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Elisabeth Farnese, Queen of Spain; Credit – Wikipedia

July 11, 1238 – Birth of Dafydd ap Gruffydd, Prince of Wales in Gwynedd, Wales
Dafydd ap Gruffydd was the last native and independent Prince of Wales from December 11, 1282, until his brutal execution on October 3, 1283, on the orders of King Edward I of England. Dafydd ap Gruffydd married Lady Elizabeth de Ferrers, daughter of William de Ferrers, 5th Earl of Derby. Dafydd and Elizabeth had two sons and one daughter and all were ill-fated. After Dafydd’s brutal execution, King Edward I of England wanted to make sure that there were no more claimants to the Welsh throne. Dafydd’s two sons 15-year-old Llywelyn ap Dafydd and 7-year-old Owain ap Dafydd were imprisoned for the rest of their lives at Bristol Castle in England. Much of the time they were kept in cages. Dafydd’s young daughter Gwladys ferch Dafydd was sent to the Sixhills Convent in Sixhills, Lincolnshire, England, where she spent the rest of her life, dying circa 1336.
Unofficial Royalty: Dafydd ap Gruffydd, Prince of Wales

July 11, 1274 – Birth of Robert I the Bruce, King of Scots at Turnberry Castle in Ayrshire, Scotland
Robert the Bruce is a Scottish national hero and was King of Scots during the First War of Scottish Independence. Robert de Bruis (or Brus), his birth name from his Norman ancestors, was popularly called Robert the Bruce. The Scots refused to tolerate English rule, resulting in the Wars of Scottish Independence, a series of military campaigns fought between Scotland and England, first led by William Wallace and after his execution, led by Robert the Bruce. Robert the Bruce as Earl of Carrick and 7th Lord of Annandale, held estates and property in Scotland, a barony and some minor properties in England, and a strong claim to the throne of Scotland. On March 27, 1306, Robert the Bruce was proclaimed Robert I, King of Scots.
Unofficial Royalty: Robert I the Bruce, King of Scots

July 11, 1657 – Birth of Friedrich I, King in Prussia in Königsberg, Duchy of Prussia, later in the Kingdom of Prussia, now Kaliningrad, Russia
Friedrich I, the founder of the Kingdom of Prussia and its first King, reigned from 1701 until 1713. Upon his father’s death in April 1688, Friedrich succeeded him as Friedrich III, Elector of Brandenburg and Duke of Prussia. In November 1700, in exchange for supporting the Holy Roman Empire in the Spanish War of Succession, Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor agreed to allow Friedrich III, Duke of Prussia, Elector of Brandenburg to make Prussia a kingdom and become its first king.
Unofficial Royalty: Friedrich I, King in Prussia

July 11, 1723 – Birth of Karoline Luise of Hesse-Darmstadt, Margravine of Baden, 1st wife of Karl Friedrich, Margrave of Baden-Durlach, later the first Grand Duke of Baden, in Darmstadt, Landgraviate of Hesse-Darmstadt, now in Hesse, Germany
In 1751, Karoline Luise married the future Karl Friedrich, the first Grand Duke of Baden and they had four children. Karoline Luise’s numerous collections, including artwork, musical manuscripts, minerals, and other natural history artifacts, later formed the foundation for several museums in Karlsruhe.  After falling down some stairs in 1779, her health began to deteriorate. While in Paris, France with her son, she suffered a stroke and died.
Unofficial Royalty: Karoline Luise of Hesse-Darmstadt, Margravine of Baden

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

July 11, 1866 – Birth of Irene of Hesse and by Rhine, granddaughter of Queen Victoria, at the Neues Palais in Darmstadt, Grand Duchy of Hesse and by Rhine, now in Hesse, Germany
Full name: Irene Luise Maria Anna
Irene was the daughter of Princess Alice of the United Kingdom and her husband Ludwig IV, Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine.  She married her first cousin Prince Heinrich of Prussia. Like her own mother, Irene was a carrier of hemophilia and passed it to two of her three sons. They were two of the nine descendants of Queen Victoria who suffered from the disease.
Unofficial Royalty: Irene of Hesse and by Rhine, Princess of Prussia
Unofficial Royalty: Hemophilia in Queen Victoria’s Descendants

 July 11, 1867 – Death of Heinrich LXVII, 3rd Prince Reuss of Gera at Schloss Osterstein in Gera, Principality of Reuss-Gera, now in Thuringia, Germany; buried at the Bergkirche St. Marien now in Schleiz, Thuringia, Germany
Upon the death of his unmarried brother Heinrich LXII, 2nd Prince Reuss of Gera on June 19, 1854, Heinrich LXVII became the 3rd Prince Reuss of Gera. His reign was reactionary to the failed German Revolutions of 1848 which had demonstrated discontent with the traditional, autocratic political structure of the thirty-nine independent states of the German Confederation. Heinrich LXII’s government implemented a reactionary amendment to the constitution limiting the legislature’s power.
Unofficial Royalty: Heinrich LXVII, 3rd Prince Reuss of Gera

July 11, 1914 – Death of Adolf Friedrich V, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz in a private hospital in Berlin, Kingdom of Prussia, now in Brandenburg, Germany; buried in the New Crypt at the Johanniterkirche in Mirow, Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, now in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany
In 1908, Adolf Friedrich introduced a ministerial form of government but continued to meet resistance from the nobility when trying to make further reforms, such as the introduction of a new constitution. Thwarted at every attempt, in 1912 the Grand Duke offered to donate $2.5 million of his own funds to the national treasury and forfeit some of his sovereign rights, in exchange for a new constitution. But again, he was denied by the nobility. In January 1914, just months before his death, he was reported to be the second richest German sovereign, with a personal fortune of $88.75 million (over $2 billion today). In March 1914, the Grand Duke fell ill and underwent an operation in a private hospital in Berlin, Kingdom of Prussia, now in the German state of Brandenburg. He never fully recovered and died at the hospital.
Unofficial Royalty: Adolf Friedrich V, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz

July 11, 1920 – Death of Eugénie de Montijo, Empress of the French, at Liria Palace in Madrid, Spain; buried in the Imperial Crypt at Saint Michael’s Abbey in Farnborough, England with her husband and her son
After her husband Napoleon III, Emperor of the French lost his throne, the family went into exile in England where Eugénie developed a friendship with Queen Victoria. Despite her advanced age, Eugénie was very active during World War I. She supported several hospitals in France and funded a military hospital in Farnborough, England. She also donated her yacht to the British Navy. For her contributions to the war effort, she was made a Dame Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire in 1919 by King George V. Eugénie died at the age of 94 while visiting relatives at the Liria Palace in Madrid, in her native Spain.
Unofficial Royalty: Eugénie de Montijo, Empress of the French

July 11, 2011 – Death of George Lascelles, 7th Earl of Harewood, son of Mary, Princess Royal and first cousin of Queen Elizabeth II, at Harewood House near Leeds, England; buried at All Saint’s Church in Harewood, West Yorkshire, England
Lord Harewood had a deep interest in music, especially opera. He was editor of Opera magazine and director of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. He served as chairman of the board and musical director of the English National Opera and artistic director of the Edinburgh, Adelaide, and Leeds Music Festivals. Lord Harewood was the editor of two books about opera and the author of an autobiography, The Tongs and the Bones. During World War II, Lord Harewood served in the British Army with the Grenadier Guards. He was captured by the Germans and held as a prisoner of war.
Unofficial Royalty: George Lascelles, 7th Earl of Harewood

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William the Silent, Prince of Orange; Credit – Wikipedia 

July 10, 1086 – Murder of (Saint) Cnut IV, King of Denmark, at St. Alban’s Priory Church in Odense, Denmark; buried in front of the main altar of St. Alban’s Priory Church

Unofficial Royalty: (Saint) Cnut IV, King of Denmark

July 10, 1103 – Death of Eric I, King of Denmark in Paphos, Cyprus; buried at Chrysopolitissa Basilica in Paphos, Cyprus

Unofficial Royalty: Eric I, King of Denmark

July 10, 1451 – Birth of James III, King of Scots at Stirling Castle in Scotland
His birth date and birthplace are uncertain: either May 1452 at St. Andrew’s Castle or July 10, 1451 or July 20, 1451 at Stirling Castle. James III became King of Scots when he was nine years old. On August 3, 1460, his father 29-year-old James II, King of Scots was accidentally killed during the siege of Roxburgh Castle near the English border when a cannon nearby where he was standing exploded. As with the start of the reigns of James I and James II, Scotland once again had a child king. Mary of Guelders, the young king’s mother, served as the regent for her son until her death three years later. The remaining Scottish Stuarts, James IV, James V, Mary, Queen of Scots, and James VI, would also be child monarchs. James II’s death also continued the violent deaths of the Scottish Stuarts which started with the assassination of his father James I and continued with the deaths in battle of James III and James IV and the beheading of Mary, Queen of Scots.
Unofficial Royalty: James III, King of Scots

