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

October 26, 899 – Death of Alfred the Great, King of the Anglo-Saxons; initially buried at the Old Minster in Winchester, England, in 903, Alfred’s remains were moved to the New Minster, in 1110, his remains were moved to Hyde Abbey in Winchester which was destroyed in 1539 during the Dissolution of the Monasteries during the reign of King Henry VIII
Alfred the Great was King of Wessex and later styled himself King of the Anglo-Saxons. Alfred and Cnut, King of England, Denmark, Norway, and parts of Sweden are the only British monarchs to be given the epithet “the Great”. Alfred spent several years fighting Viking invasions. In 878, he won a decisive victory in the Battle of Edington and made an agreement with the Vikings, creating what was known as the Danelaw in the north of England. During Alfred’s reign major administrative and military reforms were introduced, creating lasting change in England. Alfred had long suffered from a mysterious illness with periodic painful attacks. Alfred’s contemporary biographer, the Welsh monk Asser, gave a detailed description of his symptoms and modern doctors suspect that he had either Crohn’s disease or hemorrhoidal disease. However, Alfred’s grandson King Eadred also suffered from ill health all his life. He had symptoms similar to the symptoms Alfred had. A genetic disease such as porphyria, which King George III may have had, is also a possibility.  Alfred died at around the age of 50 from unknown causes.
Unofficial Royalty: Alfred the Great, King of Wessex, King of the Anglo-Saxons

October 26, 1580 – Death of Anna of Austria, Queen of Spain, fourth wife of King Felipe II Spain, in Badajoz, Spain; buried at the Monastery of San Lorenzo El Real in El Escorial, Spain
Anna was the daughter of Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor, King of Hungary and Croatia, Archduke of Austria and Maria of Spain. In 1570, she married her uncle King Felipe II of Spain, becoming his fourth wife. They had five children including Felipe III, King of Spain who succeeded his father. Anna died from influenza at the age of 30, on October 26, 1580, eight months after giving birth to her youngest child.
Unofficial Royalty: Anna of Austria, Queen of Spain

October 26, 1717 – Death of Catherine Sedley Colyear, Countess of Dorchester, Countess of Portmore, mistress of King James II of England, in Bath, England; initially buried in Bath, in 1729 her remains were reinterred in the new Portmore vault at St. James’ Church in Weybridge, Surrey, England
Catherine was appointed a maid of honor to Maria Beatrice of Modena, Duchess of York, the second wife of James, Duke of York, the future King James II of England. She caught the eye of James and became his mistress. Catherine and James had three children. In 1685, when James became king, Catherine was created Countess of Dorchester and Baroness of Darlington in her own right for life. After James was deposed and fled to France in 1688, Catherine remained in England. She married Sir David Colyear and they had two sons. In 1714, at the coronation of King George I, Catherine met Charles II’s mistress Louise de Kérouaille, Duchess of Portsmouth, and William III’s mistress Elizabeth Hamilton, Countess of Orkney, and exclaimed “God! Who would have thought that we three whores should meet here.” When Catherine died, aged 59, her life peerage became extinct.
Unofficial Royalty: Catherine Sedley, Countess of Dorchester, mistress of King James II of England

October 26, 1802 – Birth of King Miguel I of Portugal at the Queluz National Palace in Lisbon, Portugal
Full name: Miguel Maria do Patrocínio João Carlos Francisco de Assis Xavier de Paula Pedro de Alcântara António Rafael Gabriel Joaquim José Gonzaga Evaristo
Miguel was the son of King João VI of Portugal who reigned until he died in 1826. At that time, João VI’s elder son succeeded to the throne as King Pedro IV. Pedro was king for only two months, abdicating in favor of his daughter Queen Maria II of Portugal. Maria Antonia’s father Miguel served as regent for his niece Maria II. As regent, Miguel claimed the Portuguese throne in his own right. This led to a difficult political situation, during which many people were killed, imprisoned, persecuted, or sent into exile, finally culminating in the Portuguese Liberal Wars. Ultimately, Miguel was deposed in 1834 and lived the last thirty-two years of his life in exile.
Unofficial Royalty: King Miguel I of Portugal

October 26, 1862 – Death of Marie Luise of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Duchess of Saxe-Altenburg, wife of Georg, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg, at the Elisabethenburg Palace in Meiningen, Duchy of Meiningen, now in Thuringia, Germany; buried in the Ducal Mausoleum in the Altenburg cemetery, in the Duchy of Saxe-Altenburg, now in Thuringia, Germany, in 1974, all the remains were removed from the mausoleum and reburied elsewhere in the cemetery
Marie Luise was the wife of Friedrich, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg. The couple had three children. While Duchess of Saxe-Altenburg, Marie Luise did much charity work. Through her Marie Foundation, she founded a woman’s association, several schools, and the Lutheran missionary society in Altenburg. Marie Luise died at the age of 59.
Unofficial Royalty: Marie Luise of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Duchess of Saxe-Altenburg

