Royal Birthdays & Anniversaries: October 13 – 19

© Unofficial Royalty 2024

Below is a select list of birthdays and wedding anniversaries for current monarchies. It does not purport to be a complete list. Please see the Current Monarchies Index in the heading above for more information on current monarchies.

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Credit – Zimbio

13th wedding anniversary of King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck of Bhutan and Jetsun Pema; married at the Royal Palace, Punakha Dzong, in Punakha, Bhutan on October 13, 2011
Unofficial Royalty: King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck
Unofficial Royalty: Jetsun Pema, Queen of Bhutan

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Embed from Getty Images

65th birthday of Sarah, Duchess of York, former wife of Prince Andrew, Duke of York; born Sarah Ferguson at 27 Welbeck Street in Marylebone, London, England on October 15, 1959
Full name: Sarah Margaret
Unofficial Royalty: Sarah, Duchess of York

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Prince Christian of Denmark, 2023; Credit – Photo: Franne Voigt © Danish Royal House

19th birthday of Prince Christian of Denmark, son of Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark; born at the Rigshospitalet in Copenhagen, Denmark on October 15, 2005
Full name: Christian Valdemar Henri John
Unofficial Royalty: Prince Christian of Denmark

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Embed from Getty Images 

61st birthday of Prince Laurent of Belgium, son of King Albert II of Belgium; born at the Château de Belvédère in Laeken, Brussels, Belgium on October 19, 1963
Full name: Laurent Benoît Baudouin Marie
Unofficial Royalty: Prince Laurent of Belgium

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October 13: Today in Royal History

© Unofficial Royalty 2024

King Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria; Credit – Wikipedia

October 13, 1162 – Birth of Eleanor of England, Queen of Castile, daughter of King Henry II of England, at Domfront Castle in the Duchy of Normandy, now in France
In 1177, Eleanor married King Alfonso VIII of Castile and they had twelve children. Eleanor was particularly interested in supporting religious institutions. In 1179, she had a shrine built at Toledo Cathedral in honor of St. Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury who had been murdered at Canterbury Cathedral by four of her father’s knights. In 1187, Eleanor and Alfonso founded the Abbey of Santa María la Real de Las Huelgas, a monastery of Cistercian nuns located near the city of Burgos now in Spain. The monastery became the burial place of the Castilian royal family.
Unofficial Royalty: Eleanor of England, Queen of Castile

October 13, 1453 – Birth of Edward, Prince of Wales, son of King Henry VI of England, at the Palace of Westminster in London, England
Edward of Westminster was one of the seven Princes of Wales who never became King. He was killed in 1471, aged 18, at the Battle of Tewkesbury, the final decisive Yorkist victory in the Wars of the Roses.
Unofficial Royalty: Edward of Westminster, Prince of Wales

October 13, 1499 – Birth of Claude of France, Duchess of Brittany, Queen of France, daughter of King Louis XII of France and first wife of King François I of France, at Romorantin-Lanthenay in France
Claude of France, Duchess of Brittany was the first wife of François I, King of France and the daughter of King Louis XII of France and second wife Anne, Duchess of Brittany in her own right. Louis XII had no sons and François, Count of Angoulême (the future King François I of France) became the heir presumptive to the French throne and remained the heir throughout Louis XII’s reign due to his lack of sons. In 1514, François and Claude were married and they had seven children. When Louis XII died in 1515, he was succeeded by his son-in-law François. Queen Claude, Duchess of Brittany, aged 24, died in 1524. It is suspected that Claude had tuberculosis and contracted syphilis from her husband and certainly seven pregnancies in eight years weakened her health.
Unofficial Royalty: Claude of France, Duchess of Brittany, Queen of France

October 13, 1613 – Birth of Luisa de Guzmán, Queen of Portugal, wife of King João IV of Portugal, in Sanlúcar, Spain
Full name: Luísa Maria Francisca
From a noble Spanish family, Luisa de Guzmán was the wife of João IV, the first King of Portugal from the Portuguese House of Braganza. She was also the mother of Catherine of Braganza, the wife of Charles II, King of England and King of Scots.
Unofficial Royalty: Luisa de Guzmán, Queen of Portugal

October 13, 1764 – Birth of Luise of Stolberg-Goldern, Duchess of Saxe-Meiningen, wife of Karl Wilhelm, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen in Gedern, Principality of Stolberg-Gedern, now in Hesse, Germany
Luise was briefly Duchess of Saxe-Meiningen. In 1780, she married Karl Wilhelm, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen. They had no children, and just two years later, Karl Wilhelm died. In 1787, she married Eugen of Württemberg and they had five children. Luise died in 1834, having survived both of her husbands and two of her children.
Unofficial Royalty: Luise of Stolberg-Goldern, Duchess of Saxe-Meiningen

October 13, 1825 – Death of King Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria at Nymphenburg Palace, near Munich, Kingdom of Bavaria, now in the German state of Bavaria; buried at the Theatinerkirche in Munich
Maximilian succeeded his brother Karl as Duke of Zweibrücken in 1795 and became Elector of Bavaria, Duke of Berg, and Count Palatine of the Rhine in 1799. In 1806, his electorate was created a kingdom because of his loyal service to Napoleon.  Maximilian married twice. With his first wife Auguste of Hesse-Darmstadt, whom he married in 1785, he had five children. Auguste died in 1796, and the next year Maximilian married Caroline of Baden. They had seven children including two sets of twin daughters.
Unofficial Royalty: King Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria

October 13, 1835 – Birth of Duchess Agnes of Württemberg, Princess Reuss of Gera, wife of Heinrich XIV, 4th Prince Reuss of Gera, at Schloss Carlsruhe in Carlsruhe, Silesia, Kingdom of Prussia, now Pokój, Poland
In 1858, Agnes married the future Heinrich XIV, 4th Prince Reuss of Gera, Agnes, as Princess of Reuss-Gera, 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

October 13, 1853 – Birth of Lillie Langtry, actress and mistress of King Edward VII of the United Kingdom, born Emilie Charlotte Le Breton on the Island of Jersey, Channel Islands, a British Crown Dependency
Lillie Langtry was the mistress of the future King Edward VII (while he was Prince of Wales) from 1877-1880. A married socialite at the time, she later embarked on a career in the theatre, with the encouragement and support of the Prince. She also took several other lovers, including Prince Louis of Battenberg, the Prince of Wales’s future nephew-by-marriage, who possibly fathered her only child. Lillie remained in close contact with The Prince of Wales, and was a guest at his coronation, sitting alongside Sarah Bernhardt and Lady Randolph Churchill. She was also a guest at his funeral in 1910. Lillie, aged 75, died of pneumonia in Monaco in the early morning of February 12, 1929. Per her wishes, she was buried along with her parents at St. Saviour’s Church in Jersey.
Unofficial Royalty: Lillie Langtry, actress and mistress of King Edward VII of the United Kingdom

October 13, 1900 – Birth of Ghislaine Dommanget, Princess of Monaco, wife of Prince Louis II of Monaco, in Reims, France
Full name: Ghislaine Marie Francoise
Ghislaine was an actress, working at the famed Comédie-Française in Paris, before meeting Prince Louis II. She had been married twice before. Members of the royal family questioned her motives and viewed her as an opportunist and golddigger. Less than three years after the marriage, Prince Louis died. He was succeeded by his grandson Prince Rainier III.  In his will, Louis left half of his estate to Ghislaine. However, the will was contested by Rainier and his sister Antoinette and was overturned.  Ghislaine lived the rest of her life in Paris but developed a close relationship with Prince Rainier III’s wife Princess Grace.
Unofficial Royalty: Ghislaine Dommanget, Princess of Monaco

October 13, 1908 – Death of Antoinette of Saxe-Altenburg, Duchess of Anhalt, wife of Friedrich I, Duke of Anhalt, in Berchtesgaden, Kingdom of Bavaria, now in Bavaria, Germany; buried in the Dessau Mausoleum Duchy of Anhalt, now in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany; in 1958, her remains were moved by the Communist East German government to an unmarked grave in the Ziebigk Cemetery in Dessau; in 2019, Antoinettes’s remains were moved a second time and reinterred in the Marienkirche in Dessau
In 1854, Antoinette married the future Friedrich I, Duke of Anhalt and they had six children. At the age of 70, four years after the death of her husband, Antoinette, The Dowager Duchess of Anhalt died.
Unofficial Royalty: Antoinette of Saxe-Altenburg, Duchess of Anhalt

October 13, 1927 – Death of Heinrich XXIV, 6th and last reigning Prince Reuss of Greiz in Greiz, Thuringia, Germany; first buried in the Waldhaus Mausoleum in Greiz, in 1969  his remains were cremated and buried at the Neue Friedhof (New Cemetery) in Greiz; in 1997, his remains were moved to Stadtkirche St. Marien in Greiz, Thuringia, Germany
As a result of a childhood accident, Heinrich XXIV had physical and mental disabilities that prevented him from marrying and ruling the Principality of Reuss-Greiz. Two regents from the House of Reuss-Gera successively ruled the Principality of Reuss-Greiz.
Unofficial Royalty: Heinrich XXIV, 6th Prince Reuss of Greiz

October 13, 1928 – Death of Dagmar of Denmark, Maria Feodorovna, Empress of All Russia, at her home at Hvidøre, near Copenhagen, Denmark; first buried in the crypt of the Christian IX Chapel at Roskilde Cathedral, the traditional burial place of the Danish royal family in Roskilde, Denmark, in 2006, she was interred next to her husband Emperor Alexander III in the Peter and Paul Cathedral in St. Petersburg, Russia
Dagmar, known as Minnie in the family, was the daughter of King Christian IX of Denmark,  the sister of King Frederik VIII of Denmark, Queen Alexandra of the United Kingdom, and King George I of Greece. In 1864, Minnie became engaged to Tsarevich Nicholas Alexandrovich of Russia, the eldest son and heir of Alexander II, Emperor of All Russia. However, Nicholas died from meningitis in 1865, at the age of 21. Minnie married Nicholas’ brother, the new heir to the throne, the future Alexander III, Emperor of All Russia. The couple had six children, including Nicholas II, Emperor of All Russia.
Unofficial Royalty: Dagmar of Denmark, Maria Feodorovna, Empress of All Russia