July 10, 1559 – Death of King Henri II of France from injuries suffered during a tournament at the Hôtel des Tournelles (now the Place des Vosges) in Paris, France; buried at Saint-Denis Basilica near Paris, France
King Henri II, at age 40, still liked to participate in tournaments even though he had been advised not to participate because of dizziness after physical exertion. On June 30, 1559,  Henri participated in what would be his last tournament.  Henri and Gabriel de Lorges, Comte de Montgomery, captain of the Scotch Guard jousted and Henri had been almost unseated from his horse. He insisted upon a rematch despite the urgings of his wife, the Duke of Savoy, and other friends to stop. The Comte de Montgomery reluctantly agreed to participate. de Montgomery’s lance struck the king’s helmet, splintered, and went through the visor going through the king’s right eye and his temple into the brain. The king was bleeding profusely and nearly unconscious. Henri’s wife Catherine d’Medici, desperate to find a way to cure her husband, had four criminals beheaded and then had splintered lances poked through the eyes at the same angle the lance had gone through Henry’s eye.  Henri’s condition continued to worsen.  On July 9, he was given the last rites and after suffering horribly for eleven days, Henri died, probably from a subdural hematoma and sepsis.
Unofficial Royalty: Henri II, King of France

July 10, 1584 – Assassination of Willem I, Prince of Orange (the Silent) at Prinsenhof in Delft, the Netherlands; buried at Nieuwe Kerk in Delft, the Netherlands
In the Netherlands, Willem I (the Silent), Prince of Orange is known as the Vader des Vaderlands (Father of the Fatherland), and the Dutch national anthem, the Wilhelmus, was written in his honor. He got his nickname “the Silent” (in Dutch De Zwijger) not because he was quiet, but because of his habit of holding his tongue in difficult situations. Willem is the founder of the House of Orange-Nassau and the ancestor of the Dutch monarchs, the British monarchs from King George I forward, and other European royal families. Willem left the Roman Catholic Church and became a member of the Dutch Reformed Church. He was declared an outlaw by King Philip II of Spain, who offered 25,000 crowns to anyone who killed Willem. The assassin Balthasar Gérard went to the Prinsenhof, Willem’s home, announcing that he wanted to speak to Willem. He was told that Willem was at lunch and would speak to him afterward. Gérard went to his inn to get his pistols and returned to the Prinsenhof. Willem had finished his lunch and made his way to the stairs to his second-floor chamber where he worked and slept. Gérard, who had been hiding behind a pillar, jumped out and fired two shots, hitting Willem in the chest at close range. Willem collapsed and died instantly.
Unofficial Royalty: Assassination of Willem I the Silent, Prince of Orange
Unofficial Royalty: Willem I, Prince of Orange (the Silent)

July 10, 1867 – Birth of Prince Maximilian of Baden, Margrave of Baden, pretender to the former throne of the Grand Duchy of Baden and the Head of the House of Zähringen from 1928 until he died in 1929, in Baden-Baden, Grand Duchy of Baden, now in the German state of Baden-Württemberg
Full name: Maximilian Alexander Friedrich Wilhelm
Unofficial Royalty: Prince Maximilian of Baden, Margrave of Baden

July 10, 1886 – Death of Duchess Agnes of Württemberg, Princess Reuss of Gera, wife of Heinrich XIV, 4th Prince Reuss of Gera, at Schloss Osterstein in Gera, Principality of Reuss-Gera, now in Thuringia, Germany; buried at the Bergkirche St. Marien in Schleiz, Principality of Reuss-Gera, now in Thuringia, Germany
As Princess of Reuss-Gera, Agnes founded numerous organizations and institutes that bore her name, such as the Agnes School, a training institute for female servants in Gera, the capital of the Principality of Reuss-Gera. She was also an author and used Angelica Hohenstein as her pen name.
Unofficial Royalty: Duchess Agnes of Württemberg, Princess Reuss of Gera

July 10, 1953 – Birth of Princess Takamado, widow of Prince Takamado of Japan, born Hisako Tottori in Tokyo, Japan
Princess Takamado’s husband suddenly died of a cardiopulmonary arrest while playing squash with the Canadian ambassador. Although Princess Takamado was left a widow with three daughters, she continued her husband’s efforts to foster international goodwill. She has been extremely active with many charitable organizations involving sports, cultural exchange, and the environment, taking on all the positions formerly held by her late husband and many new positions. Princess Takamado often represents the Japanese Imperial Family at royal events in other monarchies.
Unofficial Royalty: Hisako Tottori, Princess Takamado

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King Felipe V of Spain; Credit – Wikipedia

July 9, 1511 – Birth of Dorothea of Saxe-Lauenburg, Queen of Denmark and Norway, wife of King Christian III of Denmark and Norway, at Lauenburg Castle, Duchy of Saxe-Lauenburg, now in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany
Dorothea’s homeland, the Duchy of Saxe-Lauenburg, was one of the first states of the Holy Roman Empire to accept the Protestant Reformation so Dorothea came to her marriage as a Lutheran. In 1525, in Lauenburg, fourteen-year-old Dorothea married the twenty-three-year-old future King Christian III of Denmark and Norway, son of Frederik I, King of Denmark and Norway.  Dorothea’s dowry of 15,000 guilders was considered extremely small. The groom’s father Frederik I, who had only reluctantly given his permission to the marriage, did not attend the wedding. Frederik I was the last Roman Catholic Danish monarch. All subsequent Danish monarchs have been Lutheran. Christian already had Lutheran views and, as King, would turn Denmark Lutheran. Perhaps, Frederik I’s refusal to attend his son’s wedding was due to religion and the small dowry.
Unofficial Royalty: Dorothea of Saxe-Lauenburg, Queen of Denmark and Norway

July 9, 1746 – Death of King Felipe V of Spain, the first Bourbon King of Spain, born Philippe of France, Duke of Anjou; son of Louis of France, Le Grand Dauphin, and grandson of King Louis XIV of France, at El Escorial in Madrid, Spain; buried at Royal Palace of La Granja de San Ildefonso near Segovia, Spain
In 1700, Carlos II, King of Spain died childless with no immediate Habsburg heir. Philippe’s father Louis, Le Grand Dauphin had the strongest genealogical claim to the throne of Spain because his mother Maria Teresa, Infanta of Spain had been the half-sister of Carlos II. However, neither Philippe’s father nor his elder brother, Louis, Duke of Burgundy, could be displaced from their place in the succession to the French throne. Therefore, Carlos II, King of Spain named 16-year-old Philippe of Anjou, Duke of Anjou as his successor. Felipe and his first wife Maria Luisa of Savoy had four sons but only two survived childhood, they both became Kings of Spain and both had childless marriages. With his second wife Elisabeth Farnese of Parma, Felipe had six children including his successor Carlos III. Felipe suffered from mental instability and as he grew older, his mental issues worsened and his wife Elisabeth became the de facto ruler of Spain. Only the singing of the Italian castrato opera singer Farinelli (born Carlo Maria Michelangelo Nicola Broschi) brought any peace to Felipe. Felipe died of a stroke at the age of 62.
Unofficial Royalty: King Felipe V of Spain

July 9, 1835 – Death of Sophie of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, Countess of Mensdorff-Pouilly in Tuschimitz, Bohemia, now in the Czech Republic; buried in the park of Schloss Preitenstein, the family residence of the Mensdorff-Pouilly family, now in the Czech Republic
Sophie was the sister of Leopold I, the first King of the Belgians, and an aunt to both Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom and her husband Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.
Unofficial Royalty: Sophie of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, Countess of Mensdorff-Pouilly

July 9, 1836 – Birth of Sophia of Nassau, Queen of Sweden, wife of King Oscar II of Sweden at Biebrich Palace in Wiesbaden, Duchy of Nassau, now in Hesse, Germany
Full name: Sophia Wilhelmine Marianne Henriette
In 1857, Sofia married the future King Oscar II of Sweden and the couple had four sons. Queen Sofia was instrumental in establishing organized nursing schools in Sweden. A follower of Florence Nightingale, she learned much from a visit to the United Kingdom in 1881 and began her project upon returning to Sweden. In 1882, she arranged formal classes for nurses at the Sabbatsberg Hospital. Two years later, she opened the Sophiahemmet University College, and in 1889 it became the Sophiahemmet, a combined school for nurses and hospitals. When Queen Sofia died in 1913, she was the longest-serving Queen of Sweden, until surpassed in 2011 by Queen Silvia, wife of King Carl XVI Gustaf. Sofia is the last to hold the title of Dowager Queen. Queen Sofia is the ancestor of the current sovereigns of Belgium, Denmark, Luxembourg, Norway, and Sweden.
Unofficial Royalty: Sophia of Nassau, Queen of Sweden

