Ancestors of Prince Albert II of Monaco

compiled by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

Albert II, Prince of Monaco; Credit – Wikipedia

As of the publication of this article in 2021, Prince Albert II of Monaco has the least royal pedigree of all the European monarchs. His maternal great-grandparents were immigrants to the United States from Ireland and Germany. Prince Albert’s mother, the American actress Grace Kelly, can be considered “Hollywood royalty.” She won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in the drama The Country Girl (1954) with Bing Crosby. Among her other films were the western High Noon (1952) with Gary Cooper, the romance-comedy-musical High Society (1956) with Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra, and three Alfred Hitchcock suspense thrillers: Dial M for Murder (1954) with Ray Milland, Rear Window (1954) with James Stewart, and To Catch a Thief (1955) with Cary Grant. Prince Albert’s maternal grandfather John B. Kelly Sr. won three Olympic gold medals for rowing.

Besides members of the princely family of Monaco, the only other royal that appears in Prince Albert’s last five generations is his great-great-great-grandmother Princess Marie Amelie of Baden, daughter of Karl I, Grand Duke of Baden and Stéphanie de Beauharnais. Princess Marie Amelie of Baden married William Hamilton, 11th Duke of Hamilton, the Premier Peer of Scotland, and their daughter Lady Mary Victoria Hamilton married Prince Albert I of Monaco. Princess Marie Amelie was a close friend and confidant of Napoleon III, Emperor of the French and his wife Eugénie de Montijo, Empress of the French.

Parents, Grandparents, Great-Grandparents, Great-Great-Grandparents, and Great-Great-Great-Grandparents of Albert II, Prince of Monaco (born March 14, 1958)

The links below are from Unofficial Royalty,  Wikipedia, Leo’s Genealogics Website, The Peerage, or Find A Grave.

Parents

Prince Albert’s parents; Credit – Wikipedia

Grandparents

Embed from Getty Images 
At Prince Rainier III’s accession to the throne in 1950, first row from left to right: Rainier’s sister Princess Antoinette, Rainier’s mother Princess Charlotte, Prince Rainier III, and Rainier’s father Pierre de Polignac – Charlotte and Pierre are Albert II’s paternal grandparents

Great-Grandparents

Louis II, Prince of Monaco, great-grandfather; Credit – Wikipedia

Great-Great-Grandparents

Lady Mary Victoria Victoria Hamilton and Albert I, Prince of Monaco, great-great-grandparents; Credit – Wikipedia

Great-Great-Great-Grandparents

Princess Marie Amelie of Baden, great-great-great-grandmother; Credit – Wikipedia

Sources:

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.

Abigail Masham, Baroness Masham, Favorite of Queen Anne of Great Britain

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

Abigail Masham, Baroness Masham; Credit – Wikipedia

Favorite: a person treated with special or undue favor by a king, queen, or another royal person

Abigail Masham, Baroness Masham was the first cousin of Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough, born Sarah Jennings, and replaced Sarah as the favorite of Queen Anne of Great Britain. She was born Abigail Hill, circa 1670, in London, England. Abigail’s father was Francis Hill, a London merchant, and her mother was Elizabeth Jennings, one of the twenty-two children of Sir John Jennings and Alice Spencer. Abigail’s mother and Sarah’s father Richard Jennings were siblings.

The Dictionary of National Biography 1885-1900 makes reference to Abigail having three siblings:

  • An unnamed elder brother who obtained a position in the custom-house, a government building at a port where the documents for goods leaving or entering a country were checked and taxes were paid
  • Alice Hill (1685 – 1762), younger sister, a laundress in the household of Anne’s longest surviving child Prince William, Duke of Gloucester until his death at age 11 in 1700, later a Woman of the Bedchamber to Queen Anne
  • Major-General John Hill (? – 1735), younger brother, does not appear to have been married, he left his estate to his nephew Samuel Masham, 2nd Baron Masham

Abigail’s father made some unfortunate business speculations and the family’s financial situation was seriously affected. Because of this, Abigail was forced to work as a servant in the household of Sir John Rivers, 2nd Baronet of Chafford. Eventually, Abigail’s cousin Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough, who was Queen Anne’s Mistress of the Robes, the highest office in the royal court that could be held by a woman, took Abigail into her household, where, according to Sarah, “she lived with me and my children, and I treated her with as great kindness as if she had been my sister.” In 1704, through Sarah’s influence, Abigail received an appointment in Queen Anne’s household as a Woman of the Bedchamber.

