Category Archives: Current Monarchies

Lady Mary Fox, born Mary FitzClarence, Illegitimate Daughter of King William IV of the United Kingdom

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2024

Mary FitzClarence; Credit – Wikipedia

Lady Mary Fox was born Mary FitzClarence, the fourth of the ten children and the second of the five daughters of the future King William IV of the United Kingdom and his mistress Dorothea Jordan, on December 19, 1798, at Bushy House in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. Mary’s paternal grandparents were King George III of the United Kingdom and Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. Francis Bland, a stagehand, and his mistress Grace Phillips, an actress were her maternal grandparents.

From 1790 until 1811, before he became king, King William IV of the United Kingdom had a long-term relationship with actress Dorothea Jordan. Their relationship resulted in ten children who were given the surname FitzClarence. The surname comes from the Anglo-Norman Fitz, meaning “son of” and Clarence, from King William IV’s title before he became king, Duke of Clarence.

Dorothea Jordan was born Dorothea Bland was born in County Waterford, Ireland, the daughter of Francis Bland, a stagehand, and his mistress Grace Phillips, an actress. Her mother encouraged Dorothea to enter the theater, and within a few years, she began to draw large crowds for her performances. She left Ireland in 1782 and moved to Leeds, England. It was at this point that she took the name Jordan. She performed for three years with the York Company, before being lured away in 1785 to move to the Royal Theatre, Drury Lane in London. By then, Dorothea was becoming a very popular performer and could be counted on to bring large crowds every night. It was at Drury Lane that her life would come to the attention of The Duke of Clarence several years later.


Mary’s parents The Duke of Clarence (later King William IV) and Dorothea Jordan; Credit – Wikipedia

In 1790, Dorothea was first noticed by The Duke of Clarence (later King William IV) while performing at Drury Lane. They quickly began an affair that would last for the next 21 years. Dorothea moved in with the Duke at his home, Clarence Lodge in Roehampton, London, England and later they moved to Bushy House in Bushy Park in Richmond upon Thames, London, England.

In 1797, King George III of the United Kingdom appointed his third son William, then Duke of Clarence, the ranger of Bushy Park. The position came with the residence Bushy House in Bushy Park. William and Dorothea lived there with their ten children until their relationship ended in 1811. William continued living there with his children and later with his wife Adelaide Saxe-Meinigen after they married in 1818.

The children of King William IV and Dorothea Jordan had an elder half-brother, William Henry Courtney, born around 1788 to an unknown mother, and named after his father whose given names were William Henry. Dorothea Jordan cared for William, and she was fond of him and he was fond of her. William served in the Royal Navy from 1803 until 1807 when his ship HMS Blenheim was lost in a gale off Madagascar. Despite an extensive search, no trace of the ship was ever found. 590 men were lost aboard HMS Blenheim, including King William IV’s eldest illegitimate son nineteen-year-old William Henry Courtney.

Nine of the ten children of King William IV and Dorothea Jordan were named after nine of William’s fourteen siblings. The tenth child was given William’s middle name Henry.

William and Dorothea’s children married into the British aristocracy and their many descendants include a number of notable people including sisters Princess Alexandra, Duchess of Fife and Princess Maud, Countess of Southesk (granddaughters of King Edward VII and daughters of Princess Louise, Princess Royal and Alexander Duff, 1st Duke of Fife, a descendant of Dorothea Jordan and King William IV), Duff Cooper, 1st Viscount Norwich (British diplomat, Cabinet member, author), John Crichton-Stuart, 7th Marquess of Bute (also known as Johnny Dumfries, racing driver), and David Cameron, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

By 1811, William was pressured by his family to find a suitable wife. At the time he was fourth in line for the throne following his elder brother The Prince of Wales, the future King George IV, George’s only child Princess Charlotte of Wales, and George’s next oldest brother who was childless Prince Frederick, Duke of York. William gave in to the pressure and ended his relationship with Dorothea but ensured she was well provided for. William became closer to the throne when his niece Princess Charlotte died in 1817 giving birth to a stillborn son. When King George IV died in 1830, William succeeded to the throne. Although William had ten children with Dorothea Jordan, his marriage with Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen produced no surviving children. King William IV was succeeded by his niece Queen Victoria. Queen Victoria had relationships with her first cousins, King William IV’s illegitimate children. They are mentioned in Queen Victoria’s diaries when visiting Windsor Castle.

Mary and her siblings had little contact with their mother Dorothea Jordan after 1811 when their father ended his relationship with her. After losing much of her savings when her daughter Augusta and her husband ran up large debts in her name, Dorothea’s health quickly began to decline. Virtually penniless, Dorothea Jordan died in Saint-Cloud, France on July 5, 1816, at the age of 54. She is buried in the local cemetery in Saint-Cloud.

Charles Fox, Mary’s husband; Credit – www.findagrave.com

Like her eldest brother George, Mary also married another illegitimate child. Charles Fox was the illegitimate son of Henry Fox, 3rd Baron Holland, through an affair with Elizabeth Vassall, the wife of Sir Godfrey Webster, 4th Baronet. Charles’ mother Elizabeth was divorced by her husband on the grounds of adultery and two days later, she married Charles’ father. After their marriage, they had four more children, Charles’ siblings. On June 19, 1824, at the Parish Church of St. George in Hanover Square, Mayfair, London, England, Mary married Charles Fox but their marriage was childless. Mary and Charles established their household in Little Holland House, a Fox family property in Kensington, London, England.

Mary and Charles’ home Little Holland House; Credit – Wikipedia

In 1835, Mary was appointed State Housekeeper at Windsor Castle. Two years later, Mary’s father King William IV died and Mary’s first cousin Victoria ascended the throne. Like her siblings and their spouses, Mary and Charles occasionally dined at Windsor Castle with Queen Victoria. In 1837, Mary published a utopian feminist gothic novel entitled “An Account of an Expedition to the Interior of New Holland”. New Holland was a contemporary European name for Australia. In her novel, Mary portrayed New Holland as “a mysterious and unreal” place.

Mary’s husband Charles Fox had a brief career in the Royal Navy and a long career in the British Army. In 1809, when he was thirteen, Charles joined the Royal Navy and served as a midshipman until 1813, participating in the Napoleonic Wars. Dissatisfied with his prospects, in 1815 he joined the British Army and served in the 85th Regiment of Foot. Charles was rapidly promoted to Lieutenant in 1818, Captain in 1824, Major in 1825, and Lieutenant Colonel in 1827. Charles was Surveyor-General of the Ordnance from 1832 to 1834, in 1841, and again from 1846 to 1852, with the responsibility of ensuring the ordnance (weapons and ammunition) the British Army received was of good quality. He was promoted to Major-General in 1846, Lieutenant-General in 1854, and General in 1863. From 1865 to until he died in 1873, Richard served as the commander of the 57th (West Middlesex) Regiment of Foot, a line infantry regiment in the British Army.

Charles was also active in working for the Whig Party on a local level. In 1831, he was elected to Parliament and served for a total of ten years over several periods. Mary and Charles’ home Little Holland House Holland became a famous meeting place for prominent Whig politicians.

Grave of Lady Mary Fox and her husband Charles Fox; Credit – www.findagrave.com

Lady Mary Fox, aged 65, died on July 13, 1864, in London, England. Her husband Charles survived her by nearly nine years, dying at the age of 76, on April 13, 1873, in London. They are both buried at Kensal Green Cemetery in London, England.

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

  • Beauclerk-Dewar, Peter & Powell, Roger. (2006). Right Royal Bastards – The Fruits of Passion. Burke’s Peerage & Gentry LLC.
  • Flantzer, Susan. (2015). King William IV of the United Kingdom. Unofficial Royalty. https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/king-william-iv-of-the-united-kingdom/
  • Gen Charles Richard Fox (1796-1873) – Find a… (2023). Findagrave.com. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/35773021/charles_richard_fox
  • Lady Mary FitzClarence Fox (1798-1864) – Find a… (2016). Findagrave.com. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/35773801/mary_fox
  • Mehl, Scott. (2020). Dorothea Jordan, Mistress of King William IV of the United Kingdom. Unofficial Royalty. https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/dorothea-jordan-mistress-of-king-william-iv-of-the-united-kingdom/
  • Weir, Alison. (2008). Britain’s Royal Families – The Complete Genealogy. Vintage Books.
  • Wikipedia Contributors. (2024). Charles Richard Fox. Wikipedia; Wikimedia Foundation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Richard_Fox
  • Wikipedia Contributors. (2024). Lady Mary Fox. Wikipedia; Wikimedia Foundation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lady_Mary_Fox

Spain – National Day – October 12

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2024

Columbus taking possession of what is now Guanahani in the Bahamas in the name of the Catholic Monarchs, Queen Isabella I of Castile and her husband King Ferdinand II of Aragon, on October 12, 1492; Credit – Wikipedia

The National Day of Spain (Fiesta Nacional de España) is celebrated on October 12, the day in 1492, when Christopher Columbus went ashore at Guanahaní, an island in the Bahamas, that Columbus called San Salvador. The discovery of the Americas on October 12, 1492, has been considered an important historical day because contact between America and Europe began, transforming the world views and lives of both Europeans and the indigenous peoples of the Americas, and the European colonization of the Americas began. Christopher Columbus always believed that he had reached what we now call Asia without suspecting that he had stumbled upon a new continent. Explorer Amerigo Vespucci claimed to have understood in 1501 that Brazil was part of a fourth continent unknown to Europeans, which he named the “New World”. October 12 symbolizes Spain’s common heritage with today’s Latin American countries, which made up the Spanish Empire, the first global power in world history.