October 26, 1897 – Death of Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge, Duchess of Teck, in London, England; buried in the Royal Vault at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle in Windsor, England
The daughter of Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge, Mary Adelaide was a male-line grandchild of King George III of the United Kingdom, a first cousin of Queen Victoria, and the mother of Mary of Teck, wife of King George V. Through her daughter Queen Mary, Mary Adelaide is the great-grandmother of Queen Elizabeth II and an ancestor of the members of the House of Windsor. Mary Adelaide married Prince Francis of Teck and the couple had three sons and one daughter. She devoted her life to charity, serving as the first royal patron of Barnardo’s, a charity still in existence, founded by Thomas Barnardo in 1866 to care for vulnerable children and young people. Barnardo’s has a long history of royal patrons and presidents including Queen Alexandra, Queen Mary (Mary Adelaide’s daughter), Queen Elizabeth II, Diana, Princess of Wales, and Queen Camilla. Mary Adelaide died at the age of 63 from heart failure, two hours after an emergency operation.
Unofficial Royalty: Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge, Duchess of Teck

October 26, 1944 – Death of Princess Beatrice of the United Kingdom, last surviving child of Queen Victoria, at Bantridge Park in Balcombe, Sussex, England; buried at St. Mildred’s Church in Whippingham, Isle of Wight, England
The youngest of the nine children of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, by the time she was three years old, Beatrice was an aunt twice over.  Only four and a half when her father died, Beatrice had lost one of her principal role models. Because of her mother’s prolonged grief and mourning, Beatrice’s life would forever be shaped by her father’s death. She became a great solace to her mother, and as the years progressed Queen Victoria hoped that Beatrice would always be her constant companion. Beatrice finally got her mother’s permission to marry Prince Henry of Battenberg after promising Henry would renounce his military career, nationality, and home and agree to live with Beatrice and the Queen. Beatrice and Henry had three sons and one daughter. Through their daughter, they are ancestors of the Spanish royal family. Beatrice was a hemophilia carrier. Her son Leopold was a hemophiliac and her daughter Victoria Eugenie was a carrier. Beatrice’s youngest Maurice was killed in action during World War II. Beatrice, rather infamously, edited her mother’s journals, deleting two-thirds of the original content. As she aged, Beatrice became very infirm with arthritis and needed to use a wheelchair. She died at the age of 87, the last surviving child of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. Her funeral was held at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle. Queen Elizabeth, the wife of King George VI, Beatrice’s great-nephew, led Queen Victoria Eugenie of Spain, Beatrice’s daughter, to the open vault in the choir where they both curtsied. Behind them in the choir stalls stood a young woman dressed in black, 18-year-old Princess Elizabeth, the future Queen Elizabeth II.
Unofficial Royalty: Princess Beatrice of the United Kingdom

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King Alexander I of Greece, Credit – Wikipedia

October 25, 1154 – Death of King Stephen of England at Dover Castle in Kent, England; buried at Faversham Abbey in Kent, England; Henry FitzEmpress ascends to the throne as King Henry II, the first of the Angevin Kings of England
King Stephen was born Stephen of Blois, the son of Stephen II, Count of Blois and Adela of Normandy and England, a daughter of King William I of England (the Conqueror). After his uncle King Henry I of England died, Stephen seized power. Stephen and his first cousin Matilda, the only surviving legitimate child of King Henry I of England, fought a long civil war known as The Anarchy between 1135 and 1153. In 1153, a treaty was signed that allowed Stephen to keep the English throne until his death but forced him to recognize Matilda’s son Henry FitzEmpress, as his heir. Stephen died the following year of appendicitis. Matilda’s son began his reign as King Henry II of England, the start of a line of fourteen Plantagenet kings who ruled until 1485.
Unofficial Royalty: King Stephen of England

October 25, 1692 – Birth of Elisabeth Farnese of Parma, Queen of Spain, second wife of King Felipe V of Spain, at Palazzo della Pilotta in Parma, Italy
After the death of his first wife, Felipe V of Spain married Elisabeth Farnese in 1714. Elisabeth and Felipe V had six children. Felipe V experienced episodes of manic depression. During several periods, he was unable to handle government affairs and Elisabeth became the de facto ruler. As he grew older, Felipe V’s mental issues worsened and Elisabeth became the permanent de facto ruler of Spain. In 1746, Felipe V had a stroke and died a few hours later. Elisabeth’s stepson Fernando VI, King of Spain reigned for thirteen years. Fernando’s marriage was childless so when he died in 1759, Elisabeth’s elder surviving son succeeded his half-brother as King Carlos III of Spain. On July 11, 1766, aged 73, Elisabeth died at the Royal Palace of Aranjuez in Aranjuez, Spain.
Unofficial Royalty: Elizabeth Farnese of Parma, Queen of Spain

October 25, 1743 – Birth of Friedrich Karl August, Prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont in Zweibrücken, County Palatinate-Zweibrücken, now in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany
In 1763, Friedrich Karl August’s father died and he succeeded him as reigning Prince of Waldeck-Pyrmont. However, his mother Christiane Henriette served as Regent of the Principality of Waldeck-Pyrmont until 1766. After a visit to England in 1775 to learn about ways to modernize Waldeck-Pyrmont, Friedrich Karl August instituted plans for road construction, improvements to agriculture, production of wool and linen, and the mining of iron. The education system was improved and a gymnasium, the term for a German secondary school was constructed in Korbach. Friedrich Karl August died at age 68 and because he was unmarried, his brother Georg succeeded him.
Unofficial Royalty: Friedrich Karl August, Prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont 