Abigail’s cousin Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough; Credit – Wikipedia

Queen Anne and Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough, born Sarah Jennings, had known each other since 1673, when Anne was eight-years-old and 13-year-old Sarah was appointed a maid of honor to Anne’s stepmother Maria Beatrice of Modena, then Duchess of York. However, during Sarah’s frequent absences from court, Abigail and Queen Anne grew close. While Sarah was assertive and outspoken, Abigail was understated and meek. Abigail was not only happy to show Queen Anne the kindness and consideration that Anne needed but she also never pressured Anne about politics. In addition, Abigail’s opinions on church and political matters, unlike her cousin Sarah’s, were similar to Queen Anne’s.

While in service to Queen Anne, Abigail became acquainted with another courtier Samuel Masham (1678/79 – 1758). Samuel was the second son of Sir Francis Masham, 3rd Baronet and Mary Scott, and had entered royal service as a page to the then Princess Anne. Upon Anne’s accession to the throne in 1702, Samuel was appointed an Equerry and then in 1706, Groom of the Bedchamber, to Anne’s husband Prince George of Denmark, Duke of Cumberland. Samuel combined his time at court with being a captain in the 2nd Regiment of Foot Guards. Although Samuel had been advised of the advantages of marrying a royal favorite, he described his relationship with Abigail as a love match. Probably in June 1707, Abigail and Samuel were secretly married at Kensington Palace in the presence of Queen Anne. Sarah Churchill had no idea about either Abigail’s marriage or the friendship that had developed between Queen Anne and Abigail. She became enraged and jealous and unsuccessfully attempted to force Queen Anne to dismiss Abigail.

Abigail and Samuel had five children. It appears that none of their children had children. Their son Samuel lived to be 64, married twice but he had no children. Their daughter Anne, named after Queen Anne who was her godmother, died a year after her marriage and since her parents married in 1707, she was probably no older than nineteen when she died. Elizabeth died in her teens. George died young and it can probably be assumed that Francis also died young. The list of their children below is not in birth order.

  • Samuel Masham, 2nd Baron Masham (1712 – 1776), married (1) Harriet Winnington, no children (2) Charlotte Dives, no children; Samuel was Comptroller of the household of George, Prince of Wales, the future King George II. His titles became extinct upon his death which means he had no male heirs.
  • Anne Masham (? – 1727), married Henry Hoare, a London banker, no children
  • Elizabeth Masham (circa 1709 – 1724), died as a teenager
  • George Masham, died young
  • Francis Masham, no information

Queen Anne, 1705; Credit – Wikipedia

Sarah was further angered when Abigail moved into rooms at Kensington Palace that Sarah considered her own although she rarely used them. The fondness Queen Anne showed for Abigail and the refusal to dismiss her so angered Sarah that she implied without evidence that a sexual affair was taking place between the two women. This turned Anne completely against Sarah and paved the way for Abigail’s rise. While there have been rumors of sexual relationships, as depicted in the 2018 film The Favourite, between both Queen Anne and Sarah, and Queen Anne and Abigail, most historians and biographers reject this idea.

In January 1711, Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough lost her positions of Mistress of the Robes, Groom of the Stole, and Keeper of the Privy Purse. Elizabeth Seymour, Duchess of Somerset became Mistress of the Robes and Groom of the Stole. Abigail Masham was made Keeper of the Privy Purse, continued in her position as Woman of the Bedchamber, and remained Queen Anne’s favorite until Anne’s death in 1714. In December 1711, Sarah’s husband John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough was dismissed as Captain-General of the British Army. Meanwhile, Samuel Masham was enjoying the rewards of having a wife who was the queen’s favorite. He was promoted to Brigadier General and became a Member of Parliament. In 1712, he became a peer when he was created 1st Baron Masham.

Queen Anne suffered a stroke on July 30, 1714. She died at Kensington Palace on August 1, 1714, at the age of 49 after suffering another stroke. Abigail had faithfully attended Anne during the last days of her life. However, upon Queen Anne’s death and the accession of the first Hanoverian monarch King George I, Abigail and her husband Samuel were quickly evicted from their apartments in the various royal palaces. Even though Abigail and Samuel lost some income due to losing court positions, they were by no means poor. Just two weeks before Queen Anne’s death, Samuel had purchased a manor house three miles from Windsor, England where he retired with Abigail.

