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The Marriage of Princess Alice, 1st July 1862 by George Housman Thomas; Credit – Royal Collection Trust © His Majesty King Charles III

July 1, 1175 – Death Reginald de Dunstanville, Earl of Cornwall, illegitimate son of King Henry I of England, in Chertsey, Surrey, England; buried at Reading Abbey in Reading, England
Reginald de Dunstanville, Earl of Cornwall, one of the many illegitimate children of King Henry I of England, was the son of Henry I’s mistress Lady Sybilla Corbet of Alcester. Reginald married Beatrice FitzRichard, the daughter and heiress of William FitzRichard, Lord of Cardinham, a wealthy landowner in Cornwall, England. The couple had six children. Reginald supported his half-sister Empress Matilda over his cousin King Stephen during the eighteen-year-long civil war. It is most likely that Reginald was created Earl of Cornwall because of his support. King Stephen died on October 25, 1154, and Reginald’s nephew Henry FitzEmpress ascended the throne as King Henry II, the first Angevin King of England. During Henry II’s reign, Reginald was one of his closest advisors.
Unofficial Royalty: Reginald de Dunstanville, Earl of Cornwall, illegitimate son of King Henry I of England

July 1, 1481 – Birth of King Christian II of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden at Nyborg Castle in Denmark
Nicknamed Christian the Tyrant, Christian II was King of Denmark and Norway from 1513 until 1523 and also King of Sweden from 1520 until 1521. From 1513 to 1523, he was the joint ruler of the Duchies of Schleswig and Holstein with his paternal uncle Frederik, the future King Frederik I of Denmark and Norway. In 1523, Christian II was forced to abdicate and was exiled. After trying to reclaim the throne in 1531, Christian was imprisoned, first in Sønderborg Castle and then at Kalundborg Castle, for the last twenty-seven years of his life.
Unofficial Royalty: King Christian II of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden

July 1, 1534 – Birth of King Frederik II of Denmark and Norway at Haderslevhus Castle in Denmark
Frederik’s father Christian III, King of Denmark and Norway died on January 1, 1559, and 24-year-old Frederik succeeded him as Frederik II, King of Denmark and Norway. On August 20, 1559, Frederik II was crowned at the Church of Our Lady in Copenhagen, Denmark. During his reign, finances were improved, agriculture and trade were promoted, and the privileges the German Hanseatic League had with Denmark were limited or abolished. Friedrich revolutionized shipping by establishing the modern lighthouse system. He also promoted the sciences, especially astronomy, and was a patron of pioneering Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe.
Unofficial Royalty: King Frederik II of Denmark

July 1, 1862 – Wedding of Princess Alice of the United Kingdom and Ludwig IV, Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine at Osborne House on the Isle of Wight, England
Unfortunately for Alice and Ludwig, the deaths in 1861 of Alice’s maternal grandmother The Duchess of Kent and father Prince Albert affected their wedding plans. The 1858 wedding of Victoria, Princess Royal at the Chapel Royal of St. James’s Palace in London had been a grand showcase but Alice’s wedding was a muted and sad private ceremony meant for family only. A spring wedding was out of the question but Queen Victoria declared that the wedding must be held sooner rather than later as Prince Albert had wished. A private wedding with far fewer guests than the weddings of Alice’s siblings was scheduled for July 1, 1862, at Osborne House in East Cowes, Isle of Wight, England.
Unofficial Royalty: Wedding of Alice of the United Kingdom and Ludwig IV, Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine

July 1, 1961 – Birth of Diana, Princess of Wales, first wife of Charles, Prince of Wales, born The Honorable Diana Spencer at Park House in Sandringham, Norfolk, England
Full name: Diana Frances
Diana, Princess of Wales was the first wife of Prince Charles, The Prince of Wales, and the mother of Prince William and Prince Harry. She was born The Honourable Diana Frances Spencer, youngest daughter of John Spencer, Viscount Althorp (later the 8th Earl Spencer) and The Honourable Frances Roche, on July 1, 1961, at Park House on the Sandringham Estate. In 1975, when her father became the 8th Earl Spencer, Diana saw an ‘upgrade’ in her title as well. As the daughter of an Earl, she was now styled Lady Diana Spencer, a name that would soon become famous around the world when ‘Lady Di’ became involved with The Prince of Wales.
Unofficial Royalty: Diana, Princess of Wales

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Henrietta-Anne of England, Duchess of Orléans; Credit – Wikipedia

June 30, 1470 – Birth of King Charles VIII of France at the Château d’Amboise in Amboise, France
Upon the death of King Louis XI in 1483, his thirteen-year-old son King Charles VIII of France succeeded him. The coronation of King Charles VIII took place on May 30, 1484, in Notre-Dame Cathedral in Reims, France, the traditional site for the coronation of the Kings of France. He married the wealthy heiress Anne, Duchess of Brittany in her own right.  Anne and Charles had seven children but only one survived infancy and died at age three.
Unofficial Royalty: King Charles VIII of France

June 30, 1670 – Death of Henrietta-Anne of England, Duchess of Orléans, daughter of King Charles I of England, wife of Philippe of France, Duke of Orléans, at the Château de Saint-Cloud in Hauts-de-Seine, France; buried at Basilica of Saint-Denis near Paris, France
Known as Henrietta-Anne during her years at the French court, she is an ancestor of the royal families of Belgium, Luxembourg, and Spain.  When the line of Henriette-Anne’s brother King James II of England died out, the Jacobite claims to the British throne descended from her daughter Anne Marie d’Orléans, Queen of Sardinia. The Orléanist pretenders to the French throne and the Savoy pretenders to the Italian throne descend from Henrietta-Anne. Beginning in 1667, Henriette-Anne’s health started to suffer.  She had pains in her side and her digestive problems became so severe that she could only drink milk.  On June 29, 1670, Henriette-Anne drank a glass of iced chicory water and immediately felt severe pain in her side.  She thought she had been poisoned and asked to be given an antidote.  Henriette-Anne died the next day, at the age of 26. There were rumors that her husband’s lover Philippe, Chevalier de Lorraine had poisoned her.
Unofficial Royalty: Henrietta-Anne of England, Duchess of Orléans
Unofficial Royalty: The Jacobite Succession – Pretenders to the British Throne

June 30, 1875 – Birth of Prince Giuseppe of Bourbon-Parma, Titular Duke of Parma in Biarritz, France
Prince Giuseppe of Bourbon-Parma was the titular Duke of Parma from 1939 until he died in 1950. As he was mentally disabled, his younger brother Elia served as regent.
Unofficial Royalty: Prince Giuseppe of Bourbon-Parma

June 30, 1964 – Birth of Alexandra, Countess of Frederiksborg, first wife of Prince Joachim of Denmark, born Alexandra Christina Manley in Hong Kong
Alexandra and Prince Joachim married in 1995 and had two sons. In 2004, rumors circulated that there were marriage problems, and the couple divorced in 2005.  In 2007, Alexandra married Martin Jørgensen, a photographer 14 years younger than her. The couple divorced in 2015. Prince Joachim and Alexandra have maintained close ties and are often seen together with their sons. Alexandra attends events involving the Danish Royal Family.
Unofficial Royalty: Alexandra, Countess of Frederiksborg

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King Peter I of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes; Credit – Wikipedia

June 19, 1282 – Death of Eleanor de Montfort, Princess of Wales and Lady of Snowdon, wife of Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, Prince of Wales, in childbirth at the Palace of Aber Garth Celyn in Gwynedd, Wales; buried at Llanfaes Friary in Llanfaes, close to what is now Beaumaris, in Anglesey, Wales
A granddaughter of King John of England, Eleanor married Llywelyn ap Gruffydd, the reigning Prince of Wales, in 1279. Eleanor and Llywelyn ap Gruffydd had one child, a daughter Gwenllian ferch Llywelyn, also known as Gwenllian of Wales, born at the Palace of Aber Garth Celyn in Gwynedd, Wales. Sadly, Eleanor died due to childbirth complications shortly after her daughter’s birth.
Unofficial Royalty: Eleanor de Montfort, Princess of Wales and Lady of Snowdon