October 25, 1759 – Birth of Sophie Dorothea of Württemberg, Empress Maria Feodorovna, Empress of All Russia, second wife of Paul I, Emperor of All Russia, in Stettin, Kingdom of  Prussia, now in Poland
Full name: Sophia Marie Dorothea Auguste Luise
In 1776, less than six months after the death of Paul’s first wife and child in childbirth, 17-year-old Maria Feodorovna and 22-year-old Paul Petrovich were married. The couple had a happy marriage for many years. Maria Feodorovna and Paul had ten children including two Emperors of All Russia. Maria Feodorovna promoted the arts, painted watercolors, designed cameos, and created ivory artworks. She was a gifted musician, played the harpsichord, and arranged for plays to be performed at her court. Maria and Paul were particularly interested in German and French literature and created an extensive library of German works at Gatchina Palace where writers, artists, and scholars frequently gathered.
Unofficial Royalty: Sophie Dorothea of Württemberg, Maria Feodorovna, Empress of All Russia

October 25, 1760 – Death of King George II of Great Britain at Kensington Palace in London, England; buried at Westminster Abbey in London, England
On October 25, 1760, King George II woke up early at Kensington Palace and had his usual cup of chocolate. He asked about the direction of the wind as he was anxious about receiving his overseas mail, and then he entered his water closet. A few minutes later, his valet heard a crash and found George lying on the floor. He was put into bed and asked for his favorite daughter Princess Amelia, but he died before the princess reached him. An autopsy showed that he died of a ruptured aortic aneurysm. King George II was buried in Westminster Abbey, the last monarch to be buried there. He was succeeded by his grandson, King George III.
Unofficial Royalty: King George II of Great Britain

October 25, 1874 – Birth of Bertha Louise of Hesse-Philippsthal-Barchfeld, Princess of Lippe, the first of the two wives of Leopold IV, the last Prince of Lippe, in Burgsteinfurt, a city under the control of the noble Bentheim-Steinfurt family, now in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia
In 1901, Bertha Louise married the future Leopold IV, Prince of Lippe. The couple had five children. Alexander, Prince of Lippe, the last of the Lippe-Detmold line, died in 1905. With the extinction of the Lippe-Detmold line, the throne of the Principality of Lippe went to Bertha Louise’s husband who reigned as Leopold IV and would be the last reigning Prince of Lippe. Following the German Empire’s defeat in World War I and the German Revolution of 1918-1919, Leopold IV was forced to renounce the throne. However, Leopold negotiated a treaty with the new government that allowed his family to remain in Lippe. During the rise of Nazism in Germany, all three sons of Bertha Louise and Leopold became members of the Nazi Party. At the end of World War II, Hereditary Prince Ernst was taken prisoner by the Allies and took part in the Nuremberg Trials as a witness. The denazification tribunal in the Detmold administrative district classified Ernst as a Lesser Offender, Category III. He was not imprisoned but rather placed on probation for two-three years with a list of restrictions.
Unofficial Royalty: Bertha Louise of Hesse-Philippsthal-Barchfeld, Princess of Lippe

October 25, 1920 – Death of King Alexander of Greece from blood poisoning caused by a monkey bite, at the Royal Palace in Athens, Greece; buried at the Royal Cemetery at Tatoi Palace in Greece
On October 2, 1920, King Alexander was bitten by a monkey while walking on the grounds of Tatoi Palace. Not thinking it was serious, he had the wound cleaned and dressed, but it soon became infected. He soon developed septicemia and became delirious with fever. Despite his pleas for his mother to be at his bedside, the government would not allow either of his parents to return to Greece. They did allow his grandmother Queen Olga to come to Athens. King Alexander died on October 25, 1920, at the Royal Palace. Delayed by bad weather, Queen Olga did not arrive until two hours after his death.
Unofficial Royalty: King Alexander of Greece

October 25, 1921 – Birth of King Mihai (Michael) of Romania in a chalet on the grounds of Peleş Castle  in Sinaia, Romania
Mihai was the only child of King Carol II of Romania and his second wife, Princess Helen of Greece. He was the last King of Romania, reigning from 1927 to 1930 and again from 1940 until his forced abdication in 1947. In 1947, Mihai married Princess Anne of Bourbon-Parma. The couple had five daughters. Their eldest daughter Margareta is the current Custodian of the Crown of Romania. Mihai was banned from Romania for 43 years. In 1997, the Romanian government restored Mihai’s citizenship and in the following years, several properties were returned to the royal family.
Unofficial Royalty: King Michael of Romania

October 25, 1942 – Birth of Archduke Leopold Franz of Austria at Leutstetten Castle, near Starnberg, Bavaria, Germany
Archduke Leopold Franz of Austria was the Pretender to the former Grand Ducal throne of Tuscany from 1984 until he renounced his rights in favor of his son in 1993.
Unofficial Royalty: Archduke Leopold Franz of Austria

