Royal News Recap for Wednesday, June 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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Japan

Multiple Monarchies

Netherlands

Serbia

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.

June 27: Today in Royal History

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King Louis XII of France; Credit – Wikipedia

June 27, 1462 – Birth of King Louis XII of France at the Château de Blois in Blois, France
Louis succeeded his father as Duke of Orléans at the age of three. Although his descent from the French ruling line was somewhat distant, Louis was aware of his proximity to the throne should the main Valois line become extinct. King Charles VIII died unexpectedly in 1498. Although Charles VIII and his wife had had several children, none survived him, allowing Louis’ succession as King Louis XII of France. Louis XII married three times. His last wife was 18-year-old Mary Tudor, daughter of King Henry VII of England and sister of King Henry VIII of England. The 52-year-old Louis XII was still eager to provide himself with a male heir. However, the marriage lasted only four months due to Louis’s death.
Unofficial Royalty: King Louis XII of France

June 27, 1550 – Birth of King Charles IX of France at the Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye near Paris, France
Charles became King of France at the age of nine upon the death of his 16-year-old brother François II who was the first husband of Mary, Queen of Scots. The horrific St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre, in which thousands of Protestant Huguenots were killed, occurred during Charles’ reign. Although Charles IX publicly approved of the results of the St. Bartholomew Day’s Massacre, it left him with a psychological trauma that lasted for the remaining two years of his life. He became increasingly depressed and his already weak constitution could no longer resist the tuberculosis that ravaged his body and he died at the age of 23.
Unofficial Royalty: King Charles IX of France

June 27, 1655 – Death of Eleonora Gonzaga of Mantua, Holy Roman Empress, second wife of Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor, Archduke of Inner Austria, King of Bohemia, King of Hungary and Croatia, in Vienna, Austria; buried in Vienna at the Discalced Carmelites Monastery, in 1782, Eleonora’s remains were reinterred in the Ducal Crypt at St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna, Austria
After being widowed for six years, 44-year-old Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor arranged to marry Eleanora, his 24-year-old first cousin once removed. Despite their twenty-year age difference, Eleonora and Ferdinand II had a happy marriage. Eleonora and Ferdinand had no children, but Eleonora had a close relationship with her stepchildren from Feredinand’s first marriage. After Ferdinand’s death in 1537, Eleonora lived in Graz Castle near her husband’s mausoleum but then she settled in Vienna, living mostly at the Discalced Carmelites Monastery she had founded in 1622. Eleonora spent part of her time in the palaces outside Vienna, especially Schönbrunn Palace. Eleonora, Dowager Holy Roman Empress died, aged fifty-six, in Vienna on June 27, 1655. She was buried in Vienna at the Discalced Carmelites Monastery she had founded. In 1782, Eleonora’s remains were reinterred in the Ducal Crypt at St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna, Austria.
Unofficial Royalty: Eleonora Gonzaga of Mantua, Holy Roman Empress, 2nd wife of Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor

June 27, 1704 – Death of Elisabeth Helene von Vieregg, mistress and bigamous wife of Frederik IV, King of Denmark and Norway; buried at the Church of Our Savior in Copenhagen, Denmark
Without divorcing his wife, Frederik IV made a bigamous marriage to Elisabeth and then created her Countess of Antvorskov. Elisabeth died due to childbirth complications shortly after giving birth to King Frederik IV’s son Frederik Gyldenløve. Elisabeth was greatly mourned by Frederik IV who gave her a lavish funeral and commanded that the bells of three churches should ring for two hours. Elisabeth was buried at the Church of Our Savior in Copenhagen, Denmark.  Her son lived for only nine months and was buried with Elisabeth.
Unofficial Royalty: Elisabeth Helene von Vieregg