July 9, 1857 – Birth of Friedrich II, Grand Duke of Baden in Karlsruhe, Grand Duchy of Baden, now in Baden-Württemberg, Germany
Full name: Friedrich Wilhelm Ludwig Leopold August
Friedrich became Grand Duke upon his father’s death in September 1907 and continued his father’s liberal policies. When the German Emperor abdicated in 1918, riots broke out throughout the German Empire, and Friedrich and his family were forced to flee Karlsruhe Palace, for Zwingenberg Castle in the Neckar valley. They then arranged to stay at Langenstein Castle, where Friedrich formally abdicated the throne of Baden on November 22, 1918.
Unofficial Royalty: Friedrich II, Grand Duke of Baden

July 9, 1863 – Death of Baron Christian Friedrich von Stockmar, advisor to Queen Victoria and Prince Albert from 1837-1847, in Coburg, the Duchy of Saxe-Coburg-and Gotha, now in Bavaria, Germany; buried in the Stockmar family tomb at Glockenberg Cemetery in Coburg; later Queen Victoria’s eldest daughter Victoria, Princess Royal and her husband had a tomb erected for Stockmar in the Neo-Renaissance style
Unofficial Royalty: Baron Christian Friedrich von Stockmar

July 9, 1916 – Death of Prince Adolf of Schaumburg-Lippe, first husband of Princess Viktoria of Prussia, daughter of Friedrich II, German Emperor, King of Prussia and granddaughter of Queen Victoria, in Bonn, Kingdom of Prussia, now in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany; buried in the family mausoleum in Bückeburg, Principality of Schaumburg-Lippe, now in Lower Saxony, Germany
Prince Adolf of Schaumburg-Lippe was the first husband of Princess Viktoria of Prussia (Moretta), a granddaughter of Queen Victoria. In 1890, Prince Adolf met Princess Viktoria of Prussia, daughter of Friedrich III, German Emperor and Victoria, Princess Royal, during a visit to Princess Marie of Wied, the mother of Queen Elisabeth of Romania. On November 19, 1890, he married Viktoria, known as Moretta, in Berlin. After an extended honeymoon in Egypt and Greece, the couple took up residence in the Palais Schaumburg in Bonn. Moretta had a miscarriage early in the marriage and the couple remained childless.
Unofficial Royalty: Prince Adolf of Schaumburg-Lippe

July 9, 1929 – Birth of King Hassan II of Morocco at the Royal Palace in Rabat, Morocco
From the 1960s to the late 1980s, Morocco’s human rights record was extremely poor. In Morocco, those years are known as the Years of Lead.  Thousands of dissidents were jailed, exiled, or disappeared. During this time, Morocco was one of the most repressive and undemocratic countries in the world. Due to pressure from other countries and human rights groups and the threat of international isolation, King Hassan began to gradually democratize Morocco. Political reforms in the 1990s resulted in the establishment of a two-house legislature in 1997 and Morocco’s first opposition-led government came to power in 1998. On July 23, 1999, King Hassan II of Morocco died, aged 70, from pneumonia in Rabat, Morocco. Over forty heads of state and other dignitaries attended his funeral.
Unofficial Royalty: King Hassan II of Morocco

July 9, 1985 – Death of Charlotte, Grand Duchess of Luxembourg at Fischbach Castle in Fischbach, Luxembourg; buried in the Ducal Crypt at the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Luxembourg City, Luxembourg
Grand Duchess Charlotte of Luxembourg was the sovereign from January 14, 1919, until November 12, 1964, when she abdicated in favor of her son Jean. During World War II, Germany invaded Luxembourg and Charlotte and her family spent most of the war in the United States. Charlotte returned to her homeland, and the family took up residence at Fischbach Castle, which had suffered significantly less damage than the other royal properties – Berg Castle and the Grand Ducal Palace. Her focus became rebuilding Luxembourg and bringing the tiny nation to a more prominent profile in Europe. Through the remainder of her reign, she entertained world leaders and paid visits to many others. Her efforts to gain Luxembourg a place on the world’s stage were successful.
Unofficial Royalty: Charlotte, Grand Duchess of Luxembourg

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Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen, Queen of Bavaria; Credit – Wikipedia

July 8, 975 – Death of King Edgar (the Peaceable) of England in Winchester, England, buried at Glastonbury Abbey in England
Most House of Wessex kings had a coronation at Kingston-on-Thames, the traditional site for Wessex coronations, St. Dunstan, Archbishop of Canterbury felt there was a need for a major ceremony similar to the coronations of the King of the Franks and the German Emperor. Dunstan wrote the order of service for Edgar’s coronation based upon ceremonies used by the Kings of the Franks and ceremonies used in the ordination of bishops. The main elements of the British coronation service and the form of the oath taken by the sovereign can be traced to the order of service devised by Dunstan for Edgar’s coronation. Although there have been revisions in the order of the ceremony, the sequence of taking an oath, anointing, investing of regalia, crowning, and enthronement found in the Anglo-Saxon text has remained constant.
Unofficial Royalty: King Edgar of England

July 8, 1332 – Death of Mary of Woodstock, daughter of King Edward I of England, at Amesbury Abbey in Wiltshire, England; buried at Amesbury Abbey in Wiltshire, England
The tenth child and sixth daughter of Edward I and his first wife Eleanor of Castile, Mary became a nun in 1285 and lived the rest of her life at the Benedictine convent at Amesbury, Wiltshire, England where she died and was buried in 1332.
Unofficial Royalty: Mary of Woodstock

July 8, 1617 – Execution of Leonora Dori Galigaï, favorite of Marie de’ Medici, Queen of France, at the Place de Grève in Paris, France
Leonora Dori Galigai and her husband Concino Concini, were favorites of Marie de’ Medici, Queen of France, the second wife of Henri IV, King of France. The behavior and policies of Concino and Leonora caused hatred among the French people. The French nobility had to deal with their power being weakened because Concino and Leonora’s Tuscan followers were given preference in the awarding of positions and privileges. The French common people resented the power of these Tuscans who had become masters of France. Henri IV’s son and successor, sixteen-year-old King Louis XIII, who detested Leonora and Concino, stepped up and asserted his position as King. In April 1617, he organized a coup d’état that resulted in the assassination of Concino. Soon after her husband’s death, Leonora was arrested, accused of witchcraft, tried, and found guilty. On July 8, 1617, at the Place de Grève in Paris, now the Place de l’Hôtel-de-Ville, Leonora was beheaded, and then her headless body burned at the stake.
Unofficial Royalty: Leonora Dori Galigaï, favorite of Marie de’ Medici, Queen of France

July 8, 1640 – Birth of Henry Stuart, Prince of England, Duke of Gloucester, son of King Charles I of England, at Oatlands Palace, a Tudor and Stuart royal palace near Weybridge in Surrey, England
When Henry’s father King Charles I was deposed and beheaded during the English Civil War, Henry and his elder sister Elizabeth could not flee to France with their mother because they were not with her then. They remained in England under the care of the Parliamentarians and were moved from one residence to another. King Charles I was allowed to see 13-year-old Elizabeth and 8-year-old Henry before his beheading. Elizabeth died from pneumonia but Henry was eventually reunited with his mother Henrietta Maria in her native France. The monarchy was restored in 1660, and on May 23, 1660, King Charles II landed at Dover, England on his 30th birthday, accompanied by his brother Henry. There was a smallpox epidemic in London and twenty-year-old Henry became ill with the disease and died on September 13, 1660.
Unofficial Royalty: Henry Stuart, Prince of England, Duke of Gloucester

July 8, 1786 – Birth of Karl, Grand Duke of Baden at Karlsruhe Palace in Karlsruhe, Grand Duchy of Baden, now in Baden-Württemberg, Germany
Full name: Karl Ludwig Friedrich
Karl became Grand Duke of Baden upon the death of his grandfather Karl Friedrich, Grand Duke of Baden in 1811. In 1806, Karl had married Stéphanie de Beauharnais. They had five children but their only son died within a week of his birth. In 1817, with no living male heirs, and only one unmarried uncle to succeed him, Karl formally gave dynastic rights to his half-uncles – the sons of his grandfather Karl Friedrich from his second, morganatic, marriage. This kept the Grand Ducal throne of Baden from passing to Karl’s brother-in-law King Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria. In 1818, Karl oversaw the passing of a new and much more liberal constitution.
Unofficial Royalty: Karl, Grand Duke of Baden

July 8, 1792 – Birth of Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen, Queen of Bavaria, wife of King Ludwig I of Bavaria, at Jagdschloss Seidingstadt, the summer residence of the Dukes of Saxe-Hildburghausen in Straufhain, Duchy of Saxe-Hildburghausen, now in Thuringia, Germany
Full name: Therese Charlotte Luise Friederike Amalie
Therese was included on a list of prospective brides for Napoleon I, Emperor of the French who was looking to marry into one of the old royal houses of Europe. However, the future King Ludwig I of Bavaria would become her husband. The couple met in December 1809 when Ludwig visited Hildburghausen and became engaged on February 12, 1810. After prolonged negotiations, primarily due to Therese’s unwillingness to convert to Catholicism, she and her family traveled to Munich, Kingdom of Bavaria, now in the German state of Bavaria, for the marriage. Therese and Ludwig married on October 12, 1810, and celebrations were held for several days following at the Theresienwiese in Munich, a large outdoor space named in her honor. Theresienwiese is the site of Oktoberfest, held each year to commemorate the wedding.
Unofficial Royalty: Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen, Queen of Bavaria
Unofficial Royalty: Oktoberfest’s Royal Connection