October 25, 1951 – Death of Amélie of Orléans, Queen of Portugal, wife of King Carlos I of Portugal, at Château de Bellevue, Le Chesnay, France; buried at the Monastery of São Vicente de Fora in Lisbon, Portugal
In 1886, Amélie married the future King Carlos I of Portugal. They had three children including King Manuel II, the last King of Portugal. As Queen, Amélie took great interest in the well-being of the Portuguese people, establishing hospitals, sanatoriums, pharmacies, kitchens, and nurseries. On February 1, 1908, King Carlos I was shot and killed by two gunmen while riding in an open carriage in Lisbon, Portugal. The king’s elder son and heir, Luís Filipe, Prince Royal, was also killed in the attack. The younger son Manuel was injured. Remarkably, Queen Amélie was unharmed and is credited with likely having saved the life of her younger son. In October 1910, the monarchy was deposed during the Republican Revolution. Amélie went into exile with her son Manuel, and mother-in-law, settling in Twickenham, London. In 1912, Amélie moved to the Château de Bellevue, Le Chesnay, France where she died in 1951 at the age of 86.
Unofficial Royalty: Amélie of Orléans, Queen of Portugal

October 25, 1980 – Death of Philipp, Landgrave of Hesse, Head of the Electoral House of Hesse-Kassel and Head of Grand Ducal House of Hesse and by Rhine, in Rome, Italy; buried in the family cemetery at the former Schloss Friedrichshof (now Schlosshotel Kronberg) in Kronberg im Taunus, in the German state of Hesse
Philipp became head of the Electoral House of Hesse (also known as Hesse-Kassel) in 1940. In 1968, upon the death of his childless distant cousin, Prince Ludwig of Hesse and by Rhine, Philipp inherited the headship of the former Grand Ducal House of Hesse and by Rhine as well. This reunited the last two remaining branches of the historic House of Hesse, which had been divided in 1567.
Unofficial Royalty: Philipp, Landgrave of Hesse

October 25, 2001 – Birth of Princess Elisabeth of Belgium, Duchess of Brabant, daughter and heir apparent of Philippe, King of the Belgians, at Hôpital Erasme in Anderlecht, Brussels, Belgium
Full name: Elisabeth Thérèse Marie Hélène
Belgium changed its succession law in 1991 to absolute primogeniture where the succession passes to the eldest child of the sovereign regardless of gender. Males and females have equal succession rights. This means that Elisabeth is the heir apparent and comes first in the line of succession as the eldest child. She is expected to become the first Belgian Queen Regnant. Elisabeth automatically became Duchess of Brabant, the title used by the female heirs to the Belgian throne and the wives of male heirs.
Unofficial Royalty: Princess Elisabeth, Duchess of Brabant

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Jane Seymour, Queen of England, Credit – Wikipedia

October 24, 1503 – Birth of Isabel of Portugal, Queen of Spain, Holy Roman Empress, wife of King Carlos I of Spain (Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor), in Lisbon, Portugal
The daughter of Manuel I, King of Portugal and his second wife Infanta Maria of Aragon, Isabella was the wife of her first cousin Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor who was also King of Spain, Archduke of Austria, Lord of the Netherlands, Duke of Burgundy, among many other titles. Charles and Isabella had five children but only three survived to adulthood. Their son Felipe would become King of Spain, King of Portugal, King of Naples and Sicily, Duke of Milan, Lord of the Seventeen Provinces of the Netherlands, and jure uxoris (by right of his wife) King of England and Ireland during his marriage to his second wife Queen Mary I of England from 1554 until Mary’s death in 1558. In 1539, during the third month of Isabella’s seventh pregnancy, she developed a fever causing her to miscarry. The fever caused her condition to worsen and Isabella died two weeks later in Toledo, Spain, on May 1, 1539, aged thirty-five. Charles never recovered from her death, dressed in black for the rest of his life, and despite being only thirty-nine, never remarried.
Unofficial Royalty: Isabel of Portugal, Queen of Spain, Holy Roman Empress

October 24, 1537 – Death of Jane Seymour, Queen of England, third wife of King Henry VIII of England, from childbirth complications at Hampton Court Palace in Richmond, England; buried at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle in Windsor, England
On May 30, 1536, King Henry VIII was married to Jane Seymour, his third wife, in a private ceremony held in the Queen’s Closet at Whitehall Palace. On October 12, 1537, Jane gave birth to Henry VIII’s long-awaited male heir. Jane’s labor had been long, two days and three nights. Three days later, the baby was christened Edward after Edward the Confessor. On October 17, 1537, Jane’s condition deteriorated and she was given the last rites. She died on October 24, 1537, most likely from puerperal fever or childbed fever, a bacterial infection.
Unofficial Royalty: Jane Seymour, Queen of England

October 24, 1723 – Death of Praskovia Feodorovna Saltykova, Tsaritsa of All Russia, wife of Ivan V, Tsar of All Russia, in St. Petersburg, Russia; buried at the Alexander Nevsky Monastery in St. Petersburg, Russia in the crypt of the Annunciation Church
Praskovia Feodorovna Saltykova was the wife of Ivan V, Tsar of All Russia and the mother of Anna I, Empress of All Russia. Ivan V was physically and mentally disabled and co-reigned with his younger half-brother Peter I (the Great), Emperor of All Russia. Praskovia and Ivan had five daughters. Ivan died in 1696 at the age of 29. Praskovia had great respect for her brother-in-law Peter I and often served as the first lady, welcoming visitors to the Russian court. She understood the need for the changes Peter was making in Russia, raised her daughters, and held her court in a modern Western manner, which made her well-regarded by Peter. Praskovia’s health began to suffer towards the end of her life and she suffered from several ailments. She died the day after her 59th birthday.
Unofficial Royalty: Praskovia Feodorovna Saltykova, Tsaritsa of All Russia