June 27, 1880 – Birth of Natalia Sergeyevna Sheremetyevskaya, Countess Brasova, morganatic wife of Grand Duke Michael of Russia, son of Alexander III, Emperor of All Russia, at a rented summer dacha outside of Moscow, Russia
Natalia was the lover and then the morganatic wife of Grand Duke Michael of Russia, brother of Nicholas II, Emperor of All Russia. After the birth of a son named George after Michael’s deceased brother, Natalia and her first husband were divorced. Nicholas II issued a decree giving George the surname Brasov after Michael’s estate at Brasov, permitted Natalia to use the surname Brasova, and allowed her to live with Michael at his estate Brasovo. When Michael and Natalia were secretly married without Nicholas II’s permission, Nicholas stripped Michael of his military rank, froze all his assets in Russia, seized control of his estates, and banished him from Russia. Eventually, Michael was allowed to return to Russia, his son George was legitimized and created Count Brasov but neither he nor his descendants could be in the line of succession. At the same time, Natalia was created Countess Brasova. Michael and his secretary were killed during the Russian Revolution and their bodies were never found. George died in a car accident at the age of 20. Natalia died at the age of 71 in 1952.
Unofficial Royalty: Natalia Sergeyevna Sheremetyevskaya, Countess Brasova

June 27, 1959 – Death of Prince Elia of Bourbon-Parma in Friedberg, Austria; buried nearby in Mönichkirchen, Austria
Prince Elia of Bourbon-Parma was head of the House of Bourbon-Parma and pretender to the former ducal throne of Parma from 1950 until he died in 1959. Additionally, he served as regent from 1907-1950 for two of his elder brothers, Enrico and Giuseppe, who were mentally disabled.
Unofficial Royalty: Prince Elia of Bourbon-Parma

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Royal News Recap for Tuesday, June 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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Japan State Visit to the United Kingdom

Denmark

Jordan

Luxembourg

Monaco

Netherlands

Spain

Sweden

Tonga

United Kingdom

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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.

June 26: Today in Royal History

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Anna Katharina of Brandenburg, Queen of Denmark & Norway; Credit – Wikipedia

June 26, 1575 – Birth of Anna Katharina of Brandenburg, Queen of Denmark, first wife of King Christian IV of Denmark, in Halle upon Saale, Electorate of Brandenburg, now in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany
Anna Katharina of Brandenburg married King Christian IV of Denmark in 1597 and they had six children. Anna Katharina was praised for her modesty and piety. She often accompanied Christian IV on his trips but had no influence on the politics of Denmark. Christian IV had affairs during his marriage and Anna Katharina was certainly aware of them. A little more than a year after the birth of her last child, Anna Katharina died on April 8, 1612, at the age of 36.
Unofficial Royalty: Anna Katharina of Brandenburg, Queen of Denmark

June 26, 1726 – Birth of Vittorio Amadeo III, King of Sardinia at the Royal Palace in Turin, Kingdom of Sardinia, now in Italy
Vittorio Amedeo III was a great-great-grandson of King Charles I of England from the House of Stuart. After King James II, a son of King Charles I, lost his throne via the Glorious Revolution of 1688, the Jacobite (from Jacobus, the Latin for James) movement formed. The goal of the Jacobites was to restore the Roman Catholic Stuart King James II of England/VII of Scotland and his Roman Catholic heirs to the thrones of England and Scotland. When the line of the deposed King James II of England died out in 1807, the Jacobite claims to the British throne descended from the line of his sister Henrietta of England, Duchess of Orléans whose daughter Anne Marie d’Orléans had married Vittorio Amedeo II, King of Sardinia. In 1807, Vittorio Amedeo’s son Carlo Emanuele IV, King of Sardinia became the Jacobite heir from the House of Savoy
Unofficial Royalty: Vittorio Amadeo III, King of Sardinia

