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Augusta Viktoria of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg, German Empress, Queen of Prussia; Credit – Wikipedia
October 22, 1687 – Birth of Anton Ulrich, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen in Meiningen, Duchy of Saxe-Meiningen, now in Thuringia, Germany
In 1711, Anton Ulrich had secretly married Philippine Elisabeth Caesar, a lady-in-waiting to his elder sister. The marriage was morganatic and was met with great disapproval from his family. Anton Ulrich and Philippine Elisabeth had ten children who were not eligible to succeed to the throne. Philippine Elisabeth Caesar died in 1744. In 1746, Friedrich Wilhelm, Anton Ulrich’s brother who had jointly reigned with him, died, and Anton Ulrich was now the only Duke of Saxe-Meiningen. His relatives had already been discussing the division of Saxe-Meiningen after his death due to the lack of heirs. However, Anton Ulrich married Charlotte Amalie of Hesse-Philippsthal, who was forty-three years younger, and the couple had eight children.
Unofficial Royalty: Anton Ulrich, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen
October 22, 1689 – Birth of King João V of Portugal at Ribeira Palace in Lisbon, Portugal
Full name: João Francisco António José Bento Bernardo
After his mother died when he was ten years old, João V’s paternal aunt Catherine of Braganza, the widow of King Charles II of England, who returned to Portugal to live in 1693, took over the responsibilities of the care for João and remained his main female role model until she died in 1705. João succeeded his father as King of Portugal when he was seventeen years old. In 1708, João V married his first cousin Archduchess Maria Anna of Austria, the daughter of Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor. The couple had six children including two kings of Portugal. In 1742, 52-year-old João had a stroke and became partially paralyzed. He recovered somewhat but was left diminished and much less energetic. His wife Maria Anna served as regent until he died in 1750.
Unofficial Royalty: King João V of Portugal
October 22, 1701 – Birth of Archduchess Maria Amalie of Austria, wife of Karl VII, Holy Roman Emperor who was also Karl I, Elector of Bavaria, at Hofburg Palace in Vienna, Austria
The daughter of Joseph I, Holy Roman Emperor, Maria Amalie married Karl of Bavaria, the heir to the Electorate of Bavaria. They had seven children but only four survived to adulthood. While the War of the Austrian Succession was occurring, Karl, now Elector of Bavaria was elected Holy Roman Emperor Karl VII in 1742, and his wife Maria Amalie was now Holy Roman Empress. Karl VII’s three-year reign as Holy Roman Emperor was greatly overshadowed by the War of Austrian Succession. After the death of her husband in 1745, Maria Amalie lived at the home her husband had given her, Fürstenried Palace, for the rest of her life.
Unofficial Royalty: Maria Amalie of Austria, Holy Roman Empress, Electress of Bavaria
October 22, 1751 – Death of Willem IV, Prince of Orange at Huis ten Bosch in The Hague, Dutch Republic, now in the Netherlands; buried at Nieuwe Kerk in Delft, the Netherlands
Six weeks before Willem IV’s birth, his 23-year-old father Johan Willem Friso, Prince of Orange drowned when the ferry he was traveling on across a wide river capsized. From the day of his birth, Willem was Prince of Orange. In 1734, Willem married Anne, Princess Royal, the eldest daughter of King George II of Great Britain and the couple had two children. Willem IV died at age 40 from a stroke and was succeeded by his three-year-old son as Willem V with his mother Anne serving as Regent.
Unofficial Royalty: Willem IV, Prince of Orange
October 22, 1759 – Birth of Louise d’Aumont Mazarin, Hereditary Princess of Monaco, wife of the future Prince Honoré IV of Monaco, in Paris, France
Full name: Louise Félicité Victoire
Louise d’Aumont, a wealthy heiress, was the wife of Honoré IV, Prince of Monaco. However, Louise divorced Honoré before he became Prince of Monaco, and so the title she held during their marriage was Hereditary Princess of Monaco. Louise and Honoré IV had two sons, both Sovereign Princes of Monaco. In 1794, while Honoré IV was in prison during the French Revolution, Louise gave birth to an illegitimate daughter Amélie Céleste Erodore d’Aumont. The child’s father is believed to be Antoine de Montazet, Archbishop of Lyon. After Honoré IV’s release from prison, Louise and Honoré IV’s marriage became unhappy and the couple separated. In 1798, Louise divorced Honoré IV, giving Louise sole access to her fortune.
Unofficial Royalty: Louise d’Aumont Mazarin, Hereditary Princess of Monaco
October 22, 1858 – Birth of Augusta Viktoria of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg, German Empress, Queen of Prussia, wife of Wilhelm II, German Emperor, King of Prussia, in Dolzig Palace in Lubsko, Kingdom of Prussia, now in Poland
Full name: Auguste Viktoria Friederike Luise Feodora Jenny
Known as Dona, she was a great-niece of Queen Victoria, a niece of Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein, the husband of Queen Victoria’s daughter Princess Helena, and a descendant of Danish and British kings. In 1881, Dona married the future Wilhelm II, German Emperor and King of Prussia. They had six sons and one daughter. When Dona became German Empress and Queen of Prussia in 1888, she took up and enjoyed the traditional roles of a consort, serving as a hostess and working with charities.
Unofficial Royalty: Augusta Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg, German Empress, Queen of Prussia
October 22, 1942 – Birth of Prince Christian of Denmark, later Count Christian of Rosenborg, son of Prince Knud of Denmark and grandson of King Christian X of Denmark, at Sorgenfri Palace in Lyngby, Denmark
Full name: Christian Frederik Franz Knud Harald Carl Oluf Gustav Georg Erik
Christian was born a Prince of Denmark but did not seek King Frederik IX’s permission to marry. Therefore, he forfeited his succession rights and lost his royal title. He was a first cousin of Queen Margrethe II of Denmark. Count Christian of Rosenborg died at Gentofte Hospital in Gentofte, Denmark on May 21, 2013, at the age of 70.
Unofficial Royalty: Count Christian of Rosenborg
October 22, 2002 – Death of Queen Geraldine of the Albanians, born Countess Geraldine Apponyi de Nagy-Apponyi, wife of King Zog I of the Albanians, at Tirana, Albania; buried at Sharra Cemetery in Tirana, Albania; reburied in 2012 in the newly built Royal Mausoleum in Tirana, along with husband, son, and daughter-in-law
In 1938, Geraldine married King Zog I of the Albanians. The following year, she gave birth to the couple’s only child Crown Prince Leka I. Two days later, Italian forces invaded and took control of Albania, and the royal family went into exile. After over 62 years in exile, the Albanian government changed the law in 2002, allowing the Royal Family to return to the country. In June 2002, Queen Geraldine, her son, and his family returned home to a massive welcome. Sadly, just five months later, Queen Geraldine of the Albanians died at a military hospital in Tirana at the age of 87.
Unofficial Royalty: Geraldine Apponyi de Nagy-Apponyi, Queen of the Albanians
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