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Mary Tudor and her husband Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk; Credit – Wikipedia

June 25, 1242 – Birth of Beatrice of England, Countess of Richmond, daughter of King Henry III of England, in Bordeaux, Duchy of Aquitaine, now in France
In 1260, Beatrice married John of Dreux, the eldest son of John I, Duke of Brittany. In 1268, King Henry III granted the title Earl of Richmond to John I, Duke of Brittany as an enticement when tensions rose with France. However, John I soon transferred the title of Earl of Richmond to his son and heir John of Dreux, who also became John II, Duke of Brittany upon his father’s death in 1286. John of Dreux became Duke of Brittany after the death of Beatrice so she never became the Duchess of Brittany. Beatrice died on March 24, 1275, aged 32, in London, England while visiting her brother King Edward I of England. Possibly she died due to childbirth complications as her youngest child Eleanor was born in London in 1275.
Unofficial Royalty: Beatrice of England, Countess of Richmond

June 25, 1533 – Death of Mary Tudor, daughter of King Henry VII of England and Elizabeth of York, sister of King Henry VIII of England, and wife of Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk, at Westhorpe Hall in Suffolk, England; originally buried in the Abbey at Bury St. Edmunds, reburied at St. Mary’s Church in Bury St. Edmunds, England
From Susan: Several years ago, after some questions arose about Mary’s reburial, I emailed St. Mary’s Church in Bury St. Edmunds and got this response: “In reply to your query, yes, Mary Tudor daughter of Henry VII and sister of Henry VIII was originally buried in the Abbey at Bury St. Edmunds.  Her coffin was brought here at the Dissolution of the Monasteries and is now in the crypt.  The original grave slab survives and is in the sanctuary near the altar, there is also a later inscription and insignia on the wall and a marble kerb given by Edward VII.  In the Lady Chapel there is a stained glass window given by Queen Victoria which depicts Mary’ life.  St. Mary’s church was part of the Abbey complex and is still the town church; it occupies a corner of the Great Churchyard and so is close to the Abbey ruins.”
Unofficial Royalty: Mary Tudor, Queen of France, Duchess of Suffolk

June 25, 1755 – Birth of Grand Duchess Natalia Alexeievna, Tsarevna of Russia, born Wilhelmina Louisa of Hesse-Darmstadt, first wife of the future  Paul I, Emperor of All Russia in Prenzlau, Kingdom of Prussia, now in Brandenburg, Germany
Name after marriage: Natalia Alexeievna
In 1772, Catherine II (the Great), Empress of All Russia was searching for a bride for her 18-year-old son and heir Grand Duke Paul Petrovich (the future Paul I, Emperor of All Russia). Catherine the Great asked Friedrich II of Prussia for recommendations and his thoughts immediately turned to the three unmarried daughters of Karoline, Landgravine of Hesse-Darmstadt: Amalie, Wilhelmine, and Luise. Empress Catherine invited Landgravine Karoline and her three daughters to St. Petersburg. It did not take Paul long to make his choice. Paul was charmed by Wilhelmine.  Wilhelmine converted to Russian Orthodoxy on August 15, 1773, taking the name Natalia Alexeievna. Sadly, three years later, 20-year-old Natalia died after six days of agonizing labor along with her child, a son.
Unofficial Royalty: Wilhelmine Luise of Hesse-Darmstadt, Grand Duchess Natalia Alexeievna, Tsarevna of Russia

June 25, 1864 – Death of King Wilhelm I of Württemberg at Schloss Rosenstein in Stuttgart, Kingdom of Württemberg, now in Baden-Württemberg, Germany; buried at the Württemberg Mausoleum in Stuttgart
Wilhelm became King of Württemberg upon his father’s death in  1816.  He came to the throne during a difficult time in Württemberg. 1816 was known as the Year Without A Summer and the very cold temperatures resulted in food shortages. However, Wilhelm and his wife Ekaterina Pavlovna of Russia are credited with making great strides to alleviate the suffering by establishing policies and reforms that helped the people of Württemberg, regardless of social class. The king arranged for food and livestock to be imported, and established an Agricultural Academy to help promote the growth of crops and better general nutrition amongst his people. The Queen established numerous charities to help the poor and was behind the establishment of the Württemberg State Savings Bank.
Unofficial Royalty: King Wilhelm I of Württemberg

June 25, 1884 – Birth of Empress Teimei of Japan, wife of Emperor Taishō, born Lady Sadako Kujō in Tokyo, Japan
The future Emperor Taishō, had cerebral meningitis when he was three weeks old and this affected his health and his mental capacity, including a speech disorder and difficulty walking, for the rest of his life. Due to his health issues, he was often unable to continue his studies, and he was a poor student in areas requiring higher-level thinking. Because of Yoshihito’s diminished mental capacity, his father Emperor Meiji wanted an intelligent, articulate, and dignified wife for his son, and he found those qualities in Lady Sadako Kujō.
Unofficial Royalty: Empress Teimei of Japan

June 25, 1900 – Birth of Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma, son of Prince Ludwig (Louis) of Battenberg (later 1st Marquess of Milford Haven) and Princess Victoria of Hesse and by Rhine and uncle of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, at Frogmore House in Windsor, England
Birth name: Prince Louis Francis Albert Victor Nicholas of Battenberg
Born Prince Louis of Battenberg at Frogmore House in Windsor, England, he was the youngest child of Prince Louis (Ludwig) of Battenberg and Princess Victoria of Hesse and by Rhine, a granddaughter of Queen Victoria. Almost from birth, he was known as Dickie. His mother’s younger sister was Empress Alexandra Feodorovna of Russia, and in his childhood, Dickie was close to her children. At a very young age, he began a “lifelong love affair” with one of them – Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna – and kept a framed photo of her by his bed for his entire life.
Unofficial Royalty: Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma

June 25, 1911 – Death of Maria Clotilde of Savoy, Princess Napoleon, daughter of King Vittorio Emanuele II of Italy, at the Castle of Moncalieri in Montcalieri, Italy; buried at the Basilica of Superga in Turin, Italy
Maria Clotilde married Napoléon-Jérôme Bonaparte, son of Jérôme Bonaparte, the brother of Emperor Napoleon I, and Princess Catherine of Württemberg. Maria Clotilde was fifteen and Napoléon-Jérôme was 37. Maria Clotilde was not impressed by her portly, anti-clerical liberal fiancé. Her innocence, piety, and sense of duty clashed with Napoléon-Jérôme’s love of wine, women, and food. Several years after the fall of the Second French Empire in 1870, Maria Clotilde and her husband quietly separated and she returned to Turin, Italy with her daughter. Maria Clotilde continued her life of devotion and charity after her return to Italy. She spent her final years at the traditional summer residence of the Savoy family, the Castle of Moncalieri in Montcalieri, a town located just outside of Turin.
Unofficial Royalty: Maria Clotilde of Savoy, Princess Napoleon