June 29, 1509 – Death of Lady Margaret Beaufort, mother of King Henry VII of England, in the Deanery of Westminster Abbey; buried in the Henry VII Lady Chapel in Westminster Abbey in London, England
Margaret was alive for the birth of all seven of her grandchildren but only three survived into adulthood. Through her granddaughter and namesake Margaret Tudor, Margaret is an ancestor of the British royal family and many other European royal families. On June 23, 1509, Margaret watched the coronation procession of her grandson King Henry VIII from a window. Six days later, the day after King Henry VIII’s eighteenth birthday, Lady Margaret Beaufort died. Her tomb, with a gilded bronze effigy, was created by the Italian sculptor Pietro Torrigiano, who also created the beautiful tomb of her son King Henry VII and his wife Elizabeth of York. Both tombs are in the Henry VII Chapel of Westminster Abbey. Margaret’s tomb is located between the graves of her descendants King William III and Queen Mary II and the tomb of her great-great-granddaughter Mary, Queen of Scots.
Unofficial Royalty: Lady Margaret Beaufort, Countess of Richmond and Derby

June 29, 1725 – Birth of Maria Teresa Cybo-Malaspina, Duchess of Massa and Carrara in her own right, Duchess of Modena and Reggio, wife of Ercole III, Duke of Modena and Reggio, in Novellara, then in the County of Novellara and Bagnolo, later in the Duchy of Modena and Reggio, now in Italy
Maria Teresa Cybo-Malaspina was the reigning Duchess of Massa and Carrara in her own right from 1731 until she died in 1790, and the wife of Ercole III, Duke of Modena and Reggio. The marriage was not a happy one. After Maria Teresa gave birth to two children, Ercole humiliated her with his open relationships with his mistresses. Eventually, the couple began to live apart. Maria Teresa and Ercole’s only surviving child Maria Beatrice d’Este married Archduke Ferdinand of Austria, son of Francis Stephen, Duke of Lorraine, Grand Duke of Tuscany, Holy Roman Emperor and Maria Theresa, in her own right Archduchess of Austria, and Queen of Hungary, Croatia, and Bohemia. Maria Beatrice and Ferdinand’s marriage created the House of Austria-Este, a cadet branch of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine. As far as ruling her Duchy of Massa and Carrara, now in Italy, Maria Teresa was an enlightened ruler and demonstrated excellent administrative skills.
Unofficial Royalty: Maria Teresa Cybo-Malaspina, Duchess of Massa and Carrara, Duchess of Modena and Reggio

June 29, 1794 – Birth of Heinrich XX, 4th Prince Reuss of Greiz in Offenbach, Landgraviate of Hesse-Darmstadt, now in Hesse, Germany
Heinrich XX ruled the Principality of Reuss-Greiz as an absolute monarch until the German Revolutions of 1848 – 1849 which aimed to remove the old monarchy structures and create independent nation-states. The people of Reuss-Greiz were not really in a revolutionary mood.  This caused procrastination by Heinrich XX and his government which led to only minor changes. Heinrich XX was forced to issue a new constitution for the Principality of Reuss-Greiz but it never went into effect.
Unofficial Royalty: Heinrich XX, 4th Prince Reuss of Greiz

June 29, 1816 – Birth of Lord Alfred Paget, Queen Victoria’s Chief Equerry and Clerk Marshal 1846 – 1858 and 1859-1874 and Clerk Marshal 1874 – 1888, in Cavendish Square, London, England
Lord Alfred first served Queen Victoria as Chief Equerry. Except for some brief periods, he remained in her service until he died in 1888. In 1847, Alfred married Cecilia Wyndham, co-heiress with her elder sister of George Thomas Wyndham. Alfred and Cecilia had fourteen children. Their first child was named Victoria Alexandrina after Queen Victoria. Nearly everything about Lord Alfred Paget in the series “Victoria” is incorrect.
Unofficial Royalty: Lord Alfred Paget

June 29, 1841 – Death of Frederica of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, Queen of Hanover, first cousin and wife of Ernst August, Duke of Cumberland, King of Hanover, in Hanover, Kingdom of Hanover now in Lower Saxony, Germany; buried at Chapel of Schloss Herrenhausen in Hanover
Upon the death of Frederica’s husband’s brother King William IV of the United Kingdom, his niece succeeded to the throne as Queen Victoria. However, because the Kingdom of Hanover did not allow for female succession, Frederica’s husband succeeded him as King Ernst August I of Hanover, and she became Queen of Hanover. Frederica was only Queen of Hanover for a little less than three years. In April 1841, she fell ill and died two months later.
Unofficial Royalty: Frederica of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, Queen of Hanover

June 29, 1844 – Birth of Peter I, King of Serbia in Belgrade, Serbia
Peter’s father had been elected Sovereign Prince of Serbia (then a principality) in 1842. However, in 1858 he was forced to abdicate when the House of Obrenović took the throne and the family went into exile. In 1882, Serbia became a kingdom under the House of Obrenović. In 1903,  a group of army officers who supported Peter’s rival House of Karađorđević led a coup d’état known as The May Coup in which King Alexander I and Queen Draga of the House of Obrenović were brutally assassinated. The assassination resulted in the extinction of the House of Obrenović. Prince Peter Karađorđević was proclaimed the new King of Serbia.
Unofficial Royalty: Peter I, King of Serbia

June 29, 1870 – Death of Sir James Clark, 1st Baronet, Queen Victoria’s Physician-in-Ordinary from 1837 – 1860, at  Bagshot Park in Surrey, England; buried at Kensal Green Cemetery in London, England
Even though Clark treated renowned patients, his abilities as a medical doctor were doubtful. George Villiers, 4th Earl of Clarendon said he would not trust Clark to “attend a sick cat.” It seems his medical career owed more to his diplomatic treatment of his patients rather than his medical competence. There were several instances of his medical incompetence while he served as the royal Physician-in-Ordinary.
Unofficial Royalty: Sir James Clark, 1st Baronet

June 29, 1875 – Death of Ferdinand I, Emperor of Austria, King of Hungary and Bohemia at Hradčany Palace in Prague, Kingdom of Bohemia, now the Czech Republic; buried in the Imperial Crypt in Vienna, Austria
Ferdinand was developmentally delayed and suffered from epilepsy, hydrocephalus, neurological problems, and a speech impediment. Upon the death of his father, Ferdinand became Emperor of Austria, King of Hungary, Croatia, and Bohemia. His epilepsy caused him to have as many as twenty seizures per day, and this severely restricted his ability to rule with any effectiveness. His father’s will stipulated that Ferdinand’s uncle Archduke Ludwig be consulted on government matters and during Ferdinand’s reign a council called the Secret State Conference controlled the government. Ferdinand abdicated the throne in favor of his nephew Franz Joseph during the Revolutions of 1848. He lived the rest of his life at Hradčany Palace in Prague, Kingdom of Bohemia (now the Czech Republic).
Unofficial Royalty: Ferdinand I, Emperor of Austria

June 29, 1911 – Birth of Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands, husband of Queen Juliana of the Netherlands, born Count Bernhard von Lippe-Biesterfeld in Jena, Duchy of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, now in Thuringia, Germany
Full name: Bernhard Leopold Friedrich Eberhard Julius Kurt Karl Gottfried Peter
Bernhard was the elder son of Prince Bernhard of Lippe (younger brother of Leopold IV, the reigning Prince of Lippe) and his wife Armgard von Cramm. Bernhard and Armgard’s marriage was considered morganatic, Bernhard was styled Graf von Biesterfeld (Count of Biesterfeld) at birth. In 1916, Bernhard’s uncle, Leopold IV, the reigning Prince of Lippe, created Armgard Princess of Lippe-Biesterfeld with the style Serene Highness and this title and style also was extended to her two sons.  In February 1936, Bernhard attended the Winter Olympics in Garmisch-Partenkirchen in Bavaria, Germany. There he met and fell in love with Princess Juliana of the Netherlands, the only child, and heir of Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands, whom he married in 1937.
Unofficial Royalty: Bernhard von Lippe-Biesterfeld

June 29, 1921 – Death of Lady Randolph Churchill (born Jennie Jerome), mistress of King Edward VII of the United Kingdom, at her home at 8 Westbourne Street in London, England; buried in the Churchill family plot at St Martin’s Church in Bladon, Oxfordshire, England (mother of Sir Winston Churchill)
Jennie Jerome was an American socialite who was the mistress of King Edward VII of the United Kingdom, among others. Through her first marriage to Lord Randolph Spencer-Churchill, a younger son of John Winston Spencer-Churchill, 7th Duke of Marlborough, she was the mother of Prime Minister Winston Churchill. She is also reported to have had affairs with King Milan I of Serbia, Prince Karl Kinsky, and Herbert von Bismarck. After breaking her ankle in May 1921, Jennie suffered from gangrene and had to have her lower leg amputated the following month. Two weeks later, she died at her home in London as a result of a hemorrhage in her thigh. She is buried in the Spencer-Churchill family plot at St. Martin’s Church in Bladon, England alongside her first husband, her two sons, and their families.
Unofficial Royalty: Lady Randolph Churchill