All Saints Church in High Laver, Essex, England where Abigail and Samuel are buried in the churchyard; Credit – Wikipedia

Abigail Masham, aged 64, died on December 6, 1734, after a long illness at Oates Hall, Samuel’s family home, in High Laver, Essex, England. She was buried in the churchyard of All Saint Church in High Laver. Samuel Masham survived Abigail by twenty-four years, dying in 1758 in London, England at the age of 79. He was buried with his wife at All Saint Church in High Laver.

Table tombs of Abigail and Samuel, their son Samuel and his two wives, Abigail’s brother John and her sister Alice; Credit – Wikipedia

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

  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Abigail Masham, Baroness Masham. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abigail_Masham,_Baroness_Masham> [Accessed 29 January 2021].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Samuel Masham, 1st Baron Masham. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Masham,_1st_Baron_Masham> [Accessed 29 January 2021].
  • En.m.wikisource.org. 2021. Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Masham, Abigail – Wikisource, the free online library. [online] Available at: <https://en.m.wikisource.org/wiki/Dictionary_of_National_Biography,_1885-1900/Masham,_Abigail> [Accessed 29 January 2021].
  • Flantzer, Susan, 2016. Queen Anne Of Great Britain. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/queen-anne-of-great-britain/> [Accessed 29 January 2021].
  • Flantzer, Susan, 2021.Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough, Favorite of Queen Anne of Great Britain. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/sarah-churchill-duchess-of-marlborough-favorite-of-queen-anne/> [Accessed 29 January 2021].
  • Somerset, Anne, 2012. Queen Anne: The Politics of Passion. New York: Vintage Books.
  • Thepeerage.com. 2021. The Peerage: A Genealogical Survey Of The Peerage Of Britain As Well As The Royal Families Of Europe. [online] Available at: <http://www.thepeerage.com/> [Accessed 24 January 2021].

Ancestors of Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg

compiled by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg; Credit – Wikipedia

Grand Duke Henri has an impressive set of royal ancestors. Among his ancestors are Kings of Belgium, Denmark, Portugal, and Sweden, and of course rulers of the Principality of Luxembourg.

King Miguel I of Portugal and Princess Adelaide of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg are Grand Duke Henri’s great-great-grandparents two times and also his great-great-great-grandparents. When Miguel’s father King João VI of Portugal died in 1826, his elder brother Pedro became King of Portugal.  Pedro was king for only two months, abdicating in favor of his daughter Queen Maria II.  Miguel served as regent for his niece Maria and then claimed the Portuguese throne in his own right in 1828. This led to a difficult political situation, during which many people were killed, imprisoned, persecuted, or sent into exile, finally culminating in the Portuguese Liberal Wars.  Ultimately, Miguel was deposed in 1834 and lived the last 32 years of his life in exile in the Duchy of Baden.

Adelaide of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg was never Queen of Portugal because she and Miguel did not marry until 1851. When Miguel died in 1866, all his children were under the age of fifteen.  Adelaide continued to raise their children and arranged some rather brilliant marriages for them despite their dubious status. Through the marriages of their many children and grandchildren, Miguel and Adelaide are the ancestors of the current monarchs of Belgium, Liechtenstein, and Luxembourg, as well as pretenders to the thrones of Austria, Bavaria, Italy, and Portugal.

Parents, Grandparents, Great-Grandparents, Great-Great-Grandparents, and Great-Great-Great-Grandparents Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg (born April 16, 1955)

The links below are from Unofficial Royalty or Wikipedia.

Parents

Grand Duke Henri’s parents; Credit – Wikipedia

Grandparents

Leopold III, King of the Belgians and Princess Astrid of Sweden, maternal grandparents; Credit – Wikipedia

Great-Grandparents

Albert I, King of the Belgians and Duchess Elisabeth in Bavaria, great-grandparents; Credit – Wikipedia

Great-Great-Grandparents

King Miguel I of Portugal and Princess Adelaide of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg, great-great-grandparents and great-great-great-grandparents; Credit – Wikipedia

Great-Great-Great-Grandparents

King Carl XV of Sweden and Princess Louise of the Netherlands, great-great-great-grandparents with their daughter Princess Louise of Sweden, Henri’s great-great-grandparent; Credit – Wikipedia

Sources:

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.

Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex, Favorite of Queen Elizabeth I of England

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex; Credit – Wikipedia

Favorite: a person treated with special or undue favor by a king, queen, or another royal person

A favorite of Queen Elizabeth I but beheaded for treason, Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex was the great-grandson of Mary Boleyn, sister of Anne Boleyn, and the stepson of Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester, Queen Elizabeth I’s favorite. Born November 10, 1565, at Netherwood near Bromyard, Herefordshire, England. Robert was the eldest of the three sons and the eldest of the five children of Walter Devereux, 1st Earl of Essex (1541 – 1576), and Lettice Knollys (1543 – 1634). Robert’s father was an army general in service to Queen Elizabeth I. Robert’s mother Lettice Knollys was the daughter of Sir Francis Knollys, who was a courtier in the service of King Henry VIII, King Edward VI, and Queen Elizabeth I, and Catherine Carey. Catherine Carey was the daughter of Mary Boleyn, the sister of Anne Boleyn, King Henry VIII’s second wife, and the mother of Queen Elizabeth I. This made Lettice Knollys the first cousin once removed of Queen Elizabeth I and therefore her son Robert was Elizabeth’s first cousin twice removed.

Robert’s sisters Dorothy and Penelope Devereux; Credit – Wikipedia

Robert had four younger siblings:

Robert’s father died in 1576, and the eleven-year-old became the 2nd Earl of Essex and the ward of William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley, the chief adviser of Queen Elizabeth I. On September 21, 1578, Robert got a stepfather when his mother married Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester, Queen Elizabeth I’s long-time favorite and Robert’s godfather. Dudley feared Elizabeth I’s reaction to his marriage and insisted that it be kept secret. However, Elizabeth I found out about the marriage two months later. She banished her cousin Lettice permanently from court, never forgave her, and never accepted the marriage. Although Dudley remained at court, he was alternately humiliated in public by Elizabeth and treated as fondly as always.

Robert had one half-brother who died in childhood from his mother’s second marriage:

  • Robert Dudley, Lord Denbigh (1581 – 1584)

Robert Dudley had much influence on his godson and stepson Robert Devereux. Robert served in the military under his stepfather’s command in the Netherlands. Several years before his death in 1588, Dudley introduced Robert to the Elizabethan court, and Elizabeth I increasingly became interested in the young man. Robert spent much time in the company of Elizabeth I and succeeded his stepfather in royal favor. Although Elizabeth I was thirty-two years older than Robert, she found it very pleasant to be adored by such a young man. In June 1587, Robert replaced Dudley as Master of the Horse. After Dudley died in 1588, Elizabeth I transferred Dudley’s royal monopoly on sweet wines to Robert, providing him with lucrative revenue. In 1593, Robert was made a member of the Privy Council.

Frances Walsingham and her son Robert; Credit – Wikipedia

In 1590, Robert married Frances Walsingham, the only surviving child of Sir Francis Walsingham, Secretary of State and spymaster for Queen Elizabeth I, and Ursula St. Barbe. The marriage greatly displeased Queen Elizabeth I because the couple had not asked for permission beforehand, but she forgave them relatively quickly.

Robert and Frances had five children:

Robert in 1590; Credit – Wikipedia

Robert had a petulant nature, acted on whims, and often acted disdainfully and disrespectfully. His behavior would ultimately lead to his downfall. At court, he dueled with Sir Walter Raleigh, among others, which displeased Elizabeth I. In 1591, Robert was given command of an army that was to come to the aid of Henri IV, King of France but he defied Elizabeth’s instructions. In the summer of 1596, Robert managed to easily take the Spanish port of Cadiz. However, because the Spanish were able to burn their ships before the attack, there was nearly no loot but Robert’s bold act made him famous throughout Europe. However, the next year, an expedition to the Azores with Sir Walter Raleigh turned out to be a complete failure.

In 1599, Robert reluctantly accepted the post as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. At that time, the Irish revolutionary Hugh O’Neill, Earl of Tyrone was rebelling against the English rule in Ireland. After several costly battles and an armistice that was disadvantageous for England, Robert disregarded an explicit order from Elizabeth I to remain at his post in Ireland. He left Ireland in September 1599 and reached London four days later where he gained access to the chambers of the not-yet-fully-dressed Queen Elizabeth I. After interrogation by the Privy Council, Robert was placed under house arrest for ten months.

Robert was released from house arrest in August 1600 but the source of his income, the monopoly on sweet wines, was not renewed. His financial situation became more and more desperate. Robert had inherited large debts from his father, and he had amassed his own large debts. Essex House, Robert’s London mansion, became a meeting place for people who were upset with Elizabeth I’s government. On February 3, 1601, five conspiracy leaders met at the home of Henry Wriothesley, 3rd Earl of Southampton. Hoping to avoid suspicion, Robert was not present. The group discussed Robert’s proposals for seizing the court, the Tower of London, and the City of London. Their goal was to force Queen Elizabeth I to change the leaders in her government, particularly Robert Cecil, Secretary of State.