June 25, 1914 – Death of Georg II, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen at Bad Wildungen, Principality of Waldeck, now in Hesse, Germany; buried in the Park Cemetery in Meiningen, Duchy of Saxe-Meiningen, now in Thuringia, Germany
Georg, passionate about the theatre, established the Meiningen Theater in the late 1860s and early 1870s, with the help of his third wife Ellen Franz, a former actress. The company toured extensively throughout Germany and Europe from 1874-1890 and became renowned for its attention to detail and authenticity in its sets and costumes and the portrayals of the characters. Georg drew upon his extensive knowledge of history and art, and designed many of the costumes and scenery, and choreographed many of the large crowd scenes within the productions. Having been interested in theatre since his youth, he was able to spend much of his time, effort, and money to create theatre productions that conveyed both lifelike reality and historical accuracy.
Unofficial Royalty: Georg II, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen

June 25, 1937 – Birth of Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Emir of Kuwait in Kuwait City, Kuwait
Upon the death of his half-brother Sabah IV Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, Emir of Kuwait on September 29, 2020, 83-year-old Crown Prince Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah was been named by the Kuwaiti Council of Ministers as his successor. During a special session of the National Assembly on September 30, 2020, Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, 16th Ruler and 6th Emir of Kuwait, took the constitutional oath as Emir of Kuwait. Nawaf Al Ahmad Al Sabah, Emir of Kuwait died on December 16, 2023, aged 86.  Nawaf’s half-brother Crown Prince Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, succeeded as Emir of Kuwait.
Unofficial Royalty: Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Emir of Kuwait

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María de las Mercedes of Orléans, Queen of Spain; Credit – Wikipedia

 June 24, 1246 – Death of Richard FitzRoy, illegitimate son of King John of England, at Chilham Castle in Chilham, Kent, England; buried at St. Mary’s Churchyard in Chilham, Kent, England
Richard FitzRoy was the illegitimate son of King John of England and Ela de Warenne. During the First Barons’ War (1215 – 1217), when a group of barons, with the support of King Philippe II of France, rebelled against Richard’s father King John of England, Richard supported his father as one of the commanders of the royal army. Richard’s father King John died on October 19, 1216, and was succeeded by Richard’s nine-year-old half-brother King Henry III of England. Richard was the constable of several castles including the important Wallingford Castle in Berkshire, England, served as Sheriff of Berkshire, and accompanied his half-brother on many military campaigns.
Unofficial Royalty: Richard FitzRoy, Illegitimate Son of King John of England

June 24, 1291 – Death of Eleanor of Provence, Queen of England, wife of King Henry III of England, at the Abbey of St. Mary and St. Melor in Amesbury, England; buried at the Abbey of St. Mary and St. Melor in Amesbury, England
Eleanor’s husband King Henry III died in 1272 after a 56-year reign, making him the fourth longest-reigning British monarch after Queen Elizabeth II, Queen Victoria, and King George III. Eleanor survived her husband for 19 years and helped raise several of her grandchildren. In 1280, Eleanor retired to the Abbey of St Mary and St Melor in Amesbury, England where she died on June 24/25, 1291. It appears that Eleanor requested that she be buried with her husband at Westminster Abbey, but was buried at the Abbey of St. Mary and St. Melor where she had died. Eleanor’s remains were lost when the Abbey was destroyed in 1539 during the Dissolution of the Monasteries.  Her heart was buried at London’s Greyfriars Monastery which was destroyed in the Great Fire of London in 1666.
Unofficial Royalty: Eleanor of Provence, Queen of England

June 24, 1311 – Birth of Philippa of Hainault, Queen of England, wife of King Edward III of England, at Valenciennes, Flanders, now in France
King Edward III and Philippa married at York Minster in York, England.  The couple’s main home was Woodstock Palace in Oxfordshire, England.  It was Philippa’s favorite residence and the birthplace of four of her thirteen children including her eldest child, Edward the Black Prince, who was born days before her sixteenth birthday.  The sons of Edward III and Philippa married into the English nobility and their descendants later battled for the throne in the Wars of the Roses.
Unofficial Royalty: Philippa of Hainault, Queen of England

June 24, 1532 – Birth of Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester, favorite of Queen Elizabeth I of England
Queen Mary I died on November 17, 1558, and her younger half-sister came to the throne as Queen Elizabeth I. Because Robert had been a companion of Elizabeth’s half-brother King Edward VI, the two were well-acquainted, and it was natural for Robert Dudley to become one of Elizabeth’s most trusted courtiers. The day after her accession to the throne, Elizabeth named Robert her Master of the Horse. Although it is a ceremonial role today, it was an important position in Tudor times. Robert remained a powerful and important political figure for the rest of his life. From the beginning of Elizabeth’s reign in 1558 until he died in 1588, Robert was one of her most conscientious privy councilors.
Unofficial Royalty: Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester

June 24, 1768 – Death of Maria Leszczynska of Poland, Queen of France, wife of King Louis XV of France at the Palace of Versailles in Versailles, France; buried at the Basilica of St. Denis near Paris, France
As Queen, Marie maintained the strict protocol and etiquette of the French court and fully embraced her role and responsibilities of her ceremonial role. However, when not at official functions, she preferred to retreat to her private apartments, spending time with a small group of close friends and confidants. Queen Marie died at the Palace of Versailles on June 24, 1768. She was buried at the Basilica of St. Denis near Paris, while her heart was entombed at the Church of Notre-Dame-de-Bonsecours in Nancy. Having held her position for nearly 43 years, Queen Marie was the longest-serving Queen consort in the French monarchy.
Unofficial Royalty: Maria Leszczynska of Poland, Queen of France

June 24, 1818 – Birth of Karl Alexander, Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach in Weimar, Grand Duchy of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, now in Thuringia, Germany
Full name: Karl Alexander August Johann
Karl Alexander married Princess Sophie of the Netherlands, the daughter of King Willem II of the Netherlands and Grand Duchess Anna Pavlovna of Russia. As their mothers were sisters, Karl Alexander and Sophie were first cousins. They had four children but their only son predeceased his father and so he was succeeded by his grandson Wilhelm Ernst.
Unofficial Royalty: Karl Alexander, Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach

June 24, 1824 – Birth of Agnes of Anhalt-Dessau, Duchess of Saxe-Altenburg, wife of Ernst I, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg, in Dessau, Duchy of Anhalt, now in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany
Full name: Friederike Amalie Agnes
As Duchess of Saxe-Altenburg, Agnes became very involved in charity work, particularly in the area of nursing and education.  From all accounts, her marriage was very happy and Agnes and Ernst were devoted to each other. For their 25th anniversary in 1878, Ernst gave Agnes the Princess Cross – a newly created miniature of the Knight’s Cross First Class of the Saxe-Ernestine House Order. They also established the Ernst-Agnes Foundation. In 1893, Agnes wrote a book entitled ‘A Word to Israel’, which discussed anti-semitism and Christianity in Germany.
Unofficial Royalty: Agnes of Anhalt-Dessau, Duchess of Saxe-Altenburg

June 24, 1860 – Birth of María de las Mercedes of Orléans, Queen of Spain, first wife of King Alfonso XII of Spain at the Palacio Real in Madrid, Spain
Full name: María de las Mercedes Isabel Francisca de Asís Antonia Luisa Fernanda Felipa Amalia Cristina Francisca de Paula Ramona Rita Cayetana Manuela Juana Josefa Joaquina Ana Rafaela Filomena Teresa Santísima Trinidad Gaspara Melchora Baltasara et omni sancti
Mercedes married her first cousin King Alfonso XII of Spain in January 1878. In June 1878, it was announced that Mercedes was pregnant and the country rejoiced. However, the joy was short-lived as Mercedes suffered a miscarriage. Shortly after the miscarriage, Mercedes became suddenly ill. Within hours, she was at death’s door with typhoid fever. Mercedes died two days after her 18th birthday, on June 26, 1878,
Unofficial Royalty: Mercedes of Orléans, Queen of Spain

June 24, 1869 – Birth of Prince George of Greece, son of King George I of Greece, at Mon Repos in Corfu, 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. 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 of the United Kingdom. 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 of the United Kingdom.
Unofficial Royalty: Prince George of Greece

June 24, 1899 – Death of Kapiʻolani, Queen Consort of the Hawaiian Islands, wife of Kalākaua, King of the Hawaiian Islands, at her private residence Pualeilani in Waikīkī, Honolulu, on the island of Oahu, then in the US Territory of Hawaii, now in the state of Hawaii; initially buried in the Royal Mausoleum at Mauna ʻAla in Honolulu, transferred to the underground Kalākaua Crypt on the Royal Mausoleum grounds
Kapiʻolani, Queen Consort of the Hawaiian Islands was the wife of Kalākaua, King of the Hawaiian Islands, who reigned from 1874 to 1891. The couple married on December 19, 1863, but their marriage was childless. As Queen, Kapiʻolani worked to improve the health of the Hawaiian people. She founded the Kapiʻolani Maternity Home in Honolulu, where Hawaiian mothers and their newborn babies could receive care. The Kapiʻolani Maternity Home is still in existence as the Kapiʻolani Medical Center for Women and Children, part of Hawaii Pacific Health’s network of hospitals. In April 1887, Queen Kapiʻolani, along with her sister-in-law Princess Liliuokalani and her husband John Owen Dominis, were part of the delegation from the Kingdom of the Hawaiian Islands sent to attend the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria in London.
Unofficial Royalty: Kapiʻolani, Queen Consort of the Hawaiian Islands

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Maria Leszczyńska, Queen of France; Credit – Wikipedia

June 23, 1456 – Birth of Margaret of Denmark, Queen of Scots, daughter of King Christian I of Denmark and wife of James III, King of Scots, in Copenhagen, Denmark
Margaret was a popular queen and was described as beautiful, gentle, and reasonable. Many later historians called her far better qualified to rule than her husband. During the crisis of 1482, when her husband was deprived of power for several months, Margaret showed a greater interest in the welfare of her children than that of her husband, and this led to the couple’s alienation. When Margaret died at the age of 30, there were suspicions that she had been poisoned by John Ramsay, 1st Lord Bothwell, a confidant of James III, although no evidence was found to support the charge. At the request of James III, Pope Innocent VIII commissioned an investigation of Margaret’s virtues and alleged miracles for possible canonization, but without result.
Unofficial Royalty: Margaret of Denmark, Queen of Scots

June 23, 1703 – Birth of Maria Leszczyńska of Poland, Queen of France, wife of King Louis XV of France in Trzebnica, Silesia, now Lower Silesia in Poland
Full name: Maria Karolina Zofia Felicja
As Queen of France, Marie maintained the strict protocol and etiquette of the French court and fully embraced her role and responsibilities of her ceremonial role. However, when not at official functions, she preferred to retreat to her private apartments, spending time with a small group of close friends and confidants. Having held her position for nearly 43 years, Queen Marie was the longest-serving Queen consort in the French monarchy.
Unofficial Royalty: Maria Leszczyńska of Poland, Queen of France

June 23, 1763 – Birth of Empress Joséphine, first wife of Napoleon Bonaparte (Napoleon I, Emperor of the French), born Marie Josèphe Rose de Tascher de la Pagerie on Martinique in the West Indies
Joséphine was unable to give Napoleon an heir. Without a son, Napoleon named Joséphine’s grandson (and his nephew), Napoleon Charles Bonaparte, his heir. After the young Napoleon died in 1807, Emperor Napoleon considered finding another wife who could provide him with a son. In November 1809, he told Joséphine that he planned to divorce her and find a new wife. She agreed to a divorce, and an elaborate divorce ceremony was held. Joséphine retained her title as Empress and her rank at court and received an annual pension of 5 million francs.
Unofficial Royalty: Joséphine de Beauharnais, Empress of the French

June 23, 1820 – Death of Luise Karoline Geyer von Geyersberg, Countess of Hochberg, morganatic second wife of Grand Duke Karl Friedrich of Baden in Karlsruhe, Grand Duchy of Baden, now in Baden-Württemberg, Germany; buried at St. Michael’s Church in Pforzheim, Grand Duchy of Baden, now in Baden-Württemberg, Germany
Luise Karoline was the second, and morganatic, wife of the future Grand Duke Karl Friedrich of Baden. Luise Karoline and Grand Duke Karl Friedrich of Baden had five children. At the time of the marriage, Karl Friedrich created Luise Karoline Baroness of Hochberg, and their children were not included in the line of succession. In 1817, Karl Friedrich and Luise Karoline’s children were elevated to Prince/Princess of Baden, and in the following year, the Baden Congress formally confirmed their succession rights.
Unofficial Royalty: Luise Karoline Geyer von Geyersberg, Countess of Hochberg