June 29, 1923 – Death of Sir James Reid, 1st Baronet, Queen Victoria’s Resident Physician 1881 – 1889 and Physician-in-Ordinary 1889 – 1901, Physician-in-Ordinary to King Edward VII and King George V, in London, England; buried at the Ellon Cemetery in Ellon, Aberdeenshire, Scotland
Reid was Queen Victoria’s doctor and also her adviser and confidant. Except when he was on leave, he was always at court and he always traveled with her in the United Kingdom and throughout Europe. The last service Reid did for Queen Victoria was to carry out her written instructions in the event of her death. Victoria had finalized the instructions in December 1897, and sealed them in an envelope marked “For my Dressers to be opened directly after my death and to be always taken and kept by the one who may be traveling with me.” Victoria had chosen Reid to be responsible for her body until her coffin was sealed. He was determined to precisely follow Queen Victoria’s wishes.
Unofficial Royalty: Sir James Reid, 1st Baronet

June 29, 1926 –  Birth of Jaber III al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah, 3rd Emir of Kuwait in Kuwait City, Kuwait
Jaber III Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah reigned as the 13th Ruler and 3rd Emir of Kuwait from 1977 – 2006. He was Emir of Kuwait during the 1990 invasion of Kuwait by Iraq and the subsequent Persian Gulf War. Unlike many other rulers in the Middle East, Emir Jaber stood out for his modest style. He declined to put his image on the nation’s currency and lived in what Kuwaitis considered a relatively simple home. The Kuwaiti people often referred to him as Baba Jaber or Father Jaber.
Unofficial Royalty: Jaber III al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah, 3rd Emir of Kuwait

June 29, 1977 – Death of Magda Lupescu, mistress and third wife of King Carol II of Romania, in Estoril, Portugal; first interred with King Carol in the Pantheon of the Royal House of Braganza in Lisbon, Portugal; in 2003, their remains were returned to Romania, not being of royal blood, Magda was buried in the cemetery of the Curtea de Argeş Cathedral, rather than in the cathedral
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

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Louisa Maria Teresa Stuart, daughter of the deposed King James II of England; Credit – Wikipedia

June 28, 1189 – Death of Matilda of England, Duchess of Saxony and Bavaria, daughter of King Henry II of England, wife of Heinrich the Lion, Duke of Saxony and Duke of Bavaria, in Brunswick, Duchy of Saxony, now in Lower Saxony, Germany; buried at the Cathedral of St. Blasius in Brunswick
Matilda married Heinrich the Lion, Duke of Saxony, Duke of Bavaria, one of the most powerful princes of his time and one of the most important allies of his cousin Friedrich I (Barbarossa), Holy Roman Emperor. Through their youngest child, Wilhelm of Winchester, Lord of Lüneburg, they are ancestors of the House of Hanover. Matilda died at Brunswick at the age of 33, about a week before the death of her father King Henry II of England. She was buried at the still incomplete Brunswick Cathedral where her husband Heinrich was buried upon his death in 1195.
Unofficial Royalty: Matilda of England, Duchess of Saxony and Bavaria

June 28, 1491 – Birth of King Henry VIII of England at Greenwich Palace in Greenwich, England
Henry VIII was the third child and the second son of King Henry VII of England and Elizabeth of York, daughter of King Edward IV of England. Henry and his six siblings represented the merging of the Lancasters (their father) and the Yorks (their mother) who fought for power during the Wars of the Roses. After the death of his elder brother Arthur, Henry was the heir to the throne. He immediately became Duke of Cornwall and was created Prince of Wales and Earl of Chester on February 18, 1503. King Henry VIII of England is known for his six wives, but he also makes the list for the top ten longest-reigning British monarchs coming in at number nine with a reign of 37 years, 281 days. He became king in 1509, two months short of his 18th birthday, and reigned until his death at the age of 55 in 1547
Unofficial Royalty: King Henry VIII of England

June 28, 1692 – Birth of Louisa Maria Teresa Stuart, daughter of the deposed King James II of England and his second wife Maria Beatrice of Modena, at the Château of Saint-Germain-en-Laye in Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France
Louisa Maria Teresa was born at the Chtâeau of Saint-Germain-en-Laye, a residence King Louis XIV of France provided for his exiled first cousin James II and his family. She was the sister of James Francis Edward, The Young Pretender and the half-sister of Queen Mary II of England and Queen Anne of Great Britain. Louisa Maria Teresa died from smallpox at the age of 19.
Unofficial Royalty: Louisa Maria Teresa Stuart

June 28, 1716 – Death of George FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Northumberland, an illegitimate son of King Charles II of England by Barbara Palmer, 1st Duchess of Cleveland, in Epsom, England
Wikipedia: George FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Northumberland (Unofficial Royalty article coming soon.)

June 28, 1757 – Death of Sophia Dorothea of Hanover, Queen of Prussia, daughter of King George I of Great Britain, wife of King Friedrich Wilhelm I of Prussia, at Monbijou Palace in Berlin, Kingdom of Prussia, now in Brandenburg, Germany; buried at the Berlin Cathedral
Sophia Dorothea was eight years old when her disgraced mother was divorced and banished for the rest of her life. She was raised by her paternal grandmother Sophia, Electress of Hanover at Herrenhausen, the Hanover home. She married her first cousin Crown Prince Friedrich Wilhelm of Prussia, son of Friedrich, King I of Prussia. Sophia Dorothea and Friedrich Wilhelm had met as children as they shared a grandmother, Sophia, Electress of Hanover, and they had disliked each other ever since. Their interests were very different and Friedrich Wilhelm contemplated divorcing Sophia Dorothea the same year they were married, but nothing came of it. Sophia Dorothea became Queen of Prussia in 1713 when her husband acceded to the Prussian throne.
Unofficial Royalty: Sophia Dorothea of Hanover, Queen of Prussia

June 28, 1796 – Birth of Caroline Amalie of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg, Queen of Denmark, second wife of King Christian VIII of Denmark, in Copenhagen, Denmark
Caroline Amalie was the only daughter of Friedrich Christian II, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg, and Princess Louise Auguste of Denmark. Caroline Amalie’s mother was the only daughter of King Christian VII of Denmark and Caroline Matilda of Wales, the sister of King George III of the United Kingdom. There is strong evidence that Louise Auguste’s father was her mother’s lover Johann Friedrich Struensee. In December 1814, Caroline Amalie married the future King Christian VIII of Denmark as his second wife but their marriage remained childless. In 1839, Caroline’s husband inherited the Danish throne but he died after a nine-year reign and was succeeded by King Frederik VII, his son from his first marriage. Caroline Amalie outlived her stepson King Frederik VII and in 1863, saw the resolution of the Danish succession crisis with the establishment of the House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg when King Christian IX, born Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, became the King of Denmark. Queen Caroline Amalie survived her husband by 33 years, dying on March 9, 1881, surrounded by the Danish royal family, at the age of 84.
Unofficial Royalty: Caroline Amalie of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg, Queen of Denmark

June 28, 1799 – Birth of Amalie of Württemberg, Duchess of Saxe-Altenburg, wife of Joseph, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg, in Wallisfurth, Kingdom of Prussia, now in Wolany, Poland
Full name: Amalie Therese Luise Wilhelmine Philippine
Following her marriage to Joseph, the future Duke of Saxe-Altenburg, Amalie became involved with charitable causes in her new home. She founded the Industrial School for orphaned children in Hildburghausen and founded a Woman’s Association the following year. After her father-in-law became Duke of Saxe-Altenburg in 1826, the family moved to Schloss Altenburg, and she continued with her philanthropic work, establishing several schools and institutions in Altenburg.
Unofficial Royalty: Amalie of Württemberg, Duchess of Saxe-Altenburg

June 28, 1800 – Death of Heinrich XI, 1st Prince Reuss of Greiz in Greiz, Principality of Reuss-Greiz, now in Thuringia, Germany; buried at the Stadtkirche St. Marien in Greiz, now in the German state of Thuringia
Heinrich XI was only eight months old when his father died on November 17, 1722. His four-year-old brother Heinrich IX succeeded their father as Count Reuss of Obergreiz but he reigned only four months, dying on March 17, 1723. Heinrich XI became Count Reuss of Obergreiz the day before his first birthday. Heinrich XI was a reigning Count and then a reigning Prince from 1723 until he died in 1800, a total of 77 years.
Unofficial Royalty: Death of Heinrich XI, 1st Prince Reuss of Greiz