History

Our Lady of the Pillar appearing to Saint James and his disciples by Francisco Goya; Credit – Wikipedia

The first celebration in Spain of the discovery of the Americas by Christopher Columbus was in 1642 when the city of Zaragoza (also known in English as Saragossa) in Aragon, Spain designated Our Lady of the Pillar as a symbol of Hispanidad (Hispanicity) on the date of Columbus’ arrival in the New World. Our Lady of the Pillar (Spanish: Nuestra Señora del Pilar) is the name given to the Blessed Virgin Mary in the context of the traditional belief that Mary, while living in Jerusalem, supernaturally appeared to the Apostle James the Greater in 40 AD while he was preaching on the banks of the Ebro River at Caesaraugusta, now Zaragoza, Spain. In 1730, the religious feast day of Our Lady of the Pillar was declared a holiday throughout the Spanish Empire.

Our Lady of the Pillar wooden statue at the Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar in Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain; By CARLOS TEIXIDOR CADENAS – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=63861797

This title is also associated with a wooden statue commemorating Mary’s apparition, enshrined at the Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar in Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain. The traditional belief is that the Blessed Virgin Mary gave James the Greater a column of jasper and instructed him to build a church in her honor: “This place is to be my house, and this image and column shall be the title and altar of the temple that you shall build.” The wooden statue at the Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar depicts Mary and the Child Jesus with a dove sitting on his left palm. The statue is 15 inches/39 centimeters tall and stands on a pillar of jasper 5.9 feet/1.8 meters tall.

Maria Christina of Austria, Queen of Spain; Credit – Wikipedia

On September 23, 1892, Queen Maria Cristina, the widow of King Alfonso XII of Spain who died in 1885, and the Regent for her six-year-old son King Alfonso XIII of Spain, issued a royal decree declaring October 12, 1892, a one-time national day in commemoration of the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus’ discovery.

The Discovery of America and Hispanidad has been celebrated as a national day since 1918 under different names like “Día de la Hispanidad” or “Dia de la Raza” due to changes in political regimes in Spain during the 20th century. Spanish National Day emphasizes Spain’s ties with the Hispanidad, the international Hispanic community, and Spain’s legacy to the world. In 1981, a royal decree issued by King Juan Carlos I established the Fiesta Nacional y Día de la Hispanidad as a national holiday. In 1987 the name was changed to Fiesta Nacional de España and October 12 became one of two national celebrations, along with Constitution Day on December 6. The removal of Hispanidad aimed to avoid any controversy regarding the conquest, influence, and rule of the Americas by Spain.

October 12 is also an official holiday in much of Latin America under different names, celebrating the historical and cultural ties among Hispanic American countries, ties with Spain, and their common Hispanic and pre-Hispanic indigenous American heritage. However, in some Latin American countries, the emphasis has been removed from the “discovery of America” that many see as causing the abuse and genocide of the indigenous people of the Americas. In the United States, on the second Monday in October, Columbus Day, a federal holiday, is celebrated. Similar to the sentiment in some Latin American countries, a number of places in the United States instead celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day.

The controversy regarding the Spanish conquest of the indigenous peoples of the Americas continues. In 2019, Mexico’s president Andrés Manuel López Obrador wrote to King Felipe VI of Spain and Pope Francis, calling for them to apologize for the abuses committed by the Kingdom of Spain and the Roman Catholic Church during the Spanish conquest and the colonial period. In 2024, Mexico’s president-elect Claudia Sheinbaum refused to invite King Felipe VI of Spain to her inauguration because he failed to apologize for crimes committed against Mexico’s indigenous people during the Spanish conquest 500 years ago.

What Happens?

Leonor, Princess of Asturias (heir presumptive to the throne), King Felipe VI, and Queen Letizia attend the National Day Military Parade in Madrid, Spain on October 12, 2023

Official and cultural celebrations take place throughout Spain on National Day. Despite Día de la Hispanidad (Day of Hispanicity) being removed from the holiday’s name, the tradition of celebrating Hispanicity is still observed in Spain and celebrated by Hispanic people worldwide. The main celebrations take place in Madrid, the capital of Spain. Since 2000, October 12 has also been Spain’s Day of the Armed Forces, celebrated each year with a military parade in Madrid.

Military Parade

The Military Parade, 2014 Fiesta Nacional de España; Credit – WIkipedia

The Spanish Armed Forces and the State Security Forces (law enforcement) participate in a parade in Madrid, attended by the Spanish Royal Family, the Prime Minister of Spain, leaders of the Cortes Generales (the Spanish legislature), members of the Supreme Court of Spain, members of the cabinet, other representatives of the central government and the governments of the autonomous communities of the state. Thousands of Spaniards gather along the parade route. At 9:00 AM, the Royal Guards Honors Battalion forms up at the front of the royal dais where the military and governmental members have assembled, awaiting the Spanish Royal Family’s arrival.

The Royal Family of Spain and dignitaries on the dais watching the military parade in 2008. Credit – By Ministry of the Presidency. Government of Spain, Attribution, Link

At 10:00 AM, the Royal Family arrives. The Royal Guards Band plays the Marcha Real, the Spanish national anthem, one of four national anthems without lyrics. The Royal Guard Battalion presents arms and a 21-gun salute is fired. The Spanish monarch and his/her spouse inspect the Royal Guards Honors Battalion while the band plays music. The Spanish monarch and his/her spouse proceed to the dais to meet the gathered government leaders. The Chief of Defense Staff asks the Spanish monarch for permission to begin the ceremony.

Embed from Getty Images

The Spanish Air and Space Force Aerobatics Parachute Unit performs a jump from an aircraft while carrying a massive Spanish flag, landing in front of the Spanish royal family sitting on the dais. The tribute to the national flag follows, with its raising while the national anthem, the “Marcha Real,” is performed

Spanish Air and Space Force’s aerobatics team, the Patrulla Águila; Credit – Nils van der Burg from Madrid, Spain 12 Oct 2009 – Día de la Hispanidad

A tribute is paid to the soldiers who have given their lives for Spain, followed by the military parade, ending with a flypast display by the Spanish Air and Space Force’s aerobatics team, the Patrulla Águila.

Spanish Culture

Throughout Spain, there are many public and private events honoring Spain’s heritage, history, society, and people. People can be seen dressed in traditional regional and historic dress. Folk, classical, and modern music concerts, and street shows are well attended. Latin American communities in Spain participate in parades, displaying their national flags and wearing their countries’ historic dress while their countries’ folk music is played. Museums and historical sites have an Open Doors Day, allowing all to enter free.

Religious Aspect

October 12 is the feast day of both Our Lady of the Pillar (explained above) and Our Lady of Guadalupe in Extremadura, names given to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Because their feast days are on October 12, they have become related to Christopher Columbus and the National Day of Spain.

Our Lady of the Pillar is the Patroness of Aragon, Spain and its capital Zaragoza, Patroness of the Hispanic people, Patroness of the Hispanic world, and Patroness of the Spanish Civil Guard. The Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar is in Zaragoza, Spain. A nine-day festival known as Fiestas del Pilar is celebrated in Zaragoza, Spain every year in her honor, beginning on the weekend preceding October 12.

Offering of flowers to the Virgin Mary in front of the Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar in Zaragoza, Spain; Credit – By Ecelan – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3829351

On October 12, many people from other Spanish regions go to Zaragoza, where the traditional “Ofrenda de flores a la Virgen” (Offering of flowers to the Virgin Mary), a large parade with many participants including from Latin American communities, takes place all day long.

National Day of Spain celebrations at the Our Lady of Guadalupe in Extremadura. Spain; Credit – Wikipedia

Our Lady of Guadalupe in Extremadura is a shrine to the Blessed Virgin Mary at the Monastery of Santa María de Guadalupe in Cáceres, Spain. A statue of Mary is reputed to have been carved by Saint Luke the Evangelist and given to Saint Leander, Archbishop of Seville by Pope Gregory I. According to local legend, in 712, during the Muslim conquest of the Iberian Peninsula, when Seville was defeated, a group of priests fled and buried the statue in the hills near the Guadalupe River in Extremadura, Spain. In the early 14th century, the Blessed Virgin Mary reputedly appeared to a cow herder named Gil Cordero while he was searching for a missing cow in the mountains. Cordero claimed that Mary ordered him to ask priests to dig at the place of her apparition. The priests discovered the hidden statue and built a small shrine which became the nucleus of the present monastery.

The statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Extremadura; Credit – Wikipedia

The statue was carved from cedar wood and is two feet high. It is a Black Madonna, a statue or painting of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Infant Jesus, where both are depicted with dark skin. Since the late 14th century, the statue has been clothed in embroidered and brocaded clothing, leaving only the faces and hands of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Infant Jesus visible.

There is a connection to Our Lady of Guadalupe in Extremadura and Christopher Columbus. Queen Isabella I of Castile and her husband King Ferdinand II of Aragon signed the documents that authorized the first voyage of Columbus to the Americas at the Monastery of Santa María de Guadalupe. Upon his return to Spain, Columbus went to the monastery to give thanks for a safe voyage.

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

  • Colaboradores de los proyectos Wikimedia. (2006). fiesta nacional de España. Wikipedia.org; Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiesta_Nacional_de_Espa%C3%B1a
  • National Day of Spain. (2021). Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Day_of_Spain
  • Wikipedia Contributors. (2019). Columbus Day. Wikipedia; Wikimedia Foundation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbus_Day
  • Wikipedia Contributors. (2024). Our Lady of Guadalupe in Extremadura. Wikipedia; Wikimedia Foundation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Lady_of_Guadalupe_in_Extremadura
  • Wikipedia Contributors. (2024). Our Lady of the Pillar. Wikipedia; Wikimedia Foundation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Lady_of_the_Pillar

Netherlands – Accession to the Throne and Inauguration

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2024

A painting by Nicolaas Pieneman depicting King Willem II swearing the oath during his inauguration in 1840; Credit – Wikipedia

The last accession to the throne of the Netherlands took place when Queen Beatrix abdicated on April 30, 2013, thirty-three years after she became Queen of the Netherlands when her mother Queen Juliana abdicated on April 30, 1980. Queen Beatrix’s abdication and the inauguration of her son King Willem-Alexander took place on April 30, 2013. Beatrix signed the instrument of abdication in the Mozeszaal in the Royal Palace in Amsterdam at 10:07 a.m. local time. Willem-Alexander immediately became King of the Netherlands the instant his mother signed the instrument of abdication. His inauguration took place on the afternoon of April 30, 2013, in the Nieuwe Kerk in Amsterdam.

Article 32 of the Dutch Constitution states “Upon assuming the royal prerogative the monarch shall be sworn in and invested as soon as possible in the capital city, Amsterdam, at a public and joint session of the two Houses of the States General. The monarch shall swear or promise allegiance to the Constitution and that he/she will faithfully discharge his/her duties. Specific rules shall be laid down by Act of Parliament.” The Dutch monarch is not crowned, although the crown, orb, and scepter are present at the investiture ceremony. The swearing of the oath constitutes the monarch’s acceptance of the throne.

History

Willem ( (the Silent), Prince of Orange; Credit – Wikipedia

Prince of Orange is a title originally associated with the sovereign Principality of Orange, in what is now southern France. Willem I (the Silent), Prince of Orange (reigned 1559 – 1584, assassinated) is the founder of the House of Orange-Nassau, and the ancestor of the Dutch monarchs. When Willem’s childless cousin René of Châlon, Prince of Orange died in 1544, he left the Principality of Orange to Willem. Over the years, the title Prince of Orange became prestigious in the Netherlands and throughout the Protestant world despite losing the territory that had originally gone with the title. The Princes of Orange were also Stadtholders of various Dutch provinces during the period of the Dutch Republic and gained much power.

The 1814 inauguration of Willem VI, as Sovereign Prince of Orange at the Nieuwe Kerk in Amsterdam; Credit – Wikipedia

The Napoleonic Wars disrupted much of Europe. When the French invaded the Dutch Republic in 1795, Willem V, Prince of Orange and his family went into exile, first in England and then in 1796 in Prussia where they lived until 1813. After the defeat of Napoleon, the first inauguration ceremony was held in 1814, when Willem VI, Prince of Orange was sworn in as sovereign prince at the Nieuwe Kerk in Amsterdam. Willem VI, urged on by the powers who met at the Congress of Vienna, proclaimed the Netherlands a monarchy on March 16, 1815. After Napoleon’s defeat at the Battle of Waterloo and his second exile, the Congress of Vienna formally confirmed Willem VI, Prince of Orange as the hereditary ruler, King Willem I, of what was known as the United Kingdom of the Netherlands. Today, the title Prince/Princess of Orange is held by the heir apparent of the Dutch monarch and the Dutch Royal Family are members of the House of Orange-Nassau.

What happens?

Nieuwe Kerk on Dam Square in Amsterdam. The Royal Palace is on the left; Photo – © Susan Flantzer

The inauguration of Sovereign Kings and Queens of the Netherlands is held at the Nieuwe Kerk (New Church) in Amsterdam during a public session of the Dutch legislature, the States General. The Nieuwe Kerk is no longer used for church services and has been converted into a cultural center. However, the Nieuwe Kerk is used for the inauguration of the Dutch monarch according to Article 32 of the Constitution of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. In addition, the religious wedding of the future King Willem-Alexander and Máxima Zorreguieta Cerruti was held at the Nieuwe Kerk in 2002.

Royal guests at King Willem-Alexander’s inauguration

Many guests attended King Willem-Alexander’s inauguration including members of other royal families. However, tradition requires that no foreign sovereign attend the inauguration so that the new Dutch sovereign, as protocol requires, is the one with the highest rank among those present.

Foreign royalty who attended King Willem Alexander’s inauguration:

  • Prince Albert II of Monaco (assuming that Prince Albert could attend because as a Sovereign Prince, his rank is lower than a King.)
  • Sheikha Moza bint Nasser Al-Missned representing the Emir of Qatar
    Princess Lalla Salma of Morocco representing the King of Morocco
  • Crown Prince Naruhito and Crown Princess Masako of Japan representing the Emperor of Japan)
  • Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn of Thailand representing the King of Thailand
  • Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn of Thailand
  • The Prince of Wales (Charles) and Duchess of Cornwall (Camilla), representing the Queen of the United Kingdom
  • Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary of Denmark, representing the Queen of Denmark
  • Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel of Sweden, representing the King of Sweden
  • The Prince (Felipe) and Princess of Asturias (Letizia) representing the King of Spain
  • The Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette Marit of Norway, representing the King of Norway
  • The Duke (Philippe) and Duchess of Brabant (Mathilde), representing the King of the Belgians
  • The Crown Prince Al-Muhtadee Billah and Crown Princess Sarah binti Salleh Ab of Brunei, representing the Sultan of Brunei
  • The Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume and Hereditary Grand Duchess Stéphanie of Luxembourg, representing the Grand Duke of Luxembourg)
  • The Hereditary Prince Alois and Hereditary Princess Sophie of Liechtenstein, representing the Prince of Liechtenstein)
  • Prince Hassan bin Talal and Princess Sarvath al-Hassan of Jordan, representing the King of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan)

The inauguration is strictly ceremonial as the successor to the throne instantly becomes the new monarch at the moment the former monarch dies or abdicates. A monarch must be eighteen years old to participate in an inauguration. Although the inauguration is held in a church, it is not a religious ceremony. The significance of the inauguration is purely constitutional. The present form of the inauguration began with King Willem II’s inauguration in 1840.

The regalia of the Netherlands; Credit – Wikipedia

The Regalia of the Netherlands, commissioned by King Willem II in 1840, a copy of the Dutch Constitution, and a copy of the Charter for the Kingdom of the Netherlands are placed on a table in the Nieuwe Kerk. The regalia symbolizes the monarch’s power and dignity but are never physically given to or worn by the monarch.

The Crown symbolizes the sovereignty of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the dignity of the head of state. Since Dutch monarchs are not crowned, they never actually wear the crown. The Scepter symbolizes the monarch’s authority and the Orb symbolizes the monarch’s territory. The Sword of State symbolizes the monarch’s power.

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The regalia and the chairs of state in place for the inauguration of King Willem-Alexander © Royal Archives, photo: Ben Grishaaver (Leiden University). https://www.royal-house.nl/topics/royal-house/investiture

The President of the Senate opens this public session of the Dutch legislature and then reads a message from the Prime Minister which gives the President of the Senate the political responsibility for the inauguration of the monarch.

The ministers and secretaries of state, the members of the Council of State, and the governors of Aruba, Curaçao, and Saint Martin are welcomed. Members of the Dutch royal family, led by the heir to the throne and the other children of the sovereign enter and take their seats.

King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima walking to the Nieuwe Kerk; Credit – Wikipedia

Meanwhile, the Dutch monarch and his/her spouse leave the adjacent Royal Palace, preceded by a military escort, and walk the short distance to the Nieuwe Kerk.