October 13, 2016 – Death of King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand, Rama IX, at Siriraj Hospital in Bangkok, Thailand; his ashes were interred at the Royal Cemetery at Wat Ratchabophit, Thailand
In 1946, King Bhumibol became king at the age of 18. King Bhumibol’s brother King Ananda Mahidol was found shot dead in his bedroom in the Boromphiman Throne Hall at the Grand Palace in Bangkok, four days before he was scheduled to return to Switzerland to finish his doctoral degree in law at the University of Lausanne. The circumstances of King Ananda Mahidol’s death have never been fully explained. In 1950, Bhumibol married Sirikit Kitiyakara, the daughter of the Thai ambassador to France. The couple had three daughters and one son. King Bhumibol Adulyadej died at the age of 88, following several years of illness.  At the time of his death, he was the world’s longest-reigning current monarch, having reigned for 70 years and 126 days.
Unofficial Royalty: King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Lady Mary Fox, born Mary FitzClarence, Illegitimate Daughter of King William IV of the United Kingdom

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2024

Mary FitzClarence; Credit – Wikipedia

Lady Mary Fox was born Mary FitzClarence, the fourth of the ten children and the second of the five daughters of the future King William IV of the United Kingdom and his mistress Dorothea Jordan, on December 19, 1798, at Bushy House in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. Mary’s paternal grandparents were King George III of the United Kingdom and Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. Francis Bland, a stagehand, and his mistress Grace Phillips, an actress were her maternal grandparents.

From 1790 until 1811, before he became king, King William IV of the United Kingdom had a long-term relationship with actress Dorothea Jordan. Their relationship resulted in ten children who were given the surname FitzClarence. The surname comes from the Anglo-Norman Fitz, meaning “son of” and Clarence, from King William IV’s title before he became king, Duke of Clarence.

Dorothea Jordan was born Dorothea Bland was born in County Waterford, Ireland, the daughter of Francis Bland, a stagehand, and his mistress Grace Phillips, an actress. Her mother encouraged Dorothea to enter the theater, and within a few years, she began to draw large crowds for her performances. She left Ireland in 1782 and moved to Leeds, England. It was at this point that she took the name Jordan. She performed for three years with the York Company, before being lured away in 1785 to move to the Royal Theatre, Drury Lane in London. By then, Dorothea was becoming a very popular performer and could be counted on to bring large crowds every night. It was at Drury Lane that her life would come to the attention of The Duke of Clarence several years later.


Mary’s parents The Duke of Clarence (later King William IV) and Dorothea Jordan; Credit – Wikipedia

In 1790, Dorothea was first noticed by The Duke of Clarence (later King William IV) while performing at Drury Lane. They quickly began an affair that would last for the next 21 years. Dorothea moved in with the Duke at his home, Clarence Lodge in Roehampton, London, England and later they moved to Bushy House in Bushy Park in Richmond upon Thames, London, England.

In 1797, King George III of the United Kingdom appointed his third son William, then Duke of Clarence, the ranger of Bushy Park. The position came with the residence Bushy House in Bushy Park. William and Dorothea lived there with their ten children until their relationship ended in 1811. William continued living there with his children and later with his wife Adelaide Saxe-Meinigen after they married in 1818.

The children of King William IV and Dorothea Jordan had an elder half-brother, William Henry Courtney, born around 1788 to an unknown mother, and named after his father whose given names were William Henry. Dorothea Jordan cared for William, and she was fond of him and he was fond of her. William served in the Royal Navy from 1803 until 1807 when his ship HMS Blenheim was lost in a gale off Madagascar. Despite an extensive search, no trace of the ship was ever found. 590 men were lost aboard HMS Blenheim, including King William IV’s eldest illegitimate son nineteen-year-old William Henry Courtney.

Nine of the ten children of King William IV and Dorothea Jordan were named after nine of William’s fourteen siblings. The tenth child was given William’s middle name Henry.

William and Dorothea’s children married into the British aristocracy and their many descendants include a number of notable people including sisters Princess Alexandra, Duchess of Fife and Princess Maud, Countess of Southesk (granddaughters of King Edward VII and daughters of Princess Louise, Princess Royal and Alexander Duff, 1st Duke of Fife, a descendant of Dorothea Jordan and King William IV), Duff Cooper, 1st Viscount Norwich (British diplomat, Cabinet member, author), John Crichton-Stuart, 7th Marquess of Bute (also known as Johnny Dumfries, racing driver), and David Cameron, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

By 1811, William was pressured by his family to find a suitable wife. At the time he was fourth in line for the throne following his elder brother The Prince of Wales, the future King George IV, George’s only child Princess Charlotte of Wales, and George’s next oldest brother who was childless Prince Frederick, Duke of York. William gave in to the pressure and ended his relationship with Dorothea but ensured she was well provided for. William became closer to the throne when his niece Princess Charlotte died in 1817 giving birth to a stillborn son. When King George IV died in 1830, William succeeded to the throne. Although William had ten children with Dorothea Jordan, his marriage with Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen produced no surviving children. King William IV was succeeded by his niece Queen Victoria. Queen Victoria had relationships with her first cousins, King William IV’s illegitimate children. They are mentioned in Queen Victoria’s diaries when visiting Windsor Castle.

Mary and her siblings had little contact with their mother Dorothea Jordan after 1811 when their father ended his relationship with her. After losing much of her savings when her daughter Augusta and her husband ran up large debts in her name, Dorothea’s health quickly began to decline. Virtually penniless, Dorothea Jordan died in Saint-Cloud, France on July 5, 1816, at the age of 54. She is buried in the local cemetery in Saint-Cloud.

Charles Fox, Mary’s husband; Credit – www.findagrave.com

Like her eldest brother George, Mary also married another illegitimate child. Charles Fox was the illegitimate son of Henry Fox, 3rd Baron Holland, through an affair with Elizabeth Vassall, the wife of Sir Godfrey Webster, 4th Baronet. Charles’ mother Elizabeth was divorced by her husband on the grounds of adultery and two days later, she married Charles’ father. After their marriage, they had four more children, Charles’ siblings. On June 19, 1824, at the Parish Church of St. George in Hanover Square, Mayfair, London, England, Mary married Charles Fox but their marriage was childless. Mary and Charles established their household in Little Holland House, a Fox family property in Kensington, London, England.

Mary and Charles’ home Little Holland House; Credit – Wikipedia

In 1835, Mary was appointed State Housekeeper at Windsor Castle. Two years later, Mary’s father King William IV died and Mary’s first cousin Victoria ascended the throne. Like her siblings and their spouses, Mary and Charles occasionally dined at Windsor Castle with Queen Victoria. In 1837, Mary published a utopian feminist gothic novel entitled “An Account of an Expedition to the Interior of New Holland”. New Holland was a contemporary European name for Australia. In her novel, Mary portrayed New Holland as “a mysterious and unreal” place.

Mary’s husband Charles Fox had a brief career in the Royal Navy and a long career in the British Army. In 1809, when he was thirteen, Charles joined the Royal Navy and served as a midshipman until 1813, participating in the Napoleonic Wars. Dissatisfied with his prospects, in 1815 he joined the British Army and served in the 85th Regiment of Foot. Charles was rapidly promoted to Lieutenant in 1818, Captain in 1824, Major in 1825, and Lieutenant Colonel in 1827. Charles was Surveyor-General of the Ordnance from 1832 to 1834, in 1841, and again from 1846 to 1852, with the responsibility of ensuring the ordnance (weapons and ammunition) the British Army received was of good quality. He was promoted to Major-General in 1846, Lieutenant-General in 1854, and General in 1863. From 1865 to until he died in 1873, Richard served as the commander of the 57th (West Middlesex) Regiment of Foot, a line infantry regiment in the British Army.

Charles was also active in working for the Whig Party on a local level. In 1831, he was elected to Parliament and served for a total of ten years over several periods. Mary and Charles’ home Little Holland House Holland became a famous meeting place for prominent Whig politicians.

Grave of Lady Mary Fox and her husband Charles Fox; Credit – www.findagrave.com

Lady Mary Fox, aged 65, died on July 13, 1864, in London, England. Her husband Charles survived her by nearly nine years, dying at the age of 76, on April 13, 1873, in London. They are both buried at Kensal Green Cemetery in London, England.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • Beauclerk-Dewar, Peter & Powell, Roger. (2006). Right Royal Bastards – The Fruits of Passion. Burke’s Peerage & Gentry LLC.
  • Flantzer, Susan. (2015). King William IV of the United Kingdom. Unofficial Royalty. https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/king-william-iv-of-the-united-kingdom/
  • Gen Charles Richard Fox (1796-1873) – Find a… (2023). Findagrave.com. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/35773021/charles_richard_fox
  • Lady Mary FitzClarence Fox (1798-1864) – Find a… (2016). Findagrave.com. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/35773801/mary_fox
  • Mehl, Scott. (2020). Dorothea Jordan, Mistress of King William IV of the United Kingdom. Unofficial Royalty. https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/dorothea-jordan-mistress-of-king-william-iv-of-the-united-kingdom/
  • Weir, Alison. (2008). Britain’s Royal Families – The Complete Genealogy. Vintage Books.
  • Wikipedia Contributors. (2024). Charles Richard Fox. Wikipedia; Wikimedia Foundation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Richard_Fox
  • Wikipedia Contributors. (2024). Lady Mary Fox. Wikipedia; Wikimedia Foundation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lady_Mary_Fox

Spain – National Day – October 12

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2024

Columbus taking possession of what is now Guanahani in the Bahamas in the name of the Catholic Monarchs, Queen Isabella I of Castile and her husband King Ferdinand II of Aragon, on October 12, 1492; Credit – Wikipedia

The National Day of Spain (Fiesta Nacional de España) is celebrated on October 12, the day in 1492, when Christopher Columbus went ashore at Guanahaní, an island in the Bahamas, that Columbus called San Salvador. The discovery of the Americas on October 12, 1492, has been considered an important historical day because contact between America and Europe began, transforming the world views and lives of both Europeans and the indigenous peoples of the Americas, and the European colonization of the Americas began. Christopher Columbus always believed that he had reached what we now call Asia without suspecting that he had stumbled upon a new continent. Explorer Amerigo Vespucci claimed to have understood in 1501 that Brazil was part of a fourth continent unknown to Europeans, which he named the “New World”. October 12 symbolizes Spain’s common heritage with today’s Latin American countries, which made up the Spanish Empire, the first global power in world history.

