Category Archives: Current Monarchies

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

  • Horsman, Stephanie. (2023). How to celebrate Monaco’s patron saint: Sainte Devote – Monaco Life. Monaco Life. https://monacolife.net/how-to-celebrate-monacos-patron-saint-sainte-devote/
  • 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/
  • Sainte Dévote Day / Symbols / History and Heritage / Government & Institutions / Portail du Gouvernement – Monaco. (2024). Gouv.mc. https://en.gouv.mc/Government-Institutions/History-and-Heritage/Symbols/Sainte-Devote-Day
  • ‌Saint Devote Traditional Celebrations. (2024). HelloMonaco. https://www.hellomonaco.com/news/latest-news/saint-devote-traditional-celebrations/
  • ‌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/
  • Wikimedia Foundation. (2024). Devota. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devota
  • Wikimedia Foundation. (2024). Église Sainte-Dévote de Monaco. Wikipedia. https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%89glise_Sainte-D%C3%A9vote_de_Monaco
  • 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
  • Autoren der Wikimedia-Projekte. (2021). Kirchengebäude in Heinde in Niedersachsen. Wikipedia.org; Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kirche_von_Heinde
  • Autoren der Wikimedia-Projekte. (2023). Sammlung von antiken, römischen Skulpturen. Wikipedia.org; Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sammlung_Wallmoden
  • Beauclerk-Dewar, Peter & Powell, Roger. (2006). Right Royal Bastards – The Fruits of Passion. Burke’s Peerage & Gentry LLC.
  • Flantzer, Susan. (2015). King George II of Great Britain. Unofficial Royalty. https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/king-george-ii-of-great-britain/
  • Mehl, Scott. (2020). Amalie von Wallmoden, Countess of Yarmouth, Mistress of King George II of Great Britain. Unofficial Royalty. https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/amalie-von-wallmoden-countess-of-yarmouth-mistress-of-king-george-ii-of-great-britain/
  • Weir, Alison. (2008). Britain’s Royal Families – The Complete Genealogy. Vintage Books.
  • Wikipedia Contributors. (2024). Johann Ludwig von Wallmoden. Wikipedia; Wikimedia Foundation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johann_Ludwig

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.

Works Cited

  • Bijdragers aan Wikimedia-projecten. (2003). Dag waarop de troonrede wordt uitgesproken. Wikipedia.org; Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prinsjesdag
  • Kingdom of the Netherlands Index. (2014). Unofficial Royalty. https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/current-monarchies-article-index/dutch-royals-index/
  • ‌Prinsjesdag. (2022). Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prinsjesdag
  • Ridderzaal. (2024). Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ridderzaal

Margarete Gertrud von der Schulenburg, Illegitimate Daughter of King George I of Great Britain

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2024

Margarete Gertrud von der Schulenburg; Credit – kleio.org

The early kings from the British House of Hanover did not publicize their illegitimate children. King George I had three illegitimate daughters with his long-term mistress, Melusine von der Schulenburg, before he became King of Great Britain. At the time of Anna Luise Sophie’s birth, her father, the future King George I of Great Britain, was the heir of his father, Ernst August, Elector of Hanover, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg, Prince of Calenberg. George succeeded to those titles when his father died in 1698.

Margrete Gertrud’s father, King George I of Great Britain; Credit – Wikipedia

The British House of Stuart failed to provide a legitimate Protestant heir as required by the Act of Settlement of 1701. When Queen Anne of Great Britain died on August 1, 1714, George, Elector of Hanover, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg, Prince of Calenberg, was the closest Protestant heir to the British throne. George’s mother was Sophia of the Palatinate, commonly called Electress Sophia of Hanover. Sophia was the daughter of Elizabeth Stuart, the second child and eldest daughter of King James VI of Scotland/King James I of England. Therefore, the Protestant, German-born George, Elector of Hanover, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg, Prince of Calenberg, became King George I of Great Britain, the first monarch of the British House of Hanover, bypassing dozens of Catholics with a better hereditary claim to the British throne.