The interior of the Nieuwe Kerk as King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima make their way down the aisle

On arriving at the Nieuwe Kerk, the monarch is greeted by a parliamentary delegation of five members. During the ceremony, the monarch, wearing an ermine-lined heirloom mantle, and his/her spouse, are seated on chairs of state upon a raised dais, opposite the members of the legislature. Once the monarch is seated, Wilhelmus, the national anthem is sung. The Wilhelmus was written in honor of  Willem I (the Silent), Prince of Orange, known as the Vader des Vaderlands (Father of the Fatherland).

The singing of the Wilhelmus, the national anthem of the Netherlands

The monarch gives a speech before swearing the oath to uphold the constitution and protect the people of the Kingdom. While reciting the oath, the monarch often displays the Spreekgebaar (speaking gesture), a hand gesture used in Germanic Europe and neighboring countries, when swearing an oath. The right hand is raised, with the index finger and middle finger extended upwards; the last two digits are curled downwards against the palm. The thumb is slightly curled or raised.

King Willem-Alexander swearing the oath while raising his hand in the Spreekgebaar

The oath or affirmation: “I solemnly swear (affirm) to the people of the Kingdom that I shall constantly preserve and uphold the Charter for the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the Constitution. I swear (affirm) that I shall defend and preserve the independence and the territory of the Kingdom to the best of my ability, that I shall protect the freedom and rights of all Dutch citizens and residents, and that I shall employ all means placed at my disposal by the law to preserve and promote prosperity, as is incumbent upon a good and faithful Sovereign. So help me God! (This I solemnly affirm!)

Following the monarch’s oath, the President of the Senate makes a declaration on behalf of the assembled people: “We receive and invest, in the name of the people of the Kingdom and in accordance with the Charter for the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the Constitution, you as king/queen. We swear (promise) that we will maintain your inviolability and the rights of your Crown. We swear (promise) to do all that a good and faithful States General, States of Aruba, States of Curaçao, and States of St Maarten should do. So help us God! (This we promise!)

A member of the States General swears the declaration

Next, each member of the States General is called individually to stand and swear or affirm this declaration. They either swear with the Spreekgebaar like the new monarch and state, “So truly help me, God Almighty” or affirm with a simple “That, I promise.”

The President of the Senate declares the inauguration completed, followed by the senior King of Arms exclaiming that the monarch has been inaugurated and the President of the Senate then proclaiming, “Long live the King/Queen!” All assembled respond with three hurrahs. The heralds proceed outside the church to Dam Square where they announce to the public that the monarch has been inaugurated and proclaim “Long live the King/Queen!”

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

  • Investiture. (2017). Royal-House.nl. https://www.royal-house.nl/topics/royal-house/investiture
  • Monarchy of the Netherlands. (2021). Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monarchy_of_the_Netherlands
  • Outline of Abdication and Investiture Programme 30 April. (2015). Royal-House.nl. https://www.royal-house.nl/topics/abdication-and-investiture/news/2013/2/12/outline-of-abdication-and-investiture-programme-30-april
  • Wikipedia Contributors. (2024). Inauguration of the Dutch monarch. Wikipedia; Wikimedia Foundation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inauguration_of_the_Dutch_monarch
  • Wikipedia Contributors. (2024). Inauguration of Willem-Alexander. Wikipedia; Wikimedia Foundation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inauguration_of_Willem-Alexander

Sophia Sidney, Baroness De L’Isle and Dudley, born Sophia FitzClarence, Illegitimate Daughter of King William IV of the United Kingdom

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2024

Sophia FitzClarence; Credit – Wikipedia

Sophia Sidney, Baroness De L’Isle and Dudley was born Sophia FitzClarence on August 25, 1796, in London, England. She was the third of the ten children and the eldest of the five daughters of King William IV of the United Kingdom and his mistress Dorothea Jordan. Sophia’s paternal grandparents were King George III of the United Kingdom and Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. Francis Bland, a stagehand, and his mistress Grace Phillips, an actress were her maternal grandparents.

From 1790 until 1811, before he became king, King William IV of the United Kingdom had a long-term relationship with actress Dorothea Jordan. Their relationship resulted in ten children who were given the surname FitzClarence. The surname comes from the Anglo-Norman Fitz, meaning “son of” and Clarence, from King William IV’s title before he became king, Duke of Clarence.

Dorothea Jordan was born Dorothea Bland was born in County Waterford, Ireland, the daughter of Francis Bland, a stagehand, and his mistress Grace Phillips, an actress. Her mother encouraged Dorothea to enter the theater, and within a few years, she began to draw large crowds for her performances. She left Ireland in 1782 and moved to Leeds, England. It was at this point that she took the name Jordan. She performed for three years with the York Company, before being lured away in 1785 to move to the Royal Theatre, Drury Lane in London. By then, Dorothea was becoming a very popular performer and could be counted on to bring large crowds every night. It was at Drury Lane that her life would come to the attention of The Duke of Clarence several years later.


Sophia’s parents The Duke of Clarence (later King William IV) and Dorothea Jordan; Credit – Wikipedia

In 1790, Dorothea was first noticed by The Duke of Clarence (later King William IV) while performing at Drury Lane. They quickly began an affair that would last for the next 21 years. Dorothea moved in with the Duke at his home, Clarence Lodge in Roehampton, London, England and later they moved to Bushy House in Bushy Park in Richmond upon Thames, London, England.

In 1797, King George III of the United Kingdom appointed his third son William, then Duke of Clarence, the ranger of Bushy Park. The position came with the residence Bushy House in Bushy Park. William and Dorothea lived there with their ten children until their relationship ended in 1811. William continued living there with his children and later with his wife Adelaide Saxe-Meinigen after they married in 1818.

The children of King William IV and Dorothea Jordan had an elder half-brother, William Henry Courtney, born around 1788 to an unknown mother, and named after his father whose given names were William Henry. Dorothea Jordan cared for William, and she was fond of him and he was fond of her. William served in the Royal Navy from 1803 until 1807 when his ship HMS Blenheim was lost in a gale off Madagascar. Despite an extensive search, no trace of the ship was ever found. 590 men were lost aboard HMS Blenheim, including King William IV’s eldest illegitimate son nineteen-year-old William Henry Courtney.

Nine of the ten children of King William IV and Dorothea Jordan were named after nine of William’s fourteen siblings. The tenth child was given William’s middle name Henry.

William and Dorothea’s children married into the British aristocracy and their many descendants include a number of notable people including sisters Princess Alexandra, Duchess of Fife and Princess Maud, Countess of Southesk (granddaughters of King Edward VII and daughters of Princess Louise, Princess Royal and Alexander Duff, 1st Duke of Fife, a descendant of Dorothea Jordan and King William IV), Duff Cooper, 1st Viscount Norwich (British diplomat, Cabinet member, author), John Crichton-Stuart, 7th Marquess of Bute (also known as Johnny Dumfries, racing driver), and David Cameron, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

By 1811, William was pressured by his family to find a suitable wife. At the time he was fourth in line for the throne following his elder brother The Prince of Wales, the future King George IV, George’s only child Princess Charlotte of Wales, and George’s next oldest brother who was childless Prince Frederick, Duke of York. William gave in to the pressure and ended his relationship with Dorothea but ensured she was well provided for. William became closer to the throne when his niece Princess Charlotte died in 1817 giving birth to a stillborn son. When King George IV died in 1830, William succeeded to the throne. Although William had ten children with Dorothea Jordan, his marriage with Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen produced no surviving children. King William IV was succeeded by his niece Queen Victoria. Queen Victoria had relationships with her first cousins, King William IV’s illegitimate children. They are mentioned in Queen Victoria’s diaries when visiting Windsor Castle.

Sophia and her siblings had little contact with their mother Dorothea Jordan after 1811 when their father ended his relationship with her. After losing much of her savings when her daughter Augusta and her husband ran up large debts in her name, Dorothea’s health quickly began to decline. Virtually penniless, Dorothea Jordan died in Saint-Cloud, France on July 5, 1816, at the age of 54. She is buried in the local cemetery in Saint-Cloud.

On August 13, 1825, Sophia married Philip Charles Shelley Sidney, the only son of Sir John Shelley-Sidney, 1st Baronet, and Henrietta Hunloke, and the first cousin of poet Percy Bysshe Shelley. Sophia’s husband opted to drop “Shelley” from his surname.

Sophia and Philip had six children:

  • Adelaide Augusta Wilhelmina Sidney (1826 – 1904), married her first cousin Frederick FitzClarence, son of George FitzClarence, 1st Earl of Munster (an illegitimate son of King William IV and Dorothea Jordan), no children
  • Philip Sidney, 2nd Lord De L’Isle and Dudley (1828 – 1898), married (1) Mary Foulis, had five children (2) Emily Frances Ramsay, no children
  • Robert Dudley Sidney (1829 – 1830), died in infancy
  • Elizabeth Frederica Sidney (born and died 1831), died in infancy
  • Ernestine Wellington Sidney (1834 – 1910), married Philip Perceval, had four children
  • Sophia Philippa Sidney (1837 – 1907), married Alexander, Graf von Kielmannsegg, no children

Sophia’s husband Philip Sidney served in the House of Commons from 1829 – 1831, was an equerry to his father-in-law King William IV from 1830 – 1835, and served as Surveyor-General of the Duchy of Cornwall from 1833 – 1849. In 1835, Philip was created Baron De L’Isle and Dudley. When his father died In 1849, twelve years after Sophia’s death, Philip became 2nd Baronet of Penshurst Place. Philip Sidney, 1st Baron De L’Isle and Dudley died on March 4, 1851, aged 50, and was succeeded in his titles by his son Philip Sidney, 2nd Baron De L’Isle and Dudley.