History

Our Lady of the Pillar appearing to Saint James and his disciples by Francisco Goya; Credit – Wikipedia

The first celebration in Spain of the discovery of the Americas by Christopher Columbus was in 1642 when the city of Zaragoza (also known in English as Saragossa) in Aragon, Spain designated Our Lady of the Pillar as a symbol of Hispanidad (Hispanicity) on the date of Columbus’ arrival in the New World. Our Lady of the Pillar (Spanish: Nuestra Señora del Pilar) is the name given to the Blessed Virgin Mary in the context of the traditional belief that Mary, while living in Jerusalem, supernaturally appeared to the Apostle James the Greater in 40 AD while he was preaching on the banks of the Ebro River at Caesaraugusta, now Zaragoza, Spain. In 1730, the religious feast day of Our Lady of the Pillar was declared a holiday throughout the Spanish Empire.

Our Lady of the Pillar wooden statue at the Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar in Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain; By CARLOS TEIXIDOR CADENAS – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=63861797

This title is also associated with a wooden statue commemorating Mary’s apparition, enshrined at the Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar in Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain. The traditional belief is that the Blessed Virgin Mary gave James the Greater a column of jasper and instructed him to build a church in her honor: “This place is to be my house, and this image and column shall be the title and altar of the temple that you shall build.” The wooden statue at the Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar depicts Mary and the Child Jesus with a dove sitting on his left palm. The statue is 15 inches/39 centimeters tall and stands on a pillar of jasper 5.9 feet/1.8 meters tall.

Maria Christina of Austria, Queen of Spain; Credit – Wikipedia

On September 23, 1892, Queen Maria Cristina, the widow of King Alfonso XII of Spain who died in 1885, and the Regent for her six-year-old son King Alfonso XIII of Spain, issued a royal decree declaring October 12, 1892, a one-time national day in commemoration of the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus’ discovery.

The Discovery of America and Hispanidad has been celebrated as a national day since 1918 under different names like “Día de la Hispanidad” or “Dia de la Raza” due to changes in political regimes in Spain during the 20th century. Spanish National Day emphasizes Spain’s ties with the Hispanidad, the international Hispanic community, and Spain’s legacy to the world. In 1981, a royal decree issued by King Juan Carlos I established the Fiesta Nacional y Día de la Hispanidad as a national holiday. In 1987 the name was changed to Fiesta Nacional de España and October 12 became one of two national celebrations, along with Constitution Day on December 6. The removal of Hispanidad aimed to avoid any controversy regarding the conquest, influence, and rule of the Americas by Spain.

October 12 is also an official holiday in much of Latin America under different names, celebrating the historical and cultural ties among Hispanic American countries, ties with Spain, and their common Hispanic and pre-Hispanic indigenous American heritage. However, in some Latin American countries, the emphasis has been removed from the “discovery of America” that many see as causing the abuse and genocide of the indigenous people of the Americas. In the United States, on the second Monday in October, Columbus Day, a federal holiday, is celebrated. Similar to the sentiment in some Latin American countries, a number of places in the United States instead celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day.

The controversy regarding the Spanish conquest of the indigenous peoples of the Americas continues. In 2019, Mexico’s president Andrés Manuel López Obrador wrote to King Felipe VI of Spain and Pope Francis, calling for them to apologize for the abuses committed by the Kingdom of Spain and the Roman Catholic Church during the Spanish conquest and the colonial period. In 2024, Mexico’s president-elect Claudia Sheinbaum refused to invite King Felipe VI of Spain to her inauguration because he failed to apologize for crimes committed against Mexico’s indigenous people during the Spanish conquest 500 years ago.

What Happens?

Leonor, Princess of Asturias (heir presumptive to the throne), King Felipe VI, and Queen Letizia attend the National Day Military Parade in Madrid, Spain on October 12, 2023

Official and cultural celebrations take place throughout Spain on National Day. Despite Día de la Hispanidad (Day of Hispanicity) being removed from the holiday’s name, the tradition of celebrating Hispanicity is still observed in Spain and celebrated by Hispanic people worldwide. The main celebrations take place in Madrid, the capital of Spain. Since 2000, October 12 has also been Spain’s Day of the Armed Forces, celebrated each year with a military parade in Madrid.

Military Parade

The Military Parade, 2014 Fiesta Nacional de España; Credit – WIkipedia

The Spanish Armed Forces and the State Security Forces (law enforcement) participate in a parade in Madrid, attended by the Spanish Royal Family, the Prime Minister of Spain, leaders of the Cortes Generales (the Spanish legislature), members of the Supreme Court of Spain, members of the cabinet, other representatives of the central government and the governments of the autonomous communities of the state. Thousands of Spaniards gather along the parade route. At 9:00 AM, the Royal Guards Honors Battalion forms up at the front of the royal dais where the military and governmental members have assembled, awaiting the Spanish Royal Family’s arrival.

The Royal Family of Spain and dignitaries on the dais watching the military parade in 2008. Credit – By Ministry of the Presidency. Government of Spain, Attribution, Link

At 10:00 AM, the Royal Family arrives. The Royal Guards Band plays the Marcha Real, the Spanish national anthem, one of four national anthems without lyrics. The Royal Guard Battalion presents arms and a 21-gun salute is fired. The Spanish monarch and his/her spouse inspect the Royal Guards Honors Battalion while the band plays music. The Spanish monarch and his/her spouse proceed to the dais to meet the gathered government leaders. The Chief of Defense Staff asks the Spanish monarch for permission to begin the ceremony.

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The Spanish Air and Space Force Aerobatics Parachute Unit performs a jump from an aircraft while carrying a massive Spanish flag, landing in front of the Spanish royal family sitting on the dais. The tribute to the national flag follows, with its raising while the national anthem, the “Marcha Real,” is performed

Spanish Air and Space Force’s aerobatics team, the Patrulla Águila; Credit – Nils van der Burg from Madrid, Spain 12 Oct 2009 – Día de la Hispanidad

A tribute is paid to the soldiers who have given their lives for Spain, followed by the military parade, ending with a flypast display by the Spanish Air and Space Force’s aerobatics team, the Patrulla Águila.

Spanish Culture

Throughout Spain, there are many public and private events honoring Spain’s heritage, history, society, and people. People can be seen dressed in traditional regional and historic dress. Folk, classical, and modern music concerts, and street shows are well attended. Latin American communities in Spain participate in parades, displaying their national flags and wearing their countries’ historic dress while their countries’ folk music is played. Museums and historical sites have an Open Doors Day, allowing all to enter free.

Religious Aspect

October 12 is the feast day of both Our Lady of the Pillar (explained above) and Our Lady of Guadalupe in Extremadura, names given to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Because their feast days are on October 12, they have become related to Christopher Columbus and the National Day of Spain.

Our Lady of the Pillar is the Patroness of Aragon, Spain and its capital Zaragoza, Patroness of the Hispanic people, Patroness of the Hispanic world, and Patroness of the Spanish Civil Guard. The Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar is in Zaragoza, Spain. A nine-day festival known as Fiestas del Pilar is celebrated in Zaragoza, Spain every year in her honor, beginning on the weekend preceding October 12.

Offering of flowers to the Virgin Mary in front of the Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar in Zaragoza, Spain; Credit – By Ecelan – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3829351

On October 12, many people from other Spanish regions go to Zaragoza, where the traditional “Ofrenda de flores a la Virgen” (Offering of flowers to the Virgin Mary), a large parade with many participants including from Latin American communities, takes place all day long.

National Day of Spain celebrations at the Our Lady of Guadalupe in Extremadura. Spain; Credit – Wikipedia

Our Lady of Guadalupe in Extremadura is a shrine to the Blessed Virgin Mary at the Monastery of Santa María de Guadalupe in Cáceres, Spain. A statue of Mary is reputed to have been carved by Saint Luke the Evangelist and given to Saint Leander, Archbishop of Seville by Pope Gregory I. According to local legend, in 712, during the Muslim conquest of the Iberian Peninsula, when Seville was defeated, a group of priests fled and buried the statue in the hills near the Guadalupe River in Extremadura, Spain. In the early 14th century, the Blessed Virgin Mary reputedly appeared to a cow herder named Gil Cordero while he was searching for a missing cow in the mountains. Cordero claimed that Mary ordered him to ask priests to dig at the place of her apparition. The priests discovered the hidden statue and built a small shrine which became the nucleus of the present monastery.

The statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Extremadura; Credit – Wikipedia

The statue was carved from cedar wood and is two feet high. It is a Black Madonna, a statue or painting of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Infant Jesus, where both are depicted with dark skin. Since the late 14th century, the statue has been clothed in embroidered and brocaded clothing, leaving only the faces and hands of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Infant Jesus visible.