June 26, 1760 – Birth of Prince Johann I Josef of Liechtenstein in Vienna, Austria
Full name: Johann Baptist Josef Adam Johann Nepomuk Aloys Franz de Paula
Because he had an elder brother and was not expected to succeed to the throne of Liechtenstein, Johann Josef chose a military career in the Imperial Army of the Holy Roman Empire, of which Liechtenstein was a constituent state. In 1792, Johann Josef married Landgravine Josefa of Fürstenberg-Weitra, and the couple had fourteen children. Upon the death of his childless brother Alois I, Prince of Liechtenstein in 1805, Johan Josef became the reigning Prince of Liechtenstein. As Prince of Liechtenstein, Johann Josef carried out progressive reforms, and in 1818, however, he approved a new constitution that limited the power of the monarch. He established modern practices in agriculture and forestry and reorganized the government administration to meet modern needs. On April 20, 1836, Johann I Josef, Prince of Liechtenstein, aged 75, died at Liechtenstein Palace in Vienna, Austria.
Unofficial Royalty: Prince Johann I Josef of Liechtenstein

June 26, 1830 – Death of King George IV of the United Kingdom at Windsor Castle in Windsor, England; buried at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor, England
Upon the death of King George III on January 29, 1820, The Prince Regent succeeded to the throne as King George IV. At the time of his succession, George IV was obese and probably addicted to laudanum.  He suffered from gout, arteriosclerosis, and edema. Towards the end of his life, he spent more and more time in seclusion at Windsor Castle. Because of his excessive lifestyle, he had become so fat (his weight in 1830 was 130 kg/280 lbs) that he increasingly was an object of ridicule when he appeared in public. George IV’s final illness began in January 1830 with a severe cough. He improved slightly in March 1830 but continued to have respiratory problems, faintness, and urinary tract pain. When George IV died, the throne passed to the next surviving son of King George III, Prince William, Duke of Clarence who reigned as King William IV.
Unofficial Royalty: King George IV of the United Kingdom

June 26, 1878 – Death of Maria de las Mercedes of Orléans, Queen of Spain, first wife of King Alfonso XII of Spain, at the Palacio Real de Madrid; originally buried at the Monastery of El Escorial, reburied at the Cathedral of la Almudena in Madrid, Spain in 2000
In June 1878, six months after her marriage, 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, at her birthplace, the Royal Palace of Madrid.
Unofficial Royalty: Maria de las Mercedes of Orléans, Queen of Spain

June 26, 1899 – Birth of Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna of Russia, daughter of Nicholas II, Emperor of All Russia, at Peterhof near St. Petersburg, Russia
Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma (born Prince Louis of Battenberg, a maternal uncle of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh) was a son of Empress Alexandra Feodorovna’s eldest sister Victoria of Hesse and by Rhine. In his childhood, Lord Mountbatten was close to his aunt Alexandra’s children, his first cousins. At a very young age, he began a “lifelong love affair” with Maria and kept a framed photo of her by his bed until he, like his Romanov first cousins, was also violently murdered. He wrote about Maria: “I was mad about her, and determined to marry her. You could not imagine anyone more beautiful than she was!”
Unofficial Royalty: Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna of Russia

June 26, 1914 – Birth of Princess Sophie of Greece and Denmark, Princess of Hesse, Princess of Hanover, sister of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, at Mon Repos on the isle of Corfu, Greece
Sophie married twice, both her husbands were descendants of Queen Victoria as she was. Her first husband was Prince Christoph of Hesse, the son of Prince Friedrich Karl of Hesse and Princess Margarete of Prussia, a granddaughter of Queen Victoria. Prince Christoph was killed in a plane crash during World War II. Her second husband was Prince Georg Wilhelm of Hanover, the son of Ernst August III, Duke of Brunswick, a descendant of King George III through his son Ernest Augustus, King of Hanover and Duke of Cumberland, and Princess Viktoria Luise of Prussia, the only daughter of Wilhelm II, German Emperor who was a grandson of Queen Victoria.
Unofficial Royalty: Princess Sophie of Greece and Denmark, Princess of Hesse, Princess of Hanover