July 8, 1824 – Death of Queen Kamāmalu of the Kingdom of the Hawaiian Islands, favorite the five wives of Kamehameha II, King of the Hawaiian Islands, in London, England; buried at Mauna ʻAla (Fragrant Hills), the Royal Mausoleum of Hawaii in Honolulu, Hawaii
While on a visit to London, England, King Kamehameha II and the favorite of his five wives, Queen Kamāmalu, caught measles and died. They had no natural immunity because the people of the Hawaiian Islands had lived in isolation until their contact with Europeans.
Unofficial Royalty: Kamāmalu, Queen Consort of the Hawaiian Islands

July 8, 1827 – Birth of Peter II, Grand Duke of Oldenburg  in Oldenburg, Grand Duchy of Oldenburg, now in Lower Saxony, Germany
Full name: Nikolaus Friedrich Peter
After receiving his education, Peter served in both the Prussian and Hanoverian armies. In February 1852, he married Princess Elisabeth of Saxe-Altenburg, the daughter of Joseph, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg and Duchess Amelia of Württemberg. Peter became Grand Duke upon his father’s death in February 1853.
Unofficial Royalty: Peter II, Grand Duke of Oldenburg

July 8, 1848 – Birth of Roberto I, Duke of Parma in Florence, Grand Duchy of Tuscany, now in Italy
Full name: Roberto Carlo Luigi Maria
Roberto I was the last Duke of Parma. As a not-quite-six-year-old, he succeeded his father who was assassinated, and then lost his throne five years later due to the Italian unification movement. Despite losing his throne, Roberto and his family had considerable wealth traveled in a private train of more than a dozen cars, and had several residences. Roberto is known for having 24 children, 12 from each of his two marriages. Among his children are Princess Marie Louise of Bourbon-Parma who married Ferdinand I, Prince of Bulgaria (later Tsar), Princess Zita of Bourbon-Parma who married Karl I, the last Emperor of Austria, and Prince Felix of Bourbon-Parma who married Grand Duchess Charlotte of Luxembourg.
Unofficial Royalty: Roberto I, Duke of Parma

July 8, 1850 – Death of Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge, son of King George III of the United Kingdom, at Cambridge House, Piccadilly in London, England; originally buried in the Cambridge Mausoleum at St. Anne’s Church in Kew, London, England; the remains of Adolphus and his wife were reinterred in 1930 in the Royal Vault in St. George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle at the instigation of their granddaughter Queen Mary
Adolphus was a paternal uncle of Queen Victoria and the grandfather of Queen Mary, wife of King George V, making him an ancestor of the current British royal family. Prince Adolphus died “of cramps in the stomach” at Cambridge House in Piccadilly, London at the age of 76. His niece Queen Victoria reported his death to her Uncle Leopold, King of the Belgians: “My poor good Uncle Cambridge breathed his last, without a struggle, at a few minutes before ten, last night.”
Unofficial Royalty: Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge

July 8, 1853 – Death of Karl Friedrich, Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach at Schloss Belvedere in Weimar, Grand Duchy of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, now in Thuringia, Germany; buried in the Weimarer Fürstengruft in the Historical Cemetery in Weimar
After finishing his education, Karl Friedrich embarked on a Grand Tour of Europe. While visiting St. Petersburg in July 1803, Karl Friedrich met his future wife, Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna of Russia. She was the daughter of Paul I, Emperor of All Russia and his second wife Sophia Dorothea of Württemberg. They married in St. Petersburg, Russia on August 3, 1804, and had four children including Princess Augusta who married Wilhelm I, King of Prussia, German Emperor.
Unofficial Royalty: Karl Friedrich, Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach

July 8, 1859 – Death of King Oscar I of Sweden at the Royal Palace in Stockholm, Sweden; buried at Riddarholmen Church in Stockholm, Sweden
Oscar I’s health had never been strong and he began to suffer periods when he would fall silent in mid-sentence and then continue a minute later as if nothing had happened. By the early 1850s, these symptoms worsened and in 1852 he was forced to make a trip to the spa at Bad Kissingen in Bavaria in hopes of recovery. In the fall of 1852, he became ill with typhoid fever and it took a year for him to fully recover. He continued to have neurological symptoms and by 1857, it was suspected that Oscar had a brain tumor. By September 1857, Oscar was paralyzed and the doctors recommended that he be relieved of his duties, and his eldest son Carl was declared Regent. After Oscar’s death, an autopsy confirmed that he had a brain tumor.
Unofficial Royalty: King Oscar I of Sweden

July 8, 1996 – Death of Albrecht, Duke of Bavaria, Head of the House of Wittelsbach and pretender to the former Bavarian throne from 1955 until his death, at Berg Castle in Starnberg, Bavaria, Germany; buried at the Wittelsbach cemetery at Andechs Abbey in Starnberg
Albrecht, Duke of Bavaria was Head of the House of Wittelsbach and pretender to the former Bavarian throne from 1955 until he died in 1996. He was the eldest surviving grandson of the last reigning King of Bavaria, Ludwig III, and also the heir to the Jacobite succession.
Unofficial Royalty: Albrecht, Duke of Bavaria
Unofficial Royalty: The Jacobite Succession – Pretenders to the British Throne

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King Talal of Jordan;  Credit – Wikipedia

July 7, 1307 – Death of King Edward I of England at Burgh-by-Sands, England; buried at Westminster Abbey in London, England
Edward I may be best known for his relentless, but unsuccessful campaign to assert his overlordship over Scotland. It was resisted by William Wallace and Robert the Bruce, (later King Robert I of Scotland) but it gave him one of his nicknames, “Hammer of the Scots,” which was inscribed on his tomb. In 1296, Edward I captured the Stone of Scone, an oblong block of red sandstone used for centuries in the coronation of the monarchs of Scotland. Edward had the Stone of Scone taken to Westminster Abbey, where it was fitted into a wooden chair, known as King Edward’s Chair, on which most subsequent English monarchs have been crowned. In 1996, 700 years after it was taken, the Stone of Scone was returned to Scotland. It is kept at Edinburgh Castle in the Crown Room alongside the crown jewels of Scotland (the Honours of Scotland) when not used at coronations. Ever the warrior, in the summer of 1307, Edward was on the way to Scotland, when the 68-year-old king died at Burgh by Sands in Cumbria, England.
Unofficial Royalty: King Edward I of England

July 7, 1537 – Death of Madeleine de Valois, Queen of Scots, daughter of King François I of France and first wife of James V, King of Scots, at Holyrood Palace in Edinburgh, Scotland; buried at Holyrood Abbey in Edinburgh, Scotland
Scotland wanted to strengthen their alliance with France.  The Treaty of Rouen was signed in 1517 and one of the provisions was for King James V of Scotland to marry a French princess. When King James V reached a marriageable age, talks began regarding a marriage with Madeleine.  However, Madeleine had tuberculosis but James V married her anyway. After months of celebrations in France, the couple arrived in Scotland on May 19, 1537,  but Madeleine’s health deteriorated. Madeleine wrote a letter to her father on June 8, 1537, saying that she was feeling better and that her symptoms had subsided.  Despite this, on July 7, 1537, Madeleine died from tuberculosis in her husband’s arms, a month short of her seventeenth birthday.
Unofficial Royalty: Madeleine de Valois, Queen of Scots

July 7, 1683 – Death of Elisabeth Henriette of Hesse-Kassel, Electoral Princess of Brandenburg, first wife of the future King Friedrich I in Prussia, in Berlin, Electorate of Brandenburg, now in Brandenburg, Germany; buried at the Berlin Cathedral
Elisabeth Henriette and Friedrich were first cousins and had known each other for most of their lives. Elisabeth Henriette’s mother encouraged and promoted the marriage which was a love match. Elisabeth Henriette, aged 22, contracted smallpox and died just weeks before her fourth wedding anniversary.
Unofficial Royalty: Elisabeth Henriette of Hesse-Kassel, Electoral Princess of Brandenburg

