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Princess Augusta of the United Kingdom; Credit – Wikipedia

September 22, 1601 – Birth of Anne of Austria, Queen of France, wife of King Louis XIII of France, at Benavente Palace in Valladolid, Spain
Full name: Ana María Mauricia
Anne was the eldest daughter of King Felipe III of Spain and married King Louis XIII of France in 1615. After several stillbirths and nearly 23 years of marriage, Anne gave birth to two healthy sons: the future King Louis XIV of France and Philippe I, Duke of Orléans. King Louis XIII died in 1643, leaving his five-year-old son as the new King Louis XIV. In his will, the late King had sought to limit any power that Queen Anne might have had, including becoming Regent. He instructed that a regency council be established instead. However, just days after his death, Queen Anne was able to convene the Parliament of Paris and had that part of his will overturned. Anne was named the sole Regent for her young son.
Unofficial Royalty: Anne of Austria, Queen of France

September 22, 1780 – Birth of Prince Alfred of Great Britain, son of King George III of the United Kingdom, at Windsor Castle in Windsor, England
Prince Alfred was the ninth and youngest son and fourteenth of the fifteen children of King George III and his wife Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. Alfred was probably a “blue baby” due to a heart defect and was always in delicate health. Before Edward Jenner developed the smallpox vaccine that contained the cowpox virus in 1796 and that ultimately led to the eradication of smallpox, there was another way to possibly prevent smallpox called variolation. George III had his children vaccinated via variolation. About 3% of those inoculated via variolation developed a severe case of smallpox and died but that was preferable to catching smallpox with its mortality rate of 20–40% and scarred survivors. Sadly, two of the 3% who died after receiving the smallpox inoculation were the two younger sons of King George III, Prince Octavius and Prince Alfred. After suffering from prolonged bouts of fever, Alfred died on August 20, 1782, a month short of his second birthday.
Unofficial Royalty: Prince Alfred of Great Britain
Unofficial Royalty: Smallpox Knew No Class Boundaries

September 22, 1840 – Death of Princess Augusta of the United Kingdom, daughter of King George III of the United Kingdom, at Clarence House in London, England; buried at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle in Windsor, England
Princess Augusta was the second of the six daughters and the sixth of the fifteen children in her family. Augusta’s childhood was very sheltered. She spent most of her time with her parents and sisters.  The living conditions of King George’s daughters came to be known as “the Nunnery.” None of the daughters was allowed to marry at the age when most princesses would marry. Three of Augusta’s six sisters eventually married, all later than was the norm of the time. Starved for male companionship, Sophia got pregnant by her father’s 56-year-old equerry and secretly gave birth to a boy who was placed in a foster home. Following the wedding of her niece Queen Victoria in 1840, Augusta’s health deteriorated. On July 2, 1840, a Windsor newspaper reported “the serious and alarming illness of the Princess Augusta.” Three days later, Queen Victoria ordered the gates of Green Park, which borders Clarence House, to be closed so that traffic would not bother Princess Augusta. With her sister-in-law Queen Adelaide, her surviving sisters Mary and Sophia, and her brother Adolphus at her bedside, Augusta died at the age of 71.
Unofficial Royalty: Princess Augusta Sophia of the United Kingdom

September 22, 1875 – Birth of Adelheid of Schaumburg-Lippe, Duchess of Saxe-Altenburg, wife of Ernst II, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg at Ratibořice Castle in Bohemia, now in the Czech Republic
Full name: Friederike Adelheid Marie Luise Hilda Eugenie
In 1898,  Adelheid married the future Ernst II, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg and the couple had four children. In 1908, Adelheid became the last Duchess of Saxe-Altenburg when her husband succeeded his father as Duke. Their reign, however, would be relatively short-lived. Her husband was forced to abdicate on November 13, 1918, when the German Empire was abolished. Following the abdication, Adelheid felt that she no longer had to endure her husband’s affairs and the shame it brought to her marriage. The couple separated and divorced on January 17, 1920.
 Unofficial Royalty: Adelheid of Schaumburg-Lippe, Duchess of Saxe-Altenburg

September 22, 1948 – Death of Prince Adalbert of Prussia, son of Wilhelm II, German Emperor and King of Prussia, in La Tour de Peilz, Switzerland; buried at Vassin Cemetery in La Tour de Peilz, Vaud, Switzerland
In 1914,  Adalbert married Princess Adelheid of Saxe-Meiningen and the couple had three children. During World War I, Adalbert served in the Prussian Navy, eventually taking command of the SMS Dresden. Following the end of the monarchy in November 1918, Adalbert left his family and initially took refuge on his yacht. He soon moved to Bad Homburg, Germany where he purchased a villa – Villa Adelheidswert – and was joined by his wife and children. They often traveled to Switzerland due to his wife’s health and eventually settled there permanently in 1928. They adopted the names Count and Countess von Lingen, lived a quiet and private life, and took no part in German politics.
Unofficial Royalty: Prince Adalbert of Prussia

September 22, 1948 – Birth of Mark Phillips, first husband of Anne, Princess Royal in Tetbury, Gloucestershire, England
Full name: Mark Anthony Peter
Mark Phillips was the first husband of Anne, Princess Royal, and the father of her two children. The couple divorced in 1992. An avid horseman, Mark was a member of the British Equestrian Team with whom he won the Team Three-Day Event world title in 1970, the European title in 1971, and Olympic Gold in 1972. He also won Silver at the 1988 Olympics and is a four-time champion at the Badminton Horse Trials. Mark is a regular columnist for Horse & Hound magazine, remains a leading figure in British equestrian circles, and serves as the Chef d’Equipe (team manager) of the United States Eventing Team.
Unofficial Royalty: Mark Phillips

September 22, 1971 – Birth of Princess Märtha Louise of Norway, daughter of King Harald V, at the Rikshospitalet in Oslo, Norway
In 2002, Märtha Louise married Ari Behn and the couple had three daughters. In August 2016, it was announced that the couple separated and they divorced in 2017. Sadly, Ari Behn died by suicide on December 25, 2019. Märtha Louise has often faced criticism in Norway for her claims of being clairvoyant and for commercially exploiting her title of princess. In May 2019, Princess Märtha Louise announced that she was in a relationship with an American citizen, a shaman named Durek Verrett who has faced strong criticism in Norway and has been characterized by Norwegian media and other critics as a conman. Together Märtha Louise and Verrett have held seminars titled “The Princess and the Shaman,” which also were widely criticized. In August 2019, Märtha Louise stated that she would no longer use the princess title in commercial contexts. In June 2022, Märtha Louise and Durek Verrett announced their engagement and were married on August 31, 2024.
Unofficial Royalty: Princess Märtha Louise of Norway

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Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, Credit – Wikipedia

September 21, 1327 – Death of King Edward II of England at Berkeley Castle in Berkeley, England, buried at Gloucester Cathedral in Gloucester, England
Edward II succeeded his father King Edward I in 1307. The granting of favors to Edward II’s favorites greatly displeased the English nobility. His wife and her lover Roger Mortimer, 1st Earl of March decided to depose Edward II resulting in his forced abdication. Edward II and Isabella’s son was crowned King Edward III, and Isabella and Mortimer served as regents for the teenage king. King Edward II was sent to Berkeley Castle where castle records indicate he was well treated. The circumstances of what happened to him are uncertain. One theory is that he died at Berkeley Castle on September 21, 1327, murdered on the orders of Isabella and Mortimer. When King Edward III reached the age of 18, he conducted a coup d’état against Mortimer and Isabella resulting in the execution of Mortimer and the confinement of his mother at Castle Rising in Norfolk.
Unofficial Royalty: King Edward II of England

September 21, 1411 – Birth of Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York, claimant to the English throne, father of King Edward IV of England and King Richard III of England
Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York was a claimant to the English throne, the leader of the Yorkist faction during the Wars of the Roses until he died in battle in 1460, the father of King Edward IV of England and King Richard III of England, and the great-grandfather of King Henry VIII of England and his sister Margaret Tudor. Through Margaret Tudor, Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York is an ancestor of the British royal family and many other European royal families.
Unofficial Royalty: Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York

September 21, 1415 – Birth of Friedrich III, Holy Roman Emperor, Duke of Styria, Carinthia, and Carniola, Archduke of Austria in Innsbruck, County of Tyrol, now in Austria
Friedrich III reigned as Holy Roman Emperor from 1440 to 1493, as Friedrich V, Duke of Styria, Carinthia, and Carniola from 1424 to 1493, and as Friedrich V, Duke (Duchy of Austria) and then Archduke of Austria (Archduchy of Austria) from 1457 to 1493. He would lay the foundation that would keep the House of Habsburg in a power play position until its fall after World War I.  During his reign, Friedrich concentrated on re-uniting the Habsburg hereditary lands of Austria. In February 1493, Friedrich’s health began to worsen. He had an issue with his left leg which contemporary sources referred to as gangrene but in today’s modern medicine, the issue was caused by arteriosclerosis. Friedrich’s doctors decided to amputate the affected leg. Although Friedrich survived the amputation, he died on August 19, 1493, in Linz, Duchy of Austria, now in Austria, at the age of 77. Contemporary sources say the cause of his death was complications from the leg amputation, old age, or dysentery-like diarrhea from eating melon.
Unofficial Royalty: Friedrich III, Holy Roman Emperor, Duke of Styria, Carinthia, and Carniola, Archduke of Austria

September 21, 1558 – Death of Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, King of Spain, Archduke of Austria, Lord of the Netherlands, Duke of Burgundy, at the Monastery of Yuste in Extremadura, Spain.; originally buried at the Monastery of Yuste, reburied at the Royal Site of San Lorenzo de El Escorial in El Escorial, Spain
Best known as Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, Charles was one of the most powerful ever monarchs and had a large number of titles due to his vast inheritance of the Burgundian, Spanish, and Austrian realms. He was the second of the six children and the elder of the two sons of Philip of Austria, Duke of Burgundy, the ruler of the Burgundian State from the House of Habsburg, and Juana I, Queen of Castile and León from the House of Trastámara.
Unofficial Royalty: Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, King of Spain, Archduke of Austria, Lord of the Netherlands, Duke of Burgundy