October 24, 1829 – Death of Luise of Hesse-Darmstadt, Grand Duchess of Hesse and by Rhine, wife of Grand Duke Ludwig I of Hesse and by Rhine, at the summer residence Fürstenlager in Auerbach now in Hesse, Germany; buried in the Darmstadt Stadtkirche until 1910, when her remains were moved to the Altes Mausoleum in the Rosenhöhe in Darmstadt
In 1777, Luise married her first cousin, the future Grand Duke Ludwig I of Hesse and by Rhine. The couple had six children. Luise’s husband Ludwig succeeded his father in April 1790 as Ludwig X, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt. After the fall of the Holy Roman Empire, Hesse-Darmstadt was raised to the Grand Duchy of Hesse, with Ludwig becoming its first Grand Duke, Ludwig I. In 1816, at the Congress of Vienna, he was forced to cede his Westphalian territories, but in return was given the Rheinhessen region which included the city of Mainz. It was then, that the Grand Duchy of Hesse became the Grand Duchy of Hesse and by Rhine. Luise died at her summer residence at the age of 68.
Unofficial Royalty: Luise of Hesse-Darmstadt, Grand Duchess of Hesse and by Rhine

October 24, 1887 – Birth of Victoria Eugénie of Battenberg, Queen of Spain, wife of King Alfonso XIII of Spain and granddaughter of Queen Victoria, at Balmoral Castle in Scotland
Full name: Victoria Eugénie Julia Ena
Known as Queen Ena of Spain, she was the daughter of Princess Beatrice of the United Kingdom and Prince Henry of Battenberg. The current Spanish Royal Family are her descendants. In 1906, Ena married King Alfonso XIII of Spain. The couple had seven children and Ena passed on hemophilia to two of her sons. She threw herself into her new role as Queen and began working with charities that supported the poor, promoted education, and took a particular interest in nursing and hospital care. Following the establishment of the Second Spanish Republic in 1931, the family went into exile and Ena and Alfonso soon went their separate ways. In February 1968, Ena returned to Spain for the first time since going into exile in 1931 to serve as godmother to her new great-grandson, the future King Felipe VI of Spain. After she returned to her home in Switzerland, and soon her health began to fail. Ena died, aged 87, at her home in Lausanne, Switzerland, surrounded by her family.
Unofficial Royalty: Victoria Eugénie of Battenberg, Queen of Spain

October 24, 1895 – Birth of Count Pierre de Polignac, after his marriage, Prince Pierre of Monaco, Duke of Valentinois, at the Château de Kerscamp in Hennebont, Britanny region,  France
Pierre was the husband of Princess Charlotte of Monaco, the daughter of Louis II, Prince of Monaco, and the father of Rainier III, Prince of Monaco. Once Pierre had produced a male heir, he was no longer necessary. His father-in-law Prince Louis II disliked him and Charlotte became unhappy shortly after the marriage. In the mid-1920s, the couple unofficially separated. Pierre and Charlotte were legally separated by a French court in 1930. On February 18, 1933, they were divorced by the ordinance of Prince Louis II, and the divorce was confirmed by a French tribunal in December 1933. During the reign of his son Prince Rainier III, Pierre lived in a villa near the Prince’s Palace in Monaco. Pierre Prince Pierre died of cancer on November 10, 1964, and was buried at the Chapelle de la Paix in Monaco where his former wife Princess Charlotte, his daughter Princess Antoinette, and her deceased children have also been buried.
Unofficial Royalty: Count Pierre de Polignac, Prince Pierre of Monaco, Duke of Valentinois

October 24, 1921 – Birth of Princess Gina of Liechtenstein, born Countess Georgina von Wilczek, wife of Prince Franz Josef II of Liechtenstein, in Graz, Austria
Full name: Georgina Norberta Jane Marie Antonie Raphaela, called Gina
In 1943, Gina married Franz Josef II, Prince of Liechtenstein. They had five children including the present Prince of Liechtenstein, Hans-Adam II. During World War II, Princess Gina, like her mother, had concerns for prisoners of war. In 1945, she founded the Liechtenstein Red Cross and was president from 1945 to 1984. Gina died in 1989, in a hospital in Grabs, Switzerland, six days before her 68th birthday after a long battle with cancer. Her husband Franz Josef died 26 days later.
Unofficial Royalty: Countess Gina von Wilczek, Princess of Liechtenstein

October 24, 1947 – Birth of Prince Nikolaus of Liechtenstein, son of Prince Franz Josef II, brother of Prince Hans-Adam II, in Zurich, Switzerland
Full name: Nikolaus Ferdinand Maria Josef Raphael
In 1982, Prince Nikolaus married Princess Margaretha of Luxembourg, daughter of Grand Duke Jean of Luxembourg. So far, their marriage is the last between two reigning royal houses in Europe. Nikolaus worked for the International Red Cross in Geneva, and later as a consultant in Liechtenstein’s Office of International Relations. From 1979-1989, he served as Permanent Representative to the Council of Europe. In 1986, he was appointed the first non-resident Ambassador to the Holy See, a position he held until July 2017. In addition, he served as Ambassador to Switzerland from 1989-1996, and Ambassador to Belgium and the European Union from 1996-2010.
Unofficial Royalty: Prince Nikolaus of Liechtenstein