June 28, 1899 – Death of Grand Duke George Alexandrovich of Russia, son of Alexander III, Emperor of All Russia, brother of Nicholas II, Emperor of All Russia, from tuberculosis, in Abbas Touman, a spa town, now Abastumani in the country of Georgia, then in Russia; buried at the Peter and Paul Cathedral in St. Petersburg, Russia
Because of the severity of George’s tuberculosis, his doctors suggested that he should be sent to live in the dry mountain climate of Abbas Touman, a spa town, now Abastumani in the country of Georgia, then in Russia. On June 28, 1899, 28-year-old George had gone out alone to ride his motorcycle and when he did not return, his staff sent out a search party. George had been found lying on the side of the road, struggling to breathe, with blood oozing from his mouth, by a peasant woman who supported him in her arms until he died. The peasant woman later traveled to St. Petersburg to tell George’s mother Empress Maria Feodorovna about George’s last moments. On the site of George’s death, a memorial made of Carrara marble was built.
Unofficial Royalty: Grand Duke George Alexandrovich of Russia

June 28, 1914 – Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary, and his wife Sophie, Duchess of Hohenberg  in Sarajevo, by Serb nationalist, Gavrilo Prinzip, an event leading to World War I; both are buried at Artstetten Castle, Austria
Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria sent Franz Ferdinand to Sarajevo, Bosnia to observe military maneuvers and his wife Sophie accompanied him out of fear for his safety. After the military maneuvers, the couple was to open a state museum in Sarajevo. The Black Hand, a secret military society formed by members of the Serbian Army, conspired to assassinate Archduke Franz Ferdinand on his visit to Sarajevo. Seven conspirators were in the crowds lining the streets of Sarajevo, each ready to assassinate the Archduke should there be an opportunity. One attempt, a bomb thrown at the archduke’s car, failed. Later, after a reception at the Town Hall, 19-year-old Gavrilo Princip saw his chance and fired two shots at the couple as they rode in their car. The first shot hit Sophie in the abdomen and the second shot hit Franz Ferdinand in the neck. Sophie died soon after being shot and Franz Ferdinand died about 10 minutes later.
Unofficial Royalty: Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria

June 28, 1994 – Birth of Crown Prince Hussein of Jordan, son of King Abdullah II of Jordan, in Amman, Jordan
When King Hussein of Jordan died in 1999, his son Abdullah became King and respected his father’s wishes, appointing his half-brother Hamzah as Crown Prince of Jordan. However, in 2004, Abdullah stripped Hamzah of the Crown Prince title. As he did not name a replacement, this made the young Prince Hussein his father’s heir-apparent under the existing succession laws. On July 2, 2009, the King issued a decree formally granting Prince Hussein the title of Crown Prince. Crown Prince Hussein married Rajwa Al Saif on June 1, 2023 at Zahran Palace in Amman, Jordan. On April 10, 2024, the Royal Hashemite Court announced that Crown Prince Hussein and Princess Rajwa are expecting their first baby in the summer of 2024.
Unofficial Royalty: Crown Prince Hussein of Jordan

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King Louis XII of France; Credit – Wikipedia

June 27, 1462 – Birth of King Louis XII of France at the Château de Blois in Blois, France
Louis succeeded his father as Duke of Orléans at the age of three. Although his descent from the French ruling line was somewhat distant, Louis was aware of his proximity to the throne should the main Valois line become extinct. King Charles VIII died unexpectedly in 1498. Although Charles VIII and his wife had had several children, none survived him, allowing Louis’ succession as King Louis XII of France. Louis XII married three times. His last wife was 18-year-old Mary Tudor, daughter of King Henry VII of England and sister of King Henry VIII of England. The 52-year-old Louis XII was still eager to provide himself with a male heir. However, the marriage lasted only four months due to Louis’s death.
Unofficial Royalty: King Louis XII of France

June 27, 1550 – Birth of King Charles IX of France at the Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye near Paris, France
Charles became King of France at the age of nine upon the death of his 16-year-old brother François II who was the first husband of Mary, Queen of Scots. The horrific St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre, in which thousands of Protestant Huguenots were killed, occurred during Charles’ reign. Although Charles IX publicly approved of the results of the St. Bartholomew Day’s Massacre, it left him with a psychological trauma that lasted for the remaining two years of his life. He became increasingly depressed and his already weak constitution could no longer resist the tuberculosis that ravaged his body and he died at the age of 23.
Unofficial Royalty: King Charles IX of France

June 27, 1655 – Death of Eleonora Gonzaga of Mantua, Holy Roman Empress, second wife of Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor, Archduke of Inner Austria, King of Bohemia, King of Hungary and Croatia, in Vienna, Austria; buried in Vienna at the Discalced Carmelites Monastery, in 1782, Eleonora’s remains were reinterred in the Ducal Crypt at St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna, Austria
After being widowed for six years, 44-year-old Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor arranged to marry Eleanora, his 24-year-old first cousin once removed. Despite their twenty-year age difference, Eleonora and Ferdinand II had a happy marriage. Eleonora and Ferdinand had no children, but Eleonora had a close relationship with her stepchildren from Feredinand’s first marriage. After Ferdinand’s death in 1537, Eleonora lived in Graz Castle near her husband’s mausoleum but then she settled in Vienna, living mostly at the Discalced Carmelites Monastery she had founded in 1622. Eleonora spent part of her time in the palaces outside Vienna, especially Schönbrunn Palace. Eleonora, Dowager Holy Roman Empress died, aged fifty-six, in Vienna on June 27, 1655. She was buried in Vienna at the Discalced Carmelites Monastery she had founded. In 1782, Eleonora’s remains were reinterred in the Ducal Crypt at St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna, Austria.
Unofficial Royalty: Eleonora Gonzaga of Mantua, Holy Roman Empress, 2nd wife of Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor

June 27, 1704 – Death of Elisabeth Helene von Vieregg, mistress and bigamous wife of Frederik IV, King of Denmark and Norway; buried at the Church of Our Savior in Copenhagen, Denmark
Without divorcing his wife, Frederik IV made a bigamous marriage to Elisabeth and then created her Countess of Antvorskov. Elisabeth died due to childbirth complications shortly after giving birth to King Frederik IV’s son Frederik Gyldenløve. Elisabeth was greatly mourned by Frederik IV who gave her a lavish funeral and commanded that the bells of three churches should ring for two hours. Elisabeth was buried at the Church of Our Savior in Copenhagen, Denmark.  Her son lived for only nine months and was buried with Elisabeth.
Unofficial Royalty: Elisabeth Helene von Vieregg

June 27, 1880 – Birth of Natalia Sergeyevna Sheremetyevskaya, Countess Brasova, morganatic wife of Grand Duke Michael of Russia, son of Alexander III, Emperor of All Russia, at a rented summer dacha outside of Moscow, Russia
Natalia was the lover and then the morganatic wife of Grand Duke Michael of Russia, brother of Nicholas II, Emperor of All Russia. After the birth of a son named George after Michael’s deceased brother, Natalia and her first husband were divorced. Nicholas II issued a decree giving George the surname Brasov after Michael’s estate at Brasov, permitted Natalia to use the surname Brasova, and allowed her to live with Michael at his estate Brasovo. When Michael and Natalia were secretly married without Nicholas II’s permission, Nicholas stripped Michael of his military rank, froze all his assets in Russia, seized control of his estates, and banished him from Russia. Eventually, Michael was allowed to return to Russia, his son George was legitimized and created Count Brasov but neither he nor his descendants could be in the line of succession. At the same time, Natalia was created Countess Brasova. Michael and his secretary were killed during the Russian Revolution and their bodies were never found. George died in a car accident at the age of 20. Natalia died at the age of 71 in 1952.
Unofficial Royalty: Natalia Sergeyevna Sheremetyevskaya, Countess Brasova

June 27, 1959 – Death of Prince Elia of Bourbon-Parma in Friedberg, Austria; buried nearby in Mönichkirchen, Austria
Prince Elia of Bourbon-Parma was head of the House of Bourbon-Parma and pretender to the former ducal throne of Parma from 1950 until he died in 1959. Additionally, he served as regent from 1907-1950 for two of his elder brothers, Enrico and Giuseppe, who were mentally disabled.
Unofficial Royalty: Prince Elia of Bourbon-Parma

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Anna Katharina of Brandenburg, Queen of Denmark & Norway; Credit – Wikipedia