September 21, 1640 – Birth of Philippe I, Duke of Orléans, son of King Louis XIII of France and brother of King Louis XIV of France, at the Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye in Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France
During the English Civil War, Philippe’s paternal aunt Henrietta Maria, wife of King Charles I of England, and her youngest child and Philippe’s first cousin Henrietta sought refuge at the French court. The cousins married in 1661. Philippe had homosexual affairs but apparently, he was intent on fulfilling his dynastic responsibility of having children. Philippe and Henrietta had three children. Today’s Jacobite claim to the British throne goes through their younger daughter Anne Marie. After Henrietta’s death, Philippe married Elizabeth Charlotte of the Palatinate, known as Liselotte, and they had three children. Philippe’s careful investment and management of his various estates made him a wealthy man but his wealth was greatly increased when he inherited the fortune of his extremely wealthy paternal first cousin Anne Marie Louise of Orléans, Duchess of Montpensier upon her death in 1693. Philippe is acknowledged as being not only the biological founder of the House of Orléans but as its financial founder.
Unofficial Royalty: Philippe I, Duke of Orléans

September 21, 1693 – Birth of Countess Maria Anna Katharina of Oettingen-Spielberg, the third of the four wives of Josef Johann Adam, Prince of Liechtenstein, in Vienna, Archduchy of Austria, now in Austria
On August 3, 1716, in Vienna, Maria Anna married Josef Johann Adam. Josef Johann Adam and Maria Anna had five children including Josef Johann Adam’s successor Johann Nepomuk Karl, Prince of Liechtenstein. Maria Anna died on April 15, 1729, at the age of 35, and was buried at the Parish Church of St. Nicholas at Glogów, in Silesia, now in Poland. The church was destroyed in 1945 and the tomb was not preserved.
Unofficial Royalty: The Four Wives of Josef Johann Adam, Prince of Liechtenstein

September 21, 1706 – Birth of Polyxena of Hesse-Rheinfels-Rotenburg, Queen of Sardinia, second wife of Carlo Emanuele III, King of Sardinia, in Langenschwalbach in the Landgraviate of Hesse-Rheinfels-Rotenburg, now in Hesse, Germany
Polyxena of Hesse-Rheinfels-Rotenburg was the second of the three wives, all of whom died young, of Carlo Emanuele III, King of Sardinia. Polyxena and Carlo Emanuele III had six children including her husband’s successor Vittorio Amedeo III, King of Sardinia. Polyxena was active in charity work, founding a home for young mothers in Turin. She worked with Italian architect Filippo Juvarra, the architect of the great Basilica of Superga in Turin, to remodel and renovate several buildings.
Unofficial Royalty: Polyxena of Hesse-Rheinfels-Rotenburg, Queen of Sardinia

September 21, 1788 – Birth of Wilhelmine of Baden, Grand Duchess of Hesse and by Rhine, wife of Ludwig II, Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine, in Karlsruhe, Margraviate of Baden, now in Baden-Württemberg, Germany
Full name: Wilhelmine Luise
In 1804, Wilhelmine married her first cousin, the future Ludwig II of Hesse and by Rhine, and they had five children including Prince Alexander whose morganatic marriage created the Battenberg/Mountbatten family, and Marie who married Alexander II, Emperor of All Russia. Wilhelmine’s marriage was never happy, and she separated from her husband after the birth of their first three children. Wilhelmine had a large garden built on a hill in Darmstadt called the Rosenhöhe. She added several buildings, including a summer residence and a tea house. When her daughter Elisabeth died, Wilhelmine decided to have a mausoleum built in the park instead of using the traditional grand ducal tomb in the Darmstadt Stadtkirche. It is because of this that the Rosenhöhe has become the traditional burial site for the Grand Ducal Family.
Unofficial Royalty: Wilhelmine of Baden, Grand Duchess of Hesse and by Rhine

September 21, 1819 – Birth of Louise Marie Thérèse of France, Duchess of Parma and Regent of Parma, wife of Carlos III, Duke of Parma, at the Élysée Palace in Paris, France
The granddaughter of King Charles X of France, Louise Marie Thérèse was the wife of Carlos III, Duke of Parma and Regent for their son Roberto I, Duke of Parma until the Duchy of Parma was abolished during the Italian unification movement. In 1845, Louise Marie Thérèse married the future Carlo III, Duke of Parma and the couple had four children. In 1854, Louise Marie Thérèse’s husband was assassinated and she became Regent for their six-year-old son Roberto. After the Duchy of Parma was abolished, Louise Marie Thérèse took her children to Venice, Kingdom of Lombardy-Venetia, now in Italy where she spent the rest of her life in exile.
Unofficial Royalty: Louise Marie Thérèse of France, Duchess of Parma, Regent of Parma

September 21, 1845 – Birth of Ernst August II, the last Crown Prince of Hanover in Hanover, Kingdom of Hanover, now in Lower Saxony, Germany
The only son of King Georg V of Hanover, Ernst August was the last Crown Prince of Hanover, as well as the last to hold the British Dukedoms of Cumberland and Teviotdale. Ernst August became Crown Prince of Hanover upon his father’s accession in November 1851. However, in 1866, Hanover was annexed by the Kingdom of Prussia. The family went into exile in Austria but spent much of their time in Paris. In 1878, Ernst August married Princess Thyra of Denmark, the daughter of King Christian IX of Denmark and the couple had six children. Upon his father’s death in June 1878, Ernst August inherited his titles, becoming the 3rd Duke of Cumberland and Teviotdale, and Earl of Armagh in the United Kingdom, as well as head of the House of Hanover. He was also made a Knight of the Order of the Garter by Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom, his father’s first cousin. However, Ernst August was removed from the roll of the Order of the Garter in 1915, and in 1917 was stripped of his title of Prince of the United Kingdom. As a result of the Titles Deprivation Act, in 1919 he was stripped of his British peerages for bearing arms against Great Britain during World War I. The titles – Duke of Cumberland and Teviotdale – remain in abeyance, and his direct descendants could petition to have them restored. To date, no such petition has been made.
Unofficial Royalty: Ernst August II, Crown Prince of Hanover

September 21, 1957 – Death of King Haakon VII of Norway, born Prince Carl of Denmark, at the Royal Palace in Oslo, Norway; buried at the Royal Mausoleum at Akershus Fortress in Norway
A Danish prince who became King of Norway and one of a few elected monarchs, Prince Carl of Denmark was the son of King Frederik VIII of Denmark and Princess Louise of Sweden. He married his first cousin Princess Maud of Wales, the daughter of King Edward VII of the United Kingdom. Upon the dissolution of the Union between Sweden and Norway, Carl was elected King of Norway and took the name Haakon. During World War II, King Haakon and his son fled to the United Kingdom where he maintained a government in exile. Haakon continued to broadcast speeches to the Norwegian people. Despite pressure from Hitler, Haakon refused the Norwegian Parliament’s request to abdicate. Following the war, King Haakon and his family returned to Norway, exactly five years after the date they had been evacuated to the United Kingdom.
Unofficial Royalty: King Haakon VII of Norway

September 21, 1962 – Death of Princess Marie Bonaparte, Princess George of Greece in Saint-Tropez, France; buried at Royal Cemetery, Tatoi Palace, Greece
Marie came from an immensely wealthy family. Her maternal grandfather François Blanc was the principal developer of Monte Carlo and the Monte Carlo Casino in Monaco. He had amassed a large fortune that passed to his children upon his death, and Marie inherited a large amount of money upon her mother’s death. Following her father’s death, she inherited over 60 million francs. In 1907, Marie married Prince George of Greece, the son of King George I of Greece. As part of the marriage agreement, Marie retained sole control over her fortune, with Prince George refusing any financial settlement or allowance. The couple had two children. In the years that the Greek Royal Family was in exile, Marie used her wealth to support many of them. She provided the use of several of her homes in France and paid for education and living expenses. Those who benefited from Marie’s generosity included Prince Andrew of Greece and his family, including the young Prince Philip, the future husband of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom.
Unofficial Royalty: Princess Marie Bonaparte, Princess George of Greece

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Arthur, Prince of Wales, Credit – Wikipedia

September 20, 1486 – Birth of Arthur, Prince of Wales, son of King Henry VII of England, at St. Swithin’s Priory in Winchester, England
The first child of King Henry VII of England, the first Tudor monarch, and Elizabeth of York, daughter of King Edward IV, niece of King Richard III, and sister of King Edward V, was born purposefully in Winchester, England which was once the capital of the Kingdom of Wessex. The name Arthur was chosen in hopes that he would bring a new Arthurian age to the new Tudor dynasty. In 1501, the two 15 year-olds, Catherine of Aragon and Arthur, were married at the Old St. Paul’s Cathedral in London. Catherine was escorted to the cathedral by Arthur’s brother, the 10-year-old Henry, Duke of York, who would eventually become her second husband as King Henry VIII. Within months of the marriage, both Arthur and Catherine became ill, probably of the sweating sickness. Catherine survived, but she was left a widow as Arthur did not survive.
Unofficial Royalty: Arthur, Prince of Wales

September 20, 1789 – Birth of Georg II, Prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont in Weil am Rhein, Grand Duchy of Baden, now in Baden-Württemberg, Germany
Full name: Georg Friedrich Heinrich
Upon the death of his father in 1813, Georg succeeded him as Prince of Waldeck-Pyrmont. In 1823, Georg married Emma of Anhalt-Bernburg-Schaumburg-Hoym and they had five children. Through their son Georg Viktor, Prince of Waldeck-Pyrmont, they were the grandparents of Emma who married King Willem III of the Netherlands, and Helena who married Prince Leopold, Queen Victoria’s hemophiliac, youngest son.
Unofficial Royalty: Georg II, Prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont

September 20, 1843 – Birth of Tsesarevich Nicholas Alexandrovich of Russia, son of Alexander II, Emperor of All Russia, at Alexander Palace at Tsarskoye Selo near St. Petersburg, Russia
Although Nicholas was born to succeed his father as Emperor of All Russia, it was not to be. In 1864, Nicholas became betrothed to Princess Dagmar of Denmark, daughter of King Christian IX of Denmark. However, in the spring of 1865, 21-year-old Nicholas was on his deathbed, dying of cerebrospinal meningitis. Within a few days, Dagmar was sitting by the bed of her dying fiancé.  There is an uncorroborated story that shortly before he died, Nicholas clasped together the hands of Dagmar and his brother Alexander, begging them to marry. The couple did marry in 1866, became Alexander III, Emperor of All Russia and Empress Maria Feordorova, and had six children including Nicholas II, the last Emperor of All Russia, who was named in honor of his deceased uncle.
Unofficial Royalty: Tsesarevich Nicholas Alexandrovich of Russia

September 20, 1870 – Death of Kalama, Queen Consort of the Hawaiian Islands, wife of King Kamehameha III, in Honolulu, on the island of Oahu, Kingdom of the Hawaiian Islands, now in the state of Hawaii; first buried at Mauna ʻAla (Fragrant Hills), the Royal Mausoleum of Hawaii in Honolulu, Oahu; later moved to the Kamehameha Tomb, an underground vault, under the Kamehameha Dynasty Tomb on the grounds of the Royal Mausoleum
Kalama Hakaleleponi Kapakuhaili was the only wife of King Kamehameha III of the Hawaiian Islands, the first Hawaiian king not to practice polygamy. Kalama was the only child of Naihe Kukui Kapihe and Chiefess Iʻahuʻula, the younger sister of Charles Kanaʻina, who served on both the Privy Counsel as an advisor to the Kings of the Hawaiian Islands and in the House of Nobles. Kamehameha III and Kalama had two sons, but they both died in infancy. Kalama outlived both her husband Kamehameha III and his nephew Kamehameha IV, and was known as the Queen Dowager. In 1869, during the reign of Kamehameha V, she welcomed Queen Victoria’s son Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh on his visit to the Kingdom of the Hawaiian Islands. Kamala, aged 53, died during the reign of Kamehameha V, on September 20, 1870, in Honolulu, on the island of Oahu.
Unofficial Royalty: Kalama, Queen Consort of the Hawaiian Islands, wife of King Kamehameha III

September 20, 1886 – Birth of Crown Princess Cecilie of Germany, wife of Crown Prince Wilhelm of Germany, born Cecilie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, in Schwerin, Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, now in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany
Full name: Cecilie Auguste Marie
In 1905, Cecilie married Crown Prince Wilhelm of Germany, the son of Wilhelm II, German Emperor and King of Prussia, and had six children. Wilhelm was a perpetual womanizer and made little attempt to keep any of his affairs quiet. As Crown Princess, Cecilie was immensely popular and took on much charity work. She particularly enjoyed working with organizations that promoted and provided education for women. Shortly after the end of World War I and the fall of the German monarchies, the marriage of Cecilie and Wilhelm became a marriage in name only.
Unofficial Royalty: Cecilie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Crown Princess of Germany

September 20, 1925 – Birth of Ananda Mahidol, King of Thailand (Rama VIII) in Heidelberg, Germany
Known for being found shot dead in his bed under mysterious circumstances, King Ananda Mahidol of Thailand was born in Heidelberg, Germany where his parents were studying at Heidelberg University at the time of his birth. In 1935, upon the abdication of his uncle, nine-year-old Ananda Mahidol King of Thailand. In December 1941, during World War II, Japan occupied Thailand. King Ananda Mahidol was studying in Switzerland and remained there until the end of World War II. He returned to Thailand in December 1945 after receiving a law degree from the University of Lausanne.  In 1946, 20-year-old King Ananda Mahidol was found shot to death in his bed in the Boromphiman Throne Hall, a residential palace located in the Grand Palace in Bangkok, Thailand. He was succeeded by his 18-year-old brother Bhumibol Adulyadej who reigned for seventy years. Although three people were tried and executed for King Ananda Mahidol’s supposed assassination, the circumstances of his death have never been fully explained and his death is still seen as a mystery.
Unofficial Royalty: Ananda Mahidol, King of Thailand
Unofficial Royalty: The Mysterious Death of Ananda Mahidol, King of Thailand

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King Henri III of France, Credit – Wikipedia

September 19, 1551 – Birth of King Henri III of France at the Château de Fontainebleau in Fontainebleau, France
Full name: Alexandre Édouard
Henri was a Catholic military leader in the French Wars of Religion – Catholics against the Protestant Huguenots – and helped plot the St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre of August 23-24, 1572 in which 5,000 to 30,000 Protestant Huguenots were killed. The reigns of Henri and his two brothers saw France in constant turmoil over religion. In 1574, 23-year-old Charles IX, King of France died from tuberculosis without a male heir and so his brother succeeded him as Henri III, King of France. In 1589, Henri was assassinated by a fanatic Dominican monk who believed Henri was the enemy of Catholicism.
Unofficial Royalty: King Henri III of France

September 19, 1785 – Death of Maria Antonia Ferdinanda of Spain, Queen of Sardinia, wife of Vittorio Amadeo III, King of Sardinia at the Castle of Moncalieri in Turin, Kingdom of Sardinia, now in Italy; buried at the Royal Basilica of Superga in Turin
In 1750, Maria Antonia Ferdinanda married the future Vittorio Amedeo III, King of Sardinia. The marriage was arranged by Maria Antonia’s half-brother Fernando VI, King of Spain to strengthen relations between Spain and Sardinia/Savoy. Maria Antonia Ferdinanda and Vittorio Amedeo had twelve children.
Unofficial Royalty: Maria Antonia Ferdinanda of Spain, Queen of Sardinia

September 19, 1802 – Death of Luisa of Naples and Sicily, first wife of Ferdinando III, Grand Duke of Tuscany at Hofburg Palace in Vienna, Austria; buried at the Imperial Crypt in Vienna, Austria
Luisa was the daughter of King Ferdinando IV of Naples and III of Sicily, later Ferdinando I, King of the Two Sicilies, and his first wife Archduchess Maria Carolina of Austria. In 1790, she married Ferdinando III, Grand Duke of Tuscany and the couple had five children. In 1801, Napoleon conquered Tuscany, Ferdinando was forced to leave Tuscany, and his family went into exile in Vienna, Austria. While the family was in exile in Vienna, Austria, Luisa, aged 29, died in childbirth delivering a stillborn son on September 19, 1802, at Hofburg Palace.  After Napoleon’s downfall in 1814, Tuscany was restored to Ferdinando
Unofficial Royalty – Luisa of Naples and Sicily, Grand Duchess of Tuscany

September 19, 1803 – Birth of Maria Anna of Savoy, Empress of Austria, wife of Emperor Ferdinand I of Austria, at the Palazzo Colonna in Rome, Papal States, now in Italy
Full name: Maria Anna Ricciarda Carolina Margherita Pia
Maria Anna and her twin sister Maria Teresa were the daughters of Vittorio Emanuele I, King of Sardinia and Duke of Savoy. In February 1831, Maria Anna married Emperor Ferdinand I of Austria. The marriage was childless and probably never consummated, but the couple remained devoted to each other. Emperor Ferdinand suffered from several ailments including epilepsy and hydrocephalus. He was considered incapable of ruling although he kept a coherent diary.
Unofficial Royalty: Maria Anna of Savoy, Empress of Austria

September 19, 1803 – Birth of Maria Teresa of Savoy, Duchess of Parma, wife of Carlo II Ludovico, Duke of Parma, at the Palazzo Colonna in Rome, Papal States, now in Italy
Full name: Maria Teresa Fernanda Felicitas Gaetana Pia
Maria Teresa and her twin sister Maria Ann were the daughters of Vittorio Emanuele I, King of Sardinia and Duke of Savoy. In 1820, Maria Teresa married the future Carlo II Ludovico, Duke of Parma, and the couple had two children. Carlo Ludovico had no interest in reigning. He left the duchy in the hands of his government ministers and instead traveled around Europe. Maria Teresa left the court and settled at the Villa delle Pianore in the Duchy of Lucca. Maria Teresa surrounded herself with priests and nuns and dedicated her life to religion. After 1840 she lived in complete religious seclusion.
Unofficial Royalty: Maria Teresa of Savoy, Duchess of Parma

September 19, 1895 – Death of Countess Julia Hauke, Princess of Battenberg, morganatic wife of Prince Alexander of Hesse and by Rhine, at Heiligenberg Castle in Jugenheim, Grand Duchy of Hesse and by Rhine, now in Hesse, Germany; first buried in the mausoleum at Heiligenberg Castle, after the mausoleum was converted to a memorial chapel, her remains were moved to a grave outside the mausoleum
Julia Hauke was the wife of Prince Alexander of Hesse and by Rhine, the founder of the Battenberg/Mountbatten branch of the Grand Ducal family of Hesse and by Rhine. As her marriage was morganatic, Julia did not become a Princess of Hesse and by Rhine. Instead, her brother-in-law, Grand Duke Ludwig III of Hesse and by Rhine, created her Countess of Battenberg, with the style Illustrious Highness. Her children took their titles from her, becoming Counts and Countesses of Battenberg. Seven years later, the Grand Duke elevated Julia and her children to the rank of Prince/Princess, with the style Serene Highness. However, they remained ineligible for the Grand Ducal throne. Julia and Alexander’s son Henry married Queen Victoria’s daughter Princess Beatrice and through this marriage, they are ancestors of the Spanish royal family. Their son Louis married Queen Victoria’s granddaughter Princess Victoria of Hesse and by Rhine. Louis and Victoria were the grandparents of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh and the future monarchs of the United Kingdom will be their descendants.
Unofficial Royalty: Countess Julia Hauke, Princess of Battenberg