October 24, 1951 – Death of Prince Carl of Sweden, Duke of Västergötland, son of King Oscar II of Sweden, in Stockholm, Sweden; buried in the royal cemetery in Haga Park, Solna, Sweden
In 1897, Carl married Princess Ingeborg of Denmark, daughter of King Frederik VIII of Denmark. Although neither was the heir to a throne, another Danish-Swedish royal union was exciting for the families of the couple and citizens of their respective countries. Carl and Ingeborg are ancestors of the current Belgian royal family, Luxembourg grand ducal family, and Belgian royal family. Belgian Kings Baudouin and Albert II, Norwegian King Harald V, and Grand Duchess of Luxembourg Josephine-Charlotte are all grandchildren of Carl and Ingeborg. Carl exhibited excellent diplomatic skills and was later sought to help mediate peace talks and arrange the release of political prisoners. He distinguished himself as the President of the Swedish Red Cross, earning several Nobel Peace Prize nominations for his work with prisoners of war. Carl died on October 24,  1951, in Stockholm, Sweden at the age of 90.
Unofficial Royalty: Prince Carl of Sweden, Duke of Västergötland

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Alexander of Battenberg, Prince of Bulgaria; Credit – Wikipedia

October 23, 1636 – Birth of Hedwig Eleonora of Holstein-Gottorp, Queen of Sweden, Regent of Sweden, wife King Karl X of Sweden, at Gottorp Castle at Schleswig, in the Duchy of Schleswig, now in the German state of Schleswig-Holstein
Hedwig Eleonora married King Karl X of Sweden in 1654, the day after her eighteenth birthday.  They had one son. Karl died at the age of 37 in 1660 from influenza and pneumonia, leaving his four-year-old son to succeed him as Karl XI, King of Sweden. Hedwig Eleonora was the Regent of Sweden and her son’s guardian until he reached his majority. Even after her son married Ulrika Eleonora of Denmark, Hedwig Eleonora remained the first lady of the court. Foreign ambassadors always paid their respects to Hedwig Eleonora first, and then to Ulrika Eleonora. After the death of her husband, Hedwig Eleonora was the dowager queen for 55 years. She survived her husband by fifty-five years and her son by eighteen years.
Unofficial Royalty: Hedwig Eleonora of Holstein-Gottorp, Queen of Sweden

October 23, 1664 – Birth of Praskovia Feodorovna Saltykova, Tsaritsa of All Russia, wife of Ivan V, Tsar of All Russia, was born in Moscow, Russia
Praskovia Feodorovna Saltykova was the wife of Ivan V, Tsar of All Russia and the mother of Anna I, Empress of All Russia. Ivan V was physically and mentally disabled and co-reigned with his younger half-brother Peter I (the Great), Emperor of All Russia. Praskovia and Ivan had five daughters. Ivan died in 1696 at the age of 29. Praskovia had great respect for her brother-in-law Peter I and often served as the first lady, welcoming visitors to the Russian court. She understood the need for the changes Peter was making in Russia, raised her daughters, and held her court in a modern Western manner, which made her well-regarded by Peter.
Unofficial Royalty: Praskovia Feodorovna Saltykova, Tsaritsa of All Russia

October 23, 1715 – Birth of Peter II, Emperor of All Russia in St. Petersburg, Russia
In 1725, Peter I (the Great), Emperor of All Russia died at the age of 52 from a bladder infection without naming a successor. A coup arranged by Prince Alexander Menshikov proclaimed Catherine, Peter’s second wife, the ruler of Russia. Catherine I’s reign was only two years and even before her death, it was clear that the inheritance of Peter the Great’s grandson Peter could not be denied. Menshikov began to see this during the end of Catherine I’s reign. Through his efforts, Peter was named Catherine’s heir apparent, even though Catherine had two daughters. In 1727, 43-year-old Catherine I, Empress of All Russia died of tuberculosis and 11-year-old Peter became Emperor of All Russia.  On a frigid day, Peter II attended a parade. When he returned to the palace, he had a fever that developed into smallpox.  On January 30, 1730, the delirious Peter ordered his sleigh to be readied so he could go see his sister Natalia who had died a little more than a year earlier. Fourteen-year-old Peter died a few minutes later.
Unofficial Royalty: Peter II, Emperor of Russia

October 23, 1849 – Birth of Sir James Reid, 1st Baronet, Queen Victoria’s Resident Physician 1881 – 1889 and Physician-in-Ordinary 1889 – 1901, also Physician-in-Ordinary to King Edward VII and King George V, in Ellon, Aberdeenshire, Scotland
Although Sir James Reid served as physician-in-ordinary to three British monarchs, his service to Queen Victoria is more well known. Over the years, Reid became not only Queen Victoria’s doctor but also her adviser and confidant. Except when he was on leave, he was always at court, and he traveled with her in the United Kingdom and throughout Europe. Reid’s last service for Queen Victoria was carrying out her written instructions after her death.
Unofficial Royalty: Sir James Reid, 1st Baronet