June 26, 1922 – Death of Prince Albert I of Monaco in Paris, France; buried at the Cathedral of Monaco in Monaco
Besides being the Sovereign Prince of Monaco, Albert I left an interesting legacy.  He was a pioneer of oceanography and founded the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco which has a world-class aquarium, museum, library, and research facilities in Paris.  His interest in the origins of man caused him to found the Institute for Human Paleontology in Paris, which conducted many archeological digs. Because of his quest for world peace, the prince founded the International Institute for Peace, a predecessor of the League of Nations and the United Nations.
Unofficial Royalty: Prince Albert I of Monaco

June 26, 2005 – Birth of Princess Alexia of the Netherlands, daughter of King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands, at Bronovo Hospital in The Hague, The Netherlands
Full name: Alexia Juliana Marcela Laurentian
Alexia is the second of the three daughters of King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands.
Unofficial Royalty: Princess Alexia of the Netherlands

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Royal News Recap for Monday, June 24, 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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Denmark

Japan

Jordan

Multiple Monarchies

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.

June 25: Today in Royal History

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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

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.

National Service of Remembrance – November – United Kingdom

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2024

2010 National Service of Remembrance; Photo: Sgt Dan Harmer, RLC/MOD, OGL v1.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=26910545

Members of the British Royal Family attend the National Service of Remembrance at The Cenotaph in London on Remembrance Sunday on the second Sunday in November or the Sunday nearest to November 11, the anniversary of the Armistice,  the end of hostilities in World War I on November 11, 1918. Remembrance Sunday commemorates the contribution of British and Commonwealth military men and women in World War I, World War II, and later conflicts. Many countries changed the name from Armistice Day, with member states of the Commonwealth of Nations adopting Remembrance Day and the United States opting for Veterans Day.

What is the Cenotaph?

The Cenotaph on Whitehall in London, England; By Andrew Shiva / Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=32768399

A cenotaph is a monument erected in memory of a deceased person whose body is buried elsewhere. The word comes from the Greek kenotaphion, kenos “empty” + taphos “tomb”. The Cenotaph is a war memorial on Whitehall in London, England. Whitehall is the street recognized as the center of the Government of the United Kingdom. Along Whitehall are many government departments and ministries, including the Ministry of Defence and the Cabinet Office.

The temporary Cenotaph in an etching by William Monk, published in 1920; Credit – Wikipedia

In 1919, British architect Edwin Landseer Lutyens was approached by Prime Minister David Lloyd George and Sir Alfred Mond, First Commissioner of Works, to design a temporary cenotaph that would stand on Whitehall to be part of Peace Day celebrations in July 1919. Although the temporary cenotaph was intended to stand for only one week, it was so popular that Lutyens was asked to design a permanent one.

The Cenotaph is made from Portland stone. The design guides the eye upwards, in a back-and-forth motion, from the plinth to the words “The Glorious Dead” (referring to those who lost their lives in World War I and World War II and later conflicts), the flags on the sides, the dates of the wars, and the laurel wreaths (carved by the sculptor Francis Derwent Wood) and finally to the empty tomb on top. The Cenotaph is 35 feet/11 meters high and 15 by 9 feet/4.5 by 2.7 meters at the base.

The unveiling of The Cenotaph on November 11, 1920. The gun carriage bearing the casket of The Unknown Warrior can be seen on the left.

The Cenotaph was unveiled on November 11, 1920, the same day The Unknown Warrior was given a full state funeral and interred in the Nave of Westminster Abbey, only a few feet from the entrance. The casket of The Unknown Warrior was placed on a gun carriage and drawn by six black horses through the streets of London lined with large and silent crowds. When the gun carriage reached Whitehall, it stopped at The Cenotaph, which was then unveiled by King George V. The gun carriage was then followed by King George V, members of the Royal Family, and the government ministers to Westminster Abbey for the state funeral of The Unknown Warrior.

What happens at the National Service of Remembrance?

A military band at the 2023 Service of Remembrance

The ceremony begins at 10:36 AM with a music program that has remained unchanged since 1930.