July 7, 1718 – Death of Alexei Petrovich, Tsarevich of Russia, son of Peter I (the Great), Emperor of All Russia and his first wife Eudoxia Feodorovna Lopukhina, at the Fortress of St. Peter and Paul in St. Petersburg, Russia; buried at the Peter and Paul Cathedral in St. Petersburg
Alexei Petrovich, Tsarevich of Russia, heir to the Russian throne, was the elder of the two sons of Peter I (the Great), Emperor of All Russia, and his first wife Eudoxia Feodorovna Lopukhina. In 1711, 21-year-old Alexei married 17-year-old Charlotte Christine of Brunswick-Lüneburg. Alexei and Charlotte Christine had two children, Grand Duchess Natalia Alexeievna who died of tuberculosis at age 14, and Peter II, Emperor of All Russia who died of smallpox at age 14. Three days after giving birth to her son Peter, 21-year-old Charlotte Christine died from puerperal fever (childbed fever). In 1718, Alexei confessed to being involved in a plot to overthrow his father and implicated most of his friends. He was tried, convicted, and sentenced to be executed. The sentence could be carried out only with Peter the Great’s signed authorization but Peter hesitated in making the decision.  28-year-old Alexei died at the Fortress of St. Peter and Paul in St. Petersburg. His death most likely resulted from injuries suffered during his torture.
Unofficial Royalty: Alexei Petrovich, Tsarevich of Russia

July 7, 1759 – Birth of Isabella Ingram-Seymour-Conway, Marchioness of Hertford, mistress of King George IV of the United Kingdom, born Isabella Anne Ingram in London, England
Isabella was the daughter of Charles Ingram, 9th Viscount of Irvine and Frances Shepherd. Charles Ingram was a prominent landowner and politician and served as a Groom of the Bedchamber to King George III from 1756 until 1763. She replaced Maria Fitzherbert, the long-time mistress of the Prince of Wales, the future King George IV, and was his mistress from 1807-1819.
Unofficial Royalty: Isabella Ingram-Seymour-Conway, Marchioness of Hertford, mistress of King George IV of the United Kingdom

July 7, 1839 – Birth of Feodora of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, Duchess of Saxe-Meiningen, second wife of Georg II, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen, in Stuttgart, Kingdom of Baden-Württemberg, now in Baden-Württemberg, Germany
Full name: Feodora Victoria Adelheid
Feodora was the youngest child of Ernst I, Prince of Hohenlohe-Langenburg and Princess Feodora of Leiningen, the half-sister of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom. Through her mother, she was the niece of Queen Victoria.
Unofficial Royalty: Feodora of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, Duchess of Saxe-Meiningen

July 7, 1883 – Birth of Prince Eitel Friedrich of Prussia, son of Wilhelm I, German Emperor, at Marmorpalais in Potsdam, Kingdom of Prussia, now in Brandenburg, Germany
Full name: Wilhelm Eitel Friedrich Christian Karl
Eitel Friedrich married Duchess Sophie Charlotte of Oldenburg. The marriage was childless and never happy because Eitel Friedrich was continually unfaithful, and Sophie found it difficult to make friends in her new home. The couple was formally divorced on October 20, 1926. After World War I and the end of the German Empire, Eitel Friedrich remained active in monarchist circles and was an outspoken critic of Adolf Hitler.
Unofficial Royalty: Prince Eitel Friedrich of Prussia

July 7, 1972 – Death of King Talal of Jordan in Istanbul, Turkey; buried in a mausoleum at the Royal Cemetery, near Raghadan Palace within the Royal Compound (Al-Maquar) in Amman, Jordan
At the time of the assassination of his father King Abdullah I of Jordan in 1951, Talal was in a sanatorium in Switzerland being treated for a nervous breakdown. At first, it was unsure whether Talal would succeed his father due to his mental condition, but on September 5, 1951, he was proclaimed King of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. On June 4, 1952, the Jordanian Cabinet announced that it was necessary to form a Regency Council because Talal’s condition had worsened despite the treatment. The Jordanian Parliament declared Talal mentally unfit on August 11, 1952, and proclaimed his eldest son Hussein King of Jordan. Talal died on July 7, 1972, in Istanbul, Turkey where he had spent the last years of his life in a sanatorium reportedly being treated for schizophrenia.
Unofficial Royalty: King Talal of Jordan

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Sophie of Sweden, Grand Duchess of Baden;  Credit: Wikipedia

July 6, 1189 – Death of King Henry II of England at Chateau Chinon, in Chinon, County of Anjou, now in France; buried at Fontevrault Abbey near Chinon
By the time Henry II turned age 56 in 1189, he was prematurely aged. Two sons were left: Richard, the second son, the favorite of Henry II’s wife Eleanor of Aquitaine, and the heir since his elder brother’s death, and John, the youngest child and Henry’s favorite. King Philippe II of France successfully played upon Richard’s fears that Henry would make John King, and a final rebellion broke out in 1189. Decisively defeated by Philip and Richard and suffering from a bleeding ulcer, Henry retreated to his favorite residence, the Château de Chinon in Anjou. There he was told that John had publicly sided with Richard in the rebellion, and this broke his heart. Only his illegitimate son Geoffrey, Archbishop of York was at his father’s deathbed and it moved Henry to observe that his illegitimate son had proved more loyal than his legitimate sons. King Henry II of England died at the Château de Chinon on July 6, 1189, at the age of 56, and was succeeded by his son Richard. The late historical fiction author Sharon Kay Penman‘s excellently researched and highly recommended Plantagenet Series deals with Henry II and his family.
Unofficial Royalty: King Henry II of England

July 6, 1553 – Death of King Edward VI of England at Greenwich Palace in London, England, buried at Westminster Abbey in London, England
In January 1553, fifteen-year-old King Edward VI became ill with a fever and cough that gradually worsened. It is liekly that he had tuberculosis. By May 1553, the royal doctors had no hope that the king would recover. After great suffering, fifteen-year-old King Edward VI died on July 6, 1553, at Greenwich Palace. He had a Protestant funeral conducted by Thomas Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury, and was buried in the Henry VII Chapel at Westminster Abbey on August 8, 1553.
Unofficial Royalty: King Edward VI of England

July 6, 1598 – Birth of Kirsten Munk, morganatic second wife of King Christian IV of Denmark, in Nørlund, Denmark
After the death of his wife  Anna Katharina of Brandenburg, 39-year-old Christian IV became attracted to 18-year-old Kirsten. Kirsten’s astute mother did not want her daughter to become Christian’s mistress and instead negotiated a morganatic marriage between Christian and her daughter due to Kirsten’s status as a noble. Kirsten received properties in her name and was assured of a widow’s pension. Christian and Kirsten were married on December 31, 1615, and Kirsten was not the Queen due to the morganatic marriage and was given the title Countess of Schleswig-Holstein. Despite Christian IV having affairs, he had a close relationship with Kristen who was described as intelligent and independent, and accompanied the king on his travels.
Unofficial Royalty: Kirsten Munk, Countess of Schleswig-Holstein

July 6, 1724 – Birth of Johann Nepomuk Karl, Prince of Liechtenstein in Wischau, Bohemia, now in the Czech Republic
Full name: Johann Nepomuk Karl Borromäus Josef Franz de Paula
In 1732, eight-year-old Johann Nepomuk Karl became the reigning Prince of Liechtenstein upon the death of his 42-year-old father. The former reigning Prince of Liechtenstein Josef Wenzel I served as regent and guardian for Johann Nepomuk Karl until he reached his majority in 1745. He carefully prepared Johann Nepomuk Karl to take over the business of government. However, when Johann Nepomuk Karl reached the age of 21 and took over the government, it appeared he had not learned anything. He was soon neglecting his government duties. In 1748, Johann Nepomuk Karl, Prince of Liechtenstein died at the age of 24. Because Johann Nepomuk Karl had no male heir, the former reigning Prince of Liechtenstein Josef Wenzel I once again became the reigning Prince.
Unofficial Royalty: Johann Nepomuk Karl, Prince of Liechtenstein

July 6, 1789 – Birth of Maria Isabella of Spain, Queen of the Two Sicilies at the Royal Palace of Madrid in Spain, second wife of Francesco I, King of the Two Sicilies
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 years 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

July 6, 1796 – Birth of Nicholas I, Emperor of All Russia at Gatchina Palace near St. Petersburg, Russia
Nicholas I, Emperor of All Russia was the third of the four sons and the ninth of the ten children of Paul I, Emperor of All Russia. Because he had two, much older brothers, he was not expected to become Emperor. Nicholas’ eldest brother Alexander I, Emperor of All Russia had no surviving children and the second brother Grand Duke Constantine Pavlovich was the heir to the throne. Grand Duke Constantine morganatically married Joanna Grudzińska. However, for Alexander I to approve the marriage, Constantine was required to forfeit his rights to the Russian throne in favor of his younger brother Nicholas.
Unofficial Royalty: Nicholas I, Emperor of All Russia

July 6, 1829 – Birth of Friedrich VIII, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein at Augustenborg Palace in Augustenborg, Denmark
Full name: Frederik Christian August
In 1864, following the Second Schleswig War, the Duchy of Holstein and the Duchy of Schleswig became occupied territories of the German Confederation, and two years later, following the Austro-Prussian War, part of the new Prussian Province of Schleswig-Holstein. However, Prussia recognized Friedrich as the mediatized duke of these two duchies, with the rank and all the titles.
Unofficial Royalty: Friedrich VIII, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein

July 6, 1832 – Birth of Maximilian I, Emperor of Mexico, born Archduke Maximilian of Austria, at Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna, Austria
Full name: Ferdinand Maximilian Joseph Maria
Maximilian was born an Austrian Archduke and was the brother of Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria. In 1861, Maximilian accepted the offer of becoming Emperor of Mexico. However, the liberal forces led by Benito Juárez, the former president deposed by the French, refused to recognize his rule. There was continuous warfare between the French troops and the forces of Juárez who wanted a republic. Maximilian was condemned to death by a court of war and was executed by a firing squad.
Unofficial Royalty: Maximilian I, Emperor of Mexico

July 6, 1865 – Death of Sofia of Sweden, Grand Duchess of Baden, daughter of King Gustav IV Adolf of Sweden and wife of Leopold, Grand Duke of Baden, at Karlsruhe Palace Grand Duchy of Baden, now in Baden-Württemberg, Germany; first buried in the Karlsruhe Stadtkirche, after World War II, her remains were moved to the Grand Ducal Chapel in the Pheasant Garden in Karlsruhe
As the wife of the  Grand Duke of Baden, Sofia was very conscious of her duty. She worked diligently, supporting her husband Leopold, and becoming involved in charitable organizations that helped those in need. Sofia maintained a strong interest in science and art, but it was politics that seemed to be her biggest interest. A prolific writer, she maintained extensive correspondence with relatives and friends throughout Europe and never hesitated to share her thoughts and opinions when it came to any sort of political situation whether in her own country or elsewhere.
Unofficial Royalty: Sofia of Sweden, Grand Duchess of Baden

July 6, 1868 – Birth of Princess Victoria of the United Kingdom, daughter of King Edward VII of the United Kingdom, at Marlborough House in London, England
Full name: Victoria Alexandra Olga Mary
Victoria’s mother Alexandra was extremely possessive, demanded complete devotion from her children, and insisted that they call her Motherdear. Victoria’s sisters Louise and Maud escaped into marriage, leaving her at home as her mother’s constant companion. She had several suitors including Prince Adolphus of Teck, Sir Arthur Davidson, one of her father’s equerries, and Archibald Primrose, 5th Earl of Rosebery. Lord Rosebery was a former Prime Minister who had been widowed, and both he and Victoria would have liked to have married. However, Victoria’s mother actively discouraged her from marrying anyone. Instead, she remained a companion to her mother Queen Alexandra, and lived with her mother until 1925, when Queen Alexandra died. Grand Duchess Olga Alexandrovna, Toria’s first cousin, described her as little more than “a glorified maid.”
Unofficial Royalty: Princess Victoria of the United Kingdom

July 6, 1893 – Wedding of Prince George, Duke of York (later King George V of the United Kingdom) and Princess Mary of Teck, at the Chapel Royal, St. James Palace in London, England
After the death of Mary’s first fiancé Prince Albert Victor, the eldest son of the future King Edward VII and the brother of Prince George, Duke of York (later King George V), Mary and George spent much time together. As time passed and their common grief eased, there was hope that a marriage might take place between them. George proposed to Mary beside a pond in the garden of his sister Louise’s home, East Sheen Lodge, on April 29, 1893. The engagement was announced on May 3, 1893, with the blessing of Queen Victoria.
Unofficial Royalty: Wedding of King George V of the United Kingdom and Princess Mary of Teck

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Maria Pia of Savoy, Queen of Portugal; Credit – Wikipedia

July 5, 1321 – Birth of Joan of the Tower, daughter of King Edward II of England and wife of David II, King of Scots, at the Tower of London in London, England
In 1328, England and Scotland signed the Treaty of Edinburgh-Northampton. The treaty formally ended the First War of Scottish Independence, which had begun with King Edward I of England’s invasion of Scotland in 1296. According to the treaty’s terms, six-year-old Joan would marry Robert I the Bruce, King of Scots’ heir, four-year-old David. The very young couple married on July 17, 1328, at Berwick-upon-Tweed, the northernmost town in England, 2 ½ miles from the border with Scotland. Although the couple was married for 34 years, they had no children.
Unofficial Royalty: Joan of the Tower, Queen of Scots

July 5, 1554 – Birth of Elisabeth of Austria, Queen of France, wife of wife of King Charles IX of France, in Vienna, Austria
Elisabeth was the daughter of Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor. In 1570, she married King Charles IX of France. Elisabeth gave birth in 1572 to her only child, a daughter Princess Marie Elisabeth, who lived for only six years. In 1574, Elisabeth’s husband Charles IX died at the age of 23 from tuberculosis. Widowed at the age of 20, Elisabeth was determined to return to Vienna. Having provided no male heirs to the French throne, her future life at the French court alongside her mother-in-law Catherine de Medici was a dismal prospect. In 1580, Elisabeth bought some land in Vienna and founded the Convent of Poor Clares, Mary, Queen of Angels, also known as the Queen’s Monastery, and retired there. Elisabeth devoted the rest of her life to the practice of piety, caring for the poor, and nursing the sick. On January 22, 1592, Elisabeth died of pleurisy at the age of 37.
Unofficial Royalty: Elisabeth of Austria, Queen of France

July 5, 1717 – Birth of King Pedro III of Portugal at the Ribeira Palace in Lisbon, Portugal
Full name: Pedro Clemente Francisco José António
The younger son of King João V of Portugal, Pedro co-reigned with his wife and niece Queen Maria I. However, the regal authority was vested entirely in Maria, the rightful heir to the throne. Since female succession to the throne of Portugal had never happened before, Maria’s father King José I of Portugal decided that she would marry his younger brother Pedro, the first male in the line of succession. Despite the 17-year age gap, the couple had a happy marriage and had six children.
Unofficial Royalty: Pedro III, King of Portugal

July 5, 1816 – Death of Dorothea Jordan, mistress of King William IV of the United Kingdom, in Saint-Cloud, France; buried in the local cemetery in Saint-Cloud, France
Actress Dorothea Jordan had a 21-year affair with the future King William IV of the United Kingdom. Dorothea and William had ten children together, all of whom were given the surname FitzClarence They married into the British aristocracy and their many descendants include many notable people. Upon the death of Princess Charlotte of Wales, the only legitimate grandchild of King George III, William and the other unmarried sons of King George III were pressured to marry to provide heirs to the throne. William ended his relationship with Dorothea and made a childless marriage with Adelaide of Saxe-Meinigen but he ensured Dorothea was very well-provided for.  Dorothea had one condition to continue receiving her allowance from William,  she could not return to the theater.  When she did return to the theater to help pay the debts of her daughter and son-in-law, her allowance was canceled. Greatly in debt, she sold her house and moved to France to escape her creditors and settled in Saint-Cloud, just outside of Paris where she died virtually penniless.
Unofficial Royalty: Dorothea Jordan, mistress of King William IV of the United Kingdom

July 5, 1866 – Wedding of Princess Helena of the United Kingdom, daughter of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom, and Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein at the Private Chapel, Windsor Castle in Windsor, England
One of Queen Victoria’s requirements for Helena’s husband was that he had to be prepared to live near the Queen so that Helena could continue to be her companion and secretary. This eliminated many potential husbands. The final candidate in Queen Victoria’s search was a 35-year-old impoverished prince, Christian of Schleswig-Holstein, suggested by Queen Victoria’s uncle Leopold I, King of the Belgians. In August 1865, Queen Victoria and all her children went to Coburg to unveil a statue of Prince Albert. It was there that Helena and Christian first met. The possibility of a marriage between Helena and Christian was not met with unanimous approval within the royal family. The fact that Christian was 15 years older than Helena certainly did not help that suggestion. However, Helena and Christian knew they did not have many marriage prospects and were both agreeable to the marriage. Their engagement was announced on December 5, 1865.
Unofficial Royalty: Wedding of Princess Helena of the United Kingdom and Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein

July 5, 1911 – Death of Maria Pia of Savoy, Queen of Portugal, wife of King Luís I of Portugal, at the Stupinigi Palace in Turin, Italy; buried at the Basilica of Superga near Turin, Italy
The early 1900s were a difficult time for Maria Pia.  Her brother King Umberto I of Italy was assassinated in 1900.  Following the assassination of her son King Carlos I of Portugal and his son Crown Prince Luis Filipe in 1908, and the deposing of her grandson King Manuel II of Portugal two years later, Maria Pia fell into a deep depression.  She returned to her native Italy soon after, where she died on July 5, 1911, at the Royal Chateau at Stupingi Palace.  She is buried at the Basilica of Superga in Turin, Italy, making her one of just a few Portuguese consorts not to be buried in the Royal Pantheon of the House of Braganza in Lisbon.
Unofficial Royalty: Maria Pia of Savoy, Queen of Portugal

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King Taufa’ahau Tupou IV of Tonga; Credit – Wikipedia