October 23, 1893 – Death of Alexander of Battenberg, Prince of Bulgaria from 1879 – 1886, at his home Villa Hartenau in Graz, Austria; buried at the Battenberg Mausoleum in Sofia, Bulgaria
Alexander was the son of Prince Alexander of Hesse and by Rhine and Countess Julia von Hauke. He was the brother of Prince Ludwig (Louis) of Battenberg who married Princess Victoria of Hesse and by Rhine, and Prince Henry of Battenberg who married Princess Beatrice of the United Kingdom. Alexander often visited Russia where his paternal aunt Marie of Hesse and by Rhine was married to Alexander II, Emperor of All Russia. Bulgaria became a principality of the Ottoman Empire under the terms of the Treaty of Berlin in 1878. Alexander II proposed Alexander for the newly created throne, and he was unanimously elected as Prince of Bulgaria. After a contentious seven-year- reign, often caught between the conflicting goals of the Bulgarian politicians and the Russian Emperor, Alexander fell victim to a military coup and was forced to abdicate. In 1889, Alexander married opera singer Johanna Loisinger, at which point he assumed the title Count von Hartenau, which he used for the remainder of his life. The couple had two children. The couple lived in Graz, Austria where Alexander held a post in the Austrian Army.  He died unexpectedly at the age of 36 and was initially buried in Graz, Austria. Later, under the direction of the new Prince Ferdinand of Bulgaria, his remains were returned to Bulgaria and a state funeral was held and he was buried at the newly built Battenberg Mausoleum.
Unofficial Royalty: Alexander of Battenberg, Prince of Bulgaria

October 23, 1897 – Death of Agnes of Anhalt-Dessau, Duchess of Saxe-Altenburg, wife of Ernst I, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg at Schloss Hummelshain in the Duchy of Saxe-Altenburg, now in Thuringia, Germany; initially buried in the Ducal Mausoleum in Altenburg Cemetery in the Duchy of Saxe-Altenburg, now in Thuringia, Germany, later her remains were moved to the Duchess Agnes Memorial Church built in Altenburg in her honor
In 1853, Agnes married the future Ernst I, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg, and the couple had two children. A few months after their marriage Ernst’s father died and he succeeded to the throne. Agnes became very involved in charity work, particularly in the area of nursing and education. Agnes died at the family’s summer residence, Schloss Hummelshain at the age of 73.
Unofficial Royalty: Agnes of Anhalt-Dessau, Duchess of Saxe-Altenburg

October 23, 1991 – Birth of Mako Komuro, formerly Princess Mako of Akishino, daughter of Crown Prince Akishino of Japan, at the Imperial Household Agency Hospital  in Tokyo, Japan
After a three-year delay, Mako married Kei Komuro on October 26, 2021. Mako, like her paternal aunt, Sayako, Princess Nori, and other princesses who married commoners, formally lost her title and became a commoner upon marriage as required by Imperial Household Law.  She announced that she would forego the Japanese government’s taxpayer-funded payment of approximately $1.3 million given to royal women upon leaving the Imperial Family. Mako lives in the United States with her husband Kei Komuro, who received a law degree from Fordham University in New York City in 2021 and is employed by the New York-based law firm Lowenstein Sandler LLP.
Unofficial Royalty: Mako Komuro, formerly Princess Mako of Akishino

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Augusta Viktoria of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg, German Empress, Queen of Prussia; Credit – Wikipedia

October 22, 1687 – Birth of Anton Ulrich, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen in Meiningen, Duchy of Saxe-Meiningen, now in Thuringia, Germany
In 1711, Anton Ulrich had secretly married Philippine Elisabeth Caesar, a lady-in-waiting to his elder sister. The marriage was morganatic and was met with great disapproval from his family. Anton Ulrich and Philippine Elisabeth had ten children who were not eligible to succeed to the throne. Philippine Elisabeth Caesar died in 1744.  In 1746, Friedrich Wilhelm, Anton Ulrich’s brother who had jointly reigned with him, died, and Anton Ulrich was now the only Duke of Saxe-Meiningen. His relatives had already been discussing the division of Saxe-Meiningen after his death due to the lack of heirs. However, Anton Ulrich married Charlotte Amalie of Hesse-Philippsthal, who was forty-three years younger, and the couple had eight children.
Unofficial Royalty: Anton Ulrich, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen

October 22, 1689 – Birth of King João V of Portugal at Ribeira Palace in Lisbon, Portugal
Full name: João Francisco António José Bento Bernardo
After his mother died when he was ten years old, João V’s paternal aunt Catherine of Braganza, the widow of King Charles II of England, who returned to Portugal to live in 1693, took over the responsibilities of the care for João and remained his main female role model until she died in 1705. João succeeded his father as King of Portugal when he was seventeen years old. In 1708, João V married his first cousin Archduchess Maria Anna of Austria, the daughter of Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor. The couple had six children including two kings of Portugal. In 1742, 52-year-old João had a stroke and became partially paralyzed. He recovered somewhat but was left diminished and much less energetic. His wife Maria Anna served as regent until he died in 1750.
Unofficial Royalty: King João V of Portugal