There is a connection to Our Lady of Guadalupe in Extremadura and Christopher Columbus. Queen Isabella I of Castile and her husband King Ferdinand II of Aragon signed the documents that authorized the first voyage of Columbus to the Americas at the Monastery of Santa María de Guadalupe. Upon his return to Spain, Columbus went to the monastery to give thanks for a safe voyage.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • Colaboradores de los proyectos Wikimedia. (2006). fiesta nacional de España. Wikipedia.org; Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiesta_Nacional_de_Espa%C3%B1a
  • National Day of Spain. (2021). Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Day_of_Spain
  • Wikipedia Contributors. (2019). Columbus Day. Wikipedia; Wikimedia Foundation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbus_Day
  • Wikipedia Contributors. (2024). Our Lady of Guadalupe in Extremadura. Wikipedia; Wikimedia Foundation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Lady_of_Guadalupe_in_Extremadura
  • Wikipedia Contributors. (2024). Our Lady of the Pillar. Wikipedia; Wikimedia Foundation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Lady_of_the_Pillar

October 12: Today in Royal History

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Wilhelmine of Prussia, Queen of the Netherlands; Credit – Wikipedia

October 12, 1537 – Birth of King Edward VI of England at Hampton Court Palace in Richmond upon Thames, England
Twenty-six years into his reign, King Henry VIII of England was still without a male heir. He married his third wife Jane Seymour eleven days after Anne Boleyn’s execution, and Jane was pregnant before her first wedding anniversary, which would prove to be her only wedding anniversary. As was tradition, Jane went into confinement a month before the baby’s due date. At 2 AM, on October 12, 1537, the long-awaited male heir was born. Jane’s labor had been long, two days and three nights. Three days later, the baby was christened Edward after Edward the Confessor whose feast day is October 13. His half-sisters 21-year-old Mary and four-year-old Elizabeth attended the ceremony along with his mother who was carried on a litter. Henry’s joy soon turned into grief. On October 17, 1537, Jane’s condition deteriorated and she was given the last rites. She died on October 24, 1537, most likely from puerperal fever or childbed fever, a bacterial infection. Edward succeeded his father at age nine but died from tuberculosis six years later.
Unofficial Royalty: King Edward VI of England

October 12, 1576 – Death of Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor, King of Bohemia, King of Hungary and Croatia, Archduke of Austria in the Imperial City of Regensburg, now in the German state of Bavaria; buried in St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague, Kingdom of Bohemia, now in the Czech Republic
Maximilian married his first cousin Infanta Maria of Spain, the daughter of his uncle Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, who was also King Carlos I of Spain and Isabella of Portugal. The couple had fifteen children including two Holy Roman Emperors and two Queen Consorts (France and Spain).  Upon the death of his father Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor, who was also King of Hungary, Croatia, and Bohemia and Archduke of Austria, Maximilian succeeded as ruler of the Habsburg hereditary lands and was elected Holy Roman Emperor. During his reign, Maximilian had to deal with the ongoing Ottoman-Habsburg wars, conflicts with his Spanish Habsburg cousins, and the effects of the 1555 Peace of Augsburg. The Peace of Augsburg officially ended the religious struggle between Lutherans and Catholics, and made the legal division of Christianity permanent within the Holy Roman Empire, allowing the rulers of the constituent monarchies of the Holy Roman Empire to choose either Lutheranism or Roman Catholicism as the official religion of their state.
Unofficial Royalty: Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor, King of Bohemia, King of Hungary and Croatia, Archduke of Austria

October 12, 1730 – Death of King Frederik IV of Denmark and Norway; at Odense Palace in Denmark; buried at Roskilde Cathedral in Denmark
Frederik is known for the two bigamous marriages he made with his mistresses. Despite this, he was a fairly successful ruler. He selected his advisors carefully and held audiences in which ordinary people could speak to him and present letters with complaints or requests. Frederik was not very familiar with the Danish language, which he only used on state occasions. He usually spoke and wrote in German and French. Frederik IV was interested in Italian architecture and traveled to Italy several times and he had two palaces built in the Italian Baroque style. Frederiksberg Palace, located in Frederiksberg, close to Copenhagen, was built 1699 – 1735. Fredensborg Palace built 1720 – 1726, is located on Lake Esrum in Fredensborg on the island of Zealand in Denmark. Toward the end of his life, Frederik IV suffered from edema, then called dropsy. He died the day after his 59th birthday.
Unofficial Royalty: King Frederik IV of Denmark and Norway

October 12, 1798 – Birth of King Pedro IV of Portugal/Emperor Pedro I of Brazil at Queluz Palace in Lisbon, Portugal
Full name: Pedro de Alcântara Francisco António João Carlos Xavier de Paula Miguel Rafael Joaquim José Gonzaga Pascoal Cipriano Serafim
As Emperor Pedro I, he was the founder and first ruler of the Empire of Brazil. As King Pedro IV, he reigned briefly over Portugal. On April 7, 1831, after a political crisis that ended with the resignation of his ministers and in the middle of an economic crisis, Pedro abdicated the throne of Brazil in favor of his six-year-old son who reigned as Emperor Pedro II of Brazil. Pedro returned to Portugal where he died at the age of 35, from tuberculosis at his birthplace.
Unofficial Royalty: Pedro I, Emperor of Brazil/Pedro IV, King of Portugal

October 12, 1810 – The origin of Oktoberfest was the wedding of King Ludwig I of Bavaria and Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen in Munich, Kingdom of Bavaria, now in Bavaria, Germany
In 1809, 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 the couple 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 at the Theresienwiese in Munich, a large outdoor space named in her honor. The Bavarian royal family invited the citizens of Munich to attend the festivities. Theresienwiese is the site of Oktoberfest, held each year to commemorate the wedding.
Unofficial Royalty: King Ludwig I of Bavaria
Unofficial Royalty: Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen, Queen of Bavaria
Unofficial Royalty: Oktoberfest’s Royal Connection

October 12, 1837 – Death of Wilhelmine of Prussia, Queen of the Netherlands, wife of King Willem I of the Netherlands, at Noordeinde Palace in The Hague, the Netherlands; buried at Nieuwe Kerk in Delft, the Netherlands
In 1791, Wilhelmine married her first cousin Prince Willem of Orange-Nassau, later King Willem I of the Netherlands, and the couple had four children. Wilhelmine was not successful in her role as Queen. While she still contributed generously to charities, her subjects thought her cold and distant as she only came in contact with family and her court ladies. In the now modern-day Belgium areas, Wilhelmine was ridiculed for her old-fashioned German style of dress.  Wilhelmine’s health worsened in 1820 and by 1829, she rarely appeared in public. After a trip in the spring of 1837 to a grandson’s christening in Berlin, Wilhelmine was beyond exhaustion. She spent the summer at Het Loo Palace in Apeldoorn, Netherlands. On October 4, 1837, Wilhelmine and her husband traveled to Noordeinde Palace in The Hague. The trip greatly weakened Wilhelmine and her condition worsened. Queen Wilhelmine died eight days later, at the age of 63, with her family at her bedside.
Unofficial Royalty: Wilhelmine of Prussia, Queen of the Netherlands

October 12, 1876 – Birth of Grand Duke Kirill Vladimirovich of Russia at Tsarskoye Selo, near St. Petersburg, Russia
Kirill was the son of Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich (son of Alexander II, Emperor of All Russia) and Duchess Marie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. In 1905, he married his first cousin Victoria Melita of Edinburgh and Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, a granddaughter of Queen Victoria. Because Nicholas II, Emperor of All Russia did not consent to the marriage, Kirill was stripped of his military appointments and his funding. The couple was banished from Russia and settled in France. By 1908, Kirill was third in line to the Imperial throne, following several deaths within the family. Nicholas II relented and allowed Kirill to return to Russia, restoring his military positions and his funding. (See below. Kirill died on his 62nd birthday.)
Unofficial Royalty: Grand Duke Kirill Vladimirovich of Russia

October 12, 1894 – Birth of Elisabeth of Romania, Queen of Greece, wife of King George II of Greece, daughter of King Ferdinand I of Romania, at Peleş Castle in Sinaia, Romania
Full name: Elisabeta Charlotte Josephine Alexandra Victoria
Elisabeth was a great-granddaughter of Queen Victoria through her mother Princess Marie of Edinburgh. In 1921, she married the future King George II of Greece. George and Elisabeth had no children, and would eventually divorce in 1935. After her divorce, Elisabeth petitioned to have her Romanian citizenship restored which she had relinquished upon her marriage. Through wise investments and the booming Romanian economy, Elisabeth became financially well-off. She devoted much of her time to charity, working with many organizations to help children and those who were ill. At her own expense, she established a hospital and children’s home in Bucharest, Romania.
Unofficial Royalty: Elisabeth of Romania, Queen of Greece

October 12, 1938 – Death of Grand Duke Kirill Vladimirovich of Russia in Neuilly, France; first buried  in the Ducal Mausoleum at the Glockenburg Cemetery in Coburg, Germany, in 1995 his remains were moved to the Grand Ducal Mausoleum at the Peter and Paul Fortress in St. Petersburg, Russia
Following the abdication of Nicholas II in 1917, Kirill and his family left Russia. They settled first in Finland, before moving on to Munich, Germany, and then Zurich, Switzerland. They settled permanently in Saint-Briac, France, in the mid-1920s. In addition, they had inherited property in Coburg from Victoria Melita’s mother. Bolstered by a group of supporters, and the laws of the former Imperial Family (under which Kirill was the rightful heir to the throne), on August 31, 1924, Kirill declared himself Emperor of All the Russias. His son Vladimir Kirillovich and then Vladimir’s daughter Maria Vladimirovna both took on the claim.
Unofficial Royalty: Grand Duke Kirill Vladimirovich of Russia