Margarete Gertrud von der Schulenburg was born on January 10, 1701, in the Electorate of Hanover, now in the German state of Lower Saxony, the daughter of the future King George I of Great Britain and his mistress Melusine von der Schulenburg. Her paternal grandparents were Ernst August, Elector of Hanover, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Sophia of the Palatinate. Her maternal grandparents were Gustavus Adolphus, Freiherr (Baron) von der Schulenburg (link in German) and his first wife, Petronella Ottilie von Schwencken.

Margarete Gertrud’s mother Melusine von der Schulenburg; Credit – Wikipedia

Margarete Getrud’s mother, Melusine von der Schulenburg, came from an old Brandenburg noble family. Her father served as a member of the Brandenburg Privy Council. Melusine’s mother died in childbirth along with her last child. In 1690, Melusine became a maid of honor to Electress Sophia of Hanover, the mother of the future King George I. A year later, Melusine became George’s mistress. In 1694, George annulled his marriage to Sophia Dorothea of Celle after she fell in love with the Swedish Count Philip Christoph von Königsmarck, an officer in the Hanoverian army. Königsmarck disappeared, and it was widely believed that George ordered Königsmarck’s death. Sophia Dorothea was banished to the Castle of Ahlden in her father’s territory of the Principality of Celle, now in Lower Saxony, Germany. She was not allowed to remarry, would never again see her children, and was kept as a prisoner at the Castle of Ahlden until she died in 1727. George did not marry again, and Melusine remained his mistress until he died, also in 1727.

Margarete Gertrud had two full sisters:

Margarete Gertrud had two half-siblings from her father’s marriage to Sophia Dorothea of Celle:

Margarete Gertrud and her sisters, Petronilla Melusina and Anna Luise Sophie, were never openly acknowledged as King George I’s children. Instead, two of their mother’s sisters and their husbands officially acknowledged them. Anna Luise and Melusina were raised by Melusine’s sister Margarete Gertrud and her husband and distant cousin Friedrich Achaz von der Schulenburg. Margarete was raised by Melusine’s sister Sophie Juliane and her husband Rabe Christoph, Count (Graf) von Oeynhausen. Sometimes Margarete Gertrud is referred to as Margarete Gertrud von Oeynhausen.

In 1714, King George I made his state entry into London accompanied by his mistress Melusine von der Schulenburg, nicknamed “the Maypole” by the British because of her tall, thin appearance. Melusine and their daughters lived with King George I in the royal palaces and Melusine acted as his hostess. At Kensington Palace, Melusine had a three-story apartment overlooking the gardens. Melusine became a naturalized British citizen in 1716 and in the same year was created Duchess of Munster, Countess and Marchioness of Dungannon, and Baroness of Dundalk for life. In 1719, she was further created Duchess of Kendal, Countess of Feversham, and Baroness of Glastonbury and Somerset for life.

Margarete Gertrud’s husband Albrecht Wolfgang, Count of Schaumburg-Lippe; Credit – Wikipedia

Nicknamed Trundchen, Margarete Gertrud was the favorite of her father King George I. At her father’s court, she met the future Albrecht Wolfgang, Count of Schaumburg-Lippe. Albrecht Wolfgang and his brother were educated in England because of their parents’ estrangement and eventual divorce. In 1720, Albrecht Wolfgang entered King George I’s service at court. King George I thought Albrecht Wolfgang would be a good match for Margarete Gertrud.

Before the couple married in 1721, King George I asked Holy Roman Emperor Karl VI to grant Margarete Gertrud an imperial title so her marriage to Albrecht Wolfgang would be an equal marriage. Karl VI agreed and created Margarete Gertrud, the Countess of Oeynhausen. It was also a political marriage. The County of Schaumburg-Lippe bordered the Electorate of Hanover, and King George I was also the Elector of Hanover. The marriage allied the County of Schaumburg-Lippe with George I, thereby neutralizing any territorial expansion of the Electorate of Hanover and providing the small County of Schaumburg-Lippe protection against claims of the Landgraviate of Hesse-Kassel. There was a clause in the marriage contract that King George I would defend the County of Schaumburg-Lippe against its enemies.