Watercolor painting of King William IV, painted in 1837 by Sophia shortly before her death; Credit – Wikipedia

In January 1837, Sophia was appointed by her father King William IV as State Housekeeper at Kensington Palace in London. Three months later, on April 10, 1837, 40-year-old Sophia died after delivering a premature stillborn baby at Kensington Palace. She had recently completed a charming watercolor painting of her father. Sophia’s death had a severe impact on her father King William IV, who died two months later on June 20, 1837.

St. John the Baptist in Penshurst, Kent, England; Credit – By John Myers, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=11767169

Sophia was interred in the Sidney Chapel at St. John the Baptist Church in Penshurst, Kent, England near Penshurst Place, the home of the Sidney family for over 450 years. There is a memorial to Sophia at St. John the Baptist Church, a life-size figure of her on a pedestal with Grecian drapery, holding a Bible, with her eyes looking upward.

Memorial to Sophia Sidney, Baroness De L’Isle and Dudley at St. John the Baptist Church; Credit – https://www.tumbarumba.co.uk

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

  • Beauclerk-Dewar, Peter & Powell, Roger. (2006). Right Royal Bastards – The Fruits of Passion. Burke’s Peerage & Gentry LLC.
  • Flantzer, Susan. (2015). King William IV of the United Kingdom. Unofficial Royalty. https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/king-william-iv-of-the-united-kingdom/
  • Mehl, Scott. (2020). Dorothea Jordan, Mistress of King William IV of the United Kingdom. Unofficial Royalty. https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/dorothea-jordan-mistress-of-king-william-iv-of-the-united-kingdom/
  • Weir, Alison. (2008). Britain’s Royal Families – The Complete Genealogy. Vintage Books.
  • Wikipedia. Sophia Sidney, Baroness De L’Isle and Dudley (2024). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sophia_Sidney,_Baroness_De_L%27Isle_and_Dudley

State Opening of Parliament – Norway – Early October

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2024

King Haakon VII reading the Speech from the Throne speech in 1950. Crown Prince Olav, the future King Olav V, is on the right; Credit – Photo by an unknown photographer, from the collection of Oslo Museum via DigitaltMuseum.

The State Opening of the Storting, the Norwegian Parliament, is held in early October after the Storting has been constituted. On the first working day of October, the Storting meets to elect its vice presidents and secretaries. When that is completed, the President of the Storting declares the Storting to be legally constituted.

According to Article 74 of the 1814 Constitution, the Norwegian monarch or his/her acting regent formally opens the Storting with a speech outlining the Government’s plans for the coming year. The monarch also addresses issues which he/she particularly desires to call the attention of the Storting.

The State Opening of the Storting is one of the few occasions when members of the Storting,  known in Norwegian as stortingsrepresentants (Storting Representatives), the entire Government, and members of the Norwegian royal family are gathered in an official ceremony. All three branches of the state – the legislative, the executive, and the judicial – attend the State Opening. Civilian and military officials, members of the Royal Court, and invited guests also attend.

What happens?

The Stortinget, Norway’s Parliament in Oslo, taken from the author’s hotel room; Photo Credit – © Susan Flantzer 2024

The Norwegian royal family travels the short distance by car from the Royal Palace of Oslo to the Stortinget, the parliament building. Usually the monarch’s spouse and the heir to the throne, the Crown Prince or Crown Princess, also attends the opening of the Storting. Norway’s line of succession to the throne is based upon absolute primogeniture where males and females have equal succession rights.

Military forces and the King’s Guard line Karl Johans gate, Oslo’s main street, between the Royal Palace and the Storinget. The streets of Oslo are decorated with Norwegian flags and lined with thousands of spectators.

King Harald V arrives for the State Opening of the Storting in 2021; Photo: Torstein Bøe / NTB

When the Norwegian monarch, his/her spouse, and the Crown Prince or Crown Princess arrive at the Stortinget, they are welcomed by seven Storting Representatives at the main entrance at Løvebakken, the driveway in front of the Stortinget. The seven Storting Representatives accompany them for the duration of their stay at the Storinget.

Queen Sonja, King Harald V, and Crown Prince Haakon (on the right) attend the State Opening of the Storting on October 2, 2010

The Storting Chamber is rearranged for the State Opening of the Storting. The throne is positioned where the President of the Storting and the speaker’s rostrum normally stand. A table for the Storting’s President and Secretary is placed in the semicircle in front of the seats of the Storting Representatives.

Prime Minister Erna Solberg hands the Speech from the Throne to King Harald V during the State Opening of the Storting on October 2, 2018

The monarch is handed the Speech from the Throne by the Prime Minister. The speech, written by the Government, contains the plans for the Government’s policies in the coming year.

King Harald V reads the Speech from the Throne on October 2, 2010

All stand while the monarch reads the Speech from the Throne.

The State of the Realm Address is traditionally read by the youngest member of the Government, here the Minister of Culture Hadia Tajik. Photo: Erlend Aas / NTB scanpix

Next, one of the members of the Government, usually the youngest minister in the Government, reads the State of the Realm Address, a review of the government’s policy over the past year, mentioning what was achieved and important proposals that have been put forward.

The State Opening of the Storting ends with the National Anthem, “Ja, vi elsker dette landet” (“Yes, we love this country”).

The Constitution states that no deliberations or debate may take place in the presence of the monarch. This means the Storting session may not continue until the monarch has left the Stortinget. Only after the monarch leaves the Stortinget may the Storting decide to submit the Speech from the Throne and the State of the Realm Address for deliberation, and then adjourn.

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

  • Bidragsytere til Wikimedia-prosjektene. (2006). Trontalen (Norge). Wikipedia.org; Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. https://no.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trontalen_(Norge)
  • Opening of the Storting. (2024). Royalcourt.no. https://www.royalcourt.no/artikkel.html?tid=30059&sek=30058
  • The 163rd Storting is open. (2018). Royalcourt.no. https://www.royalcourt.no/nyhet.html?tid=165516&sek=27262
  • The State Opening of the Storting. (2024). Stortinget; Stortinget. https://www.stortinget.no/en/In-English/About-the-Storting/Start-of-parliamentary-session/the-formal-state-opening-of-the-storting/

Breaking News: Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi expecting second child

Photo Credit – https://www.instagram.com/p/CC05fTMH_HJ/ Photograph by Benjamin Wheeler

It was announced today that Her Royal Highness Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi are expecting their second child early in the new year. His Majesty The King has been informed and both families are delighted with the news.

On September 26, 2019, Buckingham Palace announced the engagement of  Princess Beatrice to Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi. Beatrice and Edoardo’s wedding, scheduled for May 29, 2020, was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Beatrice and Edoardo were married in a private ceremony at the Royal Chapel of All Saints, on the grounds of Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park, on July 17, 2020. They have one daughter Sienna Elizabeth Mapelli Mozzi, born 2021. Edoardo has one son from a prior relationship, Christopher Woolf, known as Wolfie, born in 2016.

George FitzClarence, 1st Earl of Munster, Illegitimate Son of King William IV of the United Kingdom

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2024

George FitzClarence, 1st Earl of Munster; Credit – https://artuk.org/

The first of ten children of King William IV of the United Kingdom and his mistress Dorothea Jordan, George Augustus Frederick FitzClarence, 1st Earl of Munster, was born on January 29, 1794, on Somerset Street, Portman Square in London, England. His paternal grandparents were King George III of the United Kingdom and Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. Francis Bland and his mistress Grace Phillips were his maternal grandparents.

From 1790 until 1811, before he became king, King William IV of the United Kingdom had a long-term relationship with actress Dorothea Jordan. Their relationship resulted in ten children who were given the surname FitzClarence. The surname comes from the Anglo-Norman Fitz, meaning “son of” and Clarence, from King William IV’s title before he became king, Duke of Clarence.

Dorothea Jordan was born Dorothea Bland in County Waterford, Ireland, the daughter of Francis Bland, a stagehand, and his mistress Grace Phillips, an actress. Her mother encouraged Dorothea to enter the theater, and within a few years, she began to draw large crowds for her performances. She left Ireland in 1782 and moved to Leeds, England. It was at this point that she took the name Jordan. She performed for three years with the York Company, before being lured away in 1785 to move to the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane in London. By then, Dorothea was becoming a very popular performer and could be counted on to bring large crowds every night. It was at Drury Lane that her life would come to the attention of The Duke of Clarence several years later.