October 12, 2018 – Wedding of Princess Eugenie of York and Jack Brooksbank at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle in Windsor, England
Eugenie and Jack were introduced by mutual friends in Verbier, Switzerland. Eugenie was on holiday and Jack was working there at the time. After seven years together, Jack proposed to Eugenie while on holiday in Nicaragua at the end of 2017.
Unofficial Royalty: Wedding of Princess Eugenie of York and Jack Brooksbank

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

October 11: Today in Royal History

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Louise-Marie of Orleans, Queen of the Belgians; Credit – Wikipedia

October 11, 1159 – Death of William of Blois, Count of Boulogne, son of King Stephen of England, in the County of Toulouse, now in France; buried at the Abbey of Montmorel in the Duchy of Normandy, now in France.
William was the youngest of the five children and the third but the second surviving of the three sons of Stephen I, King of England (born Stephen of Blois) and Matilda I, Countess of Boulogne in her own right. Circa 1148 – 1149, William married Isabel de Warenne, 4th Countess of Surrey in her own right but the couple had no children. William’s mother Matilda I, Countess of Boulogne in her own right died in 1152, and her eldest son succeeded her as Eustace IV, Count of Boulogne. When Eustace suddenly died in 1153, William became Count of Boulogne. In 1159 William accompanied King Henry II of England on an unsuccessful invasion of the County of Toulouse, now in France. William died October 11, 1159, aged circa twenty-two, from an illness on the return trip to England, while still in the County of Toulouse.
Unofficial Royalty: William of Blois, Count of Boulogne

October 11, 1671 – Birth of King Frederik IV of Denmark and Norway at Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen, Denmark
In 1695, Frederik married Louise of Mecklenburg-Güstrow. They had four sons and one daughter. Sadly, three sons died in infancy. Frederik had two bigamous marriages to his mistresses. The adultery and bigamy of Frederik IV and the effect it had upon Queen Louise deeply affected and disturbed their son Crown Prince Christian, the future Christian VI. Christian distanced himself from his father and he came to detest his father’s bigamous wives. After the death of Queen Louise in 1721, Frederik and Anna Sophie Reventlow were married in a second formal wedding conducted with great ceremony. Although the marriage was still scandalous, it was not declared morganatic and Anna Sophie was crowned Queen. Anna Sophie and Frederick IV had six children. Three were born before the legal marriage in 1721 but none survived. This was seen by many as divine punishment for their bigamy. The three children born after the 1721 marriage were styled as Prince/Princess of Denmark but none survived infancy.
Unofficial Royalty: King Frederik IV of Denmark and Norway

October 11, 1721 – Death of Prince Anton Florian of Liechtenstein in Vienna, Austria; buried at the Liechtenstein Crypt in Vranov near Brno, Czech Republic
In 1679, Anton Florian married Countess Eleonore Barbara von Thun-Hohenstein and the couple had eleven children including Josef Johann Adam, Prince of Liechtenstein. In 1712, Anton Florian’s nephew Hans-Adam I, Prince of Liechtenstein, died without a male heir. Anton Florian was the heir according to primogeniture. Still, he was not very popular with the family, and  Hans-Adam I had named his second cousin once removed Josef Wenzel as his heir. In 1718, after negotiations, Anton Florian became Prince of Liechtenstein and Josef Wenzel concentrated on his military career.
Unofficial Royalty: Prince Anton Florian of Liechtenstein

October 11, 1739 – Birth of Prince Grigory Alexandrovich Potemkin, lover of Catherine II (the Great), Empress of All Russia, in the village of Chizhovo near Smolensk, Russia
Grigory and Catherine had known each other since 1762 but their sexual relationship began in the spring of 1774 when Grigory was 34 and Catherine was 44. Grigory and Catherine worked out a new relationship that preserved their affection toward each other and their political collaborations but allowed each of them to choose other sexual partners. That relationship lasted until Grigoryi died. He is considered Catherine’s great love. Trivia: The term “Potemkin Village” derives from Grigory Potemkin. It has come to mean, especially in a political context, any hollow or false construct, physical or figurative, meant to hide an undesirable or potentially damaging situation. The term comes from stories of a fake portable village built solely to impress Catherine II (the Great), Empress of All Russia, by Grigory Potemkin, during her journey to Crimea in 1787.
Unofficial Royalty: Prince Grigory Alexandrovich Potemkin, lover of Catherine II (the Great), Empress of All Russia

October 11, 1753 – Birth of Hereditary Prince Frederik of Denmark, son of King Frederick V of Denmark and his second wife, Juliana Maria of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, at Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen, Denmark
After the death of his father King Frederik V, Frederik’s half-brother from his father’s first marriage King Christian VII succeeded to the throne.  Christian VII had many symptoms of mental illness. Frederik and his mother Juliana Maria were instrumental in a coup that would bring about the fall of Christian VII’s physician Johann Friedrich Struensee and discredit Christian’s wife Caroline Matilda of Wales who was having an affair with Struensee. They arranged for King Christian VII to sign an arrest warrant for Struensee after they had already arrested him. Struensee was executed and Caroline Matilda was exiled. After the fall of Struensee, Juliana Maria and her son Frederik took charge of the Council of State. Christian VII was only nominally king from 1772 onward.
Unofficial Royalty: Hereditary Prince Frederik of Denmark

October 11, 1850 – Death of Louise-Marie of Orleans, Queen of the Belgians, wife of King Leopold I of the Belgians, at Ostend, Belgium; buried at the Royal Crypt in the Church of Our Lady in Laeken, Brussels, Belgium
Louise-Marie was the eldest daughter and second child of Louis-Philippe I, King of the French and Maria Amalia of the Two Sicilies. Among her ancestors are the Kings of France, Spain, Poland, Sicily and Naples, and Holy Roman Emperors. Marie Antoinette, Queen of France was her mother’s aunt. In 1831, Prince Leopold of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, uncle of both Queen Victoria and her husband Prince Albert, became the first King of the Belgians. Leopold had to marry again to provide for the Belgian succession and his choice was Louise-Marie. The couple had four children. In August 1850, during a memorial service for Louise-Marie’s father, it was noticed that Louise-Marie had difficulty walking and needed support from her husband to prevent her from falling. A month later, suffering from tuberculosis and feeling increasingly weak, she moved to Ostend, Belgium on the sea. Surrounded by her mother, her husband, and her children, Louise-Marie died at the age of 38.
Unofficial Royalty: Louise-Marie of Orleans, Queen of the Belgians

October 11, 1861 – Death of Elizabeth Conyngham, Marchioness Conyngham, mistress of King George IV of the United Kingdom, at the family estate Bifrons in Patrixbourne, Kent, England; buried at St. Mary’s Church in Patrixbourne, Kent, England
Elizabeth Conyngham, Marchioness Conyngham was the last mistress of King George IV of the United Kingdom, from 1820 until the King died in 1830. George IV was so devoted to her that he bequeathed her his plate and jewels, although she refused them when he died. He also provided housing at Windsor Castle and at the Brighton Pavilion for Elizabeth and her family and ensured they traveled with him when he moved from one residence to another. She was given full use of the King’s horses and carriages, and most of the large dinners held at her London townhouse were prepared in the kitchens of St. James’s Palace. To George IV, nothing was ‘off limits’ for his beloved Elizabeth. However, it would all end when George IV died at Windsor Castle in 1839. By the following day, Elizabeth had packed her belongings and left Windsor for her brother’s home before traveling to Paris, reportedly expelled from the country by the new King William IV. Elizabeth remained in Paris until the death of William IV in 1837. She returned to the family’s Bifrons estate in the village of Patrixbourne, near Canterbury, where she lived the remainder of her life.
Unofficial Royalty: Elizabeth Conyngham, Marchioness Conyngham, mistress of King George IV of the United Kingdom

October 11, 1916 – Death of King Otto I of Bavaria at Schloss Fürstenried in Munich, Kingdom of Bavaria, now in Bavaria, Germany; buried at St. Michael’s Church in Munich
Like his brother King Ludwig II of Bavaria, Otto was also mentally ill. After Ludwig and his doctor were found dead in a lake, Otto became King of Bavaria. However, because of his incapacity, Otto probably never understood that he had become king. His uncle Prince Luitpold who had been Regent of Bavaria during Ludwig II’s reign remained Regent during Otto’s reign. Otto remained in isolation at Fürstenried Palace for the rest of his life. When Prince Luitpold died in 1912, he was succeeded by his son Ludwig as Regent. The following year, Ludwig had the Bavarian constitution amended to allow King Otto to be formally deposed. In 1913, Otto was formally deposed and replaced by his cousin who took the throne as King Ludwig III. Otto died three years later, aged 68, as the result of a bowel obstruction.
Unofficial Royalty: King Otto I of Bavaria

October 11, 1927 – Birth of Josephine-Charlotte of Belgium, Grand Duchess of Luxembourg, wife of Grand Duke Jean of Luxembourg, at the Royal Palace in Brussels, Belgium
Full name: Josephine-Charlotte Ingeborg Elisabeth Marie-José Marguerite Astrid
Joséphine-Charlotte was the eldest child and only daughter of Leopold III, King of the Belgians and Princess Astrid of Sweden. Her two younger brothers Baudouin and Albert II were both Kings of the Belgians. In 1953, Joséphine-Charlotte married Hereditary Grand Duke Jean of Luxembourg, the eldest child of Grand Duchess Charlotte of Luxembourg and Prince Felix of Bourbon-Parma. The couple had five children including Henri, the current Grand Duke of Luxembourg.  In 1964, Grand Duchess Charlotte abdicated, and Jean and Joséphine-Charlotte became the new Grand Duke and Grand Duchess of Luxembourg.
Unofficial Royalty: Josephine-Charlotte of Belgium, Grand Duchess of Luxembourg