June 23, 1859 – Death of Maria Pavlovna of Russia, Grand Duchess of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach at Schloss Belvedere in Weimar, Grand Duchy of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, now in Thuringia, Germany; buried at the Russian Orthodox Chapel adjoining the Weimarer Fürstengruft in the Historical Cemetery in Weimar
Maria Pavlovna of Russia was the daughter of Paul I, Emperor of All Russia and his second wife, Sophie Dorothea of Württemberg. In 1804, she married the future Grand Duke Karl Friedrich of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach. They had four children including Augusta who married Wilhelm I, King of Prussia and Emperor of Germany. Maria strongly supported and promoted the arts in Weimar, and her patronages included the noted composer Franz Liszt who was appointed to her court. She maintained lifelong correspondences with several prominent writers, poets, and musicians including Vasily Zhukovsky, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, and Friedrich Schiller. Following her husband’s death in 1853, Maria retired from public life. Two years later, she returned to Russia for the last time, for the coronation of her nephew Alexander II, Emperor of All Russia.
Unofficial Royalty: Maria Pavlovna of Russia, Grand Duchess of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach

June 23, 1894 – Birth of King Edward VIII of the United Kingdom at White Lodge in Richmond Park, Surrey, England
Full name: Edward Albert Christian George Andrew Patrick David
Upon the death of his father King George V in 1936, Edward, known as David in his family, succeeded to the throne. Only months into his reign, a constitutional crisis was caused by his proposal to marry Wallis Simpson, an American who had divorced her first husband and was seeking a divorce from her second. The prime ministers of the United Kingdom and the self-governing countries of the British Empire opposed the marriage, arguing a divorced woman with two living ex-husbands was politically and socially unacceptable as a prospective queen consort. When it became apparent he could not marry Wallis and remain on the throne, Edward abdicated and was succeeded by his younger brother George VI. After his abdication, Edward was created Duke of Windsor. He married Wallis in France on June 3, 1937, after her second divorce became final.
Unofficial Royalty: King Edward VIII of the United Kingdom, Duke of Windsor

June 23, 2021 – Death of Archduke Leopold Franz of Austria
Archduke Leopold Franz of Austria was the Pretender to the former Grand Ducal throne of Tuscany from 1984 until renouncing his rights in favor of his son in 1993.
Unofficial Royalty: Archduke Leopold Franz of Austria

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Cecilia of Sweden, Grand Duchess of Oldenburg; Credit – Wikipedia

June 22, 1807 – Birth of Cecilia of Sweden, Grand Duchess of Oldenburg, daughter of King Gustav IV Adolf of Sweden and third wife of Grand Duke August I of Oldenburg, at the Royal Palace in Stockholm, Sweden
Cecilia was not yet two years old when her father was deposed as King of Sweden in 1809. The family moved to Baden, and her parents divorced three years later. Cecilia met her future husband. Grand Duke August stopped in Baden during his travels, and within just an hour of conversation, he asked for her hand in marriage. Cecilia then moved to Vienna, where her brother was serving in the court of the Austrian Emperor Franz I. There, on May 5, 1831, Cecilia and August were married.
Unofficial Royalty: Cecilia of Sweden, Grand Duchess of Oldenburg

June 22, 1911 – Coronation of King George V of the United Kingdom at Westminster Abbey in London, England
George V’s wife Queen Mary was crowned with him. Following the traditional Coronation ceremony, including the homage of their eldest son, The Prince of Wales (later King Edward VIII, and Duke of Windsor), the newly crowned King and Queen returned to Buckingham Palace, where they appeared on the balcony several times throughout the day.
Unofficial Royalty: Coronation of King George V and Queen Mary

June 22, 1911 – Birth of Princess Cecilie of Greece and Denmark, Hereditary Grand Duchess of Hesse and by Rhine, sister of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, at Tatoi Palace in Greece
Cecilie married her first cousin once removed, Georg Donatus, Hereditary Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine. He was the son of Ernst Ludwig, Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine and his second wife Princess Eleonore of Solms-Hohensolms-Lich. Cecilie’s life came to a tragic end on November 16, 1937. A very pregnant Cecilie, her husband, their two sons, and her mother-in-law, were traveling by plane to London to attend the wedding of Don’s brother, Prince Ludwig and Margaret Geddes four days later. Facing bad weather, the plane was unable to land in Brussels, Belgium as scheduled and was instead diverted to Ostend, Belgium. While attempting to land, the plane clipped a chimney on a factory near the airport and then crashed leaving no survivors.
Unofficial Royalty: Princess Cecilie of Greece and Denmark, Hereditary Grand Duchess of Hesse

June 22, 1912 – Birth of Caroline Mathilde of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Countess of Castell-Rüdenhausen, daughter of Charles Edward, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, at Schloss Callenberg in Coburg, Duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, now in Bavaria, Germany
Full name: Caroline Matilda Helen Louise Augusta Beatrice
Known as Calma, she had an unhappy marriage with her first husband Count Friedrich Wolfgang of Castell-Rüdenhausen and they divorced. During World War II, Friedrich Wolfgang was killed in action while flying over England. Calma’s second husband was Captain Max Schnirring, a famous pilot whose aviation career began during World War I. Max was one of the first pilots for Deutsche Luft Hansa, a precursor to today’s Lufthansa. He died during a test flight when his plane crashed into a field.
Unofficial Royalty: Caroline Mathilde of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Countess of Castell-Rüdenhausen

June 22, 1961 – Death of Maria of Romania, Queen of Yugoslavia, wife of King Alexander I of Yugoslavia, in London, England; first buried at the Royal Burial Ground, Frogmore in Windsor, England; reburied at the Royal Family Mausoleum at Oplenac in Topola, Serbia
Marie’s husband King Alexander was assassinated in 1934. The couple’s eldest son Peter became King of Yugoslavia at the age of 11, and a regency was established, led by King Alexander’s cousin, Prince Paul of Yugoslavia. In 1941, the family was forced into exile following the Axis invasion, and Queen Marie settled at a cottage in the countryside of England, where she remained for the rest of her life. In 1947, the Communist government of Yugoslavia formally revoked her Yugoslavian citizenship and confiscated all of her property and assets. Marie, a great-granddaughter of Queen Victoria, lived a rather quiet life in England, pursuing her interests in painting and sculpting. When she died, was buried at the Royal Burial Ground at Frogmore in Windsor, England. In 2013, her remains were exhumed and repatriated to Serbia where they were reburied at the Royal Family Mausoleum at Oplenac, along with those of her sons, Prince Andrej and King Peter II, and King Peter’s wife, Queen Alexandra.
Unofficial Royalty: Maria of Romania, Queen of Yugoslavia

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King Edward III of England; Credit – Wikipedia