June 26, 1575 – Birth of Anna Katharina of Brandenburg, Queen of Denmark, first wife of King Christian IV of Denmark, in Halle upon Saale, Electorate of Brandenburg, now in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany
Anna Katharina of Brandenburg married King Christian IV of Denmark in 1597 and they had six children. Anna Katharina was praised for her modesty and piety. She often accompanied Christian IV on his trips but had no influence on the politics of Denmark. Christian IV had affairs during his marriage and Anna Katharina was certainly aware of them. A little more than a year after the birth of her last child, Anna Katharina died on April 8, 1612, at the age of 36.
Unofficial Royalty: Anna Katharina of Brandenburg, Queen of Denmark

June 26, 1726 – Birth of Vittorio Amadeo III, King of Sardinia at the Royal Palace in Turin, Kingdom of Sardinia, now in Italy
Vittorio Amedeo III was a great-great-grandson of King Charles I of England from the House of Stuart. After King James II, a son of King Charles I, lost his throne via the Glorious Revolution of 1688, the Jacobite (from Jacobus, the Latin for James) movement formed. The goal of the Jacobites was to restore the Roman Catholic Stuart King James II of England/VII of Scotland and his Roman Catholic heirs to the thrones of England and Scotland. When the line of the deposed King James II of England died out in 1807, the Jacobite claims to the British throne descended from the line of his sister Henrietta of England, Duchess of Orléans whose daughter Anne Marie d’Orléans had married Vittorio Amedeo II, King of Sardinia. In 1807, Vittorio Amedeo’s son Carlo Emanuele IV, King of Sardinia became the Jacobite heir from the House of Savoy
Unofficial Royalty: Vittorio Amadeo III, King of Sardinia

June 26, 1760 – Birth of Prince Johann I Josef of Liechtenstein in Vienna, Austria
Full name: Johann Baptist Josef Adam Johann Nepomuk Aloys Franz de Paula
Because he had an elder brother and was not expected to succeed to the throne of Liechtenstein, Johann Josef chose a military career in the Imperial Army of the Holy Roman Empire, of which Liechtenstein was a constituent state. In 1792, Johann Josef married Landgravine Josefa of Fürstenberg-Weitra, and the couple had fourteen children. Upon the death of his childless brother Alois I, Prince of Liechtenstein in 1805, Johan Josef became the reigning Prince of Liechtenstein. As Prince of Liechtenstein, Johann Josef carried out progressive reforms, and in 1818, however, he approved a new constitution that limited the power of the monarch. He established modern practices in agriculture and forestry and reorganized the government administration to meet modern needs. On April 20, 1836, Johann I Josef, Prince of Liechtenstein, aged 75, died at Liechtenstein Palace in Vienna, Austria.
Unofficial Royalty: Prince Johann I Josef of Liechtenstein

June 26, 1830 – Death of King George IV of the United Kingdom at Windsor Castle in Windsor, England; buried at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor, England
Upon the death of King George III on January 29, 1820, The Prince Regent succeeded to the throne as King George IV. At the time of his succession, George IV was obese and probably addicted to laudanum.  He suffered from gout, arteriosclerosis, and edema. Towards the end of his life, he spent more and more time in seclusion at Windsor Castle. Because of his excessive lifestyle, he had become so fat (his weight in 1830 was 130 kg/280 lbs) that he increasingly was an object of ridicule when he appeared in public. George IV’s final illness began in January 1830 with a severe cough. He improved slightly in March 1830 but continued to have respiratory problems, faintness, and urinary tract pain. When George IV died, the throne passed to the next surviving son of King George III, Prince William, Duke of Clarence who reigned as King William IV.
Unofficial Royalty: King George IV of the United Kingdom

June 26, 1878 – Death of Maria de las Mercedes of Orléans, Queen of Spain, first wife of King Alfonso XII of Spain, at the Palacio Real de Madrid; originally buried at the Monastery of El Escorial, reburied at the Cathedral of la Almudena in Madrid, Spain in 2000
In June 1878, six months after her marriage, it was announced that Mercedes was pregnant and the country rejoiced. However, the joy was short-lived as Mercedes suffered a miscarriage. Shortly after the miscarriage, Mercedes became suddenly ill. Within hours, she was at death’s door with typhoid fever. Mercedes died two days after her 18th birthday, on June 26, 1878, at her birthplace, the Royal Palace of Madrid.
Unofficial Royalty: Maria de las Mercedes of Orléans, Queen of Spain

June 26, 1899 – Birth of Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna of Russia, daughter of Nicholas II, Emperor of All Russia, at Peterhof near St. Petersburg, Russia
Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma (born Prince Louis of Battenberg, a maternal uncle of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh) was a son of Empress Alexandra Feodorovna’s eldest sister Victoria of Hesse and by Rhine. In his childhood, Lord Mountbatten was close to his aunt Alexandra’s children, his first cousins. At a very young age, he began a “lifelong love affair” with Maria and kept a framed photo of her by his bed until he, like his Romanov first cousins, was also violently murdered. He wrote about Maria: “I was mad about her, and determined to marry her. You could not imagine anyone more beautiful than she was!”
Unofficial Royalty: Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna of Russia

June 26, 1914 – Birth of Princess Sophie of Greece and Denmark, Princess of Hesse, Princess of Hanover, sister of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, at Mon Repos on the isle of Corfu, Greece
Sophie married twice, both her husbands were descendants of Queen Victoria as she was. Her first husband was Prince Christoph of Hesse, the son of Prince Friedrich Karl of Hesse and Princess Margarete of Prussia, a granddaughter of Queen Victoria. Prince Christoph was killed in a plane crash during World War II. Her second husband was Prince Georg Wilhelm of Hanover, the son of Ernst August III, Duke of Brunswick, a descendant of King George III through his son Ernest Augustus, King of Hanover and Duke of Cumberland, and Princess Viktoria Luise of Prussia, the only daughter of Wilhelm II, German Emperor who was a grandson of Queen Victoria.
Unofficial Royalty: Princess Sophie of Greece and Denmark, Princess of Hesse, Princess of Hanover

June 26, 1922 – Death of Prince Albert I of Monaco in Paris, France; buried at the Cathedral of Monaco in Monaco
Besides being the Sovereign Prince of Monaco, Albert I left an interesting legacy.  He was a pioneer of oceanography and founded the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco which has a world-class aquarium, museum, library, and research facilities in Paris.  His interest in the origins of man caused him to found the Institute for Human Paleontology in Paris, which conducted many archeological digs. Because of his quest for world peace, the prince founded the International Institute for Peace, a predecessor of the League of Nations and the United Nations.
Unofficial Royalty: Prince Albert I of Monaco

June 26, 2005 – Birth of Princess Alexia of the Netherlands, daughter of King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands, at Bronovo Hospital in The Hague, The Netherlands
Full name: Alexia Juliana Marcela Laurentian
Alexia is the second of the three daughters of King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands.
Unofficial Royalty: Princess Alexia of the Netherlands

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Mary Tudor and her husband Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk; Credit – Wikipedia

June 25, 1242 – Birth of Beatrice of England, Countess of Richmond, daughter of King Henry III of England, in Bordeaux, Duchy of Aquitaine, now in France
In 1260, Beatrice married John of Dreux, the eldest son of John I, Duke of Brittany. In 1268, King Henry III granted the title Earl of Richmond to John I, Duke of Brittany as an enticement when tensions rose with France. However, John I soon transferred the title of Earl of Richmond to his son and heir John of Dreux, who also became John II, Duke of Brittany upon his father’s death in 1286. John of Dreux became Duke of Brittany after the death of Beatrice so she never became the Duchess of Brittany. Beatrice died on March 24, 1275, aged 32, in London, England while visiting her brother King Edward I of England. Possibly she died due to childbirth complications as her youngest child Eleanor was born in London in 1275.
Unofficial Royalty: Beatrice of England, Countess of Richmond

June 25, 1533 – Death of Mary Tudor, daughter of King Henry VII of England and Elizabeth of York, sister of King Henry VIII of England, and wife of Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk, at Westhorpe Hall in Suffolk, England; originally buried in the Abbey at Bury St. Edmunds, reburied at St. Mary’s Church in Bury St. Edmunds, England
From Susan: Several years ago, after some questions arose about Mary’s reburial, I emailed St. Mary’s Church in Bury St. Edmunds and got this response: “In reply to your query, yes, Mary Tudor daughter of Henry VII and sister of Henry VIII was originally buried in the Abbey at Bury St. Edmunds.  Her coffin was brought here at the Dissolution of the Monasteries and is now in the crypt.  The original grave slab survives and is in the sanctuary near the altar, there is also a later inscription and insignia on the wall and a marble kerb given by Edward VII.  In the Lady Chapel there is a stained glass window given by Queen Victoria which depicts Mary’ life.  St. Mary’s church was part of the Abbey complex and is still the town church; it occupies a corner of the Great Churchyard and so is close to the Abbey ruins.”
Unofficial Royalty: Mary Tudor, Queen of France, Duchess of Suffolk