October 11, 1954 – Birth of Haitham bin Tariq Al Said, Sultan of Oman, in Muscat,  then in the Sultanate of Muscat and Oman, now in the Sultanate of Oman
On January 11, 2020, the day after the death of Haitham’s first cousin Sultan Qaboos of Oman, Haitham was named Sultan of Oman after a sealed letter from Qaboos was opened identifying whom he wished to take his place. On the same day, Haitham was sworn in as the Sultan of Oman during an emergency session of the Council of Oman at the Al-Bustan Palace in Muscat, Oman.
Unofficial Royalty: Haitham bin Tariq Al Said, Sultan of Oman

October 11, 1963 – Birth of Prince Feisal bin Al Hussein of Jordan, son of King Hussein I of Jordan and his second wife Princess Muna Al Hussein (the former Antoinette Gardiner), in Amman, Jordan
Prince Feisal is the younger brother of King Abdullah II of Jordan. In addition to his military duties with the Jordanian Air Force, Feisal has been President of the Jordan Olympic Committee since 2003, Founder and Chairman of Generations for Peace since 2007, and a Member of the International Olympic Committee since 2010.
Unofficial Royalty: Prince Feisal bin Al Hussein

October 11, 1969 – Birth of Prince Constantijn of the Netherlands, son of Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, at Utrecht University Hospital in Utrecht, the Netherlands
Full name: Constantijn Christof Frederick Aschwin
Constantijn is the youngest of the three sons of the former Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands. His eldest brother King Willem-Alexander is the current King of the Netherlands. Constantijn married Petra Laurentien Brinkhorst in 2001 and had two daughters and one son. He does not undertake many official duties for the Dutch monarchy. However, as a member of the Dutch Royal House, he and his wife are typically in attendance at major events, such as King’s Day and the annual Opening of Parliament.
Unofficial Royalty: Prince Constantijn of the Netherlands

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

October 10: Today in Royal History

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Juliana Maria of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, Queen of Denmark; Credit – Wikipedia

October 10, 1344 – Birth of Mary of Waltham, Duchess of Brittany, daughter of King Edward III of England at Bishop’s Waltham Palace in Bishop’s Waltham, Hampshire, England
Mary had thirteen siblings. Her brothers married into the English nobility and it was their descendants who later battled for the throne in the Wars of the Roses. Around  July 3, 1361,16-year-old Mary and 22-year-old John IV, Duke of Brittany were married at Woodstock Palace in Woodstock, Oxfordshire, England. Mary and John remained at the English court after their marriage. Arrangements were being made for them to leave England and reside in Brittany as the Duke and Duchess of Brittany. However, within weeks, Mary became quite ill, and she died sometime before September 13, 1361,
Unofficial Royalty: Mary of Waltham, Duchess of Brittany

October 10, 1741 – Birth of Carl II, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz at Mirow Castle in Mirow, Duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, now in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany
Full name: Carl Ludwig Friedrich
Carl was the brother of Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz who married King George III of the United Kingdom. In 1794, Carl became the Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz upon the death of his brother Adolf Friedrich IV. In 1815, the Congress of Vienna recognized Mecklenburg-Strelitz as a grand duchy. Carl II, Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz became the first Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. Carl married Friederike of Hesse-Darmstadt who died due to childbirth complications giving birth to her tenth child. Two years later, Carl married Friederike’s younger sister, Charlotte who also died due to childbirth complications shortly after giving birth to their only child.
Unofficial Royalty: Carl II, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz

October 10, 1796 – Death of Juliana Maria of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, Queen of Denmark, second wife of King Frederik V of Denmark, in Fredensborg Palace in Denmark; buried at Roskilde Cathedral in Denmark
In 1752, Juliana Maria married Frederik V six months after his first wife Louisa of Great Britain died. The couple had one son. After the death of Frederik V, he was succeeded by his son from his first marriage King Christian VII who had many symptoms of mental illness. Juliana Maria was instrumental in a coup that would bring about the fall of Christian VII’s physician Johann Friedrich Struensee and discredit Christian’s wife Caroline Matilda of Wales who was having an affair with Struensee. Juliana Maria arranged for King Christian VII to sign the arrest warrant of Struensee after she had already made the arrest in the name of the king. Struensee was executed and Caroline Matilda was exiled. After the fall of Struensee, Juliana Maria and her son, Christian VII’s half-brother Hereditary Prince Frederik, took charge of the Council of State. Christian VII was only nominally king from 1772 onward.
Unofficial Royalty: Juliana Maria of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, Queen of Denmark

October 10, 1811 – Death of Johann Ludwig von Wallmoden, the illegitimate son of King George II of Great Britain and his mistress Amalie von Wallmoden, in Hanover in the Electorate of Hanover, now in the German state of Lower Saxony; buried in the von Wallmoden family’s hereditary burial site below the tower of the Church of Heinde in Heinde now in the German state of Lower Saxony
Born on April 22, 1736, in Hanover in the Electorate of Hanover, now in the German state of Lower Saxony, Johann Ludwig von Wallmoden was the illegitimate son of King George II of Great Britain and Amalie von Wallmoden, Countess of Yarmouth, George II’s mistress from 1735 until he died in 1760.  Johann Ludwig was brought up at his father’s court and received a comprehensive education. During a grand tour of Italy, Johann Ludwig began to collect art and antiquities. Johann Ludwig joined the Hanoverian Army and rose to the rank of major general. Johann Ludwig married two times: to Charlotte Christiane Auguste Wilhelmine von Wangenheim with whom he had five children and to Baroness Luise Christiane von Lichtenstein with whom he had three children.
Unofficial Royalty: Johann Ludwig von Wallmoden

October 10, 1830 – Birth of Queen Isabella II of Spain at the Royal Palace in Madrid, Spain
Full name: María Isabel Luisa
Isabella’s father Ferdinand VII died in 1833, and she succeeded to the throne, not quite three years old. Isabella married her double first cousin Infante Francisco de Asís de Borbón, Duke of Cadiz. Her marriage was not happy and there were rumors that few, if any, of her children, were fathered by her husband. Isabella had nine children, but only five reached adulthood. Her only surviving son was King Alfonso XII of Spain, the great-great-grandfather of the current Spanish monarch King Felipe VI. Isabella’s authoritarianism, her religious fanaticism, her alliance with the military, and the chaos of her reign — sixty different governments — helped bring about the Revolution of 1868 that exiled her to Paris. The new government replaced Isabella with Amadeo I, the second son of King Victor Emmanuel II of Italy.  During Amadeo’s reign, there were many republican uprisings and he abdicated in 1873 and returned to Italy. The First Spanish Republic was declared, but it lasted a little less than two years.  Isabella officially abdicated in 1870 and after the First Spanish Republic collapsed, her son Alfonso XII became king.
Unofficial Royalty: Queen Isabella II of Spain

October 10, 1837 – Death of Princess Wilhelmine Luise of Nassau-Weilburg, Princess Reuss of Greiz, wife of Heinrich XIII, 2nd Prince Reuss of Greiz, in Greiz, Principality of Reuss-Greiz, now in the German state of Thuringia; buried at the Stadtkirche St. Marien in Greiz
The daughter of Karl Christian, Duke of Nassau-Weilburg and Princess Carolina of Orange-Nassau, twenty-year-old Wilhelmine Luise married thirty-eight-year-old Heinrich XIII, the heir to the throne of the Principality of Reuss-Greiz in 1786. Wilhelmine Luise and Heinrich XIII had four sons. When his father died in 1800, Heinrich XIII succeeded as Prince Reuss of Greiz. Heinrich XIII, 2nd Prince Reuss of Greiz died on January 29, 1817, aged 69. Wilhelmine Luise survived her husband by twenty years, dying on October 10, 1837, aged 72.
Unofficial Royalty: Wilhelmine Luise of Nassau-Weilburg, Princess Reuss of Greiz

October 10, 1846 – Birth of Georg, Prince of Schaumburg-Lippe at Schloss Bückeburg, in Bückeburg, Principality of Schaumburg-Lippe, now in North-Rhine Westphalia, Germany
Full name: Stephan Albrecht Georg
In 1882, Georg married Princess Marie Anna of Saxe-Altenburg, who was eighteen years younger than him. The couple had nine children. Before he succeeded to the throne, Georg had a career in the Prussian Army. Upon the death of his father on May 8, 1893, Georg became the reigning Prince of Schaumburg-Lippe.
Unofficial Royalty: Georg, Prince of Schaumburg-Lippe

October 10, 1903 – Birth of Prince Charles of Belgium, Prince Regent of Belgium, at the Palace of the Marquis d’Assche in Brussels, Belgium
Full name: Charles-Théodore Henri Antoine Meinrad
Charles was the younger brother of Leopold III, King of the Belgians. When Belgium was occupied by Germany during World War II, Leopold III surrendered and was held under house arrest at the Palace of Laeken. After the liberation of Belgium, the Belgian Parliament appointed Charles as Prince Regent. During his Regency, Charles worked to restore Belgium after the war, helping to establish financial aid and grants for the restoration of properties damaged or destroyed. Charles remained Prince Regent of Belgium until a 1950 referendum returned Leopold III to the throne.
Unofficial Royalty: Prince Charles of Belgium Count of Flanders, Prince Regent of Belgium

October 10, 1914 – Death of King Carol I of Romania at Sinaia, Romania; buried at the Curtea de Arges Monastery in Romania
Born Prince Karl of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, he was elected by the Romanian government to become the new Ruling Prince in 1866 after Ruling Prince Alexander Ioan Cuza was forced to abdicate. He took on the more Romanian spelling of his name, Carol. In 1881, the Romanian parliament declared Romania a Kingdom, and he became King Carol I. He married  Princess Elisabeth of Wied and they had one daughter who died in childhood from scarlet fever. After a reign of 48 years, Carol I died at the age of 75 and was succeeded by his nephew, King Ferdinand I, the second son of his elder brother Leopold.
Unofficial Royalty: King Carol I of Romania

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October 9: Today in Royal History