June 21, 1377 – Death of King Edward III of England at Sheen Palace in Richmond, England; buried at Westminster Abbey in London, England
From about 1371, Edward III’s health was failing and he became senile. Edward’s third surviving son, John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster, led the affairs of state but he could not prevent military failures during the Hundred Years War. King Edward III suffered a stroke in May 1377, and on June 21, 1377, at the age of 64. Edward III’s eldest son Edward, Prince of Wales, who has come to be known as the Black Prince, had died at the age of 45, probably of dysentery, in 1376, a year before his father died, and his 10-year-old son succeeded his grandfather as King Richard II.
Unofficial Royalty: King Edward III of England

June 21, 1528 – Birth of Maria of Spain and Austria, Holy Roman Empress, at the Royal Alcázar of Madrid, Kingdom of Spain
Maria, Infanta of Spain, Archduchess of Austria was the wife of her first cousin Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor. She was the daughter of Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor (also Carlos I, King of Spain; Karl I, Archduke of Austria; Charles II, Lord of the Netherlands, Duke of Burgundy, among many other titles) and Isabella of Portugal. Maria and Maximilian had fifteen children. After Maximilian’s death, Maria remained in Vienna for six years and had great influence over her sons Rudolf and Matthias, both Holy Roman Emperors. She then retired to the Monastery of Santa Clara de las Descalzas Reales in Madrid, Spain, founded in 1559 by her younger sister Juana, where she died in 1603 and was buried.
Unofficial Royalty: Maria of Spain and Austria, Holy Roman Empress, Queen of Bohemia, Queen of Hungary and Croatia, Archduchess of Austria

June 21, 1646 – Birth of Marie Francisca of Savoy, Queen of Portugal, first wife of King Afonso VI of Portugal and his brother King Pedro II of Portugal, at the Hôtel de Nemours in Paris, France
Full name: Marie Françoise Élisabeth
Maria Francisca of Savoy was Queen of Portugal twice, once as the wife of Afonso VI, King of Portugal, and then as the wife of his brother Pedro II, King of Portugal. In 1666, she married King Afonso VI who was debilitated mentally and physically due to the effects of a disease he contracted in childhood. Maria Francisca cooperated with her brother-in-law Pedro in a coup that led to Pedro assuming the role of Prince Regent in 1668. While Pedro never formally usurped the throne, Afonso VI was king in name only for the rest of his life. After Maria Francisca’s marriage to Afonso VI was annulled on the grounds of non-consummation, she married Pedro. In 1683, Afonso VI died and his brother succeeded him as Pedro II, King of Portugal, and Maria Francisca was Queen of Portugal for a second time. She died on December 27, 1683.
Unofficial Royalty: Marie Françoise of Savoy, Queen of Portugal

June 21, 1818 – Birth of Ernst II, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha at Ehrenburg Palace in Coburg, Duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, now in Bavaria, Germany
Full name:  Ernst August Karl Johann Leopold Alexander Eduard
Ernst was the elder brother of Prince Albert, Queen Victoria’s husband, and succeeded their father as Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha in 1844. At the urging of his brother Albert,  Ernst began his search for a bride. Ernst was suffering from a venereal disease as a result of his many affairs and had been warned that continued promiscuity could leave him unable to father children. In 1842, Ernst married Princess Alexandrine of Baden. Ernst had at least three illegitimate children, but his marriage was childless, perhaps due to Ernst passing the venereal disease to Alexandrine causing her to become infertile. Alexandrine was loyal and devoted to her husband despite his infidelities and believed their lack of children was her fault.
Unofficial Royalty: Ernst II, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha

June 21, 1831 – Birth of Charlotte of Prussia, Hereditary Princess of Saxe-Meiningen, first wife of the future Georg II, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen, at Schönhausen Palace in Berlin, Kingdom of Prussia, now in Brandenburg, Germany
Full name: Friederike Luise Wilhelmine Marianne Charlotte
Charlotte’s marriage in 1850 to the future Georg II, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen was truly a love match although it was most certainly encouraged by Charlotte’s uncle, King Friedrich Wilhelm IV of Prussia. Charlotte and Georg shared many of the same interests and unlike many marriages of the time, both were very happy to spend as much time together as possible. The couple had four children but sadly, Charlotte, aged 23, died in childbirth along with her fourth child.
Unofficial Royalty: Charlotte of Prussia, Hereditary Princess of Saxe-Meiningen

June 21, 1982 – Birth of Prince William, The Prince of Wales at St. Mary’s Hospital in London, England
Full name: William Arthur Philip Louis
Prince William, The Prince of Wales, is the elder son of King Charles III of the United Kingdom and heir apparent to the British throne. On April 29, 2011, William married Catherine Middleton at Westminster Abbey. Earlier that morning, Williams’s grandmother Queen Elizabeth II created him Duke of Cambridge, Earl of Strathearn, and Baron Carrickfergus. The couple has three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis. With the birth of their younger son Prince Louis, their daughter Princess Charlotte became the first British princess not to be overtaken in the line of succession by her younger brother. This is due to The Succession to The Crown Act 2013, which formally went into effect on March 26, 2015, and put in place absolute primogeniture, which means that for those born after October 28, 2011, the eldest child born becomes the heir to his or her parent, regardless of gender.
Unofficial Royalty: Prince William, The Prince of Wales

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Hedwig Elizabeth Charlotte of Holstein-Gottorp, Queen of Sweden and Norway; Credit – Wikipedia

June 20, 1389 – Birth of John, Duke of Bedford, son of King Henry IV of England
In 1399, John’s father declared himself King Henry IV and imprisoned his cousin King Richard II, who died in 1400 under mysterious circumstances. In 1403, John was made Constable of England and in 1410 he was confirmed in that position for life. His father King Henry IV died in 1413 and his brother became King Henry V. In 1414, John’s brother created him Duke of Bedford, Earl of Kendal, and Earl of Richmond. When King Henry V died at the early age of 35 in 1422, he left his nine-month-old son to succeed him as King Henry VI. John served as Regent for his young nephew and fought many battles against the French. It was John who tried and executed Joan of Arc.
Unofficial Royalty: John, Duke of Bedford

June 20, 1566 – Birth of Sigismund III Vasa, King of Sweden and Poland, Grand Duke of Lithuania, at Gripsholm Castle in Mariefred, Sweden
Sigismund was the son of Johan III, King of Sweden and his first wife Katarina Jagellonica of Poland. He was not only King of Sweden but also King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania through his mother. Sigismund, who was Catholic, was deposed in 1599 as King of Sweden by his Protestant uncle who reigned as King Karl IX of Sweden and lived the remainder of his life in Poland.
Unofficial Royalty: Sigismund III Vasa, King of Sweden and Poland, Grand Duke of Lithuania