September 19, 1902 – Death of Queen Marie Henriette of Belgium, born Marie Henriette of Austria, wife of King Leopold II of the Belgians, at the Hôtel du Midi in Spa, Belgium; buried at the Church of Our Lady of Laeken in Brussels, Belgium
In 1853, 16-year-old Marie Henriette married 18-year-old Prince Leopold, Duke of Brabant, the heir to the Belgian throne, and the future King Leopold II of the Belgians. The marriage had been carefully orchestrated to strengthen the infant Belgian monarchy by marrying its future second monarch to a member of a prestigious Catholic dynasty. Marie Henriette had tearfully protested the marriage. The marriage started out unhappy, remained unhappy, and the couple lived mostly separate lives. Leopold had many mistresses and made no real attempt to have a successful marriage. After the death of their only son, Marie Henriette gave birth to a third daughter. The couple completely separated after the birth and Marie Henriette eventually moved to Spa, Belgium where she lived out the rest of her life at Hôtel du Midi, the home she had bought there.
Unofficial Royalty: Marie Henriette of Austria, Queen of Belgium

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King Charles XV of Sweden; Credit – Wikipedia

September 18, 1322 – Death of Adam FitzRoy, illegitimate son of King Edward II of England, in Newcastle, England; buried at Tynemouth Priory in Tynemouth, England
Born circa 1307, possibly at Windsor Castle, Adam FitzRoy was the illegitimate son of King Edward II of England and an unknown mother. His mother could have been one of the ladies or maids of his father’s second wife Margaret of France. Adam participated in his father’s campaign in Scotland in the autumn of 1322, during the First War of Scottish Independence (1296–1328) against the formidable Robert Bruce, King of Scots. With the English army inland, the plans to supply the English army by sea failed and the English ran out of supplies and had to retreat to Newcastle, England. Many English soldiers became ill with dysentery and died. On September 18, 1322, the teenage Adam FitzRoy died, probably from dysentery.
Unofficial Royalty: Adam FitzRoy, Illegitimate son of King Edward II of England

September 18, 1434 – Birth of Eleanor of Portugal, Holy Roman Empress, wife of Friedrich III, Holy Roman Emperor in Torres Vedras, Portugal
Eleanor, the daughter of King Duarte of Portugal and Eleanor of Aragon, married the future Friedrich III, Holy Roman Emperor. The couple had five children but only two survived childhood, including Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor who married the wealthy heiress Mary, Duchess of Burgundy in her own right. Eleanor and Friedrich were very different and their marriage was not happy. After fifteen years of marriage, Eleanor, aged 32, died on September 3, 1467, from dysentery.
Unofficial Royalty: Eleanor of Portugal, Holy Roman Empress

September 18, 1786 – Birth of King Christian VIII of Denmark at Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen, Denmark
Christian VIII was the eldest son of Hereditary Prince Frederik of Denmark and Sophia Frederica of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. Christian’s father was the only child of King Frederik V of Denmark and his second wife Juliana Maria of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel. In 1806, Christian married his first cousin Charlotte Frederica of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. They had one surviving son, Christian’s successor, the future King Frederik VII. Charlotte Frederica had an affair, was banished, divorced, and never saw her son again. In 1816, Christian married Caroline Amalie of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg but their marriage remained childless. Christian VIII became King of Denmark in 1839 upon the death of his half-nephew King Frederik VI who had two daughters but no sons to succeed him. On January 20, 1848, 61-year-old King Christian VIII died of blood poisoning after a blood-letting.
Unofficial Royalty: King Christian VIII of Denmark

September 18, 1790 – Death of Prince Henry of Wales, Duke of Cumberland and Strathearn, in Pall Mall, just outside his home, Cumberland House, in London, England; buried in Westminster Abbey in London, England, in the Hanover vault under the central part of the Henry VII Chapel, the last royal burial in Westminster Abbey
Henry was the son of Frederick, Prince of Wales who predeceased his father King George II of Great Britain, and the brother of King George III of the United Kingdom. Henry annoyed his brother King George III when he married Anne Horton, daughter of Simon Luttrell, 1st Earl of Carhampton, and the widow of Christopher Horton of Catton Hall. King George III did not approve of the marriage as Anne was a commoner and previously married. This marriage led to the passing of the Royal Marriages Act in 1772.
Unofficial Royalty: Prince Henry of Wales, Duke of Cumberland and Strathearn

September 18, 1809 – Birth of Princess Sophie of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg, first wife of Heinrich XX, 4th Prince Reuss of Greiz, in Prague, Kingdom of Bohemia, now in the Czech Republic
Sophie was the first wife of Heinrich XX, 4th Prince Reuss of Greiz. She was Catholic and her husband was Lutheran but there is no information on whether Sophie remained Catholic or converted to Lutheranism. In 1836, Sophie’s husband succeeded his childless elder brother. Sophie was in ill health for most of her marriage and never had any children. She died on July 21, 1838, at the age of 29. Heinrich XX had the Sophienkreuz (Sophie Cross), also known as the White Cross, built in her memory on a hill overlooking Greiz.
Unofficial Royalty: Sophie of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg, Princess Reuss of Greiz

September 18, 1872 – Death of King Carl XV of Sweden/Carl IV of Norway in Malmö, Sweden; buried at Riddarholmen Church in Stockholm, Sweden
Upon his father’s death in1859, Carl ascended to the thrones of Sweden – as King Karl XV – and Norway – as King Karl IV. Despite his abrupt manner, he is noted as one of the most successful sovereigns in Sweden.  After becoming ill the previous year, King Karl XV died from tuberculosis. As he had no surviving son, the Swedish and Norwegian thrones passed to his younger brother, King Oscar II. However, through his daughter Princess Louise who married King Frederik VIII of Denmark, King Karl XV’s descendants occupy the thrones of Belgium, Denmark, Luxembourg, and Norway, along with the former throne of Greece.
Unofficial Royalty: King Carl XV of Sweden

September 18, 1891 – Birth of Grand Duke Dmitri Pavlovich of Russia, son of Grand Duke Paul Alexandrovich of Russia and Princess Alexandra of Greece and Denmark, at Ilyinskoye, the country estate outside of Moscow of his paternal uncle Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich of Russia
Dmitri was one of the conspirators in the murder of Grigori Yefimovich Rasputin and was exiled to Persia (now Iran), a move that most likely saved his life during the Russian Revolution. Dmitri’s half-brother Prince Vladimir Paley, his father Grand Duke Paul Alexandrovich, and Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna, Dmitri’s aunt by marriage and his former guardian, were murdered by the Bolsheviks. In addition, amazingly, Dmitri was a first cousin of both Nicholas II, the last Emperor of All Russia and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Dmitri participated in the 1912 Olympics in Stockholm in the Equestrian Individual and Team Jumping events. He placed ninth in Individual Jumping and fifth in Team Jumping. Disappointed in the performance of the Russian team, Dmitri started the idea of a national Russian sports competition, the very beginning of what under Soviet rule became the Spartakiad.
Unofficial Royalty: Grand Duke Dmitri Pavlovich of Russia

September 18, 1923 – Birth of Queen Anne of Romania, wife of King Michael I of Romania, born Anne of Bourbon-Parma in Paris, France
Full name: Anne Antoinette Françoise Charlotte
On her father’s side, Anne was the niece of Prince Felix of Bourbon-Parma (husband of Grand Duchess Charlotte of Luxembourg) and Empress Zita of Austria. On her mother’s side, she was the great-granddaughter of King Christian IX of Denmark and therefore closely related to the royal families of Denmark, Greece, Russia, and the United Kingdom. Attending the wedding in London of Princess Elizabeth to Philip Mountbatten in 1947, Anne first met her future husband, and second cousin once removed, King Michael of Romania. However, just weeks later Michael was deposed and left Romania. Anne and Michael were married in 1948 and they had five daughters. Upon the marriage, and despite Michael having lost his throne, Anne took the title of Her Majesty The Queen of Romania.
Unofficial Royalty: Anne of Bourbon-Parma, Queen Anne of Romania

September 18, 1964 – Wedding of King Constantine II of Greece and Princess Anne-Marie of Denmark at the Metropolitan Cathedral of the Annunciation in Athens, Greece
Constantine and Anne-Marie are third cousins, several times over, through their mutual descent from both King Christian IX of Denmark and Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom. They first met in 1959, when Constantine accompanied his parents on a State Visit to Denmark. Constantine was 19, and Anne-Marie was just 13. They met again in Denmark in 1961, but it was in 1962 that the romance truly began to blossom. Constantine proposed and Anne-Marie’s father King Frederik IX of Denmark gave his consent but insisted that the wedding could not take place until Anne-Marie had finished her education and reached her eighteenth birthday and that the engagement could not be made public until the beginning of the next year.
Unofficial Royalty: Wedding of King Constantine II of Greece and Princess Anne-Marie of Denmark

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King Felipe IV of Spain; Credit – Wikipedia