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Barbara Palmer, 1st Duchess of Cleveland; Credit – Wikipedia

October 9, 1690 – Death of Henry FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Grafton, an illegitimate son of King Charles II of England by Barbara Palmer, 1st Duchess of Cleveland
In 1679, Henry married Isabella Bennet, daughter and heiress of Henry Bennet, 1st Earl of Arlington and Elisabeth of Nassau, a granddaughter of Maurits of Nassau, Prince of Orange, and a great-granddaughter of Willem I (the Silent), Prince of Orange. When her father died, Isabella became the 2nd Countess of Arlington in her own right. Henry and Isabella had one son Charles FitzRoy, who succeeded his parents as 2nd Duke of Grafton and 3rd Earl of Arlington. Henry was raised as a sailor and was well-suited to military life. He was appointed Colonel of the Grenadier Guards in 1681 and served as Vice-Admiral of England from 1682 to 1689. On October 9, 1690, in Cork, Ireland, 27-year-old Henry FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Grafton died from wounds received two weeks earlier at the Siege of Cork, during the Williamite War in Ireland when supporters of the former King James II attempted to retake the English throne from King William III and Queen Mary II.
Unofficial Royalty: Henry FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Grafton

October 9, 1709 – Death of Barbara Palmer, 1st Duchess of Cleveland, mistress of King Charles II of England, at Walpole House in Chiswick, England; at the Old Chiswick Cemetery at St. Nicholas Church in Chiswick, London, England
In 1659, Barbara married Roger Palmer, later 1st Earl of Castlemaine. At the end of 1659, Roger and his new wife left with other supporters of the exiled  King Charles II of England, joining him in the Netherlands. In 1660, Barbara became Charles’ mistress and continued as his mistress when Charles II returned to England later that year. Barbara gave birth to six children, some of them, possibly all, were the children of Charles II. Among Barbara’s descendants are Diana, Princess of Wales; Sarah, Duchess of York; the Mitford sisters; philosopher Bertrand Russell; and British Prime Minister Sir Anthony Eden. In 1673, King Charles II cast Barbara aside and took Louise de Kérouaille as his newest favorite mistress. Barbara eventually reconciled with King Charles II and he enjoyed an evening in her company a week before he died in February 1685.
Unofficial Royalty: Barbara Palmer, 1st Duchess of Cleveland

October 9, 1757 – Birth of King Charles X of France at the Palace of Versailles in France
Both King Louis XVIII and King Charles X were brothers of the beheaded King Louis XVI who reigned in France during the Bourbon Restoration. When Napoleon was overthrown in 1814, King Louis XVIII was formally made King of France. In 1824, King Louis XVIII died, and his brother Charles X succeeded to the French throne. Charles longed for a return to absolute rule. He often instructed his prime minister to change or remove laws that he felt were too liberal. Charles’ own actions led to the July Revolution of 1830, his abdication, and the Chamber of the Deputies proclaiming Louis Philippe, Duke of Orléans as Louis Philippe I, King of the French.
Unofficial Royalty: Charles X, King of France

October 9, 1934 – Assassination of King Alexander I of Yugoslavia in Marseilles, France; buried at the Memorial Church of St. George, Oplenac near Topola, Serbia
45-year-old Alexander I, King of Yugoslavia was assassinated in Marseilles, France, by Bulgarian assassin Vlado Chernozemski during a state visit to France. In the pre-World War II era, French Foreign Minister Louis Barthou was attempting to build alliances. King Alexander was making a state visit to France to sign a Franco-Yugoslav agreement. Barthou met King Alexander when he arrived in Marseilles, France on the Royal Yugoslav Navy destroyer Dubrovnik. The pair slowly traveled in a motorcade through the streets of Marseilles, lined with people eager to see the king. Vlado Chernozemski emerged from the crowd and jumped onto the running board of Alexander and Barthou’s car. He was carrying a bouquet of flowers, in which his pistol was concealed, and shouted “Vive le roi!” (“Long live the king!”) Chernozemski shot Alexander, hitting him once in the abdomen and once in the heart, killing the king within minutes.
Unofficial Royalty: Assassination of Alexander I, King of Yugoslavia
Unofficial Royalty: King Alexander I of Yugoslavia

October 9, 1935 – Birth of Prince Edward, Duke of Kent at 3 Belgrave Square in London, England
Full name: Edward George Nicholas Paul Patrick
Edward became Duke of Kent at age 7 when his father Prince George, Duke of Kent died in a plane crash during active military service in World War II. In 1961, Edward married Katharine Worsley and the couple had three children. As a first cousin of Queen Elizabeth II, he was an active member of the Royal Family and represented the Queen at events in the United Kingdom and around the world.  He is probably most recognized for his role as President of The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, serving from 1969 – 2021, a position to which he succeeded upon his mother’s death in 1968. In this role, he presented the champion’s trophies at Wimbledon each year.
Unofficial Royalty: Prince Edward, Duke of Kent

October 9, 1937 – Death of Ernst Ludwig, Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine, grandson of Queen Victoria, at Schloss Wolfsgarten in Langen, Germany; buried at Rosenhöhe Chapel in Darmstadt, Germany
Ernst Ludwig was the son of Queen Victoria’s daughter Princess Alice and Ludwig IV, Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine. He made an unsuccessful marriage to his first cousin Princess Victoria Melita of Edinburgh and Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. The couple had one daughter who died in childhood. They waited until after Queen Victoria died to divorce. In 1905, Ernst Ludwig married Princess Eleonore of Solms-Hohensolms-Lich and they had two sons. He lost his throne after World War I, however, he was allowed to remain in Hesse and retained several of the family’s properties. Tragically, just weeks after his death, a plane crash in Belgium took the lives of many of his remaining family – his widow, elder son, daughter-in-law, and two grandsons. The plane crash took place on November 16, 1937 – ironically, this was the anniversary of the deaths of both Ernst Ludwig’s sister May (in 1878) and his daughter Elisabeth (in 1903).
Unofficial Royalty: Ernst Ludwig, Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine

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Netherlands – Accession to the Throne and Inauguration

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2024

A painting by Nicolaas Pieneman depicting King Willem II swearing the oath during his inauguration in 1840; Credit – Wikipedia

The last accession to the throne of the Netherlands took place when Queen Beatrix abdicated on April 30, 2013, thirty-three years after she became Queen of the Netherlands when her mother Queen Juliana abdicated on April 30, 1980. Queen Beatrix’s abdication and the inauguration of her son King Willem-Alexander took place on April 30, 2013. Beatrix signed the instrument of abdication in the Mozeszaal in the Royal Palace in Amsterdam at 10:07 a.m. local time. Willem-Alexander immediately became King of the Netherlands the instant his mother signed the instrument of abdication. His inauguration took place on the afternoon of April 30, 2013, in the Nieuwe Kerk in Amsterdam.

Article 32 of the Dutch Constitution states “Upon assuming the royal prerogative the monarch shall be sworn in and invested as soon as possible in the capital city, Amsterdam, at a public and joint session of the two Houses of the States General. The monarch shall swear or promise allegiance to the Constitution and that he/she will faithfully discharge his/her duties. Specific rules shall be laid down by Act of Parliament.” The Dutch monarch is not crowned, although the crown, orb, and scepter are present at the investiture ceremony. The swearing of the oath constitutes the monarch’s acceptance of the throne.

History

Willem ( (the Silent), Prince of Orange; Credit – Wikipedia

Prince of Orange is a title originally associated with the sovereign Principality of Orange, in what is now southern France. Willem I (the Silent), Prince of Orange (reigned 1559 – 1584, assassinated) is the founder of the House of Orange-Nassau, and the ancestor of the Dutch monarchs. When Willem’s childless cousin René of Châlon, Prince of Orange died in 1544, he left the Principality of Orange to Willem. Over the years, the title Prince of Orange became prestigious in the Netherlands and throughout the Protestant world despite losing the territory that had originally gone with the title. The Princes of Orange were also Stadtholders of various Dutch provinces during the period of the Dutch Republic and gained much power.

The 1814 inauguration of Willem VI, as Sovereign Prince of Orange at the Nieuwe Kerk in Amsterdam; Credit – Wikipedia

The Napoleonic Wars disrupted much of Europe. When the French invaded the Dutch Republic in 1795, Willem V, Prince of Orange and his family went into exile, first in England and then in 1796 in Prussia where they lived until 1813. After the defeat of Napoleon, the first inauguration ceremony was held in 1814, when Willem VI, Prince of Orange was sworn in as sovereign prince at the Nieuwe Kerk in Amsterdam. Willem VI, urged on by the powers who met at the Congress of Vienna, proclaimed the Netherlands a monarchy on March 16, 1815. After Napoleon’s defeat at the Battle of Waterloo and his second exile, the Congress of Vienna formally confirmed Willem VI, Prince of Orange as the hereditary ruler, King Willem I, of what was known as the United Kingdom of the Netherlands. Today, the title Prince/Princess of Orange is held by the heir apparent of the Dutch monarch and the Dutch Royal Family are members of the House of Orange-Nassau.

What happens?

Nieuwe Kerk on Dam Square in Amsterdam. The Royal Palace is on the left; Photo – © Susan Flantzer

The inauguration of Sovereign Kings and Queens of the Netherlands is held at the Nieuwe Kerk (New Church) in Amsterdam during a public session of the Dutch legislature, the States General. The Nieuwe Kerk is no longer used for church services and has been converted into a cultural center. However, the Nieuwe Kerk is used for the inauguration of the Dutch monarch according to Article 32 of the Constitution of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. In addition, the religious wedding of the future King Willem-Alexander and Máxima Zorreguieta Cerruti was held at the Nieuwe Kerk in 2002.

Royal guests at King Willem-Alexander’s inauguration

Many guests attended King Willem-Alexander’s inauguration including members of other royal families. However, tradition requires that no foreign sovereign attend the inauguration so that the new Dutch sovereign, as protocol requires, is the one with the highest rank among those present.