June 20, 1667 – Death of James Stuart, Duke of Cambridge, son of King James II of England, at Richmond Palace; buried at Westminster Abbey in London, England
James, the second son of James, Duke of York (later James II) and his first wife Anne Hyde was born on July 11, 1663.  Little James fell ill in April 1667 and died on June 20, 1667.
Unofficial Royalty: James Stuart, Duke of Cambridge

June 20, 1793 – Birth of Marianne Skerrett, Head Dresser and Wardrobe-Woman to Queen Victoria from 1837 to 1862, in London, England (Note: The depiction of Queen Victoria’s dresser in the series Victoria is completely false and an insult to the real person.)
Marianne Skerrett was born in 1793, so she was 44 years old when the 18-year-old Victoria became queen. She was intelligent, extremely well-read, and fluent in Danish, French, and German. Recommended to Queen Victoria by Louisa Petty-FitzMaurice, Marchioness of Lansdowne, a Lady of the Bedchamber, Marianne became one of Queen Victoria’s two dressers in 1837 and eventually became head dresser. As the head dresser, Marianne oversaw the ordering of Queen Victoria’s clothing, shoes, hats, gloves, and undergarments. Marianne kept the wardrobe accounts and was diligent in checking all the bills to make sure no one tried to cheat Victoria. She was also responsible for supervising the hairdressers, dressmakers, and seamstresses who kept the royal wardrobe in good repair. After 25 years of serving Queen Victoria, Marianne retired in 1862 at the age of 69. She received a pension of £70 and went to live with her sister in the Marylebone section of London. Marianne Skerrett remained in contact with Queen Victoria, visiting her and writing to her, until she died in London, England on July 29, 1887, at the age of 94.
Unofficial Royalty: Marianne Skerrett

June 20, 1810 – Death by a lynch mob of Axel von Fersen the Younger, favorite of Marie Antoinette, Queen of France, in Stockholm, Sweden; initially buried at the Riddarholmen Church in Stockholm, Sweden, later buried with his family at Ljungs Church in Ljung, Östergötland, Sweden
In May 1810, the new Crown Prince of Sweden died suddenly after falling from his horse. Rumors quickly spread that he had been poisoned by the former King’s supporters – more specifically, at the hands of Axel von Fersen. On June 20, 1810, the funeral was held for the Crown Prince. As Marshal of the Realm, von Fersen was one of the leaders of the procession through Stockholm. Despite the heavy presence of guards, several people broke free from the crowd in attempts to get to von Fersen, while the guards mostly just looked on with disinterest. Fleeing the crowds, he tried to find safety in a nearby house but was quickly pursued and overtaken. He was dragged back into the street where he was quickly attacked and killed by the angry mob who blamed him for the Crown Prince’s death. Several months later, he was cleared of having any part in the Crown Prince’s death.
Unofficial Royalty: Axel von Fersen the Younger

June 20, 1818 – Death of Hedwig Elizabeth Charlotte of Holstein-Gottorp, Queen of Sweden and Norway, wife of King Carl XIII of Sweden/King Karl II of Norway, at the Royal Palace in Stockholm, Sweden; buried at Riddarholm Church in Stockholm, Sweden
In 1774, Hedwig Elisabeth Charlotte married the future King Carl XIII of Sweden. Their marriage was distant and both Hedwig Elisabeth Charlotte and Carl had extramarital affairs. Hedwig Elisabeth Charlotte had two children – one stillborn and one who lived only six days. Hedwig Elisabeth Charlotte was known for her invaluable diary which described the Swedish royal court from 1775 to 1817.  It was written in the form of unsent letters to her friend Countess Sophie von Fersen. The letters are an important source for historical research. Besides dealing with gossip and social events of the court, Hedwig Elizabeth Charlotte also wrote about the French Revolution, the assassination of her husband’s brother King Gustav III, the Napoleonic Wars, and the deposing of her husband’s nephew Gustav IV Adolf which caused her husband to become King of Sweden. After her husband’s death in February 1818, Hedwig Elizabeth Charlotte said she would not be able to survive without him. On June 20, 1818, after a private dinner with the new King Carl XIV Johan, she went to her room to write, fainted, and died at the age of 59.
Unofficial Royalty: Hedwig Elizabeth Charlotte of Holstein-Gottorp, Queen of Sweden and Norway

June 20, 1837 – Death of King William IV of the United Kingdom at Windsor Castle in Windsor, England; buried at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle in Windsor, England
Although William IV had ten children with his mistress Dorothea Jordan, he had no surviving children with his wife. Princess Victoria of Kent, the daughter of his deceased brother Prince Edward, Duke of Kent was his heir. Both William and his wife Adelaide were very fond of their niece and wanted to be closer to her. However, Victoria’s mother, the Duchess of Kent, did not allow this. In addition, she was rude to Queen Adelaide by refusing to recognize the Queen’s precedence, ignoring her letters, and taking space in royal stables and apartments for her own use. In August 1836 at a dinner in honor of his 71st birthday, William publically insulted the Duchess of Kent, who would have been her daughter’s Regent, in a speech that can be read in William’s article linked below. In the speech, William said, “I trust in God that my life may be spared for nine months longer, after which period, in the event of my death, no regency would take place.” William’s wish that his life would be spared for nine months was granted. Princess Victoria turned 18 on May 24, 1837, and a regency would no longer be required. The king had become ill with asthma or hay fever in May 1837, and pneumonia soon developed. King William IV died peacefully on June 20, 1837, at Windsor Castle and Princess Victoria ascended to the throne.
Unofficial Royalty: King William IV of the United Kingdom

June 20, 1856 – Death of Prince Florestan I of Monaco in Paris, France; buried at Saint Nicholas Cathedral in Monaco
Florestan succeeded his childless brother Honoré V in 1841. Florestan had lived in France his entire life and had never been to Monaco. He was ill-prepared to assume the role of Sovereign Prince. During his reign, the real power lay in the hands of his wife Maria Caroline Gibert de Lametz. She took over  Monaco’s finances just as she did with the family finances. Maria Caroline ruled Monaco with an iron fist because her indecisive and politically disinclined husband left all affairs of state to her. Florestan, Prince of Monaco died, aged 70, on June 20, 1856, in Paris, France. He was buried at the Church of Saint Nicholas in Monaco.
Unofficial Royalty: Prince Florestan I of Monaco