George’s parents The Duke of Clarence (later King William IV) and Dorothea Jordan

In 1790, Dorothea was first noticed by The Duke of Clarence (later King William IV) while she was performing at Drury Lane. They quickly began an affair that would last for the next 21 years. Dorothea moved in with the Duke at his home, Clarence Lodge in Roehampton, London, England and later they moved to Bushy House in Bushy Park, Richmond upon Thames, London, England. In 1797, King George III of the United Kingdom appointed his third son William, then Duke of Clarence, the ranger of Bushy Park. The position came with the residence Bushy House in Bushy Park. William and Dorothea lived there with their ten children until their relationship ended in 1811. William continued living there with his children and later with his wife Adelaide Saxe-Meinigen after they married in 1818.

The children of King William IV and Dorothea Jordan had an elder half-brother, William Henry Courtney, born around 1788 to an unknown mother, and named after his father whose given names were William Henry. Dorothea Jordan cared for William, and she was fond of him and he was fond of her. William served in the Royal Navy from 1803 until 1807 when his ship HMS Blenheim was lost in a gale off Madagascar. Despite an extensive search, no trace of the ship was ever found. 590 men were lost aboard HMS Blenheim, including King William IV’s eldest illegitimate son nineteen-year-old William Henry Courtney.

George’s siblings:

William and Dorothea’s children married into the British aristocracy and their many descendants include a number of notable people including sisters Princess Alexandra, Duchess of Fife and Princess Maud, Countess of Southesk (granddaughters of King Edward VII and daughters of Princess Louise, Princess Royal and Alexander Duff, 1st Duke of Fife, a descendant of Dorothea Jordan and King William IV), Duff Cooper, 1st Viscount Norwich (British diplomat, Cabinet member, author), John Crichton-Stuart, 7th Marquess of Bute (also known as Johnny Dumfries, racing driver), and David Cameron, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

By 1811, William was pressured by his family to find a suitable wife. At the time he was fourth in line for the throne following his elder brother The Prince of Wales, the future King George IV, George’s only child Princess Charlotte of Wales, and George’s next oldest brother who was childless Prince Frederick, Duke of York. William gave in to the pressure and ended his relationship with Dorothea but ensured she was well provided for. William became closer to the throne when his niece Princess Charlotte died in 1817 giving birth to a stillborn son. When King George IV died in 1830, William succeeded to the throne. Although William had ten children with Dorothea Jordan, his marriage with Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen produced no surviving children. King William IV was succeeded by his niece Queen Victoria. Queen Victoria had relationships with her first cousins, King William IV’s illegitimate children. They are mentioned in Queen Victoria’s diaries when visiting Windsor Castle.

As the Duke of Clarence’s son, George received a comprehensive education and attended the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in Sandhurst, Berkshire, England. On October 18, 1819. George married Mary Wyndham (1792 – 1842), the daughter of George Wyndham, 3rd Earl of Egremont and his mistress Elizabeth Fox.

George and Mary had seven children:

  • Lady Adelaide Georgiana FitzClarence (1820 – 1883), unmarried.
  • Lady Augusta Margaret FitzClarence (1822 – 1846), married Baron Knut Philip Bonde, died in childbirth delivering a daughter
  • William George FitzClarence, 2nd Earl of Munster (1824 – 1901), married his first cousin Wilhelmina Kennedy-Erskine, had nine children
  • The Honorable Frederick Charles George FitzClarence (1826 – 1878); married his first cousin Adelaide Augusta Wilhelmine Sidney, no children
  • Lady Mary Gertrude FitzClarence (1832 – 1834), died in early childhood
  • Captain The Honorable George FitzClarence (1836 – 1894); married Maria Henrietta Scott, had five children
  • Lieutenant The Honorable Edward FitzClarence (1837 – 1855); unmarried, died in battle at the Siege of Sevastopol during the Crimean War

George and his siblings had little contact with their mother Dorothea Jordan after 1811 when their father ended his relationship with her. After losing much of her savings when her daughter Augusta and her husband ran up large debts in her name, Dorothea’s health quickly began to decline. Virtually penniless, Dorothea Jordan died in Saint-Cloud, France on July 5, 1816, at the age of 54. She is buried in the local cemetery in Saint-Cloud.

George served as an army officer during the Peninsular War (1807–1814) and then served in India. He attained the rank of Major-General in the British Army. His father was proud of George’s military record but was very concerned with his drinking and gambling, issues which also affected some of William’s brothers.

In 1831, the year after his father became king, 37-year-old George was created Earl of Munster, Viscount FitzClarence, and Baron Tewkesbury.

He also held several other positions:

However, George was disappointed that he had not received a dukedom. Despite already receiving several important positions, George spent his later life pursuing fame, fortune, and honors. He constantly asked his father King William IV and later his first cousin Queen Victoria for financial help and lucrative appointments for himself and his children. A series of quarrels with his father and George’s increasing mental instability caused a complete breach in relations between King William IV and his son George. In 1839, George wrote to William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne, Queen Victoria’s first Prime Minister about the possibility of becoming the Governor of Malta and to Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington about money or the lack of it on December 15, 1841.

St. Mary’s Church where George is buried; By Dnwinterburn – Own work, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10454062

Three months after writing to the Duke of Wellington, on March 20, 1842, at his home in Belgravia, London, 48-year-old George FitzClarence, 1st Earl of Munster killed himself with a pistol given to him by his uncle King George IV when he was Prince of Wales. His suicide came as no surprise to his family, who had long been concerned about his mental condition. George was buried at St. Mary’s Church in Hampton in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, where he regularly worshipped.

Below are some suicide prevention resources.

In the United States, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 988. Anyone in the United States can text or call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline to reach trained counselors who can help them cope with a mental health emergency. National Institute of Mental Health: Suicide Prevention is also a United States resource.

Other countries also have similar resources. Please check the resources below.

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

  • Beauclerk-Dewar, Peter & Powell, Roger. (2006). Right Royal Bastards – The Fruits of Passion. Burke’s Peerage & Gentry LLC.
  • Flantzer, Susan. (2015). King William IV of the United Kingdom. Unofficial Royalty. https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/king-william-iv-of-the-united-kingdom/
  • George Augustus Frederick FitzClarence 1st Earl… (2019). Findagrave.com. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/198712444/george-augustus_frederick-fitzclarence_1st_earl_of_munster
  • Mehl, Scott. (2020). Dorothea Jordan, Mistress of King William IV of the United Kingdom. Unofficial Royalty. https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/dorothea-jordan-mistress-of-king-william-iv-of-the-united-kingdom/
  • Weir, Alison. (2008). Britain’s Royal Families – The Complete Genealogy. Vintage Books.
  • Wikipedia Contributors. (2024, June 16). George FitzClarence, 1st Earl of Munster. Wikipedia; Wikimedia Foundation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_FitzClarence

Monaco – Saint Dévote’s Day – January 27

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2024

Prince Albert II, Princess Charlene, and their children Princess Gabriella and Prince Jacques celebrating Saint Dévote’s Day on the evening of January 26, 2024; Credit – Royal Portraits Gallery

Saint Dévote is the patron saint of Monaco. From their beginnings in Monaco in 1297, the Grimaldi dynasty has encouraged devotion to Saint Dévote. Saint Dévote is the patron and protector of Monaco’s Princely Family and the Principality of Monaco and a symbol of Monegasque unity and identity. Saint Dévote is also the patron saint of her birthplace, Corsica.

Who was Saint Dévote?

Saint Dévote with Saint George (left) & Saint Lucy (right) at the Cathedral of Monaco; Donated circa 1560-1570 by Isabella Grimaldi, Lady of Monaco, wife of Honoré I, Lord of Monaco; Credit – Wikipedia

Saint Dévote was born circa 283 on the island of Corsica, then a Roman province, now part of France. She was a devoted Christian and served in the household of Eutychius, a Roman Senator. In 303, edicts were issued rescinding the legal rights of Christians and demanding they follow Roman traditional religious practices. This resulted in the Diocletianic or Great Persecution, the last and most severe persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire.

Circa 312, the Roman Governor of Sardinia and Corsica, Gabinius Barbarus Pompeianus, learned that Eutychius was protecting Dévote, a Christian in his household. He demanded that Dévote be given up and forced to perform the Roman religious rituals. Eutychius refused, and Gabinius Barbarus Pompeianus arranged to have him poisoned. Dévote was tortured and then stoned to death.

After Dévote’s death, Gabinius Barbarus Pompeianus ordered her body to be burned to prevent its veneration by Christians. However, the Christians were able to save Dévote’s body and placed it on a ship bound for Africa, where they believed Dévote would receive a proper Christian burial. However, the ship was caught in a storm. A dove appeared and guided the ship to present-day Les Gaumates in the Principality of Monaco. There the ship ran aground on the sixth day before the calends of February in the Roman calendar, corresponding to January 27, now Saint Dévote’s feast day. The site where the ship ran aground is the location of the current Chapel of St. Dévote.  In the 17th century, Saint Dévote’s relics were stolen. Fishermen caught the thieves at sea, retrieved the relics, and burned the thieves’ boats.