  • Rule, Britannia! by Thomas Arne – A patriotic song, originating from the poem “Rule, Britannia” by James Thomson
  • Heart of Oak by William Boyce – Words by the 18th-century English actor David Garrick. It is the official march of the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom, Royal Canadian Navy, Royal New Zealand Navy, and formerly the Royal Australian Navy.
  • The Minstrel Boy – Traditional Irish air – Words by Thomas Moore in remembrance of his friends from Trinity College, Dublin who were killed during the Irish Rebellion of 1798. It is associated with the Irish Army and the traditionally Irish regiments in the army of the United Kingdom.
  • Men of Harlech (Rhyfelgyrch Gwŷr Harlech) – Traditional Welsh air – Words describe events during the seven-year siege of Harlech Castle between 1461 and 1468.
  • The Skye Boat Song – Traditional Scottish air – The song tells how Bonnie Prince Charlie, disguised as a serving maid, escaped in a small boat after the defeat of his Jacobite rising of 1745, with the aid of Flora MacDonald. The lyrics were written by Sir Harold Boulton, 2nd Baronet.
  • Isle of Beauty – Music by T.A. Rawlings – Words from the poem by Thomas Haynes Bayly – The phrase “Absence makes the heart grow fonder” comes from the poem.
  • David of the White Rock (Dafydd y Garreg Wen) – Music and words attributed to David Owen
  • Oft in the Stilly Night – arrangement by John Andrew Stevenson of older Scottish air, words by Thomas Moore (who also wrote the words to The Minstrel Boy above.
  • Flowers of the Forest – Scottish folk tune – Commemorates the defeat of the Scottish army of James IV, King of Scots at the Battle of Flodden in September 1513.
  • Nimrod from Enigma Variations by Edward Elgar – Nimrod, was an Old Testament patriarch described as “a mighty hunter before the Lord”

Music played during the actual National Service of Remembrance

  • Dido’s Lament from the opera Dido and Aeneas by Henry Purcell – The final scene of the opera Dido and Aeneas when Dido, the Queen of Carthage, rejects her lover Aeneas for having thought of leaving her.
  • The Supreme Sacrifice – Music by Charles Harris – Words were taken from a poem by Sir John Stanhope Arkwright
  • Solemn Melody by Henry Walford Davies, originally for organ and orchestra
  • Last Post – A bugle call used at Commonwealth military funerals and ceremonies commemorating those killed in war. The “Last Post” call originally signaled that the final sentry post had been inspected, and the camp was secure for the night.
  • Beethoven’s Funeral March No. 1 – Formerly attributed to Ludwig van Beethoven but now known to have been composed by his contemporary Johann Heinrich Walch.
  • O God, Our Help in Ages Past – Hymn by Isaac Watts that paraphrases the 90th Psalm
  • The Rouse – A bugle call most often associated with the military in Commonwealth countries. It is commonly played following Last Post at military services and is often mistakenly referred to as Reveille.
  • God Save the King – The National Anthem of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

King Charles III leads The Prince of Wales, and The Princess Royal to The Cenotaph during the 2023 Service of Rembrance

As the band plays Dido’s Lament by Henry Purcell, the clergy led by a cross-bearer and the Choir of the Chapel Royal, proceeds to The Cenotaph. The service is led by the Dean of the Chapel Royal, usually the Bishop of London. During the playing of Solemn Melody by Henry Walford Davies, politicians, high commissioners, religious leaders from many faiths, and humanists representing the non-religious assemble. All stand at attention in silence as the Royal Family emerges.

As Big Ben strikes 11:00 AM, the King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery fires a single-shot salute from World War I era guns on Horse Guards Parade. Two minutes’ silence is then observed. The silence represents the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month in 1918 when the Armistice, an agreement to end the fighting of World War I as a prelude to peace negotiations, began at 11:00 AM November 11, 1918. This silence is ended by Gunners of the Royal Horse Artillery firing a gun salute. Royal Marines buglers then sound the Last Post.

King Charles III lays the first wreath at the 2023 National Service of Remembrance

The first wreath is laid by The Monarch on behalf of the nation, followed by other members of the Royal Family laying wreaths. The Queen, The Princess of Wales, and other members of the Royal Family watch the ceremony from the Foreign Office balcony.