Henry Wriothesley, 3rd Earl of Southampton; Credit – Wikipedia

On February 8, 1601, four messengers including Lord Keeper Thomas Egerton,1st Viscount Brackley came to Essex House in the name of Queen Elizabeth I to try to persuade Robert to surrender. Robert seized the four messengers and held them hostage. Then Robert and about 200 followers made their way to the City of London. Meanwhile, Robert Cecil sent a warning to the Lord Mayor of London denouncing Robert as a traitor and ordered the heralds to spread the warning throughout London. Once the word traitor was used, many of Robert’s followers disappeared, and none of the citizens joined him as he had expected. Robert’s position was desperate, and he decided to return to Essex House. When he got there, he found the hostages gone. Soldiers under Lord High Admiral Charles Howard, 1st Earl of Nottingham, besieged Essex House and rescued the hostages. By that evening, after burning incriminating evidence, Robert surrendered and was arrested along with the Earl of Southampton and the other conspirators.

On February 19, 1601, Robert and Henry Wriothesley, 3rd Earl of Southampton were tried on charges of treason. The trial lasted only a day and it was no surprise that the verdict was guilty. Robert had burned incriminating evidence to save his followers before his arrest but he was convinced by a minister he needed to reveal the identity of his conspirators to save his soul. He revealed everyone who was involved including his sister Penelope Blount, Countess of Devonshire on whom he put a great deal of the blame but no action was taken against her. Robert, the Earl of Southampton, and four others were sentenced to death. Other conspirators were fined. Through the efforts of Robert Cecil, Southampton’s sentence was reduced to life imprisonment. Southampton and one other conspirator remained imprisoned in the Tower of London and were freed when King James I succeeded to the throne in 1603 upon the death of Queen Elizabeth I.

Site of the scaffold in front of St. Peter’s Chapel at the Tower of London; Credit – By August – originally posted to Flickr as Off with their Heads!, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4530234

Robert’s wife Frances attempted to see Queen Elizabeth I to plead for clemency but the queen refused to see her. On February 25, 1601, Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex, aged 34, was beheaded on Tower Green within the Tower of London. Beheading in the privacy of Tower Green was considered a privilege of rank and those executed there were spared insults from the jeering crowd. He was buried in the Chapel of St. Peter ad Vincula at the Tower of London. Robert’s conviction for treason meant that his earldom was forfeit and his son did not inherit the title. However, after Queen Elizabeth I’s death, King James I reinstated the earldom in favor of Robert’s disinherited son, Robert Devereux, 3rd Earl of Essex.

Plaque in the Chapel of St. Peter ad Vincula; Credit – https://elizregina.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/q1-i-was-here.jpg

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

  • De.wikipedia.org. 2020. Robert Devereux, 2. Earl Of Essex. [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Devereux,_2._Earl_of_Essex> [Accessed 8 December 2020].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Essex’s Rebellion. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Essex%27s_Rebellion> [Accessed 8 December 2020].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Robert Devereux, 2Nd Earl Of Essex. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Devereux,_2nd_Earl_of_Essex> [Accessed 8 December 2020].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Henry Wriothesley, 3Rd Earl Of Southampton. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Wriothesley,_3rd_Earl_of_Southampton> [Accessed 8 December 2020].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Lettice Knollys. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lettice_Knollys> [Accessed 8 December 2020].
  • Erickson, Carolly, 1983. The First Elizabeth. New York: St. Martin’s Griffin.
  • es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Devereux,_II_conde_de_Essex
  • Flantzer, Susan, 2015. Queen Elizabeth I Of England. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/queen-elizabeth-i-of-england/> [Accessed 29 November 2020].
  • Weir, Alison, 2011. The Children Of Henry VIII. New York: Random House Publishing Group.
  • Weir, Alison., 2013. The Life Of Elizabeth I. New York: Random House Publishing Group.

Ancestors of Prince Hans-Adam II of Liechtenstein

compiled by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

Hans-Adam II, Prince of Liechtenstein; Credit – Wikipedia

The Sovereign Princes of Liechtenstein tended to marry into noble families. However, among Prince Hans-Adam II’s ancestors are Kings of Bavaria, Portugal, and Spain, an Emperor of Austria, and Holy Roman Emperors. Several members of the Liechtenstein princely family including two sovereign princes, Aloys II and Hans-Adam II, married into the Kinsky von Wchinitz und Tettau family. The Kinsky von Wchinitz und Tettau family originated in the Kingdom of Bohemia, now located in the Czech Republic, and rose from minor nobles to counts (1628) and to princely status (1747) under the rule of the Habsburgs.