The Chapel of Saint Dévote

The Chaple of Saint Dévote; Credit – By Benoît Prieur – Own work, CC0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=112287997

Saint Dévote’s remains were buried in a chapel built near where the ship ran aground. The first written documentation of the chapel dates from 1070 but most likely it was built sometime before then. During periods of invasion, Saint Dévote’s remains were moved for their safety to the Benedictine Monastery of Cimiez in Nice, France.

Relics of Saint Dévote; Credit – By Pramzan – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=7464794

Today, Saint Dévote’s relics are located in Monaco at the Cathedral of Monaco and the Chapel of Relics in the Chapel of Saint Dévote, and at several churches in Corsica. A recent study of Saint Dévote’s relics confirmed many of the traditional conclusions: they are the remains of a young woman who was probably killed by blows, and the various bones remaining in the Principality of Monaco and Corsica belong to the same body.

The interior of the Chapel of Saint Dévote; Credit – By Benoît Prieur – Own work, CC0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=112288196

The original chapel was restored, enlarged, and rebuilt several times over the centuries. In 1870, during the reign of Prince Charles III, the facade was refurbished and the 15-meter/50-foot tall bell tower was built. The front steps, marked with the initials S and D for Saint Dévote and topped with a crown and flanked by decorative motifs in white and black pebbles, were created by the Del Torchio brothers in 1880. Between 1885 and 1891, Charles Lenormand, the architect of the Cathedral of Monaco and the Saint-Charles Church, was responsible for refurbishing and extension work in an 18th-century Neo-Greek style. The chapel became the parish church in 1887.

The stained glass windows made by Maison Nicolas Lorin of Chartres were damaged during the bombing of Monaco in August 1944 during World War II. They were restored or refurbished by Maison Fassi Cadet of Nice in 1948.

Princess Charlene offering her bouquet to Saint Dévote at the Chapel of Saint Dévote after her wedding to Prince Albert II in 2011; Credit – CoutureAndRoyals on X

It has become a tradition for the bride of the Sovereign Prince of Monaco to leave her bridal bouquet at the Chapel of Saint Dévote after the wedding. Princess Grace did so in 1956 and Princess Charlene continued the tradition in 2011.

How is Saint Dévote’s Day celebrated?

The Chapel of Saint Dévote, in the background, where the January 26 Mass is held with the boat that will be lit on fire in the foreground

On the evening of January 26, the Princely Family of Monaco and others attend a Mass called la Messe des Traditions – the Mass of Traditions – said in Monegasque at the Chapel of Saint Dévote, followed by a blessing for those who died at sea.

After the Mass on January 26, events relating to Saint Dévote are remembered. Saint Dévote’s relics arrive at the port on a boat, recalling the arrival of her remains in Monaco. A dove is released, recalling the dove that guided the ship.

Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene light the boat (2012)

The Princely Family lights a boat on fire, recalling the attempt to steal the relics foiled by the sailors setting fire to the thieves’ boat. The evening ends with a fireworks display over Port-Hercule, Monaco’s deep-water port.

Prince Albert II and his fiancee Charlene Wittstock attend Mass at the Cathedral of Monaco during the Saint  Dévote festivities on January 27, 2011. Saint Dévote’s relics are in the foreground.

On January 27, a Mass is celebrated at the Cathedral of Monaco attended by the Princely Family, government officials, and members of the public.

The Solemn Procession of Saint Dévote’s relics

The Mass is followed by a Solemn Procession of the Saint Dévote’s relics. The procession stops at the Place du Palais where an honor guard pays tribute to them. A priest blesses the Princely Family and the relics. The procession then goes to La Rampe Major, an uphill footpath from the Place du Palais leading to the Rock of Monaco, overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. At Monaco’s highest point, a priest blesses Monaco and its people. The procession proceeds to the Cathedral of Monaco where the final blessing is for the sea and the fisherman.

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

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  • Monaco. Prince’s Palace. (2018.). Celebrations of Saint Devote. Palais Princier de Monaco. https://www.palais.mc/en/news/h-s-h-prince-albert-ii/event/2018/january/celebrations-of-saint-devote-2018-3410.html
  • Paroisse Sainte-Dévote – Diocèse de Monaco. (2023). https://saintedevote.diocese.mc/
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  • ‌The Events in Monaco | Sainte Dévote Monaco. (2018). Sainte Dévote Monaco |. https://www.saintedevotemonaco.com/en/saint-devote-patron-saint-of-monaco/the-official-events/the-events-in-monaco/
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  • Wikimedia Foundation. (2024). Sainte-Dévote Chapel. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sainte-D%C3%A9vote_Chapel

Johann Ludwig von Wallmoden, Count von Wallmoden-Gimborn, Illegitimate Son of King George II of Great Britain

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2024

Johann Ludwig von Wallmoden, Count von Wallmoden; Credit – Wikipedia

The early kings from the British House of Hanover did not publicize their illegitimate children. Born on April 22, 1736, in Hanover in the Electorate of Hanover, now in the German state of Lower Saxony, Johann Ludwig von Wallmoden (after 1872, von Wallmoden-Gimborn) was the illegitimate son of King George II of Great Britain (reigned 1727 – 1760) and Amalie von Wallmoden, Countess of Yarmouth, George II’s mistress from 1735 until he died in 1760. Johann Ludwig’s paternal grandparents were King George I of Great Britain and Sophia Dorothea of Celle, Electoral Princess of Hanover. His maternal grandparents were Hanoverian General Johann Franz von Wendt and Friederike Charlotte von dem Bussche-Ippenburg.

In 1727, Johann Ludwig’s mother Amalie von Wendt married Count Adam Gottlieb von Wallmoden and the couple had two children, Johann Ludwig’s half-siblings:

  • Franz Ernst von Wallmoden (1728 – 1776)
  • Friederike von Wallmoden (1729 – 1800)


Johann Ludwig’s parents, King George II of Great Britain and Amalie von Wallmoden

Amalie met King George II in 1735 while he was visiting his Electorate of Hanover, and they quickly began an affair that would last for the next twenty-five years. Her husband was paid off to turn a blind eye to the affair. When Amalie gave birth to Johann Ludwig, he was registered as being her husband’s child.

Johann Ludwig had eight royal half-siblings from his father’s marriage with Caroline of Ansbach:

Thoroughly smitten with Amalie, King George II continued to visit Hanover specifically to see her. Correspondence shows he discussed the relationship extensively with his wife Queen Caroline and Prime Minister Robert Walpole. Meanwhile, his constant absence from London was causing him to lose the support of many in Great Britain. Sensing this, Walpole encouraged Queen Caroline to suggest to her husband that he return to England and bring Amalie with him. However, King George II felt it would be inappropriate and chose to continue his trips back and forth to Hanover.

After Queen Caroline died in 1737, George finally called for Amalie to join him in England. Upon her arrival in early 1738, Amalie, accompanied by two-year-old Johann Ludwig, was given apartments in St. James’s Palace, King George II’s primary residence, and Kensington Palace. The following year, Amalie was divorced from her husband, who received an annual pension of £4,000 from King George II.

In 1740, Amalie became a naturalized citizen of Great Britain, and on March 24, 1740, she was granted a life peerage as Countess of Yarmouth and Baroness Yarmouth in the County of Norfolk in her own right. This would be the last time a British royal mistress would be given a peerage title. After King George II died in 1760, Amalie received an annuity of £10,000 and retained her apartments in the palaces, but soon returned to her native Hanover. Five years later, on October 19, 1765, Amalie von Wallmoden, Countess of Yarmouth, died of breast cancer at the age of 61.

Johann Ludwig was brought up at his father’s court. As King George II’s son, he received a comprehensive education and when his education was complete, Johann Ludwig went on a grand tour of Italy. During his grand tour of Italy, Johann Ludwig began to collect art and antiquities under the expert guidance of Johann Joachim Winckelmann, an art historian and archaeologist. After his grand tour of Italy, Johann Ludwig joined the Hanoverian Army and rose to the rank of major general.

In 1782, Prince Johann I of Schwarzenberg sold one of his territories, the County of Gimborn in Westphalia, now part of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia, to Johann Ludwig. A year later, he was raised to the nobility of the Holy Roman Empire by Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II, with the title Reichsgraf von Wallmoden-Gimborn. A Reichsgraf (Graf = Count in German) was a Count of the Holy Roman Empire. Because Johann Ludwig’s sons were either unmarried or had no children, his son Karl August Ludwig was the last person to hold the title.