July 4, 1394 – Death of Mary de Bohun, first wife of King Henry IV of England, at Peterborough Castle in Peterborough, England; buried at St Mary of the Annunciation of  the Newarke in Leicester, England, which was destroyed under the Dissolution of the Chantries Act of Edward VI
Mary died while delivering her daughter Philippa, her second daughter and seventh child. She was never queen because she died before her husband became king.
Unofficial Royalty: Mary de Bohun, Countess of Northampton, Countess of Derby

July 4, 1394 – Birth of Philippa of England, daughter of King Henry IV of England, wife of Eric of Pomerania, King of Denmark, Sweden, and Norway, at Peterborough Castle in Peterborough, England
Eleven-year-old Philippa was married by proxy to 24-year-old Eric of Pomerania, King of Denmark, Sweden, and Norway on November 26, 1405, at Westminster Abbey in London. Philippa was formally proclaimed Queen of Denmark, Sweden, and Norway on December 8, 1405, in the presence of the Danish, Swedish, and Norwegian ambassadors. In August 1406, Philippa left England to travel to Sweden and married Eric of Pomerania in person on October 26, 1406, at Lund Cathedral in Lund, Sweden. Documentation from the wedding indicates that Philippa wore a tunic with a cloak in white silk bordered with gray squirrel and ermine, making her the first documented princess to wear a white wedding dress. On November 1, 1406, Philippa was crowned Queen of Denmark, Sweden, and Norway.
Unofficial Royalty: Philippa of England, Queen of Denmark, Sweden, and Norway

July 4, 1799 – Birth of King Oscar I of Sweden and Norway in Paris, France
Born Joseph Francois Oscar Bernadotte
Oscar was the son of General Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte, a Marshal of France, and Bernardine Eugénie Désirée Clary, known as Désirée, the first fiancée of Napoleon Bonaparte. In 1810, just as Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte was about to start a new position as governor of Rome, the Swedish Riksdag elected him heir to the childless King Carl XIII of Sweden. The Riksdag wanted a soldier as the king because of their worries over Russia. Oscar was eleven years old when his father was elected Crown Prince of Sweden and he moved to Stockholm with his mother Désirée. Oscar was given the title Duke of Södermanland, and, unlike his mother, quickly learned Swedish and adapted to life in Sweden. Oscar’s father reigned as King Carl XIV Johan and started the House of Bernadotte which still reigns in Sweden.
Unofficial Royalty: King Oscar I of Sweden

 July 4, 1890 – Birth of Irene Mountbatten, Marchioness of Carisbrooke, wife of Queen Victoria’s grandson Alexander Mountbatten, Marquess of Carisbrooke, born Lady Irene Denison, daughter of William Denison, 2nd Earl of Londesborough in London, England
Lady Irene’s family was well-connected. For her 18th birthday, a party was held at St. Dunstan’s Lodge in Regents Park, London, and The Duke and Duchess of Connaught attended along with their daughter Margaret, Crown Princess of Sweden, and her husband, the Crown Prince (the future King Gustaf VI Adolf of Sweden). Lady Irene was a debutante in 1908, the same year as her 18th birthday party. A periodical from the time called Lady Irene an interesting debutante and said that she is “fond of sport…shares her parents’ interest in the drama” and “…acted from childhood.”After her marriage, she was styled Irene Mountbatten, Marchioness of Carisbrooke.
Unofficial Royalty: Irene Mountbatten, Marchioness of Carisbrooke

July 4, 1918 – Birth of King Taufa’ahau Tupou IV of Tonga at the Royal Palace in Nukuʻalofa, Tonga
In his youth, Tāufaʻāhau Tupou began competing in the pole vault, and by the age of fourteen, he held the Tonga pole vault record, a record that stood for many years. Upon graduating from university in Australia where he received both a bachelor’s degree and a law degree, Tāufaʻāhau Tupou returned to Tonga and began a career in government. His mother Queen Sālote appointed him Minister of Education in 1943, Minister of Health in 1944, and in 1949, he was appointed Prime Minister of Tonga, a position he held until he succeeded his mother and became King of Tonga in 1965.
Unofficial Royalty: King Taufa’ahau Tupou IV of Tonga

July 4, 1937 – Birth of Queen Sonja of Norway, wife of King Harald V of Norway, born  Sonja Haraldsen in Oslo, Norway
Sonja Haraldsen first met Crown Prince Harald at a dinner party in 1959 hosted by a mutual friend. The relationship between the Crown Prince and Sonja was controversial as many people felt the Crown Prince should marry a princess, not a Norwegian commoner. The controversy continued for years as did the relationship despite the media’s attempts to promote a royal marriage with either of the Greek princesses Sophia and Irene. Crown Prince Harald made it clear to his father, King Olav V, that he would remain unmarried if he could not marry Sonja. This would have resulted in a succession crisis as Harald was the sole heir to the throne. At that time, Norway did not allow female succession, so his two sisters Ragnhild and Astrid were not in the line of succession. Finally, in 1968, when King Olav felt the position of the Norwegian people had changed to favor Sonja, he consulted with parliamentary leaders and other government leaders and gave his consent for the Crown Prince to marry a commoner.
Unofficial Royalty: Queen Sonja of Norway

July 4, 1942 – Birth of Prince Michael of Kent at Coppins in Iver, Buckinghamshire, England
Full name: Michael George Charles Franklin
Because Prince Michael was born on American Independence Day, his father Prince George, Duke of Kent asked President Franklin Roosevelt to be one of his son’s godparents. President Roosevelt accepted and the baby prince was named Michael George Charles Franklin. Sadly, six weeks after his son’s birth, on August 25, 1942, the Duke of Kent died in a Royal Air Force plane crash in the service of his country.
Unofficial Royalty: Prince Michael of Kent
Unofficial Royalty: Born on the Fourth of July

July 4, 1957 – Birth of Princess Chulabhorn of Thailand, daughter of King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand, at Amphorn Sathan Residential Hall, Dusit Palace in Bangkok, Thailand
Princess Chulabhorn attended the Chitralada School in the Dusit Palace complex. Following her secondary education, she attended Kasetart University, earning a bachelor’s degree in Organic Chemistry in 1979. She continued her studies in organic chemistry at Mahidol University, receiving her doctorate in 1985. In 1982, Princess Chulabhorn married Virayudh Tishyasarin, an Air Vice Marshal in the Royal Thai Air Force, and the couple had two daughters. With permission from her father, she retained her royal title and style. The marriage ended in divorce two years later.
Unofficial Royalty: Princess Chulabhorn of Thailand

July 4, 2011 – Death of Otto von Habsburg, last Crown Prince of Austria, son of the last Emperor of Austria, Karl I, at his home in Pöcking, Germany; buried at  Imperial Crypt in the Capuchin Church in Vienna, Austria
The last Crown Prince of Austria, Hungary, Bohemia, and Croatia and later in his long life, a member of the European Parliament, Otto von Habsburg was the eldest and the longest surviving of the eight children of Karl I, the last Emperor of Austria and his wife Zita of Bourbon-Parma. Otto was given what was called “the last Emperor’s funeral.” Following a 13-day period of mourning in many of the countries that were once part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, a requiem mass was held at St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna, Austria, and Otto then was buried in the Crypt Chapel of the Imperial Crypt in Vienna where his mother was also buried. At the time of his burial, Otto’s wife Regina was reburied nearby. 1,000 guests attended the funeral and over 100,000 people lined the streets of Vienna. The ceremonies caused large parts of central Vienna to be closed to traffic. The funeral was televised on Austrian television. Otto’s heart was buried at Pannonhalma Archabbey in Hungary on the day after his funeral.
Unofficial Royalty: Otto von Habsburg

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Marie de Medici, Queen of France; Credit – Wikipedia

July 3, 1642 – Death of Marie de Medici, Queen of France, second wife of King Henri IV of France, in the Free Imperial City of Cologne, now in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia; her heart is buried at Cologne Cathedral, other remains are buried at the Basilica of Saint-Denis near Paris, France
The House of Medici came into prominence in the 15th century, as founders of the Medici Bank, the largest bank in Europe, and later as Grand Dukes of Tuscany. Along with Marie, other prominent family members included Catherine de’ Medici, consort to King Henri II of France, and Popes Leo X, Clement VII, and Leo XI. Among her children are King Louis XIII of France and Henrietta Maria who married King Charles I of England.
Unofficial Royalty: Marie de Medici, Queen of France

July 3, 1741 – Death of Elisabeth Thérèse of Lorraine, Queen of Sardinia, third wife of Carlo Emanuele III, King of Sardinia, at the Palace of Venaria in Turin, Kingdom of Sardina, now in Italy; first buried at the Cathedral of Saint Giovanni Battista in Turin and was moved to the Royal Basilica of Superga in Turin in 1786
Elisabeth Therese died at the age of 29, from puerperal fever (childbed fever), thirteen days after giving birth to her third child, her only child who survived childhood.
Unofficial Royalty: Elisabeth Thérèse of Lorraine, Queen of Sardinia