September 17, 1665 – Death of King Felipe IV of Spain in Madrid, Spain; buried at the Royal Site of San Lorenzo de El Escorial in San Lorenzo de El Escorial, Spain
Besides being King of Spain, Felipe was also King of Portugal (from 1621 to 1640) and King of Sardinia, King of Naples, King of Sicily, Duke of Milan, Duke of Lothier, Duke of Brabant, Duke of Limburg, Duke of Luxemburg, Count Palatine of Burgundy, Count of Flanders, Count of Hainaut and Count of Namur from 1621 until his death in 1665. Felipe first married Elisabeth of France. They had eight children but only their youngest child survived to adulthood. Elisabeth died in 1644 after a miscarriage. In 1649, 44-year-old Felipe IV married his son’s former fiancée, his 14-year-old niece Mariana of Austria. They had five children but only two survived childhood. The Spanish House of Habsburg would end with the reign of Felipe IV and Mariana’s physically and mentally disabled son Carlos II, King of Spain. Carlos II’s disabilities were due to the serious inbreeding within the House of Habsburg. After great suffering from dysentery, Felipe IV, King of Spain, aged 60, died on September 17, 1665.
Unofficial Royalty: King Felipe IV of Spain 

September 17, 1688 – Birth of Maria Luisa of Savoy, Queen of Spain, first wife of King Felipe V of Spain, at the Royal Palace of Turin in Turin, Duchy of Savoy, now in Italy
Full name: Maria Luisa Gabriella
Maria Luisa was the daughter of Vittorio Amedeo II, King of Sardinia and Anne Marie of Orléans. In 1701, she married King Felipe V of Spain, born a French prince Philippe, Duke of Anjou. Maria Luisa and Felipe V had four sons but only two survived childhood and they both had childless marriages. Maria Luisa and Felipe V had a loving, happy marriage. She acted as Regent of Spain from 1702 until 1703 during Felipe V’s absence due to the War of the Spanish Succession and had great influence over him as his adviser. Sadly, Maria Luisa died from tuberculosis at the age of 25 on February 14, 1714.
Unofficial Royalty: Maria Luisa of Savoy, Queen of Spain

September 17, 1767 – Death of Prince Edward of Wales, Duke of York and Albany, son of Frederick, Prince of Wales and the brother of King George III of the United Kingdom, at the Prince’s Palace in Monaco; buried at Norfolk House, St. James’s Square in London, England; buried at Westminster Abbey in the Hanover vault under the central part of the Henry VII Chapel
Edward was the second of the five sons of Frederick, Prince of Wales (who predeceased his father King George II), and held a high place in the line of succession to the British throne for his entire life. In 1760, when Edward’s brother succeeded to the throne as King George III, Edward was named a privy counselor and was the heir presumptive to the British throne until the birth of the future King George IV in 1762. Edward was destined for a career in the Royal Navy, a short career due to his early death. In 1767, while serving in the Mediterranean, Edward became ill while traveling to Genoa. He was taken to Monaco, the nearest port. Despite the care arranged by Honoré III, Prince of Monaco, 28-year-old Edward died at the Prince’s Palace in Monaco on September 17, 1767.
Unofficial Royalty: Prince Edward of Wales, Duke of York and Albany

September 17, 1799 – Birth of Marie of Württemberg, Duchess of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, second wife and niece of Ernst I, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, in Coburg, Duchy of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, now in Bavaria, Germany
Marie was the eldest child and the only daughter of Duke Alexander of Württemberg and Antoinette of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld.  Marie had four brothers, but only two survived childhood. Marie and her brothers were first cousins of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.  In 1832, Marie married her uncle Ernst I, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. The groom was 48 and the bride was 33. Ernst had been anxious to find a new bride after the death of his first, estranged wife, Louise of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg. However, Ernst’s age and his negative reputation left him with limited choices for a bride. His mother, Augusta, Dowager Duchess of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, arranged the marriage between her son and her granddaughter. After her marriage, Marie was not only the first cousin but also the stepmother of her husband’s sons from his first marriage, Ernst (later Ernst II, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha) and Albert (later husband of Queen Victoria). Marie and Ernst had no children, but Marie had a good relationship with her stepsons and maintained a correspondence with Albert throughout their lives.
Unofficial Royalty: Marie of Württemberg, Duchess of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha

September 17, 1871 – Birth of Eleonore of Solms-Hohensolms-Lich, Grand Duchess of Hesse and by Rhine, second wife of Ernst Ludwig, Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine, in Lich, Principality of Solms-Hohensolms-Lich, now in the German state of Hesse
Full name: Eleonore Marie Ernestine
In 1905, Eleonore became the second wife of Ernst Ludwig, Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine, a grandson of Queen Victoria, and the couple had two sons. After World War I, while many of her husband’s counterparts were stripped of their possessions, and in some cases, exiled from their homelands, Eleonore and Ernst Ludwig remained much loved by the Hessian people. They lived out the rest of their lives at Wolfsgarten and the New Palace in Darmstadt. A little more than a month after Ernst Ludwig died in 1937, Eleonore boarded a plane bound for London accompanied by her elder son Georg Donatus, his wife, and their two sons. They were headed to London for the wedding of Eleonore’s younger son Ludwig. Tragically, the plane crashed in Ostend, Belgium, and all were killed.
Unofficial Royalty: Eleonore of Solms-Hohensolms-Lich, Grand Duchess of Hesse and by Rhine
Unofficial Royalty: November 16, 1937 – Deaths of the Grand Ducal Family of Hesse and by Rhine

September 17, 1968 – Birth of Crown Princess Marie-Chantal of Greece, wife of Crown Prince Pavlos of Greece, born Marie-Chantal Claire Miller in London, England
Marie-Chantal is the wife of Crown Prince Pavlos of Greece, the eldest son of King Constantine II of Greece who was deposed in 1973. Her father is Robert Miller, a billionaire entrepreneur and co-founder of Duty-Free Shops. Marie-Chantal and Pavlos met on a blind date arranged by a friend in 1992. The marriage proposal occurred on a ski lift in Gstaad, Switzerland over the Christmas holiday in 1994. Before the wedding, Marie-Chantal converted from Roman Catholicism to Greek Orthodoxy. The couple was married on July 1, 1995, at St. Sophia’s Cathedral in London, England, and has five children.
Unofficial Royalty: Marie-Chantal, Crown Princess of Greece

September 17, 1985 – Birth of Crown Prince Tupoutoʻa ʻUlukalala of Tonga, son of King Tupou VI of Tonga, in Nukuʻalofa, Tonga
In 2021, Crown Prince Tupoutoʻa ʻUlukalala married his double second cousin Sinaitakala Fakafauna. Through her mother, she is a member of the Tongan royal family and, in her own right, in the line of succession to the throne of Tonga. Both Sinaitakala’s parents are first cousins of King Tupou VI. It is the tradition in Tonga that all royal marriages are arranged and that members of the royal family may only marry members of the Tongan nobility to maintain the royal bloodline.
Unofficial Royalty: Crown Prince Tupoutoʻa ʻUlukalala of Tonga

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King James II of England, Credit – Wikipedia

September 16, 1386 – Birth of King Henry V of England at Monmouth Castle in Wales
The last great warrior king of the Middle Ages, King Henry V of England, was the eldest son of King Henry IV of England and his first wife Mary de Bohun, who died before her husband became king. Henry’s outstanding military successes in the Hundred Years’ War against France made England one of the strongest military powers in Europe. As part of a treaty with France, Henry V married Catherine of Valois, the daughter of King Charles VI of France. The couple had one child, King Henry VI of England. King Henry V never saw their child. The warrior king, the victor against the French at the Battle of Agincourt, determined to conquer France once and for all, succumbed to dysentery, a disease that killed more soldiers than battle, in 1422, at the age of 35, leaving a nine-month-old son to inherit his throne.
Unofficial Royalty: King Henry V of England

September 16, 1583 – Death of Katarina Jagiellon of Poland, Queen of Sweden, first wife of King Johan III of Sweden, in Stockholm, Sweden; buried at Uppsala Cathedral in Sweden
Katarina was the daughter of Sigismund I, King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania. Due to in-fighting among the sons of the deceased King Gustav I Vasa of Sweden, Katarina was married to the future King Johan III of Sweden. In exchange for marrying Katarina, Johan received a substantial sum of money and land in Livonia (located in present-day Estonia and Latvia) which then hindered the expansionist policy of his half-brother King Erik XIV.  In January 1569, the Riksdag (parliament) legally dethroned Erik. Johan and Katarina were crowned King and Queen of Sweden on July 10, 1569. As Queen Consort of Sweden, Katarina had much political influence and influenced her husband in many areas, such as his foreign policy and his interest in Renaissance art. In the spring of 1583, Katarina became seriously ill with gout, and after much suffering, she died, aged 56.
Unofficial Royalty: Katarina Jagiellon of Poland, Queen of Sweden

September 16, 1701 – Death of King James II of England in exile at the Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye in Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France; buried at the Chapel of Saint Edmund in the Church of the English Benedictines in the Rue St. Jacques in Paris, France; his tomb and remains were destroyed during the French Revolution
After losing his throne in 1688 in the Glorious Revolution, James fled to France where his first cousin King Louis XIV offered him a palace and a pension.  James was determined to regain the throne and landed in Ireland with a French force in 1689. He was defeated by his nephew King William III at the Battle of the Boyne on July 1, 1690, and was forced to withdraw once again to France. James spent the rest of his life in France, planning invasions that never happened, and died from a stroke at the age of 68. Although his tomb had been destroyed, his viscera were rediscovered and reburied in 1824 at the Parish Church of Saint-Germain-en-Laye in France. In 1855, Queen Victoria paid for a memorial to James at the Parish Church of Saint-Germain-en-Laye.
Unofficial Royalty: King James II of England

September 16, 1764 – Death of Franz Josias, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld at Schloss Rodach in Rodach, Duchy of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, now in Bavaria, Germany; buried in the ducal crypt at the Stadtkirche St. Moriz in Coburg, Duchy of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, now in Bavaria, Germany
As the elder son, Franz Josias’ brother Christian Ernst was his father’s heir but because of his unequal marriage, Franz Josias claimed the sole inheritance of the duchy. However, their father Johann Ernst decided that both his sons should reign jointly, and upon his death in 1729, his will forced the joint reign. After their father’s death, Christian Ernst resided at Schloss Saalfeld and Franz Josias lived at Veste Coburg. From 1735, with the support of the Duke of Saxe-Meiningen, Franz Josias effectively ruled over Coburg in his own right. In 1745, the childless Christian Ernst died and his half-brother Franz Josias became the sole Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld. After the death of his brother, Franz Josias introduced primogeniture in the duchy so there would be no question about the succession.
Unofficial Royalty: Franz Josias, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld

September 16, 1778 – Petronilla Melusina von der Schulenburg, the illegitimate daughter of King George I of Great Britain, died in London, England; buried at the Grosvenor Chapel in South Audley Street, London, England
Born in 1693, the daughter of the future King George I of Great Britain and his mistress Melusine von der Schulenburg, Petronilla Melusina, called Melusina, married Philip Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield, a leading Whig politician. The couple had no children.
Unofficial Royalty: Petronilla Melusina von der Schulenburg

September 16, 1823 – Death of Keōpūolani, Queen Consort of the Hawaiian Islands, wife of Kamehameha I the Great, King of the Hawaiian Islands, at Hale Kamani, her home on the beach in Lahaina, on the island of Maui; buried at the Christian cemetery at Waiola Church in Lahaina, Maui
Keōpūolani was the highest-ranking wife of Kamehameha I the Great, King of the Hawaiian Islands. Keōpūolani and Kamehameha I were married in 1795. They had had eleven children, all but three died young. After the death of Kamehameha I in 1819, Keōpūolani married Hoapili, a close friend and advisor of Kamehameha I. In 1820, Christian missionaries came to the Hawaiian Islands, and Keōpūolani and her second husband Hoapili were among the first of the Hawaiian nobles to convert to Christianity. On September 16, 1823, 45-year-old Keōpūolani died at Hale Kamani, her home on the beach in Lahaina, on the island of Maui.
Unofficial Royalty: Keōpūolani, Queen Consort of the Hawaiian Islands

September 16, 1824 – Death of King Louis XVIII of France at the Louvre Palace in Paris, France; buried at the Basilica of St. Denis near Paris, France
King Louis XVIII of France was born in 1755, during the reign of his grandfather King Louis XV. He was the brother of King Louis XVI who was beheaded during the French Revolution. However, Louis XVIII and his family escaped France.  In April 1814, following Napoleon’s overthrow, the French Senate restored the Bourbons to the French throne and Louis XVIII officially became King of France.  Having been in ill health for much of his adult life, Louis XVIII again fell ill in early 1824, suffering from gout, gangrene, and extreme obesity.  He died later that year at the age of 69.
Unofficial Royalty: King Louis XVIII of France

September 16, 1826 – Birth of Ernst I, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg in Hildburghausen, Duchy of Saxe-Hildburghausen, now in Thuringia, Germany
Full name: Ernst Friedrich Paul Georg Nikolaus
Ernst I was the longest-reigning Duke of Saxe-Altenburg, reigning from 1853 until 1908. Unlike his predecessors, Ernst left much of the running of the duchy to his ministers, preferring to focus his attention on social issues, and his personal pursuits. However, he remained very active in cultivating the duchy’s relationship with Prussia and the other German states. He joined Prussia in the Austro-Prussian War of 1866, although his forces were never involved in actual battles. For his efforts, he was given a guarantee of independence for Saxe-Altenburg, at a time when Prussia was annexing other territories, including the Kingdom of Hanover.
Unofficial Royalty: Ernst I, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg

September 16, 1899 – Birth of Magda Lupescu, mistress and third wife of King Carol II of Romania, born Elena Lupescu in Iaşi, Romania
Magda Lupescu was the mistress, and then the third wife of King Carol II of Romania. The couple was married several years after Carol abdicated the Romanian throne.
Unofficial Royalty: Magda Lupescu, mistress and third wife of King Carol II of Romania

September 16, 2012 – Death of Princess Ragnhild of Norway, daughter of King Olav V of Norway and sister of King Harald V of Norway, at her home in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; buried at Asker Church in Asker, Norway
In 1953, Ragnhild married Erling Lorentzen, a commoner and her former bodyguard. Reportedly, Ragnhild’s grandfather King Haakon VII consented to the marriage only after the intervention of Ragnhild’s mother Crown Princess Märtha as Ragnhild was the first Norwegian royal to marry a commoner. Ragnhild lost her style of Royal Highness with the marriage, and was styled Her Highness Princess Ragnhild, Mrs. Lorentzen. The couple settled in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and had three children. Ragnhild kept an apartment in Oslo and visited Norway often but did not undertake official duties. She died at the age of 82 following a bout with cancer.
Unofficial Royalty: Princess Ragnhild, Mrs. Lorentzen

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Sophia Dorothea of Celle with her two children, the future King George II and Sophia Dorothea, the future wife of King Friedrich Wilhelm I of Prussia, Credit – Wikipedia

September 15, 1666 – Birth of Sophia Dorothea of Celle, Electoral Princess of Hanover, wife of George, Electoral Prince of Hanover (later King George I of Great Britain), at Celle Castle in the Principality of Lüneburg, now in Lower Saxony, Germany
The marriage between first cousins Sophia Dorothea and George, the future King George I of Great Britain, was happy at first, but soon they both found affection elsewhere. George fell in love with one of his mother’s ladies-in-waiting, Melusine von der Schulenburg.  Sophia Dorothea fell in love with a Swedish Count, Philip Christoph von Königsmarck, an officer in the Hanoverian army. Despite warnings, from her mother and friends, Sophia Dorothea and her lover wrote letters to each other, met secretly, and planned to escape Hanover together. On the morning of July 2, 1694, after a meeting with Sophia Dorothea, von Königsmarck disappeared from Leineschloss Castle in Hanover and was never seen again. It was widely believed that George ordered von Königsmarck’s death. On December 28, 1694, a tribunal of judges and Lutheran Church officials declared the marriage of George and Sophia Dorothea dissolved on the grounds of Sophia Dorothea’s desertion. Because she was considered the guilty party, Sophia Dorothea was not allowed to remarry, would never again see her children, and would be kept in captivity at the Castle of Ahlden for the last 32 years of her life.
Unofficial Royalty: Sophia Dorothea of Celle, Electress Princess of Hanover

September 15, 1800 – Birth of Paul Friedrich, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin at Ludwigslust Palace in Ludwigslust, Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, now in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany
In 1822, Paul Friedrich married Alexandrine of Prussia, the daughter of King Friedrich Wilhelm III of Prussia and the couple had six children. Paul Friedrich became Grand Duke upon his grandfather’s death on February 1, 1837. He moved the official Grand Ducal residence from Ludwigslust to Schwerin and worked to improve the judicial system and the infrastructure of the Grand Duchy. Using his experience with the Prussian military, the Grand Duke made efforts to modernize the Mecklenburg-Schwerin military, basing many of his reforms on the Prussian forces. As his reign continued, he became more reclusive, often shunning his family and spending time quietly with his mistress. Paul Friedrich died on March 7, 1842, aged 41. Several weeks earlier, he had contracted a cold while helping to battle a great fire in Schwerin and never recovered.
Unofficial Royalty: Paul Friedrich, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin

September 15, 1837 – Birth of King Pedro V of Portugal at the Palace of Necessidades in Lisbon, Portugal
Full name: Pedro de Alcântara Maria Fernando Miguel Rafael Gonzaga Xavier João António Leopoldo Víctor Francisco de Assis Júlio Amélio
Pedro became King of Portugal in 1853 after his mother Queen Maria II of Portugal died in childbirth delivering her eleventh child who also died. As he was just sixteen, his father served as Regent until Pedro reached his majority two years later. Pedro quickly removed the Prime Minister and appointed more left-leaning politicians, ending years of unrest within the Portuguese government. In 1858, Pedro married Princess Stephanie of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen who died two years later from diphtheria. King Pedro V died of typhoid fever in late 1861, along with two of his brothers. As he had no children from his brief marriage, Pedro was succeeded by his younger brother Luís.
Unofficial Royalty: King Pedro V of Portugal

September 15, 1840 – Death of Maria Beatrice of Savoy, Duchess of Savoy and Reggio, wife of Francesco IV, Duke of Modena and Reggio; buried at the Church of San Vincenzo in Modena, Duchy of Modena and Reggio, now in Italy
Maria Beatrice was the eldest of the seven children of Vittorio Emanuele I, King of Sardinia and Duke of Savoy. In 1812, 20-year-old Maria Beatrice married her 33-year-old maternal uncle Francesco IV, Duke of Modena and Reggio, and had four children. Like Maria Beatrice’s family, her husband Francesco had also been exiled since 1796 from the Duchy of Modena and Reggio due to the occupation of Napoleon’s French forces. After the fall of Napoleon in 1814, the couple was able to return to Modena. As the senior surviving descendant of Henrietta of England, Duchess of Orléans, daughter of King Charles I of England and sister of James II, King of England/James VII, King of Scots, Maria Beatrice became the Jacobite pretender to the thrones of England and Scotland after the death of her father Vittorio Emanuele I, King of Sardinia in 1824. During the last years of her life, Maria Beatrice preferred to live at the Castello del Catajo in Battaglia Terme near Padua, then in the Kingdom of Lombardy-Venetia, now in Italy, a summer home that had been purchased by Francesco IV in 1803. It was there that Maria Beatrice died from heart failure on September 15, 1840, at the age of 47.
Unofficial Royalty: Maria Beatrice of Savoy, Duchess of Savoy and Reggio