October 22, 1701 – Birth of Archduchess Maria Amalie of Austria, wife of Karl VII, Holy Roman Emperor who was also Karl I, Elector of Bavaria, at Hofburg Palace in Vienna, Austria
The daughter of Joseph I, Holy Roman Emperor, Maria Amalie married Karl of Bavaria, the heir to the Electorate of Bavaria. They had seven children but only four survived to adulthood. While the War of the Austrian Succession was occurring, Karl, now Elector of Bavaria was elected Holy Roman Emperor Karl VII in 1742, and his wife Maria Amalie was now Holy Roman Empress. Karl VII’s three-year reign as Holy Roman Emperor was greatly overshadowed by the War of Austrian Succession. After the death of her husband in 1745, Maria Amalie lived at the home her husband had given her, Fürstenried Palace, for the rest of her life.
Unofficial Royalty: Maria Amalie of Austria, Holy Roman Empress, Electress of Bavaria

October 22, 1751 – Death of Willem IV, Prince of Orange at Huis ten Bosch in The Hague, Dutch Republic, now in the Netherlands; buried at Nieuwe Kerk in Delft, the Netherlands 
Six weeks before Willem IV’s birth, his 23-year-old father Johan Willem Friso, Prince of Orange drowned when the ferry he was traveling on across a wide river capsized. From the day of his birth, Willem was Prince of Orange. In 1734, Willem married Anne, Princess Royal, the eldest daughter of King George II of Great Britain and the couple had two children. Willem IV died at age 40 from a stroke and was succeeded by his three-year-old son as Willem V with his mother Anne serving as Regent.
Unofficial Royalty: Willem IV, Prince of Orange

October 22, 1759 – Birth of Louise d’Aumont Mazarin, Hereditary Princess of Monaco, wife of the future Prince Honoré IV of Monaco, in Paris, France
Full name: Louise Félicité Victoire
Louise d’Aumont, a wealthy heiress, was the wife of Honoré IV, Prince of Monaco. However, Louise divorced Honoré before he became Prince of Monaco, and so the title she held during their marriage was Hereditary Princess of Monaco. Louise and Honoré IV had two sons, both Sovereign Princes of Monaco. In 1794, while Honoré IV was in prison during the French Revolution, Louise gave birth to an illegitimate daughter Amélie Céleste Erodore d’Aumont. The child’s father is believed to be Antoine de Montazet, Archbishop of Lyon. After Honoré IV’s release from prison, Louise and Honoré IV’s marriage became unhappy and the couple separated. In 1798, Louise divorced Honoré IV, giving Louise sole access to her fortune.
Unofficial Royalty: Louise d’Aumont Mazarin, Hereditary Princess of Monaco

October 22, 1858 – Birth of Augusta Viktoria of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg, German Empress, Queen of Prussia, wife of Wilhelm II, German Emperor, King of Prussia, in Dolzig Palace in Lubsko, Kingdom of Prussia, now in Poland
Full name: Auguste Viktoria Friederike Luise Feodora Jenny
Known as Dona, she was a great-niece of Queen Victoria, a niece of Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein, the husband of Queen Victoria’s daughter Princess Helena, and a descendant of Danish and British kings. In 1881, Dona married the future Wilhelm II, German Emperor and King of Prussia. They had six sons and one daughter. When Dona became German Empress and Queen of Prussia in 1888, she took up and enjoyed the traditional roles of a consort, serving as a hostess and working with charities.
Unofficial Royalty: Augusta Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg, German Empress, Queen of Prussia

October 22, 1942 – Birth of Prince Christian of Denmark, later Count Christian of Rosenborg, son of Prince Knud of Denmark and grandson of King Christian X of Denmark, at Sorgenfri Palace in Lyngby, Denmark
Full name: Christian Frederik Franz Knud Harald Carl Oluf Gustav Georg Erik
Christian was born a Prince of Denmark but did not seek King Frederik IX’s permission to marry. Therefore, he forfeited his succession rights and lost his royal title. He was a first cousin of Queen Margrethe II of Denmark. Count Christian of Rosenborg died at Gentofte Hospital in Gentofte, Denmark on May 21, 2013, at the age of 70.
Unofficial Royalty: Count Christian of Rosenborg

October 22, 2002 – Death of Queen Geraldine of the Albanians, born Countess Geraldine Apponyi de Nagy-Apponyi, wife of King Zog I of the Albanians, at Tirana, Albania; buried at Sharra Cemetery in Tirana, Albania; reburied in 2012 in the newly built Royal Mausoleum in Tirana, along with husband, son, and daughter-in-law
In 1938, Geraldine married King Zog I of the Albanians. The following year, she gave birth to the couple’s only child Crown Prince Leka I. Two days later, Italian forces invaded and took control of Albania, and the royal family went into exile. After over 62 years in exile, the Albanian government changed the law in 2002, allowing the Royal Family to return to the country. In June 2002, Queen Geraldine, her son, and his family returned home to a massive welcome. Sadly, just five months later, Queen Geraldine of the Albanians died at a military hospital in Tirana at the age of 87.
Unofficial Royalty: Geraldine Apponyi de Nagy-Apponyi, Queen of the Albanians

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