June 20, 1913 – Birth of Infante Juan of Spain, Count of Barcelona at the Palace of San Ildefonso in Segovia, Spain
Full name: Juan Carlos Teresa Silverio Alfonso de Borbón y Battenberg
Juan was the third surviving son of King Alfonso XIII of Spain and Victoria Eugenie of Battenburg. He was the father of King Juan Carlos of Spain. In 1933, both of his elder brothers renounced their rights of succession, and Juan became heir apparent to the Spanish throne. However, when dictator Francisco Franco declared a restoration of the monarchy in 1947, he named himself Regent. It would be another 22 years before he named his successor. Feeling that Juan would be too liberal, Franco instead passed over him and chose Juan’s son, Juan Carlos, as heir to the Spanish throne.
Unofficial Royalty: Infante Juan of Spain, Count of Barcelona

June 20, 1923 – Death of Marie of Battenberg, Princess of Erbach-Schönberg, daughter of Prince Alexander of Hesse and by Rhine, in Schönberg, Germany; buried in the cemetery of St. Mary’s Church in Schönberg, Hesse, Germany
The Battenberg / Mountbatten family descends from Marie’s parents Prince Alexander of Hesse and by Rhine and his morganatic wife Countess Julia von Hauke. In 1871, Marie married Gustaf Ernst, Count of Erbach-Schönberg and had four children. An avid writer, Marie published translations of several prominent works and wrote My Trip to Bulgaria, a memoir of her visit to her brother Alexander who was reigning Prince of Bulgaria from 1879 to 1886. In her later years, several more memoirs were published, one of which detailed the situation of her son Maximilian who was mentally unstable.
Unofficial Royalty: Marie of Battenberg, Princess of Erbach-Schönberg

June 20, 1923 – Death of Anne Innes-Ker, Duchess of Roxburghe, Queen Victoria’s Acting Mistress of the Robes 1883–1885 and 1892–1895 and Lady of the Bedchamber 1897–1901, at her daughter Evelyn’s home on South Audley Street in Mayfair, London, England; buried at Kelso Abbey in Kelso, Scotland, near Floors Castle, the seat of the Dukes of Roxburghe
Born Lady Anne Spencer-Churchill, daughter of John Spencer-Churchill, 7th Duke of Marlborough, she married James Innes-Ker, 7th Duke of Roxburghe.
Unofficial Royalty: Anne Innes-Ker, Duchess of Roxburghe

June 20, 1946 – Birth of Birgitte, Duchess of Gloucester, wife of Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester, born Birgitte Eva Henriksen in Odense, Isle of Funen, Denmark
The Duchess of Gloucester carried out many public engagements in support of her husband’s first cousin Queen Elizabeth II. She also supported The Queen at official engagements such as state banquets, religious services, garden parties, and receptions. The Duchess of Gloucester also made official overseas visits as a representative of The Queen with and without her husband. She continues to carry out engagements and represents her husband’s first cousin once removed King Charles III.
Unofficial Royalty: Birgitte, Duchess of Gloucester

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Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden and Daniel Westling; Credit – Wikipedia

June 19, 1282 – Death in childbirth of Eleanor de Montfort, Princess of Wales and Lady of Snowdon, wife of Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, Prince of Wales, granddaughter of King John of England, in Abergwyngregyn, Gwynedd, Wales; buried at the Franciscan Friary of Llanfaes, Anglesey, Wales
Eleanor’s parents were Simon de Montfort and Eleanor of England, King John’s daughter. Her husband was the last Prince of an independent Wales and was killed in battle trying to save Wales in December 1281. The baby girl born the day her mother died was named Gwenllian of Wales and her uncle Prince Dafydd ap Gruffudd became her guardian after her parents died. In June 1283, Edward captured Dafydd ap Gruffudd I’s armies and hanged, drawn, and quartered him. Dafydd ap Gruffudd’s two sons were imprisoned in Bristol Castle for the rest of their lives and his daughter and niece Gwenllian were confined in convents.
Unofficial Royalty: Eleanor de Montfort, Princess of Wales and Lady of Snowdon

June 19, 1312 – Execution of Piers Gaveston, 1st Earl of Cornwall, favorite of King Edward II of England, at Blacklow Hill near Warwick, Warwickshire, England; buried at  King’s Langley Priory in King’s Langley England
Piers Gaveston had made a good impression on King Edward I of England and was assigned to the household of his son, the Prince of Wales, the future King Edward II. However, Piers soon became involved in conflicts between King Edward I and his son. The situation got so bad that King Edward I banished Piers. After King Edward I’s death, his son King Edward II recalled Piers. Piers’ exclusive access to King Edward II annoyed members of the nobility, and Edward II was forced to send him into exile. Edward II negotiated a deal with the nobles and Piers returned after a year in exile. However, his behavior became even more offensive and Piers was exiled for a third time and would be declared an outlaw if he returned to England. However, Piers returned to England, was hunted down, and executed by a group of nobles.
Unofficial Royalty: Piers Gaveston, 1st Earl of Cornwall

June 19, 1566 – Birth of James VI, King of Scots (later also King James I of England), son of Mary, Queen of Scots, at Edinburgh Castle in Edinburgh, Scotland
Full name: Charles James
When James was 11 months old, Protestant rebels arrested his Catholic mother Mary, Queen of Scots, and forced her to abdicate in favor of her son James who reigned as James VI, King of Scots.  James’ parents, Mary, Queen of Scots and Henry Stewart, Lord Darnley, were both grandchildren of Margaret Tudor, daughter of King Henry VII of England and sister of King Henry VIII of England, and therefore, James had a claim on the English throne. Since none of the children of Henry VIII had children, James was the senior heir of Henry VII through his eldest daughter Margaret Tudor. In 1589, James married Anne of Denmark. They had had seven children, but only three survived childhood including King Charles I of England and Elizabeth whose daughter Sophia of Hanover became heiress presumptive to the British throne under the Act of Settlement 1701. Sophia’s son was King George I of Great Britain.  On her deathbed, Queen Elizabeth I gave her assent that James should succeed her. In March 1625, James became ill with a recurring fever and then suffered a stroke. He died on March 27, 1625, aged 58.
Unofficial Royalty: King James I of England

June 19, 1854 – Death of Heinrich LXII, 2nd Prince Reuss of Gera in Gera, Principality of Reuss-Gera, now in Thuringia, Germany; buried at the Bergkirche St. Marien now in Schleiz, Thuringia, Germany
Upon his father’s death in 1818, Heinrich LXII became the 2nd Prince Reuss of Gera. He was an enthusiastic ruler and immediately set out to improve the education system of his principality. Heinrich LXII also did much to beautify Reuss-Gera, especially along the roads leading to Schleiz. In 1837, Schleiz Castle was badly damaged in a fire and Heinrich LXII oversaw the renovations. However, in 1945, Schleiz Castle was destroyed by American bombing during World War II. The ruins were removed in 1950, leaving only the two damaged towers.
Unofficial Royalty: Heinrich LXII, 2nd Prince Reuss of Gera