September 15, 1864 – Birth of Prince Sigismund of Prussia, grandson of Queen Victoria, at Neues Palais in Potsdam, Kingdom of Prussia, now in Brandenburg, Germany
Full name: Franz Friedrich Sigismund
Sigismund was the son of Victoria, Princess Royal and the future Friedrich III, German Emperor.  On June 4, 1866, Vicky’s husband Fritz left for the front of the Austro-Prussian War.  Even before his father left, Sigismund had been fretful and it was thought to be caused by teething. However, the day after Fritz left, Sigismund was unable to eat or sleep. Twenty-four hours later, he could no longer stand. Because all the doctors normally used by the family had left with the army, Vicky was forced to consult doctors unknown to her who gave her the terrible news that her son had meningitis. At that time, there was no successful treatment for meningitis, and death usually occurred. Sigismund’s convulsions grew increasingly worse until he died in agony on June 18, 1866, only 21 months old. He was the first of Queen Victoria’s grandchildren to die.
Unofficial Royalty: Prince Sigismund of Prussia

September 15, 1904 – Birth of King Umberto II of Italy at the Castle of Racconigi in Piedmont, Italy
Full name: Umberto Nicola Tommaso Giovanni Maria
King Umberto II was the last monarch of Italy, reigning for just 34 days. In 1930, Umberto married Princess Marie-José of Belgium, the daughter of King Albert I of the Belgians and the couple had four children. At the end of World War II, Italy held a referendum to decide on the continuation of the monarchy, Umberto’s father King Vittorio Emanuele III formally abdicated on May 9, 1946, hoping to help ensure a positive result in the vote and Umberto took the throne as King Umberto II. The referendum was held on June 2, 1946, with the majority voting to become a Republic. Umberto had promised to accept and support the result and encouraged the Italian people to support the new government. On June 12, 1946, King Umberto II of Italy was formally deposed and left Italy. He settled in Cascais, Portugal, where he would live for the remainder of his life. His wife Queen Marie-José also left and settled near Geneva, Switzerland. The couple led separate lives but remained married.
Unofficial Royalty: King Umberto II of Italy

September 15, 1972 – Birth of Queen Letizia of Spain, wife of King Felipe VI of Spain, born Letizia Ortiz Rocasolano in Oviedo, Asturias, Spain
Letizia is the current Queen Consort of Spain. Before her marriage to Felipe, Prince of Asturias, the heir to the Spanish throne, she had a very successful career as a journalist. The couple married in 2004, at the Santa María la Real de La Almudena Cathedral in Madrid, Spain. It was the first royal wedding held in Madrid since the wedding of Felipe’s great-grandparents King Alfonso XIII of Spain and Princess Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg in 1906. Letizia and Felipe had two daughters. Her husband became King of Spain upon the abdication of his father King Juan Carlos in 2014.
Unofficial Royalty: Queen Letizia of Spain

September 15, 1973 – Death of King Gustav VI Adolf of Sweden at Helsingborg Hospital in Helsingborg, Sweden; buried at the Royal Burial Grounds in Haga, Sweden
In 1905, Gustav Adolf married Princess Margaret of Connaught, a granddaughter of Queen Victoria. The couple had five children. In 1920, Margaret was eight months pregnant with her sixth child when she underwent mastoid surgery. An infection set in, killing Margaret and her unborn child. In 1923, Gustav Adolf married Lady Louise Mountbatten (born Princess Louise of Battenberg). The couple had a stillborn daughter in 1925, and after that, they had no more children. Another tragedy hit in 1947 Gustav Adolf when his eldest son Prince Gustaf Adolf, Duke of Västerbotten was killed in an airplane crash. In 1950, Gustav Adolf became King of Sweden at age 67 upon the death of his father King Gustaf V. In the summer of 1973, King Gustaf VI Adolf fell ill from bleeding ulcers and had surgery. After the surgery, he developed pneumonia, cardiac issues, and kidney failure, and King Gustaf VI Adolf died, just short of his 91st birthday. He was succeeded by his 27-year-old grandson King Carl XVI Gustaf. The new king was the son of King Gustaf Adolf VI’s deceased eldest son Prince Gustaf Adolf who was not even a year old when his father had been killed.
Unofficial Royalty: King Gustav VI Adolf of Sweden

September 15, 1973 – Birth of Prince Daniel of Sweden, husband of Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden, born Olof Daniel Westling at Örebro University Hospital in Örebro, Sweden
Daniel is the husband of Crown Princess Victoria, the heir apparent to the Swedish throne. Daniel started his own company in 1997 and worked as a consultant in the fitness industry. He then went on to run his own gym where he met Victoria and became her personal trainer. The couple married in 2010. Victoria and Daniel have a daughter and a son. Their daughter Estelle is second in line to the Swedish throne after her mother and remained in that position after the birth of her brother Oscar.
Unofficial Royalty: Prince Daniel, Duke of Västergötland

September 15, 1984 – Birth of Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, at St. Mary’s Hospital in London, England
Full name: Henry Charles Albert David
In May 2005, Harry entered Royal Military Academy Sandhurst where he was known as Officer Cadet Wales. He completed his training in April 2006 and was commissioned as a Cornet (second lieutenant) in the Blues and Royals, a regiment of the Household Cavalry in the British Army. Harry’s highest rank in the army was Captain and like his brother William, he used Wales as his surname with his military rank. Harry trained to fly Apache helicopters and served two tours of duty in Afghanistan. In 2018, Harry married American actress Meghan Markle. In 2020, it was announced that Harry and Meghan would step back as senior royals, and in 2021, it was further announced that they will no longer have any of their royal patronages or honorary military roles. Harry and Meghan live in California in the United States and have a son and a daughter.
Unofficial Royalty: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex

September 15, 2014 – Death of Prince Nicholas Romanov in Bolgheri, Tuscany, Italy; interred in the crypt of the Counts della Gherardesoc, the burial site of his wife’s family, at the Basilica of Saint Francis in Pisa, Tuscany, Italy
Prince Nicholas Romanov, a great-great-grandson of Nicholas I, Emperor of All Russia, was one of the disputed pretenders to the Headship of the Russian Imperial Family from 1992 – 2014.
Unofficial Royalty: Prince Nicholas Romanov

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Princess Grace of Monaco; Credit – Wikipedia

September 14, 1435 – Death of John, Duke of Bedford, son of King Henry IV of England, at Joyeux Repos in Rouen, Normandy, now in France; buried at Rouen Cathedral
When John’s brother King Henry V died at the early age of 35, he left his nine-month-old son to succeed him as King Henry VI. John served as Regent for his young nephew and fought many battles against the French. It was John who tried and executed Joan of Arc. John’s marriage to Anne of Burgundy was childless and Anne died nine years later of the plague. On April 22, 1433, John married 17-year-old Jacquetta of Luxembourg. The marriage was short-lived and childless as John died a little more than two years later. John’s widow Jacquetta married Richard Woodville, 1st Earl Rivers in 1437 and had fourteen children including Elizabeth Woodville, the wife of King Edward IV.
Unofficial Royalty: John, Duke of Bedford

September 14, 1667 – Birth of Edgar, Duke of Cambridge, son of King James II of England, at St. James Palace in London, England
Edgar was the youngest of the four sons of the future King James II of England, then Duke of York, and his first wife Anne Hyde. At the time of his birth, his three brothers who had been born before Edgar had all died. His only living siblings were his two elder sisters, the future Queen Mary II of England and the future Queen Anne of England, who were the only surviving children of their parents’ eight children. Until his early death in 1671, Edgar was second in the line of succession to the English throne after his father. Edgartown, Massachusetts on the island of Martha’s Vineyard, established in 1642, was named after Edgar when it was incorporated in 1671.
Unofficial Royalty: Edgar, Duke of Cambridge

September 14, 1928 – Birth of The Honourable Angus Ogilvy, husband of Princess Alexandra of Kent, in London, England
Full name: Angus James Bruce
Angus Ogilvy was the second son of David Ogilvy, 12th Earl of Airlie. Angus’s grandmother, Mabell Ogilvy, Countess of Airlie was a close lifelong friend of Queen Mary and served as one of her ladies-in-waiting for over 50 years. His father served as a Lord-in-Waiting to King George V and then as Lord Chamberlain to Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother from 1937-1965. An uncle served as an equerry to the future King Edward VIII while he was Prince of Wales. His elder brother served as Lord Chamberlain to Queen Elizabeth II from 1984-1997 and his sister-in-law, Virginia, has been a lady-in-waiting to The Queen since 1973.  In 1963. Angus married Princess Alexandra of Kent and the couple had two children. Angus was offered an Earldom by The Queen but graciously declined. Angus died from throat cancer in 2004.
Unofficial Royalty: The Right Honourable Sir Angus Ogilvy

September 14, 1982 – Death of Princess Grace of Monaco at the Princess Grace Hospital in Monte Carlo, Monaco; buried at the Cathedral of Monaco in Monaco
Born Grace Patricia Kelly in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the Academy Award-winning actress was the wife of Prince Rainier III of Monaco and is the mother of Prince Albert II, the current Sovereign Prince of Monaco. On September 13, 1982, while driving back to Monaco from their home in France, Princess Grace suffered a stroke. The car veered off the road, and both Grace and her daughter Princess Stephanie were severely injured. Flown back to the hospital in Monaco, Grace never regained consciousness, having suffered major internal injuries. The following day, on September 14th, at 10:55 pm, Princess Grace of Monaco passed away. Her funeral was held several days later at the Cathedral of Monaco, attended by many royal representatives from around the world abdmany of Grace’s old friends from Hollywood. Following the funeral, she was buried at the Cathedral.
Unofficial Royalty: Princess Grace of Monaco

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King Felipe II of Spain; Credit – Wikipedia