Margarete Gertrud and Albrecht Wolfgang’s son Wilhelm, Count of Schaumburg-Lippe; Credit – Wikipedia

Margarete Gertrud and Albrecht Wolfgang had two sons:

The Princely Mausoleum at the St. Martini Church; Credit –  Von Beckstet – Eigenes Werk, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=9678304

Twenty-five-year-old Margarete Gertrud died from tuberculosis in Mannheim, then in the Electorate of the Palatinate, now in the German state of Baden-Württemberg, on April 8, 1726, two years before her husband became the Sovereign Count of Schaumburg-Lippe. She was buried in the Princely Mausoleum at the St. Martini Church (links in German) in Stadthagen, then in the County of Schaumburg-Lippe, 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. (2005). Graf von Schaumburg-Lippe-Bückeburg. Wikipedia.org; Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albrecht_Wolfgang_(Schaumburg-Lippe)
  • Beauclerk-Dewar, Peter & Powell, Roger. (2006). Right Royal Bastards – The Fruits of Passion. Burke’s Peerage & Gentry LLC.
  • Flantzer, Susan. (2015). King George I of Great Britain. Unofficial Royalty. https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/king-george-i-of-great-britain/
  • ‌Flantzer, Susan. (2020). Melusine von der Schulenburg, Duchess of Kendal, Mistress of King George I of Great Britain. Unofficial Royalty. https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/melusine-von-der-schulenburg-duchess-of-kendal-mistress-of-king-george-i-of-great-britain/
  • Margaret Gertrude, Countess of Oeynhausen. Geni_family_tree. (2022). https://www.geni.com/people/Margaret-Gertrude-Countess-of-Oeynhausen/6000000000769944176
  • Margarete Gertrud von Oeynhausen (1701-1726) -… (2023). Findagrave.com. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/35295100/margarete_gertrud_von_oeynhausen
  • Melusine von der Schulenburg, Duchess of Kendal. (2024). Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melusine_von_der_Schulenburg
  • Weir, Alison. (2008). Britain’s Royal Families – The Complete Genealogy. Vintage Books.

Opening of the Parliamentary Session – Sweden – 2nd Tuesday of September

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2024

Parliament House in Stockholm, Sweden; By Photo by CEphoto, Uwe Aranas or alternatively © CEphoto, Uwe Aranas, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=56836627

The Opening of the Parliamentary Session is held on the second Tuesday of September to mark the new parliamentary year. The current ceremony, first held in 1975, replaced an older ceremony known as the Solemn Opening of the Riksdag. During the ceremony, the monarch declares the new session open and the Prime Minister of Sweden makes a speech outlining the government’s plans for the upcoming year.

Storkyrkan (to the right is the Royal Palace of Stockholm); By Julian Herzog, CC BY 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=62714436

In the morning, the members of the Riksdag, the Swedish Parliament, meet in Parliament House for a roll call. Then they walk the short distance to the Storkyrkan, in English, the Great Church, also known as Stockholm Cathedral and Saint Nicholas Church, for a special service conducted by the Archbishop of Uppsala or the Bishop of Stockholm.

King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden and  Speaker of the Riksdag Andreas Norlen lead the Swedish royal family into the Storkyrkan; Credit – Swedish Royal Court, Photo: Pontus Lundahl/TT

The tradition of holding a church service before the Opening of the Parliamentary Session dates back hundreds of years. Members of the Swedish royal family attend and family of the Riksdag members also attend the service.

After the church service, Riksdag members walk from Storkyrkan to the Parliament building Credit – Swedish Royal Court, Photo – Sara Friberg

After the church service, the Riksdag members walk back to Parliament House, entering through its main entrance and walking up the grand staircase.

Speaker of the Riksdag Andreas Norlen, King Carl XVI Gustaf, Queen Silvia, Crown Princess Victoria, Prince Daniel, Princess Sofia, and Prince Carl Philp arrive at the opening of the Riksdag in 2022

The Swedish royal family travels from the Royal Palace of Stockholm to Parliament House in coaches escorted by the Life Guards on horses. The royal family wears black and white, harkening back to when they wore black and white court dress. A trumpet fanfare announces the royal family’s arrival and the Speaker of the Riksdag is waiting to greet them.

When the monarch enters the Riksdag chamber, the Kungssången (The King’s Song), the Swedish royal anthem, is sung. It is also sung on the monarch’s birthday and at the Nobel Prize ceremonies but is not considered the Swedish national anthem. While The King’s Song is sung, the royal family and the prime minister take their seats.