Wallmoden Palace; Credit – Von Christian A. Schröder (ChristianSchd) – Eigenes Werk, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=44610341

In what is now the Georgengarten in the German city of Hanover, Johann Ludwig built Wallmoden Palace, especially for his art collection. At the time of his death, Johann Ludwig’s private collection consisted of at least 549 paintings and 80 sculptures, of which 44 were ancient sculptures from the 1st to 3rd centuries, and a collection of 8,000 books. The sculptures and books were left to Johann Ludwig’s nephew King George III of the United Kingdom. In 1818, the collection of paintings was auctioned and sold to buyers around the world. The sculpture collection is still owned by the House of Hanover, whose current Head of House is Ernst August V, Hereditary Prince of Hanover, Duke of Brunswick. The sculpture collection was on permanent loan to the Archaeological Institute of the University of Göttingen from 1979 to 2023. In May 2023, Ernst August V of Hanover announced that he had terminated the loan agreement and that the sculpture collection returned to Hanover on June 1, 2023.

Johann Ludwig married two times. On April 18, 1766, in the Electorate of Hanover, now in the German state of Lower Saxony, Johann Ludwig married Charlotte Christiane Auguste Wilhelmine von Wangenheim who died on July 21, 1783, aged forty-three.

Johann Ludwig and Charlotte had five children:

  • Ernst Georg August von Wallmoden (1767 – 1792), unmarried
  • Ludwig Georg Thedel von Wallmoden (1769 – 1862), unmarried, General of the Cavalry in the Imperial Army of the Austrian Empire
  • Georgine Charlotte Auguste von Wallmoden (1770 – 1859), married (1) Baron Karl August von Lichtenstein, no children, divorced (2) Count Friedrich Abraham Wilhelm von Arnim-Zichow, had four children, divorced (3) Charles Henri, Marquis le Marchant de Charmont, no children
  • Wilhelmine Magdalene Friederike von Wallmoden (1772 – 1819), married Heinrich Friedrich Karl vom und zum Stein, had two children
  • Friedrike Eleonore Juliane von Wallmoden (1776 – 1826), married Ludwig Friedrich Count von Kielmansegg, had three children

After the death of his first wife, Johann Ludwig married Baroness Luise Christiane von Lichtenstein on August 3, 1788, in Bückeburg, then in the Principality of Schaumburg-Lippe, now in the German state of Lower Saxony.

Johann Ludwig and Luise Christiane had three children:

  • Karl August Ludwig von Wallmoden, Count of Wallmoden-Gimborn (1792 – 1883), Austrian Privy Councillor and Lieutenant Field Marshal in the Imperial Army of the Austrian Empire, married Countess Zoe von Grünne, no children
  • Adolf Franz James Wilhelm von Wallmoden (1794 – 1825), unmarried
  • Luise Henriette von Wallmoden (1796–1851), married Karl Julius Heinrich von Rottenhan, had five children

Church of Heinde; Credit – Gemeinfrei, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=209734

Johann Ludwig von Wallmoden died on October 10, 1811, aged 75, in the Electorate of Hanover. He was buried in the von Wallmoden family’s hereditary burial site below the tower of the Church of Heinde in Heinde now in the German state of Lower Saxony.

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

  • Autoren der Wikimedia-Projekte. (2007). Generalmajor und Kunstsammler. Wikipedia.org; Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johann_Ludwig_von_Wallmoden-Gimborn
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Netherlands – Prinsjesdag (Prince’s Day) – Third Tuesday of September

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2024

King Willem-Alexander accompanied by Queen Máxima reads the Speech from the Throne, 2015; Credit – Wikipedia

On Prinsjesdag (Prince’s Day), the third Tuesday of September, the Sovereign King or Queen of the Netherlands addresses a joint session of the Dutch Senate and House of Representatives to give the Speech from the Throne, setting out the government policy for the new parliamentary session. The States General of the Netherlands, the legislature of the Netherlands, meets at the Binnenhof, a complex of government buildings in The Hague, Netherlands. Although Amsterdam is the capital of the Netherlands, The Hague is the seat of government.

The Binnenhof, a gothic castle built in the 13th century, was originally the residence of the Counts of Holland. The Speech from the Throne is given in the Ridderzaal (Hall of Knights), a large Gothic hall within the Binnenhof, which has stained glass windows depicting the coats of arms of Dutch towns and cities and a timber roof structure with the appearance of an upturned ship.

The throne of the of the Netherlands in the Ridderzaal; Credit – Wikipedia

The throne of the Netherlands, designed by Pierre Cuypers, a Dutch architect who designed the Amsterdam Central Station and the Rijksmuseum, is kept at the Ridderzaal.

History

Prince of Orange is a title originally associated with the sovereign Principality of Orange, in what is now southern France. Willem I (the Silent), Prince of Orange (reigned 1559 – 1584, assassinated) is the founder of the House of Orange-Nassau, and the ancestor of the Dutch monarchs. When Willem’s childless cousin René of Châlon, Prince of Orange died in 1544, he left the Principality of Orange to Willem. Over the years, the title Prince of Orange became prestigious in the Netherlands and throughout the Protestant world despite losing the territory that had originally gone with the title. The Princes of Orange were also Stadtholders of various Dutch provinces during the period of the Dutch Republic and gained much power.

After the defeat of Napoleon, Willem VI, Prince of Orange, urged on by the powers who met at the Congress of Vienna, proclaimed the Netherlands a monarchy on March 16, 1815. After Napoleon’s defeat at the Battle of Waterloo and his second exile, the Congress of Vienna formally confirmed Willem VI, Prince of Orange as the hereditary ruler, King Willem I, of what was known as the United Kingdom of the Netherlands. Today, the title Prince/Princess of Orange is held by the heir apparent of the Dutch monarch and the Dutch Royal Family are members of the House of Orange-Nassau.

Prinsjesdag originally celebrated the birthday of Willem V, Prince of Orange (reigned 1751 – 1806) and was celebrated on his birthday, March 8. After the establishment of the Netherlands as a kingdom, Prinsjesdag was the day on which the monarch delivered the speech from the throne in the presence of the Dutch legislature. The Constitution has always determined the date the Dutch legislature opens and the date has changed over the years. According to Article 65 of the Dutch Constitution, “every third Tuesday in September the King or a person on his behalf shall make a statement in a plenary session of the States General on the policy to be pursued by the Government.”

What Happens?

Prinsjesdag 1975 during the reign of Queen Juliana – Ridderzaal; Credit – Wikipedia

At 12:30 PM on Prinsjesdag, the members of the Senate and House of Representatives enter the Ridderzaal, taking seats directly in front of the throne and to the left and the right of the throne. The government ministers and state secretaries sit to the left on the throne and the members of the Council of State sit behind them. The ministers and state secretaries sit to the left of the throne. Behind them sit members of the Council of State, the government’s highest advisory body. They all sit in an area enclosed by wooden barriers symbolizing that the head of state (the monarch) is in conference with the Dutch legislature.

The High Councils of State, senior civil servants, high-ranking officers of the armed forces, senior members of the judiciary, the King’s/Queen’s Commissioner of South Holland, the mayor of The Hague, and guests sit outside the wooden barriers.

The Golden Coach on Prinsjesdag 2014, during the reign of King Willem-Alexander; By Minister-president Rutte from Nederland (+31) – Den Haag, dinsdag 16 september- prinsjesdag 2014, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=35438337

At 1:00 PM, the Dutch monarch usually accompanied by members of the Dutch royal family, leaves Noordeinde Palace in The Hague and travels to the Binnenhof in the Golden Coach and sometimes Glass Coach.

King Willem-Alexander arriving at the Binnenhof in 2014; Credit – Wikipedia

When the Dutch monarch arrives at the Binnenhof, a band plays the Wilhelmus, the national anthem. The monarch and other royal family members salute the color of the Royal Netherlands Marine Corps, the oldest regiment in the Dutch armed forces, and enter the Ridderzaal.

Ushers appointed by the President of the Senate, from both houses of the legislature, receive the Dutch monarch and royal family members at the entrance to the Ridderzaal. The President of the Senate, who serves as President of the States General during a joint session, announces the monarch’s arrival, and all those present stand. The Dutch monarch proceeds to the throne and delivers the Speech from the Throne written by the Prime Minister and the cabinet, announcing the plans for the new parliamentary year.

After the Speech from the Throne is delivered, the President of the Senate proclaims “Leve de koning!” (“Long live the King!”) or “Leve de koningin!” (“Long live the Queen!”). All present answer with “Hoera! Hoera! Hoera!” (in English Hooray! Hooray! Horray!). The ushers escort the Dutch monarch and the royal family members out of the chamber.

Balcony Scene from 2008 during the reign of Queen Beatrix – Left to Right: Pieter van Vollenhoven, Princess Margriet, Queen Beatrix, King Willem-Alexander, then Prince of Orange, Queen Máxima, then Princess Máxima, Princess Laurentien, and Prince Constantijn

The Dutch monarch and members of the royal family return to Noordeinde Palace. At 2:00 PM, members of the royal family appear on the palace balcony to the cheers of the crowds.

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.

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