September 13, 1336 – Death of John of Eltham, Duke of Cornwall, son of King Edward II of England, in Perth, Scotland, buried in Westminster Abbey in London, England
In 1327, when John was eleven years old, his father King Edward II was forced to give up his crown in favor of his son 14-year-old son King Edward III, with his mother Isabella of France and Roger Mortimer, 3rd Baron Mortimer, 1st Earl of March acting as regents. King Edward II died in Berkeley Castle on September 21, 1327, probably murdered on the orders of Isabella and Mortimer. John was the heir to the English throne until 1330, when his nephew Edward, Prince of Wales, the first child of King Edward III, was born.  King Edward III began marriage negotiations for his brother several times but none of the negotiations led to a betrothal. John had a brilliant military career, similar to the later military career of his nephew Edward, Prince of Wales, known as The Black Prince, who predeceased his father, and whose career ended just as suddenly. John of Eltham, 1st Earl of Cornwall died on September 13, 1336, in Perth, Scotland at the age of 20. The cause of his death is uncertain. There are references to John dying from a fever and dying in a skirmish with the Scots.
Unofficial Royalty: John of Eltham, Earl of Cornwall

September 13, 1410 – Death of Isabella of Valois, Queen of England, second wife of King Richard II of England, at Château de Blois in Blois, France, buried at the Church of the Celestines in Paris, France
Soon after the death of his first wife Anne of Bohemia in 1394, the childless King Richard II of England began a search for a new wife. He turned to France seeking an alliance and in 1397 a marriage was arranged between Isabella, a daughter of King Charles VI of France, and Richard who was 22 years older than his bride. Isabella lived apart from Richard at Windsor Castle. Richard visited her frequently and a strong affection developed between the partners of this unconsummated marriage. In 1399, Richard II was deposed by his cousin who then reigned as King Henry IV. Richard was imprisoned at Pontefract Castle in Yorkshire where he died on or around February 14, 1400.  Eventually, Isabella’s return to France was arranged and she left England on July 1, 1401. Isabella married her cousin Charles of Orléans in 1406. At the age of 19, Isabella died a few hours after giving birth to her only child.
Unofficial Royalty: Isabella of Valois, Queen of England

September 13, 1598 – Death of King Felipe II of Spain at the Royal Site of San Lorenzo de El Escorial in San Lorenzo de El Escorial, Spain; buried at the Royal Site of San Lorenzo de El Escorial
Physically exhausted after 40 years of ruling, Felipe’s father Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor abdicated in 1555 and retired to the peace of a monastery, where he died three years later. Upon Charles’ abdications, the Holy Roman Empire was inherited by his younger brother Ferdinand, who had already been given the Austrian lands in 1521. The Spanish Empire, including the possessions in the Netherlands and Italy, was inherited by Felipe. Felipe married four times (one of his wives was Queen Mary I of England), was a widower four times, and had children with three of his wives. Toward the end of his life, Felipe’s health suffered. In 1595, gout was causing him severe pain, making him nearly immobile, and a special wheelchair was made for him. He also suffered from recurring episodes of malaria. During the last three months of his life, Felipe was bedridden and in great agony. He died at the age of 71 in his chambers at the El Escorial.
Unofficial Royalty: King Felipe II of Spain

September 13, 1612 – Death of Karin Månsdotter, Queen of Sweden, mistress and then wife of King Eric XIV of Sweden, in Finland; buried at the Cathedral of Turku, Finland
Karin Månsdotter was one of several mistresses of Erik XIV, King of Sweden, and then briefly his Queen Consort. Erik suffered from mental health issues and from 1563 onwards these issues worsened. His decisions became more illogical and he exhibited violent behavior. Starting early in her relationship with Erik, courtiers used Karin to intercede with Erik. Due to Erik’s behavior and his morganatic marriage to Karin, his younger half-brothers led a revolt against Erik with the support of many nobles that ended in his removal as King of Sweden in 1568. Erik and Karin were imprisoned but their children were initially placed in the care of Queen Dowager Katherina Stenbock, the third wife and widow of Erik’s father. In 1570, the children were returned to their parents. Karin gave birth to two children in captivity, both of whom died young. In 1573, Karin and her children were separated from Erik to prevent the birth of any more children. They were taken to Turku Castle in Finland where they remained under house arrest. After Erik died in 1577, Karin was released. King Johan III of Sweden granted Karin the royal estate Liuksiala Manor in Kangasala, Finland, where she lived comfortably for the rest of her life.
Unofficial Royalty: Karin Månsdotter, Queen of Sweden

September 13, 1820 – Death of Adelheid of Anhalt-Bernburg-Schaumburg-Hoym, first wife of the future Grand Duke August I, in Oldenburg, Duchy of Oldenburg, now in Lower Saxony, Germany; buried in the Ducal Mausoleum at Saint Gertrude’s Cemetery in Oldenburg
In 1817, Adelheid married the then-Duke August of Oldenburg. The couple had two daughters including Amalia who married Prince Otto of Bavaria, later King of Greece. Adelheid died suddenly at the age of 20. Five years after her death, her husband married her youngest sister Ida.
Unofficial Royalty: Adelheid of Anhalt-Bernburg-Schaumburg-Hoym, Duchess of Oldenburg

 September 13, 1848 – Death of Maria Isabella of Spain, Queen of the Two Sicilies, 2nd wife of Francesco I, King of the Two Sicilies, at the Palace of Portici in Portici, Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, now in Italy; buried at the Basilica of Santa Chiara in Naples.
The daughter of Carlos IV, King of Spain, 13-year-old Maria Isabella married her 25-year-old cousin Francesco I, King of the Two Sicilies. Maria Isabella had a four-year-old stepdaughter from her husband’s first marriage. As a 15-year-old, Maria Isabella gave birth to her first child,  followed by eleven more children over the next twenty-three years. Unusual for the time, all twelve survived childhood.  Maria Isabella was only 41-year-old when her husband died in 1830 and despite being overweight, she was still attractive and had relationships with younger handsome servants. Maria Isabella wanted to marry again and her son Ferdinando II provided her with a list of acceptable young nobles as potential husbands. In 1839, 50-year-old Maria Isabella married 34-year-old Count Francesco del Balzo but he was not allowed to be at court with Maria Isabella. The couple withdrew from court and moved to the Royal Palace of Capodimonte in Naples, Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, now in Italy.
Unofficial Royalty: Maria Isabella of Spain, Queen of the Two Sicilies

September 13, 1863 – Birth of Ernst II, Prince of Hohenlohe-Langenburg in Langenburg, Principality of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, now in Baden-Württemberg, Germany
Full name: Ernst Wilhelm Friedrich Carl Maximilian
In 1896, Ernst married Princess Alexandra, the daughter of Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh and Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, and a granddaughter of Queen Victoria. Ernst and Alexandra had five children including Gottfried, Prince of Hohenlohe-Langenburg who married Princess Margarita of Greece and Denmark, a sister of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. In 1900, Ernst’s father-in-law Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh and Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha died, and the ducal throne of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha passed to Alexandra’s cousin, Charles Edward, Duke of Albany. Because Charles Edward was just sixteen, Ernst was appointed Regent until the new Duke reached his majority in 1905.
Unofficial Royalty: Ernst II, Prince of Hohenlohe-Langenburg

September 13, 1877 – Death of Maria Anna of Bavaria, Queen of Saxony, 2nd wife of King Friedrich August II of Saxony, in Dresden, Kingdom of Saxony, now in Saxony, Germany; buried in the Wettin Crypt at Dresden Cathedral
In 1833, Maria Anna, a daughter of King Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria, married Crown Prince Friedrich August of Saxony but they had no children. Three years later, she became Queen of Saxony upon her husband’s accession to the throne. Maria Anna founded a women’s association to help combat the famines plaguing parts of Saxony. This association continued to exist until the early 1930s.  In 1854, King Friedrich August II was killed in an accident while traveling in Tyrol, Austria. Queen Maria Anna had a chapel built on the site. She survived her husband by 23 years, dying at the age of 72.
Unofficial Royalty: Maria Anna of Bavaria, Queen of Saxony

September 13, 1892 – Birth of Princess Viktoria Luise of Prussia, Princess of Hanover, Duchess of Brunswick, daughter of Wilhelm II, German Emperor and King of Prussia, at Marmorpalais in Potsdam, Kingdom of Prussia, now in Brandenburg, Germany
Full name: Viktoria Luise Adelheid Mathilde Charlotte
Viktoria Luise was the youngest child of the seven children and the only daughter of Wilhelm II, German Emperor and King of Prussia. Through her father, she was a great-granddaughter of Queen Victoria. In 1913, Viktoria Luise married Ernst August III, Duke of Brunswick. Their wedding was one of the largest gatherings of royalty in Germany since the establishment of the German Empire in 1871. It would also be one of the last large social events before World War I, attended by 1,200 guests, including the British King and Queen and the Russian Emperor and Empress.
Unofficial Royalty: Princess Viktoria Luise of Prussia, Princess of Hanover, Duchess of Brunswick

September 13, 1918 – Death of Eduard, Duke of Anhalt in Berchtesgaden, Kingdom of Bavaria, now in Bavaria, Germany; buried in the Dessau Mausoleum in Dessau, Duchy of Anhalt, now in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. In 1958, the remains of members of the House of Anhalt were removed from the Ducal Mausoleum secretly by night for political reasons (Dessau was then in Communist East Germany) and reburied in the Ziebigker Cemetery in Dessau in a common grave, marked only by a simple wooden cross. In 2019, Eduard’s remains were moved a second time and reinterred in the Marienkirche in Dessau, the traditional burial site of the Dukes of Anhalt-Dessau dating back to the 15th century. The Marienkirche was destroyed during World War II and has since been rebuilt.
Eduard, Duke of Anhalt ruled for less than five months, just before the end of World War I and the end of the German Empire. Eduard became Duke of Anhalt upon the death of his older brother, Friedrich II, on April 21, 1918. Less than five months later, on September 13, 1918, Eduard died in Berchtesgaden, Kingdom of Bavaria, now in the German state of Bavaria. He was succeeded by his son Joachim Ernst. As Joachim Ernst was not yet of age, Eduard’s brother Aribert served as Regent. At the end of World War I, Aribert abdicated on Joachim Ernst’s behalf on November 12, 1918.
Unofficial Royalty: Eduard, Duke of Anhalt

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