms-Lich and they had two sons. He lost his throne after World War I, however, he was allowed to remain in Hesse and retained several of the family’s properties including Schloss Wolfsgarten and the New Palace in Darmstadt.
Unofficial Royalty: Ernst Ludwig, Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine

November 25, 1876 – Birth of Victoria Melita of Edinburgh, granddaughter of Queen Victoria, at San Antonio Palace in Malta
Victoria Melita was the daughter of Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh and Grand Duchess Marie Alexandrovna of Russia. She married her first cousin Grand Ernst Ludwig of Hesse and by Rhine, but they divorced after seven years of marriage. After the divorce, she married her Romanov first cousin Grand Duke Kirill Vladimirovich. The couple had three children. Victoria Melita and Kirill escaped Russia soon after the abdication of their first cousin Nicholas II, Emperor of All Russia. They lived out their lives at Villa Edinburg, which later became known as the Kirill Palace, in Coburg, now in Bavaria, Germany, and at a villa in Saint-Briac, France.
Unofficial Royalty: Victoria Melita of Edinburgh

November 25, 1879 – Death of Maria Caroline Gibert de Lametz, Princess of Monaco, wife of Florestan, Prince of Monaco, in Monaco; buried at the Cathedral of Monaco in Monaco-Ville, Monaco
Prince Florestan of Monaco attended his half-sister’s wedding celebrations and met Maria Caroline Gibert de Lametz, the half-sister of the groom. Because Florestan’s family did not approve of the marriage, the wedding was quiet and modest. Florestan and Maria Caroline had two children including Charles III, Prince of Monaco. Florestan succeeded his brother Honoré V, who had never married. During Florestan’s reign, the real power lay in the hands of his wife Maria Caroline. She took over the finances of Monaco and ruled Monaco with an iron fist because her indecisive and politically disinclined husband left all affairs of state to her. When Marie Caroline’s son Charles III succeeded his father, she continued to have a role in governing as she was alive for twenty-three years of his thirty-three-year-long reign. The idea of opening a gambling casino in Monaco and developing Monaco into a seaside resort was Maria Caroline’s idea. The Casino de Monte-Carlo, named after Charles III as Carlo is the Italian for Charles (Monte-Carlo = Mount Charles in English), opened in 1865 and saved Monaco from bankruptcy. Fearing that the citizens of Monaco would squander their money on gambling, Maria Carolina had the idea to ban all citizens of Monaco from gambling at the casino. That rule is still in effect.
Unofficial Royalty: Maria Caroline Gibert de Lametz, Princess of Monaco

November 25, 1885 – Death of King Alfonso XII of Spain at Palacio Real de El Pardo in Madrid, Spain; buried at the Monastery of San Lorenzo El Real in El Escorial, Spain
17-year-old Alfonso became King of Spain in 1874. During Alfonso XII’s reign, the monarchy was consolidated and government institutions were stabilized, repairing the damage that the recent internal struggles had left. For this Alfonso earned the nickname “The Peacemaker.” In 1878, Alfonso married his first cousin Princess Maria de las Mercedes of Orléans, and had three children. On November 25, 1885, three days before his 28th birthday, King Alfonso XII died from tuberculosis, leaving two daughters and his queen pregnant with her third child. It was decided that Alfonso’s widow Maria Christina would rule as regent until the child was born. If the child were a male, he would become king and if the child were a female, Alfonso and Maria Christina’s elder daughter María Mercedes would become queen. On May 17, 1886, a son was born who immediately became King Alfonso XIII.
Unofficial Royalty: King Alfonso XII of Spain

November 25, 1888 – Death of Anne Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, Duchess of Sutherland, Queen Victoria’s Mistress of the Robes 1870–1874, at Stafford House in London, England;  buried at Babbacombe Cemetery in Torquay, Devon, England
Born Anne Hay-Mackenzie, the only child of John Hay-Mackenzie of Newhall and Cromarty, she married George Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, 3rd Duke of Sutherland. In 1870, she succeeded her sister-in-law, Elizabeth Campbell, Duchess of Argyll, as Mistress of the Robes, and served until 1874. The position had also previously been held by her mother-in-law Harriet Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, Duchess of Sutherland four different times between 1837 and 1861.
Unofficial Royalty: Anne Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, Duchess of Sutherland

November 25, 1957 – Death of Prince George of Greece, son of King George I of Greece, in Saint-Cloud, Île-de-France, France; buried at Royal Cemetery, Tatoi Palace, Greece
In 1907, George married Princess Marie Bonaparte, daughter of Prince Roland Bonaparte, a grandson of Lucien Bonaparte, Emperor Napoleon I’s brother. Marie was quite wealthy in her own right, having been left a vast fortune by her mother Marie-Félix Blanc, the daughter of François Blanc who was the principal developer of Monte Carlo and the Monte Carlo Casino. The couple had two children. Following World War II, George often represented his nephew King Paul of Greece on official visits and functions throughout Europe. In 1947, he attended the funeral of King Christian X of Denmark and the wedding of his nephew, Philip Mountbatten (formerly Prince Philippos of Greece) to the future Queen Elizabeth II. In September 1948, he attended the enthronement ceremony of Queen Juliana of the Netherlands, and in December 1948, he was named as one of the godparents of Prince Charles, his great-nephew. George and his wife represented the Greek Royal Family at the 1953 coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. In his late 80’s, George’s health began to deteriorate. He underwent surgery for a strangulated hernia and later developed hematuria. George died, just four days after he and Marie celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.
Unofficial Royalty: Prince George of Greece

November 25, 1974 – Death of Prince Roberto Hugo of Parma, Duke of Parma in Vienna, Austria; buried at the Prince of Bourbon-Parma crypt chapel in Schaueregg, Hartberg-Fürstenfeld, Styria, Austria
Roberto Hugo was the head of the house of Bourbon-Parma and pretender to the former throne of the Duchy of Parma from 1959 until 1974.
Unofficial Royalty: Prince Roberto Hugo of Parma, Duke of Parma

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