Parents, Grandparents, Great-Grandparents, Great-Great-Grandparents, and Great-Great-Great-Grandparents of Prince Hans-Adam II of Liechtenstein (born February 14, 1945) 

The links below are from Unofficial Royalty,  Wikipedia, Leo’s Genealogics Website, or The Peerage.

Parents

Embed from Getty Images 
Prince Hans-Adam II’s parents

Grandparents

Prince Aloys of Liechtenstein and Archduchess Elisabeth Amalie of Austria, paternal grandparents; Credit – Wikipedia

Great-Grandparents

Archduke Karl Ludwig of Austria and Infanta Maria Theresa of Portugal, great-grandparents; Credit – Wikipedia

Great-Great-Grandparents

King Miguel I of Portugal and Princess Adelaide of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg, great-great-grandparents; Credit – Wikipedia

Great-Great-Great-Grandparents

King Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria and Princess Caroline of Baden, great-great-great-grandparents; Credit – Wikipedia

Sources:

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.

Ancestors of Queen Margrethe II of Denmark

compiled by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

Credit – The Danish Monarchy, photographer: Jacob Jørgensen

The royal pedigree of Queen Margrethe II of Denmark includes monarchs of Denmark, the German Empire, Prussia, Russia, Sweden, and the United Kingdom along with rulers of German grand duchies and duchies. She is the first monarch of Denmark to be a descendant of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom. Her maternal grandmother Princess Margaret of Connaught was the daughter of Queen Victoria’s son Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught.

Parents, Grandparents, Great-Grandparents, Great-Great-Grandparents, and Great-Great-Great-Grandparents of Queen Margrethe II of Denmark (born April 16, 1940)

The links below are from Unofficial Royalty,  Wikipedia, Leo’s Genealogics Website, or The Peerage.

Parents

Margrethe II’s parents; Credit – Wikipedia

Grandparents

King Gustaf VI Adolf of Sweden and Princess Margaret of Connaught, maternal grandparents; Credit – Wikipedia

Great-Grandparents

Friedrich Franz III, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and Grand Duchess Anastasia Mikhailovna of Russia, great-grandparents; Credit – Wikipedia

Great-Great-Grandparents

Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom, great-great-grandparents; Credit – Wikipedia

Great-Great-Great-Grandparents

Wilhelm I, German Emperor, King of Prussia and Princess Augusta of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, great-great-great-grandparents; Credit – Wikipedia

Sources:

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.

Ancestors of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh

compiled by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

Credit – Wikipedia

Although the initial articles in the ancestors series dealt with current European monarchs (ancestor articles for European heirs have since been added, all the articles can be seen at Unofficial Royalty: Royal Relationships), Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, the husband of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, was included. The initial articles were published in 2021, the year of Prince Philip’s 100th birthday. Sady, Prince Philip died on April 9, 2021, just two months short of his 100th birthday. At that time, he was the only consort of a currently reigning European monarch to have been born royal – and it is quite likely that he may be the last.

Born Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark via his patrilineal descent from his grandfather King George I of Greece (formerly Prince Vilhelm of Denmark) and his great-grandfather King Christian IX of Denmark, Philip has an impressive royal pedigree that includes British, Danish, Greek, Prussian, and Russian monarchs, in addition to rulers from German principalities, duchies, and grand duchies. Through his mother Princess Alice of Battenberg, Philip is a descendant of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom. Indeed, his royal pedigree is more royal than the royal pedigree of his wife Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom. (See Unofficial Royalty: Ancestors of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom.) The only major blip in his pedigree is the morganatic or unequal marriage of his great-grandfather Prince Alexander of Hesse and by Rhine to Countess Julia von Hauke.

The marriage of Prince Alexander of Hesse and by Rhine to Countess Julia von Hauke deprived their children of their paternal royal titles, status, and inheritance. Julia was created Countess of Battenberg, with the style Illustrious Highness by her brother-in-law Grand Duke Ludwig III of Hesse and by Rhine. Her children took their titles from her, becoming Count/Countess of Battenberg. In 1858, the Grand Duke elevated Julia and her children to the rank of Prince/Princess, with the style Serene Highness. However, they remained ineligible for the Grand Ducal throne of Hesse and by Rhine.