June 25, 1755 – Birth of Grand Duchess Natalia Alexeievna, Tsarevna of Russia, born Wilhelmina Louisa of Hesse-Darmstadt, first wife of the future  Paul I, Emperor of All Russia in Prenzlau, Kingdom of Prussia, now in Brandenburg, Germany
Name after marriage: Natalia Alexeievna
In 1772, Catherine II (the Great), Empress of All Russia was searching for a bride for her 18-year-old son and heir Grand Duke Paul Petrovich (the future Paul I, Emperor of All Russia). Catherine the Great asked Friedrich II of Prussia for recommendations and his thoughts immediately turned to the three unmarried daughters of Karoline, Landgravine of Hesse-Darmstadt: Amalie, Wilhelmine, and Luise. Empress Catherine invited Landgravine Karoline and her three daughters to St. Petersburg. It did not take Paul long to make his choice. Paul was charmed by Wilhelmine.  Wilhelmine converted to Russian Orthodoxy on August 15, 1773, taking the name Natalia Alexeievna. Sadly, three years later, 20-year-old Natalia died after six days of agonizing labor along with her child, a son.
Unofficial Royalty: Wilhelmine Luise of Hesse-Darmstadt, Grand Duchess Natalia Alexeievna, Tsarevna of Russia

June 25, 1864 – Death of King Wilhelm I of Württemberg at Schloss Rosenstein in Stuttgart, Kingdom of Württemberg, now in Baden-Württemberg, Germany; buried at the Württemberg Mausoleum in Stuttgart
Wilhelm became King of Württemberg upon his father’s death in  1816.  He came to the throne during a difficult time in Württemberg. 1816 was known as the Year Without A Summer and the very cold temperatures resulted in food shortages. However, Wilhelm and his wife Ekaterina Pavlovna of Russia are credited with making great strides to alleviate the suffering by establishing policies and reforms that helped the people of Württemberg, regardless of social class. The king arranged for food and livestock to be imported, and established an Agricultural Academy to help promote the growth of crops and better general nutrition amongst his people. The Queen established numerous charities to help the poor and was behind the establishment of the Württemberg State Savings Bank.
Unofficial Royalty: King Wilhelm I of Württemberg

June 25, 1884 – Birth of Empress Teimei of Japan, wife of Emperor Taishō, born Lady Sadako Kujō in Tokyo, Japan
The future Emperor Taishō, had cerebral meningitis when he was three weeks old and this affected his health and his mental capacity, including a speech disorder and difficulty walking, for the rest of his life. Due to his health issues, he was often unable to continue his studies, and he was a poor student in areas requiring higher-level thinking. Because of Yoshihito’s diminished mental capacity, his father Emperor Meiji wanted an intelligent, articulate, and dignified wife for his son, and he found those qualities in Lady Sadako Kujō.
Unofficial Royalty: Empress Teimei of Japan

June 25, 1900 – Birth of Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma, son of Prince Ludwig (Louis) of Battenberg (later 1st Marquess of Milford Haven) and Princess Victoria of Hesse and by Rhine and uncle of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, at Frogmore House in Windsor, England
Birth name: Prince Louis Francis Albert Victor Nicholas of Battenberg
Born Prince Louis of Battenberg at Frogmore House in Windsor, England, he was the youngest child of Prince Louis (Ludwig) of Battenberg and Princess Victoria of Hesse and by Rhine, a granddaughter of Queen Victoria. Almost from birth, he was known as Dickie. His mother’s younger sister was Empress Alexandra Feodorovna of Russia, and in his childhood, Dickie was close to her children. At a very young age, he began a “lifelong love affair” with one of them – Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna – and kept a framed photo of her by his bed for his entire life.
Unofficial Royalty: Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma

June 25, 1911 – Death of Maria Clotilde of Savoy, Princess Napoleon, daughter of King Vittorio Emanuele II of Italy, at the Castle of Moncalieri in Montcalieri, Italy; buried at the Basilica of Superga in Turin, Italy
Maria Clotilde married Napoléon-Jérôme Bonaparte, son of Jérôme Bonaparte, the brother of Emperor Napoleon I, and Princess Catherine of Württemberg. Maria Clotilde was fifteen and Napoléon-Jérôme was 37. Maria Clotilde was not impressed by her portly, anti-clerical liberal fiancé. Her innocence, piety, and sense of duty clashed with Napoléon-Jérôme’s love of wine, women, and food. Several years after the fall of the Second French Empire in 1870, Maria Clotilde and her husband quietly separated and she returned to Turin, Italy with her daughter. Maria Clotilde continued her life of devotion and charity after her return to Italy. She spent her final years at the traditional summer residence of the Savoy family, the Castle of Moncalieri in Montcalieri, a town located just outside of Turin.
Unofficial Royalty: Maria Clotilde of Savoy, Princess Napoleon

June 25, 1914 – Death of Georg II, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen at Bad Wildungen, Principality of Waldeck, now in Hesse, Germany; buried in the Park Cemetery in Meiningen, Duchy of Saxe-Meiningen, now in Thuringia, Germany
Georg, passionate about the theatre, established the Meiningen Theater in the late 1860s and early 1870s, with the help of his third wife Ellen Franz, a former actress. The company toured extensively throughout Germany and Europe from 1874-1890 and became renowned for its attention to detail and authenticity in its sets and costumes and the portrayals of the characters. Georg drew upon his extensive knowledge of history and art, and designed many of the costumes and scenery, and choreographed many of the large crowd scenes within the productions. Having been interested in theatre since his youth, he was able to spend much of his time, effort, and money to create theatre productions that conveyed both lifelike reality and historical accuracy.
Unofficial Royalty: Georg II, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen

June 25, 1937 – Birth of Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Emir of Kuwait in Kuwait City, Kuwait
Upon the death of his half-brother Sabah IV Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, Emir of Kuwait on September 29, 2020, 83-year-old Crown Prince Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah was been named by the Kuwaiti Council of Ministers as his successor. During a special session of the National Assembly on September 30, 2020, Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, 16th Ruler and 6th Emir of Kuwait, took the constitutional oath as Emir of Kuwait. Nawaf Al Ahmad Al Sabah, Emir of Kuwait died on December 16, 2023, aged 86.  Nawaf’s half-brother Crown Prince Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, succeeded as Emir of Kuwait.
Unofficial Royalty: Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Emir of Kuwait

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María de las Mercedes of Orléans, Queen of Spain; Credit – Wikipedia

 June 24, 1246 – Death of Richard FitzRoy, illegitimate son of King John of England, at Chilham Castle in Chilham, Kent, England; buried at St. Mary’s Churchyard in Chilham, Kent, England
Richard FitzRoy was the illegitimate son of King John of England and Ela de Warenne. During the First Barons’ War (1215 – 1217), when a group of barons, with the support of King Philippe II of France, rebelled against Richard’s father King John of England, Richard supported his father as one of the commanders of the royal army. Richard’s father King John died on October 19, 1216, and was succeeded by Richard’s nine-year-old half-brother King Henry III of England. Richard was the constable of several castles including the important Wallingford Castle in Berkshire, England, served as Sheriff of Berkshire, and accompanied his half-brother on many military campaigns.
Unofficial Royalty: Richard FitzRoy, Illegitimate Son of King John of England

June 24, 1291 – Death of Eleanor of Provence, Queen of England, wife of King Henry III of England, at the Abbey of St. Mary and St. Melor in Amesbury, England; buried at the Abbey of St. Mary and St. Melor in Amesbury, England
Eleanor’s husband King Henry III died in 1272 after a 56-year reign, making him the fourth longest-reigning British monarch after Queen Elizabeth II, Queen Victoria, and King George III. Eleanor survived her husband for 19 years and helped raise several of her grandchildren. In 1280, Eleanor retired to the Abbey of St Mary and St Melor in Amesbury, England where she died on June 24/25, 1291. It appears that Eleanor requested that she be buried with her husband at Westminster Abbey, but was buried at the Abbey of St. Mary and St. Melor where she had died. Eleanor’s remains were lost when the Abbey was destroyed in 1539 during the Dissolution of the Monasteries.  Her heart was buried at London’s Greyfriars Monastery which was destroyed in the Great Fire of London in 1666.
Unofficial Royalty: Eleanor of Provence, Queen of England