King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden addressing the Riksdag

The Speaker of the Riksdag invites the monarch to the rostrum where he/she delivers a short speech that includes topics the monarch thinks are important for the upcoming parliamentary year and words of encouragement to the Riksdag members. The monarch then declares the new session of the Riksdag open and is seated with the rest of the royal family. The Prime Minister then presents the Statement of Government Policy, outlining the policies the government intends to pursue during the coming year. During the ceremony, there are various musical performances. The Opening of the Parliamentary Session concludes with the singing of the Swedish national anthem “Du gamla, du fria” (“Thou old, Thou free”).

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

  • HM The King opens the Parliamentary Session. (2022). Kungahuset.se. https://www.kungahuset.se/english/archive/news/2022-09-27-hm-the-king-opens-the-parliamentary-session
  • The opening of the Riksdag Session. (2024). Riksdagen.se. https://www.riksdagen.se/en/news/the-opening-of-the-riksdag-session/
  • Wikipedia Contributors. (2024). Opening of the Riksdag. Wikipedia; Wikimedia Foundation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opening_of_the_Riksdag#:~:text=It%20is%20held%20every%20year

Petronilla Melusina von der Schulenburg, Illegitimate Daughter of King George I of Great Britain

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2024

Petronilla Melusina von der Schulenburg; Credit – Wikipedia

The early kings from the British House of Hanover did not publicize their illegitimate children. King George I had three illegitimate daughters with his long-term mistress, Melusina von der Schulenburg, before he became King of Great Britain. The future King George I of Great Britain, was the heir of his father Ernst August, Elector of Hanover, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg, Prince of Calenberg. George succeeded to those titles when his father died in 1698.

Melusina’s father King George I of Great Britain; Credit – Wikipedia

The British House of Stuart failed to provide a legitimate Protestant heir as required by the Act of Settlement of 1701. When Queen Anne of Great Britain died on August 1, 1714, George, Elector of Hanover, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg, Prince of Calenberg was the closest Protestant heir to the British throne. George’s mother, Sophia of the Palatinate, commonly called Electress Sophia of Hanover, was the daughter of Elizabeth Stuart, the second child and eldest daughter of King James VI of Scotland/King James I of England. Therefore, the Protestant, German-born George, Elector of Hanover, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg, Prince of Calenberg became King George I of Great Britain, the first monarch of the British House of Hanover, bypassing dozens of Catholics with a better hereditary claim to the British throne.

Petronilla Melusina von der Schulenburg was born on April 1, 1693, in the Electorate of Hanover, now in the German state of Lower Saxony, the daughter of the future King George I of Great Britain and his mistress Melusine von der Schulenburg. Called Melusina, her paternal grandparents were Ernst August, Elector of Hanover, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Sophia of the Palatinate. Her maternal grandparents were Gustavus Adolphus, Freiherr (Baron) von der Schulenburg (link in German) and his first wife Petronella Ottilie von Schwencken

Melusina’s mother Melusine von der Schulenburg; Credit – Wikipedia

Melusina’s mother Melusine von der Schulenburg came from an old Brandenburg noble family. Her father served as a member of the Brandenburg Privy Council. Melusine’s mother died in childbirth along with her last child. In 1690, Melusine became a maid of honor to Electress Sophia of Hanover, the mother of the future King George I. A year later, Melusine became George’s mistress. In 1694, George annulled his marriage to Sophia Dorothea of Celle after she fell in love with the Swedish Count Philip Christoph von Königsmarck, an officer in the Hanoverian army. Königsmarck disappeared, and it was widely believed that George ordered Königsmarck’s death. Sophia Dorothea was banished to the Castle of Ahlden in her father’s territory of the Principality of Celle, now in Lower Saxony, Germany. She was not allowed to remarry, would never again see her children, and was kept as a prisoner at the Castle of Ahlden until she died in 1727. George did not marry again, and Melusine remained his mistress until he died, also in 1727.