The status of the Battenberg family was raised considerably by two marriages. In 1884, Alexander and Julia’s son Prince Louis of Battenberg married Princess Victoria of Hesse and by Rhine, the daughter of Ludwig IV, Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine and Princess Alice of the United Kingdom and therefore, a granddaughter of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom. Louis of Battenberg and Victoria of Hesse and by Rhine are Prince Philip’s maternal grandparents. The following year Queen Victoria’s youngest child Princess Beatrice married Prince Louis of Battenberg’s brother Prince Henry of Battenberg, and they are the ancestors of the Spanish royal family.

In 1917, due to anti-German sentiments during World War I, King George V of the United Kingdom decreed that all his relatives who had Germanic names and titles and were British subjects should exchange their old names and titles for new English-sounding ones. The Battenberg surname was anglicized to Mountbatten – berg being the German word for mountain – and Philip’s grandfather Prince Louis of Battenberg, who had become a British subject, became the Marquess of Milford Haven in the Peerage of the United Kingdom.

Prince Philip is:

A descendant of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom through his mother
Queen Victoria → Princess Alice of the United Kingdom → Princess Victoria of Hesse and by Rhine → Princess Alice of Battenberg → Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark

A descendant of King Christian IX of Denmark through his father
King Christian IX of Denmark → King George I of Greece (born Prince Vilhelm of Denmark) → Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark → Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark

A descendant of Peter the Great of Russia and Catherine the Great of Russia through his father
Emperor Peter I (the Great) → Grand Duchess Anna Petrovna → Emperor Peter III of Russia married Empress Catherine II (the Great) (born Sophie of Anhalt-Zerbst) → Emperor Paul → Emperor Nicholas I → Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolayevich of Russia → Grand Duchess Olga Konstantinovna of Russia → Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark → Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark

Parents, Grandparents, Great-Grandparents, Great-Great-Grandparents, and Great-Great-Great-Grandparents of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (1921 – 2021)

The links below are from Unofficial Royalty,  Wikipedia, Leo’s Genealogics Website, or The Peerage.

Parents

Prince Philip’s parents; Credit – Wikipedia

Grandparents

Prince Louis of Battenberg and Princess Victoria of Hesse and by Rhine, maternal grandparents Credit – Wikipedia

Great-Grandparents

Ludwig IV, Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine and Princess Alice of the United Kingdom, great-grandparents; Credit – Wikipedia

Great-Great-Grandparents

Nicholas I, Emperor of All Russia and Charlotte of Prussia, great-great-grandparents; Credit – Wikipedia

Great-Great-Great-Grandparents

Friedrich Wilhelm III, King of Prussia and Duchess Louise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, great-great-great-grandparents; Credit – Wikipedia

Sources:

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Dorothea of Brandenburg, Queen of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

Credit – Wikipedia

Dorothea of Brandenburg has the distinction of being married to two kings: Christopher III, King of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden and his successor Christian I, King of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, the first monarch of the House of Oldenburg which reigned in Denmark until 1863. Dorothea was born in 1430 or 1431 in the Margraviate of Brandenburg-Kulmbach, now in the German state of Bavaria. She was the youngest of the three daughters and the youngest of the four children of Johann IV, Margrave of Brandenburg-Kulmburg (1406 – 1464) and Barbara of Saxe-Wittenberg (1405–1465).

Dorothea had three elder siblings:

Dorothea’s first husband Christopher III, King of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden; Credit – Wikipedia

On September 12, 1445, 15-year-old Dorothea married 29-year-old Christopher III, King of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. Two days later, Dorothea was crowned Queen of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. The marriage lasted less than three years. In January 1448, 31-year-old King Christopher suddenly died without an heir. Dorothea was proclaimed the regent of Denmark until a new monarch could be elected.

Dorothea’s second husband Christian I, King of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden; Credit – Wikipedia

In June 1448, Karl Knutsson, Lord High Constable of Sweden, was elected King of Sweden and reigned as Karl VIII. He was elected King of Norway the following year. In September 1448, Christian of Oldenburg was elected King of Denmark and reigned as King Christian I. The Danish Council of State made it a condition that Christian should marry Dorothea of Brandenburg, his predecessor’s widow. Christian and Dorothea were married on October 26, 1449, and two days later, their coronation was held. Eventually, Christian I also became King of Norway and King of Sweden. In 1460, upon the death of his maternal uncle, Christian I inherited the Duchy of Holstein and Duchy of Schleswig.

Christian I and Dorothea had five children. Their two surviving sons both became kings and their only daughter became a queen consort.