June 24, 1311 – Birth of Philippa of Hainault, Queen of England, wife of King Edward III of England, at Valenciennes, Flanders, now in France
King Edward III and Philippa married at York Minster in York, England.  The couple’s main home was Woodstock Palace in Oxfordshire, England.  It was Philippa’s favorite residence and the birthplace of four of her thirteen children including her eldest child, Edward the Black Prince, who was born days before her sixteenth birthday.  The sons of Edward III and Philippa married into the English nobility and their descendants later battled for the throne in the Wars of the Roses.
Unofficial Royalty: Philippa of Hainault, Queen of England

June 24, 1532 – Birth of Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester, favorite of Queen Elizabeth I of England
Queen Mary I died on November 17, 1558, and her younger half-sister came to the throne as Queen Elizabeth I. Because Robert had been a companion of Elizabeth’s half-brother King Edward VI, the two were well-acquainted, and it was natural for Robert Dudley to become one of Elizabeth’s most trusted courtiers. The day after her accession to the throne, Elizabeth named Robert her Master of the Horse. Although it is a ceremonial role today, it was an important position in Tudor times. Robert remained a powerful and important political figure for the rest of his life. From the beginning of Elizabeth’s reign in 1558 until he died in 1588, Robert was one of her most conscientious privy councilors.
Unofficial Royalty: Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester

June 24, 1768 – Death of Maria Leszczynska of Poland, Queen of France, wife of King Louis XV of France at the Palace of Versailles in Versailles, France; buried at the Basilica of St. Denis near Paris, France
As Queen, Marie maintained the strict protocol and etiquette of the French court and fully embraced her role and responsibilities of her ceremonial role. However, when not at official functions, she preferred to retreat to her private apartments, spending time with a small group of close friends and confidants. Queen Marie died at the Palace of Versailles on June 24, 1768. She was buried at the Basilica of St. Denis near Paris, while her heart was entombed at the Church of Notre-Dame-de-Bonsecours in Nancy. Having held her position for nearly 43 years, Queen Marie was the longest-serving Queen consort in the French monarchy.
Unofficial Royalty: Maria Leszczynska of Poland, Queen of France

June 24, 1818 – Birth of Karl Alexander, Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach in Weimar, Grand Duchy of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, now in Thuringia, Germany
Full name: Karl Alexander August Johann
Karl Alexander married Princess Sophie of the Netherlands, the daughter of King Willem II of the Netherlands and Grand Duchess Anna Pavlovna of Russia. As their mothers were sisters, Karl Alexander and Sophie were first cousins. They had four children but their only son predeceased his father and so he was succeeded by his grandson Wilhelm Ernst.
Unofficial Royalty: Karl Alexander, Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach

June 24, 1824 – Birth of Agnes of Anhalt-Dessau, Duchess of Saxe-Altenburg, wife of Ernst I, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg, in Dessau, Duchy of Anhalt, now in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany
Full name: Friederike Amalie Agnes
As Duchess of Saxe-Altenburg, Agnes became very involved in charity work, particularly in the area of nursing and education.  From all accounts, her marriage was very happy and Agnes and Ernst were devoted to each other. For their 25th anniversary in 1878, Ernst gave Agnes the Princess Cross – a newly created miniature of the Knight’s Cross First Class of the Saxe-Ernestine House Order. They also established the Ernst-Agnes Foundation. In 1893, Agnes wrote a book entitled ‘A Word to Israel’, which discussed anti-semitism and Christianity in Germany.
Unofficial Royalty: Agnes of Anhalt-Dessau, Duchess of Saxe-Altenburg

June 24, 1860 – Birth of María de las Mercedes of Orléans, Queen of Spain, first wife of King Alfonso XII of Spain at the Palacio Real in Madrid, Spain
Full name: María de las Mercedes Isabel Francisca de Asís Antonia Luisa Fernanda Felipa Amalia Cristina Francisca de Paula Ramona Rita Cayetana Manuela Juana Josefa Joaquina Ana Rafaela Filomena Teresa Santísima Trinidad Gaspara Melchora Baltasara et omni sancti
Mercedes married her first cousin King Alfonso XII of Spain in January 1878. In June 1878, it was announced that Mercedes was pregnant and the country rejoiced. However, the joy was short-lived as Mercedes suffered a miscarriage. Shortly after the miscarriage, Mercedes became suddenly ill. Within hours, she was at death’s door with typhoid fever. Mercedes died two days after her 18th birthday, on June 26, 1878,
Unofficial Royalty: Mercedes of Orléans, Queen of Spain

June 24, 1869 – Birth of Prince George of Greece, son of King George I of Greece, at Mon Repos in Corfu, Greece
In 1907, George married Princess Marie Bonaparte, daughter of Prince Roland Bonaparte, a grandson of Lucien Bonaparte, Emperor Napoleon I’s brother. Marie was quite wealthy in her own right, having been left a vast fortune by her mother, Marie-Félix Blanc, the daughter of François Blanc who was the principal developer of Monte Carlo and the Monte Carlo Casino. The couple had two children. Following World War II, George often represented his nephew King Paul of Greece on official visits and functions. In 1947, he attended the funeral of King Christian X of Denmark and the wedding of his nephew, Philip Mountbatten (formerly Prince Philippos of Greece) to the future Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom. In September 1948, he attended the enthronement ceremony of Queen Juliana of the Netherlands, and in December 1948, he was named as one of the godparents of Prince Charles, his great-nephew. George and his wife represented the Greek Royal Family at the 1953 coronation of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom.
Unofficial Royalty: Prince George of Greece

June 24, 1899 – Death of Kapiʻolani, Queen Consort of the Hawaiian Islands, wife of Kalākaua, King of the Hawaiian Islands, at her private residence Pualeilani in Waikīkī, Honolulu, on the island of Oahu, then in the US Territory of Hawaii, now in the state of Hawaii; initially buried in the Royal Mausoleum at Mauna ʻAla in Honolulu, transferred to the underground Kalākaua Crypt on the Royal Mausoleum grounds
Kapiʻolani, Queen Consort of the Hawaiian Islands was the wife of Kalākaua, King of the Hawaiian Islands, who reigned from 1874 to 1891. The couple married on December 19, 1863, but their marriage was childless. As Queen, Kapiʻolani worked to improve the health of the Hawaiian people. She founded the Kapiʻolani Maternity Home in Honolulu, where Hawaiian mothers and their newborn babies could receive care. The Kapiʻolani Maternity Home is still in existence as the Kapiʻolani Medical Center for Women and Children, part of Hawaii Pacific Health’s network of hospitals. In April 1887, Queen Kapiʻolani, along with her sister-in-law Princess Liliuokalani and her husband John Owen Dominis, were part of the delegation from the Kingdom of the Hawaiian Islands sent to attend the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria in London.
Unofficial Royalty: Kapiʻolani, Queen Consort of the Hawaiian Islands

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Maria Leszczyńska, Queen of France; Credit – Wikipedia

Today’s Royal Events:

• Unofficial Royalty: Luxembourg National Day (June 23)

June 23, 1456 – Birth of Margaret of Denmark, Queen of Scots, daughter of King Christian I of Denmark and wife of James III, King of Scots, in Copenhagen, Denmark
Margaret was a popular queen and was described as beautiful, gentle, and reasonable. Many later historians called her far better qualified to rule than her husband. During the crisis of 1482, when her husband was deprived of power for several months, Margaret showed a greater interest in the welfare of her children than that of her husband, and this led to the couple’s alienation. When Margaret died at the age of 30, there were suspicions that she had been poisoned by John Ramsay, 1st Lord Bothwell, a confidant of James III, although no evidence was found to support the charge. At the request of James III, Pope Innocent VIII commissioned an investigation of Margaret’s virtues and alleged miracles for possible canonization, but without result.
Unofficial Royalty: Margaret of Denmark, Queen of Scots

June 23, 1703 – Birth of Maria Leszczyńska of Poland, Queen of France, wife of King Louis XV of France in Trzebnica, Silesia, now Lower Silesia in Poland
Full name: Maria Karolina Zofia Felicja
As Queen of France, Marie maintained the strict protocol and etiquette of the French court and fully embraced her role and responsibilities of her ceremonial role. However, when not at official functions, she preferred to retreat to her private apartments, spending time with a small group of close friends and confidants. Having held her position for nearly 43 years, Queen Marie was the longest-serving Queen consort in the French monarchy.
Unofficial Royalty: Maria Leszczyńska of Poland, Queen of France