Melusina had two full sisters:

Melusina had two half-siblings from her father’s marriage to Sophia Dorothea of Celle:

Melusina and her sisters Anna Luise Sophie and Margarethe Gertrud were never openly acknowledged as King George I’s children. Instead, two of their mother’s sisters and their husbands officially acknowledged them. Anna Luise and Melusina were raised by Melusine’s sister Margarete Gertrud and her husband and distant cousin Friedrich Achaz von der Schulenburg. Margarethe was raised by Melusine’s sister Sophie Juliane and her husband Rabe Christoph, Count (Graf) von Oeynhausen.

In 1714, King George I made his state entry into London accompanied by his mistress Melusine von der Schulenburg, nicknamed “the Maypole” by the British because of her tall, thin appearance. Melusine and her three daughters lived with King George I in the royal palaces and acted as his hostess. At Kensington Palace, Melusine had a three-story apartment overlooking the gardens.  In 1716, became a naturalized British citizen, and in the same year was created Duchess of Munster, Countess and Marchioness of Dungannon, and Baroness of Dundalk for life. In 1719, she was further created Duchess of Kendal, Countess of Feversham, and Baroness of Glastonbury and Somerset for life.

In 1722, Melusina’s father King George I created her Baroness Aldborough and Countess of Walsingham for life. When King George I died in 1727, Melusina’s mother used the bequest from George to purchase a house near the River Thames in Isleworth in west London, which she named Kendal House, after one of her peerages. Melusina lived with her mother at Kendal House until her marriage.

September 5, 1733, forty-year-old Melusina married thirty-nine-year-old Philip Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield, a leading Whig politician. Melusina was then Countess of Chesterfield. The couple had no children. Philip held several positions, including Lord of the Bedchamber to King George II, Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard, Ambassador to the Netherlands, Lord Steward of the Household, and Lord Lieutenant of Ireland.

Between 1747 and 1752, Philip built Chesterfield House, a London townhouse, where he and Melusina lived when in London. Because Melusina and Philip had no children, Philip protected his title and wealth by adopting his distant cousin and godson Philip Stanhope, a descendant of the 1st Earl of Chesterfield, as his heir and successor to the title of Earl of Chesterfield. Philip Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield died at Chesterfield House in London on March 24, 1773, aged 78. He was buried at Saints Peter and Paul Churchyard in Shelford, Rushcliffe Borough, Nottinghamshire, England, the traditional burial place of the Stanhope family.

Grosvenor Chapel, where Melusina is buried with her sister Anna Luise Sophie and her mother; Credit – By GrindtXX – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=90320190

Melusina survived her husband by five years, dying on September 16, 1778, aged 85. She was buried with her mother and sister Anna Luise Sophie at Grosvenor Chapel in South Audley Street, London, England

Works Cited

  • Beauclerk-Dewar, Peter & Powell, Roger. (2006). Right Royal Bastards – The Fruits of Passion. Burke’s Peerage & Gentry LLC.
  • Flantzer, Susan. (2015). King George I of Great Britain. Unofficial Royalty. https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/king-george-i-of-great-britain/
  • Flantzer, Susan. (2020). Melusine von der Schulenburg, Duchess of Kendal, Mistress of King George I of Great Britain. Unofficial Royalty. https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/melusine-von-der-schulenburg-duchess-of-kendal-mistress-of-king-george-i-of-great-britain/
  • Melusina von der Schulenburg, Countess of Walsingham. geni_family_tree. (2023, January 6). https://www.geni.com/people/Melusina-von-der-Schulenburg-Countess-of-Walsingham/6000000003693108543
  • Melusine von der Schulenburg, Duchess of Kendal. (2024, July 16). Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melusine_von_der_Schulenburg
  • Weir, Alison. (2008). Britain’s Royal Families – The Complete Genealogy. Vintage Books.
  • Wikimedia Foundation. (2024). Melusina von der Schulenburg, Countess of Walsingham. Wikipedia.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melusina_von_der_Schulenburg,_Countess_of_Walsingham

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.

Monaco – Accession to the Throne Ceremonies

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2024

Prince Albert II of Monaco prays at the November 19, 2005 Mass; Photo: Zimbio

When the Sovereign Prince or Princess of Monaco dies, royal powers are automatically conferred upon his/her heir. At the end of the official mourning period, the accession of the new Sovereign Prince or Princess is celebrated with three ceremonies. Prince Rainier III (reigned 1949 – 2005) had ceremonies similar to the ones of his son and successor Prince Albert II. This article is based on  Prince Albert II’s ceremonies and events.