Queen Camilla and The Princess of Wales watch the 2023 National Service of Remembrance

The Prime Minister, other government leaders, former living Prime Ministers, and representatives of the military

The band plays Beethoven’s Funeral March No.1 by Johann Heinrich Walch as the Prime Minister lays a wreath. Other Commonwealth leaders also lay wreaths if they are present, along with the Leader of the Opposition, the leaders of major political parties, the Speaker of the House of Commons, the Lord Speaker, the Foreign Secretary, the Home Secretary, Commonwealth High Commissioners, former living United Kingdom prime ministers, representatives from the Royal Navy, Royal Army, Royal Air Force, the Merchant Navy, and the civilian emergency services.

The clergy conducting the religious service

The Dean of the Chapel Royal, usually the Bishop of London, conducts a short religious service. The hymn O God Our Help In Ages Past is sung and The Lord’s Prayer is recited.

The Rouse is played by the buglers, followed by the singing of the National Anthem. The Monarch and the other members of the Royal Family salute The Cenotaph and depart.

After the National Service of Remembrance

The Veterans Parade in 2023

As the bands play marches and popular World War I era and World War II era songs, a parade of veterans march past The Cenotaph, saluting as they pass and laying wreaths at The Cenotaph. The veterans’ parade includes members of the Reserve Forces, volunteers from St John Ambulance, paramedics from the London Ambulance Service, and veterans from World War II, Korea, the Falklands, the Persian Gulf, Kosovo, Bosnia, Northern Ireland, Iraq, Afghanistan, and other past conflicts.

The Guards Memorial with Horse Guards Parade and the Admiralty Offices in the background  By Doyle of London – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=134168924

The veterans march back to Horse Guards Parade, where a member of the Royal Family takes their salute in front of the Guards Memorial which commemorates the war dead from the Guards Division and related units during World War I and the war dead of the Household Division during World War II and other conflicts since 1918.

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

  • Hardman, Robert. (2007). A Year With The Queen. Simon and Schuster.
  • History of the Cenotaph. English Heritage. (n.d.). https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/the-cenotaph/history/
  • National Service of Remembrance. (2023). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Service_of_Remembrance
  • The Cenotaph. (2024). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Cenotaph
  • What is the Cenotaph?. Imperial War Museums. (n.d.). https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/what-is-the-cenotaph

Royal News Recap for Saturday, June 22 and Sunday, June 23, 2024

Denmark

Greece

Japan

Jordan

Luxembourg

Multiple Monarchies

United Kingdom

June 24: Today in Royal History

© Unofficial Royalty 2024

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

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.

Royal Birthdays & Anniversaries: June 23 – June 29

© Unofficial Royalty 2024

Below is a select list of birthdays and wedding anniversaries for current monarchies. It does not purport to be a complete list. Please see the Current Monarchies Index in the heading above for more information on current monarchies.

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Embed from Getty Images

19th birthday of Princess Alexia of the Netherlands, daughter of King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands; born at Bronovo Hospital in The Hague, the Netherlands on June 26, 2005
Full name: Alexia Juliana Marcela Laurentian
Unofficial Royalty: Princess Alexia of the Netherlands

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Crown Prince Hussein of Jordan, Credit – Wikipedia

30th birthday of Crown Prince Hussein of Jordan, son of King Abdullah II of Jordan; born in Amman, Jordan on June 28, 1994
Unofficial Royalty: Crown Prince Hussein

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Crown Prince Akishino of Japan and Kiko Kawashima; Credit – goddesssaintnoblewomannun.blogspot.com

34th wedding anniversary of Crown Prince and Crown Princess (Kiko) Akishino of Japan; married at the Tokyo Imperial Palace on June 29, 1990
Unofficial Royalty: Crown Prince Akishino of Japan
Unofficial Royalty: Crown Princess Akishino of Japan

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