Foreign royalty who attended King Willem Alexander’s inauguration:

  • Prince Albert II of Monaco (assuming that Prince Albert could attend because as a Sovereign Prince, his rank is lower than a King.)
  • Sheikha Moza bint Nasser Al-Missned representing the Emir of Qatar
    Princess Lalla Salma of Morocco representing the King of Morocco
  • Crown Prince Naruhito and Crown Princess Masako of Japan representing the Emperor of Japan)
  • Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn of Thailand representing the King of Thailand
  • Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn of Thailand
  • The Prince of Wales (Charles) and Duchess of Cornwall (Camilla), representing the Queen of the United Kingdom
  • Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary of Denmark, representing the Queen of Denmark
  • Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel of Sweden, representing the King of Sweden
  • The Prince (Felipe) and Princess of Asturias (Letizia) representing the King of Spain
  • The Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette Marit of Norway, representing the King of Norway
  • The Duke (Philippe) and Duchess of Brabant (Mathilde), representing the King of the Belgians
  • The Crown Prince Al-Muhtadee Billah and Crown Princess Sarah binti Salleh Ab of Brunei, representing the Sultan of Brunei
  • The Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume and Hereditary Grand Duchess Stéphanie of Luxembourg, representing the Grand Duke of Luxembourg)
  • The Hereditary Prince Alois and Hereditary Princess Sophie of Liechtenstein, representing the Prince of Liechtenstein)
  • Prince Hassan bin Talal and Princess Sarvath al-Hassan of Jordan, representing the King of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan)

The inauguration is strictly ceremonial as the successor to the throne instantly becomes the new monarch at the moment the former monarch dies or abdicates. A monarch must be eighteen years old to participate in an inauguration. Although the inauguration is held in a church, it is not a religious ceremony. The significance of the inauguration is purely constitutional. The present form of the inauguration began with King Willem II’s inauguration in 1840.

The regalia of the Netherlands; Credit – Wikipedia

The Regalia of the Netherlands, commissioned by King Willem II in 1840, a copy of the Dutch Constitution, and a copy of the Charter for the Kingdom of the Netherlands are placed on a table in the Nieuwe Kerk. The regalia symbolizes the monarch’s power and dignity but are never physically given to or worn by the monarch.

The Crown symbolizes the sovereignty of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the dignity of the head of state. Since Dutch monarchs are not crowned, they never actually wear the crown. The Scepter symbolizes the monarch’s authority and the Orb symbolizes the monarch’s territory. The Sword of State symbolizes the monarch’s power.

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The regalia and the chairs of state in place for the inauguration of King Willem-Alexander © Royal Archives, photo: Ben Grishaaver (Leiden University). https://www.royal-house.nl/topics/royal-house/investiture

The President of the Senate opens this public session of the Dutch legislature and then reads a message from the Prime Minister which gives the President of the Senate the political responsibility for the inauguration of the monarch.

The ministers and secretaries of state, the members of the Council of State, and the governors of Aruba, Curaçao, and Saint Martin are welcomed. Members of the Dutch royal family, led by the heir to the throne and the other children of the sovereign enter and take their seats.

King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima walking to the Nieuwe Kerk; Credit – Wikipedia

Meanwhile, the Dutch monarch and his/her spouse leave the adjacent Royal Palace, preceded by a military escort, and walk the short distance to the Nieuwe Kerk.

The interior of the Nieuwe Kerk as King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima make their way down the aisle

On arriving at the Nieuwe Kerk, the monarch is greeted by a parliamentary delegation of five members. During the ceremony, the monarch, wearing an ermine-lined heirloom mantle, and his/her spouse, are seated on chairs of state upon a raised dais, opposite the members of the legislature. Once the monarch is seated, Wilhelmus, the national anthem is sung. The Wilhelmus was written in honor of  Willem I (the Silent), Prince of Orange, known as the Vader des Vaderlands (Father of the Fatherland).

The singing of the Wilhelmus, the national anthem of the Netherlands

The monarch gives a speech before swearing the oath to uphold the constitution and protect the people of the Kingdom. While reciting the oath, the monarch often displays the Spreekgebaar (speaking gesture), a hand gesture used in Germanic Europe and neighboring countries, when swearing an oath. The right hand is raised, with the index finger and middle finger extended upwards; the last two digits are curled downwards against the palm. The thumb is slightly curled or raised.

King Willem-Alexander swearing the oath while raising his hand in the Spreekgebaar

The oath or affirmation: “I solemnly swear (affirm) to the people of the Kingdom that I shall constantly preserve and uphold the Charter for the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the Constitution. I swear (affirm) that I shall defend and preserve the independence and the territory of the Kingdom to the best of my ability, that I shall protect the freedom and rights of all Dutch citizens and residents, and that I shall employ all means placed at my disposal by the law to preserve and promote prosperity, as is incumbent upon a good and faithful Sovereign. So help me God! (This I solemnly affirm!)

Following the monarch’s oath, the President of the Senate makes a declaration on behalf of the assembled people: “We receive and invest, in the name of the people of the Kingdom and in accordance with the Charter for the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the Constitution, you as king/queen. We swear (promise) that we will maintain your inviolability and the rights of your Crown. We swear (promise) to do all that a good and faithful States General, States of Aruba, States of Curaçao, and States of St Maarten should do. So help us God! (This we promise!)

A member of the States General swears the declaration

Next, each member of the States General is called individually to stand and swear or affirm this declaration. They either swear with the Spreekgebaar like the new monarch and state, “So truly help me, God Almighty” or affirm with a simple “That, I promise.”

The President of the Senate declares the inauguration completed, followed by the senior King of Arms exclaiming that the monarch has been inaugurated and the President of the Senate then proclaiming, “Long live the King/Queen!” All assembled respond with three hurrahs. The heralds proceed outside the church to Dam Square where they announce to the public that the monarch has been inaugurated and proclaim “Long live the King/Queen!”

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • Investiture. (2017). Royal-House.nl. https://www.royal-house.nl/topics/royal-house/investiture
  • Monarchy of the Netherlands. (2021). Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monarchy_of_the_Netherlands
  • Outline of Abdication and Investiture Programme 30 April. (2015). Royal-House.nl. https://www.royal-house.nl/topics/abdication-and-investiture/news/2013/2/12/outline-of-abdication-and-investiture-programme-30-april
  • Wikipedia Contributors. (2024). Inauguration of the Dutch monarch. Wikipedia; Wikimedia Foundation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inauguration_of_the_Dutch_monarch
  • Wikipedia Contributors. (2024). Inauguration of Willem-Alexander. Wikipedia; Wikimedia Foundation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inauguration_of_Willem-Alexander

October 8: Today in Royal History

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King Zog I of Albania; Credit – Wikipedia

October 8, 1515 – Birth of Lady Margaret Erskine, mistress of James V, King of Scots
James V, King of Scots had several mistresses but Lady Margaret Erskine was his favorite and the mother of the most important of his nine illegitimate children. Margaret’s father John Erskine, 5th Lord Erskine was appointed guardian of the ten-year-old James V, King of Scots and Constable of Stirling Castle, and so Margaret and James had been acquainted from an early age. Within a few years of her marriage to Sir Robert Douglas of Lochleven, Margaret became the mistress of James V. Margaret and James V’s son James Stewart, 1st Earl of Moray, born circa 1531, had become Protestant like most of Margaret’s family. Despite their religious differences, James Stewart became the chief advisor to his half-sister Mary, Queen of Scots and in September 1561, Mary created her half-brother Earl of Moray.
Unofficial Royalty: Lady Margaret Erskine, mistress of James V, King of Scots

October 8, 1895 – Birth of Ahmed Zogu, King Zog I of Albania, at Burgajet Castle in Burrel,  the Ottoman Empire, now in Albania
After Albania achieved independence, Ahmed Muhtar Zogu held numerous positions within the government, including Minister of the Interior, Chief of the Albanian Military, Prime Minister, and President. In 1927, several Albanian politicians suggested that Albania should become a monarchy again. A commission was quickly established and on August 30, 1928, the Constitutional Assembly overwhelmingly approved the vote. The Kingdom of Albania was established, and President Zogu was offered the throne. The following day, September 1, 1928, Ahmet Zogu took the oath, becoming King Zog I of the Albanians, the country’s first and only reigning King. In 1938, King Zog married Geraldine Apponyi de Nagy-Appony. On April 7, 1939, just two days after Queen Geraldine gave birth to the couple’s only child, Italian forces invaded Albania. Despite attempts to hold them off, the Albanian military was unsuccessful and the royal family was forced into exile. After several years of ill health, King Zog passed away on April 9, 1961, at 66.
Unofficial Royalty: King Zog I of Albania

October 8, 1972 – Death of The Honorable Sir Alexander Ramsay, son of John William Maule Ramsay, 13th Earl of Dalhousie and husband of Princess Patricia of Connaught, a granddaughter of Queen Victoria, at his home Ribsden Holt in Windlesham, Surrey, England; buried in the Royal Burial Ground at Frogmore, Windsor, England
Ramsay had a long career in the Royal Navy. While serving as naval aide-de-camp to Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught in his early years as Governor-General of Canada, Ramsay became acquainted with his youngest child Princess Patricia of Connaught. The couple became engaged at the fishing lodge of J. K. L. Ross, a Canadian businessman, sportsman, thoroughbred racehorse owner/breeder, and philanthropist, on St. Anns Bay in Nova Scotia, Canada. The wedding was held at Westminster Abbey on February 27, 1919. This was the first major royal event after World War I and the first royal wedding at Westminster Abbey since the 1382 wedding of King Richard II and Anne of Bohemia. The couple had one son.
Unofficial Royalty: The Honorable Sir Alexander Ramsay

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