Prince Albert II followed by his sisters and brother-in-law arrives at the Cathedral of Monaco on July 12, 2005

On July 12, 2005, at the end of the official mourning period following the death of his father Prince Rainier III on April 6, 2005, Prince Albert II was officially proclaimed Sovereign Prince of Monaco at a morning Mass presided over by Bernard Barsi, Archbishop of Monaco. at the Cathedral of Monaco (also called St. Nicholas’ Cathedral) in Monaco-Ville, Monaco.

Prince Albert II with the two keys of the city as a symbol of his investiture

In the afternoon, Prince Albert II hosted a garden party at the Prince’s Palace of Monaco for 7,000 citizens of Monaco. Prince Albert II was presented with two keys of the city as a symbol of his investiture. He then gave a speech setting out the priorities of his reign, making Monaco “a model society, a society model”. The evening ended with fireworks over the waterfront.

Prince Albert II sits on the throne during his investment ceremony on November 17, 2005, in the Throne Room at the Prince’s Palace

On November 18, 2005, Prince Albert was formally invested as the Sovereign Prince of Monaco during a ceremony in the Throne Room at the Prince’s Palace in Monte Carlo, Monaco. As the Sovereign Prince of Monaco, Prince Albert is the Grand Master of the Order of Saint Charles, Monaco’s highest honor. He was invested as a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Saint Charles in 1979. At the November 18 ceremony, Prince Albert received the Grand Master’s Grand Collar of The Order of Saint Charles by Chancellor of the Order, Jean-Joseph Pastor.

Prince Albert II receives the Grand Collar of The Order of Saint Charles

In the evening of November 18, 2005, Prince Albert hosted a dinner with some of the foreign royalty including Prince Joachim of Denmark, Prince Feisal of Jordan, Hereditary Prince Alois and Hereditary Princess Sophie of Liechtenstein, Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume of Luxembourg, Prince Moulay Rachid of Morocco, Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden, and The Earl and Countess of Wessex (now The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh).

Prince Ernst-August of Hanover, Princess Caroline of Hanover, Prince Albert II of Monaco, Princess Stephanie of Monaco, and Princess Antoinette of Monaco at the November 19 Pontifical Mass

On November 19, 2005, coinciding with Monaco’s National Day, a Pontifical High Mass was celebrated at the Cathedral of Monaco, witnessed by 800 guests including royalty from Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. The day ended with an evening gala and a performance of Gioachino Rossini’s opera Il Viaggio a Reims (Voyage to Reims) at the Opéra de Monte-Carlo.

Andrea Casiraghi, Princess Caroline of Hanover, Prince Ernst August of Hanover and Charlotte Casiraghi surround Prince Albert II in the royal box at at the Opéra de Monte-Carlo

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

  • Albert II. (2020, August 5). Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_II
  • Albert’s Accession. (2005, July 12). CBSnews.com; CBS News. https://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/alberts-accession/19/
  • BBC NEWS | World | Europe | Monaco’s Albert II assumes throne. (2024). Bbc.co.uk. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4674109.stm
  • Contributeurs aux projets Wikimedia. (2007, January 6). Ordre Honorifique Monégasque. Wikipedia.org; Fondation Wikimedia, Inc. https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ordre_de_Saint-Charles
  • Flantzer, Susan. (2014). Prince Albert II of Monaco. Unofficial Royalty. https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/prince-albert-ii-of-monaco/
  • NBC Universal. (2005, November 19). Monaco’s Albert II ascends to the throne. NBC News; NBC News. https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna10108054
  • news24. (2024). Enthronment Mass for Prince. News24; News24. https://www.news24.com/news24/enthronment-mass-for-prince-20051119
  • Prince Albert’s Monaco enthronement complete – ABC News. (2005, November 19). ABC News. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2005-11-20/prince-alberts-monaco-enthronement-complete/744076
  • Wikipedia Contributors. (2024, July 20). Order of Saint Charles. Wikipedia; Wikimedia Foundation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_Saint_Charles