July 3, 1743 – Birth of Sophia Magdalena of Denmark and Norway, Queen of Sweden, wife of King Gustav III of Sweden, at Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen, Denmark
In 1766, Sophia Magdalena married the future King Gustav III of Sweden. On March 16, 1792, King Gustav III was shot by Jacob Johan Anckarström during a masquerade at the Royal Opera House in Stockholm, Sweden. King Gustav III died of his wounds at the Stockholm Royal Palace on March 29, 1792, at the age of 46. Assassination ringleader, Count Anckarström, was beaten for three days before he was beheaded, mutilated, and dismembered. The event is the subject of Giuseppe Verdi’s 1859 opera Un ballo in maschera.  Sophia Magdalena was horrified by the murder of her husband, but it was a relief that as Queen Dowager, she could retreat from public life.
Unofficial Royalty: Sofia Magdalena of Denmark, Queen of Sweden

July 3, 1857 – Death of Anna Russell, Duchess of Bedford, Lady of the Bedchamber to Queen Victoria, in Belgrave Square, London, England; buried in the Bedford Chapel at St. Michael’s Church in Chenies, Buckinghamshire, England
Born Anna Maria Stanhope, she was the eldest daughter of Charles Stanhope, 3rd Earl of Harrington. She married Francis Russell, 7th Duke of Bedford.
Unofficial Royalty: Anna Russell, Duchess of Bedford

July 3, 1933 – Birth of Maximilian, Margrave of Baden, Head of the House of Zähringen and pretender to the former Grand Ducal throne of Baden from 1963 – 2022, in Salem, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
Full name: Maximilian Andreas Friedrich Gustav Ernst August Bernhard, Prince of Baden,
Unofficial Royalty: Maximilian, Margrave of Baden

July 3, 1934 – Death of Prince Hendrik of the Netherlands, born Duke Heinrich of  Mecklenburg-Schwerin, husband of Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands, at The Hague in the Netherlands; buried at Nieuwe Kerk in Delft, the Netherlands
During the last years of his life, Hendrik’s health quickly deteriorated. His arthritis intensified, he gained much weight and suffered his first heart attack in 1929. The second heart attack followed on June 28, 1934. During the afternoon of July 3, 1934, while in his office, Prince Hendrik died at the age of 58 of cardiac arrest. He had a white funeral and was buried in the royal vault at the Nieuwe Kerk in Delft.
Unofficial Royalty: Prince Hendrik of the Netherlands

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King Olav V of Norway; Credit – Wikipedia

July 2, 1694 – Disappearance (Death?) of Count Philip Christoph von Königsmarck, lover of Sophia Dorothea of Celle, Electoral Princess of Hanover, wife of the future King George I of Great Britain, at the Leineschloss in Hanover, Electorate of Hanover, now in the German state of Lower Saxony
The marriage of first cousins Sophia Dorothea of Celle and George, Electoral Prince of Hanover, the future King George I of Great Britain, was happy at first but soon both George and Sophia Dorothea found affection elsewhere. George fell in love with one of his mother’s ladies-in-waiting Melusine von der Schulenburg, and Sophia Dorothea fell in love with her childhood friend Philip Christoph von Königsmarck. In 1694, Sophia Dorothea’s affair was revealed to her father-in-law and uncle Ernst August, Elector of Hanover, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg. On the morning of July 2, 1694, after a meeting with Sophia Dorothea, 29-year-old Philip Christoph von Königsmarck disappeared from the Leineschloss in Hanover and was never seen again. It was widely believed he was secretly murdered that same day. Officially, Philip Christoph von Königsmarck is still a missing person.
Unofficial Royalty: Philip Christoph von Königsmarck, Lover of Sophia Dorothea of Celle, Electoral Princess of Hanover

July 2, 1823 – Death of Wilhelm, Grand Duke of Oldenburg at Plön Castle in Plön, Grand Duchy of Oldenburg, now in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany; buried in the Prince-Bishop’s Mausoleum at Lübeck Cathedral in the independent free city of Lübeck, now in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany
Wilhelm was the first Grand Duke of Oldenburg, although he never formally used the title. By 1777, Wilhelm was suffering from mental illness. An intended engagement to Princess Charlotte of Hesse-Darmstadt was called off. He lived the remainder of his life in seclusion. Upon his father’s death in 1785, Wilhelm became the reigning Duke of Oldenburg but due to his illness, it was in name only. Instead, his cousin, Peter, Prince-Bishop of Lübeck, served as Regent during his entire reign. Wilhelm died at the age of 69.
Unofficial Royalty: Peter Friedrich Wilhelm, Grand Duke of Oldenburg

July 2, 1849 – Birth of Maria Theresia of Austria-Este, Queen of Bavaria, wife of King Ludwig III of Bavaria, at Brno, Austrian Empire, now in the Czech Republic
Full name: Maria Theresa Henriette Dorothee
Archduchess Maria Theresia of Austria-Este was the last Queen Consort of Bavaria and the Jacobite claimant to the British throne from 1875 until she died in 1919.
Unofficial Royalty: Maria Theresia of Austria-Este, Queen of Bavaria
Unofficial Royalty: The Jacobite Succession – Pretenders to the British Throne

July 2, 1882 – Birth of Princess Marie Bonaparte, Princess George of Greece, in Saint-Cloud, France
Marie’s maternal grandfather was François Blanc, the principal developer of Monte Carlo and the Monte Carlo Casino in Monaco. She was very wealthy because she was the sole heir to her mother’s fortune. Marie married Prince George of Greece, the second son of King George I of Greece. In the years that the Greek Royal Family was in exile, Marie used her significant 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 her brother-in-law Prince Andrew and his family including the young Prince Philip, the future husband of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom. Marie and George remained favorites of Prince Philip, and in 1953, they attended the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.
Unofficial Royalty: Princess Marie Bonaparte, Princess George of Greece

July 2, 1903 – Birth of King Olav V of Norway, born Prince Alexander of Denmark, at Appleton House on the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, England
Born: Prince Alexander Edward Christian Frederik of Denmark
The son of Prince Carl of Denmark and Princess Maud of the United Kingdom, he assumed the name Olav when his father became King Haakon VII of Norway in 1905. He was the paternal grandson of King Frederik VIII of Denmark and Princess Louise of Sweden, and the maternal grandson of King Edward VII of the United Kingdom and Princess Alexandra of Denmark. The current King of Norway, Harald V, is his son.  An avid skier and sailor, Olav represented Norway in the 1928 Olympic Games, winning a Gold Medal in the sailing competition, and remained active in sailing his whole life.
Unofficial Royalty: King Olav V of Norway

July 2, 1932 – Death of King Manuel II of Portugal in exile at Fulwell Lodge in London, England; buried at the Monastery of São Vicente de Fora in Lisbon, Portugal
On February 1, 1908, the royal family was attacked by assassins while riding in a carriage en route to the palace. Manuel was shot only in the arm but his father was shot in the head, dying instantly, and his brother Luís Filipe was also mortally injured and died several minutes later. Manuel became the last Portuguese monarch, reigning just two and a half years before Portugal was declared a republic. Manuel lived in exile in England and died unexpectedly at his English home. With permission from the Portuguese government, his remains were returned to Lisbon on a British cruiser and were received at Commerce Square, the same place his father and brother had been assassinated 24 years earlier. The procession traveled to the Monastery of São Vicente de Fora where he was interred in the Royal Pantheon of the House of Braganza.
Unofficial Royalty: King Manuel II of Portugal

July 2, 1959 – Wedding of King Albert II of Belgium and Paola Ruffo di Calabria at the Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula in Brussels, Belgium
In November 1958, Albert and Paola were both in Rome to attend the coronation of Pope John XXIII. They first met at a reception held at the Belgian Embassy and were instantly smitten. Just a month later, On December 6, 1958, Albert proposed and Paola accepted. Two months later, he introduced Paola to his family, and finally, the engagement was announced on April 13, 1959.
Unofficial Royalty: Wedding of King Albert II of Belgium and Donna Paola Ruffo di Calabria

July 2, 2011 – Religious wedding of Prince Albert II of Monaco and Charlene Wittstock in the Main Courtyard of the Prince’s Palace in Monaco; the civil ceremony was held on July 1, 2011, in the Throne Room of the Prince’s Palace
Prince Albert first noticed Charlene Wittstock at the Monaco International Swim Meet in 2000 where she won the 200-meter backstroke. For the next five years, the couple periodically dated privately. Their relationship went public at the Opening Ceremonies for the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy. After that,  the couple was seen together at several events including the Monaco Grand Prix, the Rose Ball held annually in Monaco, the Princess Grace Foundation Awards Gala, and most notably at the wedding of Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden and Daniel Westling in Stockholm on June 19, 2010. On June 23, 2010, four days after the wedding of Crown Princess Victoria, Prince Albert II of Monaco and Charlene Wittstock became engaged.
Unofficial Royalty: Wedding of Prince Albert II and Charlene Wittstock

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