June 23, 1763 – Birth of Empress Joséphine, first wife of Napoleon Bonaparte (Napoleon I, Emperor of the French), born Marie Josèphe Rose de Tascher de la Pagerie on Martinique in the West Indies
Joséphine was unable to give Napoleon an heir. Without a son, Napoleon named Joséphine’s grandson (and his nephew), Napoleon Charles Bonaparte, his heir. After the young Napoleon died in 1807, Emperor Napoleon considered finding another wife who could provide him with a son. In November 1809, he told Joséphine that he planned to divorce her and find a new wife. She agreed to a divorce, and an elaborate divorce ceremony was held. Joséphine retained her title as Empress and her rank at court and received an annual pension of 5 million francs.
Unofficial Royalty: Joséphine de Beauharnais, Empress of the French

June 23, 1820 – Death of Luise Karoline Geyer von Geyersberg, Countess of Hochberg, morganatic second wife of Grand Duke Karl Friedrich of Baden in Karlsruhe, Grand Duchy of Baden, now in Baden-Württemberg, Germany; buried at St. Michael’s Church in Pforzheim, Grand Duchy of Baden, now in Baden-Württemberg, Germany
Luise Karoline was the second, and morganatic, wife of the future Grand Duke Karl Friedrich of Baden. Luise Karoline and Grand Duke Karl Friedrich of Baden had five children. At the time of the marriage, Karl Friedrich created Luise Karoline Baroness of Hochberg, and their children were not included in the line of succession. In 1817, Karl Friedrich and Luise Karoline’s children were elevated to Prince/Princess of Baden, and in the following year, the Baden Congress formally confirmed their succession rights.
Unofficial Royalty: Luise Karoline Geyer von Geyersberg, Countess of Hochberg

June 23, 1859 – Death of Maria Pavlovna of Russia, Grand Duchess of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach at Schloss Belvedere in Weimar, Grand Duchy of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, now in Thuringia, Germany; buried at the Russian Orthodox Chapel adjoining the Weimarer Fürstengruft in the Historical Cemetery in Weimar
Maria Pavlovna of Russia was the daughter of Paul I, Emperor of All Russia and his second wife, Sophie Dorothea of Württemberg. In 1804, she married the future Grand Duke Karl Friedrich of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach. They had four children including Augusta who married Wilhelm I, King of Prussia and Emperor of Germany. Maria strongly supported and promoted the arts in Weimar, and her patronages included the noted composer Franz Liszt who was appointed to her court. She maintained lifelong correspondences with several prominent writers, poets, and musicians including Vasily Zhukovsky, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, and Friedrich Schiller. Following her husband’s death in 1853, Maria retired from public life. Two years later, she returned to Russia for the last time, for the coronation of her nephew Alexander II, Emperor of All Russia.
Unofficial Royalty: Maria Pavlovna of Russia, Grand Duchess of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach

June 23, 1894 – Birth of King Edward VIII of the United Kingdom at White Lodge in Richmond Park, Surrey, England
Full name: Edward Albert Christian George Andrew Patrick David
Upon the death of his father King George V in 1936, Edward, known as David in his family, succeeded to the throne. Only months into his reign, a constitutional crisis was caused by his proposal to marry Wallis Simpson, an American who had divorced her first husband and was seeking a divorce from her second. The prime ministers of the United Kingdom and the self-governing countries of the British Empire opposed the marriage, arguing a divorced woman with two living ex-husbands was politically and socially unacceptable as a prospective queen consort. When it became apparent he could not marry Wallis and remain on the throne, Edward abdicated and was succeeded by his younger brother George VI. After his abdication, Edward was created Duke of Windsor. He married Wallis in France on June 3, 1937, after her second divorce became final.
Unofficial Royalty: King Edward VIII of the United Kingdom, Duke of Windsor

June 23, 2021 – Death of Archduke Leopold Franz of Austria
Archduke Leopold Franz of Austria was the Pretender to the former Grand Ducal throne of Tuscany from 1984 until renouncing his rights in favor of his son in 1993.
Unofficial Royalty: Archduke Leopold Franz of Austria

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Cecilia of Sweden, Grand Duchess of Oldenburg; Credit – Wikipedia

June 22, 1807 – Birth of Cecilia of Sweden, Grand Duchess of Oldenburg, daughter of King Gustav IV Adolf of Sweden and third wife of Grand Duke August I of Oldenburg, at the Royal Palace in Stockholm, Sweden
Cecilia was not yet two years old when her father was deposed as King of Sweden in 1809. The family moved to Baden, and her parents divorced three years later. Cecilia met her future husband. Grand Duke August stopped in Baden during his travels, and within just an hour of conversation, he asked for her hand in marriage. Cecilia then moved to Vienna, where her brother was serving in the court of the Austrian Emperor Franz I. There, on May 5, 1831, Cecilia and August were married.
Unofficial Royalty: Cecilia of Sweden, Grand Duchess of Oldenburg

June 22, 1911 – Coronation of King George V of the United Kingdom at Westminster Abbey in London, England
George V’s wife Queen Mary was crowned with him. Following the traditional Coronation ceremony, including the homage of their eldest son, The Prince of Wales (later King Edward VIII, and Duke of Windsor), the newly crowned King and Queen returned to Buckingham Palace, where they appeared on the balcony several times throughout the day.
Unofficial Royalty: Coronation of King George V and Queen Mary

June 22, 1911 – Birth of Princess Cecilie of Greece and Denmark, Hereditary Grand Duchess of Hesse and by Rhine, sister of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, at Tatoi Palace in Greece
Cecilie married her first cousin once removed, Georg Donatus, Hereditary Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine. He was the son of Ernst Ludwig, Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine and his second wife Princess Eleonore of Solms-Hohensolms-Lich. Cecilie’s life came to a tragic end on November 16, 1937. A very pregnant Cecilie, her husband, their two sons, and her mother-in-law, were traveling by plane to London to attend the wedding of Don’s brother, Prince Ludwig and Margaret Geddes four days later. Facing bad weather, the plane was unable to land in Brussels, Belgium as scheduled and was instead diverted to Ostend, Belgium. While attempting to land, the plane clipped a chimney on a factory near the airport and then crashed leaving no survivors.
Unofficial Royalty: Princess Cecilie of Greece and Denmark, Hereditary Grand Duchess of Hesse

June 22, 1912 – Birth of Caroline Mathilde of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Countess of Castell-Rüdenhausen, daughter of Charles Edward, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, at Schloss Callenberg in Coburg, Duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, now in Bavaria, Germany
Full name: Caroline Matilda Helen Louise Augusta Beatrice
Known as Calma, she had an unhappy marriage with her first husband Count Friedrich Wolfgang of Castell-Rüdenhausen and they divorced. During World War II, Friedrich Wolfgang was killed in action while flying over England. Calma’s second husband was Captain Max Schnirring, a famous pilot whose aviation career began during World War I. Max was one of the first pilots for Deutsche Luft Hansa, a precursor to today’s Lufthansa. He died during a test flight when his plane crashed into a field.
Unofficial Royalty: Caroline Mathilde of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Countess of Castell-Rüdenhausen

June 22, 1961 – Death of Maria of Romania, Queen of Yugoslavia, wife of King Alexander I of Yugoslavia, in London, England; first buried at the Royal Burial Ground, Frogmore in Windsor, England; reburied at the Royal Family Mausoleum at Oplenac in Topola, Serbia
Marie’s husband King Alexander was assassinated in 1934. The couple’s eldest son Peter became King of Yugoslavia at the age of 11, and a regency was established, led by King Alexander’s cousin, Prince Paul of Yugoslavia. In 1941, the family was forced into exile following the Axis invasion, and Queen Marie settled at a cottage in the countryside of England, where she remained for the rest of her life. In 1947, the Communist government of Yugoslavia formally revoked her Yugoslavian citizenship and confiscated all of her property and assets. Marie, a great-granddaughter of Queen Victoria, lived a rather quiet life in England, pursuing her interests in painting and sculpting. When she died, was buried at the Royal Burial Ground at Frogmore in Windsor, England. In 2013, her remains were exhumed and repatriated to Serbia where they were reburied at the Royal Family Mausoleum at Oplenac, along with those of her sons, Prince Andrej and King Peter II, and King Peter’s wife, Queen Alexandra.
Unofficial Royalty: Maria of Romania, Queen of Yugoslavia

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