by Scott Mehl © Unofficial Royalty 2013

Upon the abdication of King Albert II of the Belgians on July 21, 2013, the Belgian royal family experienced something that I don’t recall ever happening before; certainly not in recent history. Belgium had three living Queens – Fabiola, Paola, and Mathilde – and two living Kings – Albert II and Philippe. A real Full House!  This lasted until the death of Queen Fabiola on December 5, 2014.

There have been other times when a country has had three Queens, or two Kings, but as far as I’m aware, this is the first time that both have occurred within any European monarchy at the same time.

Other times there have been three Queens (or Empresses):

Greece – between the accession of King George II in 1922 and the death of Queen Olga in 1926:

• Queen Olga (née Olga Constantinovna of Russia, consort of King George I)
• Queen Sophie (née Sophie of Prussia, consort of King Constantine I)
• Queen Elisabeth (née Elisabeth of Romania, consort of King George II)

(It could have been 4 Queens for that timeframe, however, Aspasia Manos, consort of King Alexander, was never titled Queen.)

Russia – between the accession of Tsar Nicholas I in December 1825 and the death of Empress Elizabeth Alexeievna in May 1826:

• Empress Alexandra Feodorovna (née Charlotte of Prussia, consort of Tsar Nicholas I)
• Empress Elizabeth Alexeievna (née Louise of Baden, consort of Tsar Alexander I)
• Empress Maria Feodorovna (née Sophie Dorothea of Württemberg, consort of Tsar Paul I)

Spain – during the brief reign of King Amadeo from November 1870 to February 1873:

• Queen Maria Vittoria (née Maria Vittoria dal Pozzo, consort of King Amadeo)
• Queen Isabella II (abdicated in 1870)
• Queen Maria Christina (née Maria Christina of the Two Sicilies, consort of King Ferdinand VII)

Spain – from the marriage in January 1878 to her death in June 1878 of Queen Maria de las Mercedes:

• Queen Mercedes (née Maria de las Mercedes of Orléans, consort of King Alfonso XII)
• Queen Maria Christina (née Maria Christina of the Two Sicilies, consort of King Ferdinand VII)
• Queen Isabella II (abdicated in 1870)

Sweden and Norway – between the accession of King Carl XIV Johan in July 1859 and the death of Queen Desideria in December 1860:

• Queen Louise (née Louise of the Netherlands, consort of King Carl XIV Johan)
• Queen Josephine (née Josephine of Leuchtenberg, consort of King Oscar I)
• Queen Desideria (née Désirée Clary, consort of King Carl XV)

Sweden and Norway – between the accession of King Carl XIV Johan in February 1818 and the death of Queen Charlotte in June 1818:

• Queen Desideria (née Désirée Clary, consort of King Carl XIV Johan)
• Queen Charlotte (née Hedwig Elizabeth Charlotte of Holstein-Gottorp, consort of King Carl XIII)
• Queen Frederica (née Frederica of Baden, consort of King Gustav IV Adolf)

Sweden – between the accession of King Carl XIII in June 1809 and the death of Queen Sophia Magdalena in August 1813:

• Queen Charlotte (née Hedwig Elizabeth Charlotte of Holstein-Gottorp, consort of King Carl XIII)
• Queen Frederica (née Frederica of Baden, consort of King Gustav IV Adolf)
• Queen Sophia Magdalena (née Sophie Magdalena of Denmark, consort of King Gustav III)

United Kingdom – between the accession of Queen Elizabeth II in 1952 and the death of Queen Mary in 1953:

• Queen Mary (née Victoria Mary of Teck, consort of King George V)
• Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother (née Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, consort of King George VI)
• Queen Elizabeth II

In addition, and although not actually Queens, in Liechtenstein from March 1805 to June 1809 there were three Princess Consorts:

• Josepha of Fürstenberg-Weitra, consort of Prince Johann I Joseph
• Karoline von Manderscheid-Blankenheim, consort of Prince Aloys I
• Leopoldine von Sternberg, consort of Prince Franz Joseph I

Other times there have been two Kings:

Spain: – there are currently two Spanish Kings, since the abdication of Juan Carlos in 2014:

• King Juan Carlos I
• King Felipe VI

Belgium – from the abdication of King Leopold III in 1951 until his death in 1983:

• King Leopold III
• King Baudouin

Greece – Because of the continual upheaval of the Greek monarchy, there were several periods of time with two living Kings:

• March 1863 – July 1867 – King Otto and King George I
• June 1917-October 1920 – King Constantine I and King Alexander
• September 1922 – January 1923 – King Constantine I and King George II

Italy – from the abdication of King Vittorio Emanuele III in 1946 until his death in 1947:

• King Vittorio Emanuele III
• King Umberto II

Jordan – from the abdication of King Talal in 1952 until his death in 1972:

• King Talal
• King Hussein

Romania – from the abdication of King Carol II in 1940 until his death in 1953:

• King Carol II
• King Mihai

In addition, Luxembourg currently has two Grand Dukes living – the current reigning Henri and his father Jean, who abdicated in 2000.

Who Knew?!

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