June 19, 1860 – Birth of Anna Nahowski, mistress of Franz Joseph I, Emperor of Austria, born Anna Nowak in Vienna, Austria
Franz Joseph and Anna’s relationship lasted for fourteen years, overlapping Franz Joseph’s long-standing private relationship with actress Katharina Schratt. It is probable that Franz Joseph was the father of at least one of Anna’s three children. After the suicide of Franz Joseph’s only son Crown Prince Rudolf, Franz Joseph broke off all contact with Anna. She was informed that she could determine her severance payment for the fourteen years in the service of the emperor. She asked for 200,000 guldens (millions of dollars today) and in return, she had to sign the following statement: “I hereby confirm that I received 200,000 guldens as a gift from His Majesty the Emperor today. I also swear that I will remain silent at all times about the relationship with His Majesty.” Anna never spoke publicly about her affair during her life. She did keep a diary which was released in 1976 after the death of her daughter Helene. The diary revealed the true nature of the relationship between Anna and Franz Joseph.
Unofficial Royalty: Anna Nahowski

June 19, 1867 – Execution of Emperor Maximilian of Mexico by firing squad in Cerro de las Campanas, Querétaro, Mexico; buried at the Imperial Crypt in Vienna, Austria
Maximilian was born an Austrian Archduke and was the brother of Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria. In 1861, Maximilian accepted the offer of becoming Emperor of Mexico. However, the liberal forces led by Benito Juárez, the former president deposed by the French, refused to recognize his rule. There was continuous warfare between the French troops and the forces of Juárez who wanted a republic. Maximilian was condemned to death by a court of war and was executed by a firing squad.
Unofficial Royalty: Execution of Maximilian I, Emperor of Mexico
Unofficial Royalty: Archduke Maximilian of Austria, Emperor of Mexico

June 19, 1896 – Birth of Wallis, Duchess of Windsor, wife of the former King Edward VIII of the United Kingdom, Duke of Windsor, at Square Cottage at Monterey Inn, a resort hotel in Blue Ridge Summit, Pennsylvania
Born: Bessiewallis Warfield
Bessiewallis Warfield was the only child of Teackle Wallis Warfield and Alice Montague. Teackle’s family had money, but it was “new money,” and the family was looked down upon by the older, established families. Teackle was sickly, had been ill with tuberculosis since he was 18 years old, and had a poor-paying job as a county auctioneer. Wallis’ mother was Alice Montague from a Southern “Old Family”. The Montague family could not fathom Alice’s decision to marry Teackle. Only three people attended their wedding: Alice’s sister Bessie and two of Teackle’s friends. Five months after Wallis’ birth, her father died at the age of 27. Wallis and her mother were dependent upon the charity of relatives until her mother remarried. Wallis uncle Solomon Warfield paid for her to attend the most expensive girls’ school in Maryland and she made friends with several girls from wealthy families.
Unofficial Royalty: Wallis, Duchess of Windsor

June 19, 1902 – Death of King Albert of Saxony at Sibyllenort Castle in Sibyllenort, Kingdom of Saxony, now in Lower Silesia, Poland; buried in the Wettin Crypt at the Dresden Cathedral in Dresden, Kingdom of Saxony, now in Saxony, Germany
When Albert’s father died in 1873, he succeeded him as King of Saxony. For the most part, his reign was quiet and uneventful, as he focused primarily on military affairs and did not involve himself much in politics. Perhaps his greatest contribution was the establishment of the Albertstadt, a suburb in Dresden. In the late 1890s, he was appointed to serve as an arbitrator in the dispute over succession in the Principality of Lippe. Albert’s marriage was childless and he was succeeded by his younger brother Georg.
Unofficial Royalty: King Albert of Saxony

June 19, 1976 – Wedding of King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden and Silvia Sommerlath at the Storkyrkan in Stockholm, Sweden
Silvia Sommerlath worked at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich as a senior hostess and interpreter. As part of her job duties, Silvia was assigned as hostess and guide to several high-profile attendees at the Games. One of Silvia’s assigned guests was King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden. Carl Gustaf asked Silvia for a date on the day they met, and the couple had dinner just a few hours later. Carl Gustaf noted several years afterward that he and Silvia simply “clicked” upon their first meeting and had done so ever since that day.
Unofficial Royalty: Wedding of King Carl XVI Gustaf and Silvia Sommerlath

June 19, 1999 – Wedding of Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh and Sophie Rhys Jones at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle in Windsor, England
On January 6, 1999, Prince Edward held a press conference to announce he and Sophie Rhys-Jones were engaged to be married. It was the culmination of a long courtship, beginning in 1993 when the two renewed a casual acquaintance at a Real Tennis Challenge, hosted by the Prince. Ms. Rhys-Jones, the public relations executive handling the event, was reportedly “charmed” by the youngest of the Queen’s sons, and he with her.
Unofficial Royalty: Wedding of Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh and Sophie Rhys Jones

June 19, 2010 – Wedding of Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden and Daniel Westling at the Storkyrkan in Stockholm, Sweden
Crown Princess Victoria first met Daniel Westling in 2001 when he became her personal trainer at the gym he owned in Stockholm. It was at a friend’s birthday party in 2002 when photographers caught a kiss between the two, fueling the interest in the Princess’ personal life. Despite some public opinion against Daniel as a potential spouse for the princess due to his ‘common’ background, Victoria made it clear that one’s background was not the deciding factor in marriage, but rather the happiness shared by the couple. Speculation increased in July 2008 when Daniel moved to a rental apartment in a wing of Drottningholm Palace. Many believed this was to allow him to be ‘groomed’ for the role of consort to the Crown Princess. The engagement of Crown Princess Victoria to Mr. Daniel Westling was announced by the Royal Palace on February 24, 2009.
Unofficial Royalty: Wedding of Crown Princess Victoria and Daniel Westling

June 19, 2018 – Death of Princess Elisabeth of Denmark, the first cousin of Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, at Sorgenfri Palace in Copenhagen, Denmark; buried at Lyngby Church in Copenhagen, Denmark
Elisabeth was the granddaughter of King Christian X of Denmark and the first cousin of Queen Margrethe II of Denmark. Not receiving an appanage from the State, she took a job with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1956. Several times she was posted abroad – twice at the Danish Embassy in Washington DC and once at the Danish United Nations Mission in Geneva, Switzerland. She retired in 2001 after 45 years of employment. Elisabeth never married, perhaps to retain her position within the Danish Royal Family. Until her death, she was the last person in the line of succession to the Danish throne. Elisabeth had a long-term relationship with videographer Claus Hermansen until he died in 1997.
Unofficial Royalty: Princess Elisabeth of Denmark

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