Dorothea had a great influence on her husband and was the regent of his kingdoms when he was away. Her careful frugality helped to pay off the debts that Christian had accrued. In gratitude, Christian handed over the Duchy of Holstein and Duchy of Schleswig to her fiefdom.

At this time, before the Reformation, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden were still Roman Catholic and Dorothea was a great patron of the church. She supported the Franciscan Observants and built a monastery for them in Køge, Denmark. Dorothea oversaw the construction of the Chapel of the Magi, also known as Christian I’s Chapel, at Roskilde Cathedral where Christian I and Dorothea were interred. In 1474 – 1475, Christian I and Dorothea made a pilgrimage to Rome where they were received by Pope Sixtus IV. As a widow, Dorothea made another pilgrimage to Rome in 1488.

King Christian I of Denmark died, aged 55, at Copenhagen Castle in Copenhagen, Denmark on May 21, 1481. He was buried in the Chapel of the Magi at Roskilde Cathedral. After Christian’s death, Dorothea preferred to live at Kalundborg Castle (link in Danish) which is now in ruins.

Christian I was succeeded by his elder son Hans. Until her death, Dorothea remained politically active during Hans’ reign. She granted the Duchies of Schleswig and Holstein to her younger son Frederik but it caused a conflict with her elder son, culminating in the two sons jointly reigning the duchies.

Roskilde Cathedral; Photo Credit – Susan Flantzer

On November 10, 1495, Queen Dorothea died at Kalundborg Castle in Kalundborg, Denmark, aged 65. She was buried with her husband King Christian I in the Chapel of the Magi at Roskilde Cathedral, the traditional burial site of the Danish royal family, in Roskilde, Denmark. While the tombs of King Christian III, King Frederik II, and their queen consorts are in the Chapel of the Magi, the graves of King Christian I and Queen Dorothea are marked with simple stones because the chapel itself was to be considered their memorial monument.

Grave of King Christian I and Queen Dorothea – Photo Credit  – Susan Flantzer

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.

Kingdom of Denmark Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Works Cited

  • Da.wikipedia.org. 2020. Dorothea Af Brandenburg. [online] Available at: <https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dorothea_af_Brandenburg> [Accessed 20 December 2020].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Dorothea Of Brandenburg. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dorothea_of_Brandenburg> [Accessed 20 December 2020].
  • Flantzer, Susan. 2020. Christian I, King of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.  [online] Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/christian-i-king-of-denmark-norway-and-sweden/> [Accessed 20 December 2020]
  • Ru.wikipedia.org. 2020. Доротея Бранденбургская. [online] Available at: <https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%94%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%BE%D1%82%D0%B5%D1%8F_%D0%91%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%B1%D1%83%D1%80%D0%B3%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%B0%D1%8F> [Accessed 20 December 2020].

Ancestors of Philippe, King of the Belgians

compiled by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

Credit – Wikipedia

Philippe, King of the Belgians has the typical royal pedigree from his father’s side of the family. From his mother’s side, there is a lot of Italian nobility with a smattering of Belgian and French ancestors.

The last person on the lists below, Adrienne Jenny Florimonde de Fay de La Tour-Maubourg, one of Philippe’s great-great-great-grandmothers, is the granddaughter of Gilbert Motier, Marquis de Lafayette. Better known as just Lafayette in the United States, Philippe’s great-great-great-great-great-grandfather was a French aristocrat and military officer who fought in the American Revolutionary War, commanding American troops in several battles. After returning to France, he was a key figure in the French Revolution of 1789 and the July Revolution of 1830. Lafayette is known as “The Hero of the Two Worlds” for his service to both France and the United States.

Parents, Grandparents, Great-Grandparents, Great-Great-Grandparents, and Great-Great-Great-Grandparents of Philippe, King of the Belgians (born April 15, 1960)

The links below are from Unofficial Royalty,  Wikipedia, Leo’s Genealogics Website, or The Peerage.

Parents

Embed from Getty Images 
Philippe with his parents

Grandparents

Philippe’s paternal grandparents Leopold III and Astrid, King and Queen of the Belgians; Credit – Wikipedia

Great-Grandparents

Great-grandparents Prince Carl of Sweden, Duke of Västergötland and Princess Ingeborg of Denmark. Through their daughters Märtha and Astrid, they are the ancestors of the current royal families of Belgium, Luxembourg, and Norway; Credit – Wikipedia

Great-Great-Grandparents

Great-great-grandparents King Oscar II of Sweden and Princess Sophia of Nassau; Credit – Wikipedia

Great-Great-Great-Grandparents

Great-Great-Great-Grandparents King Christian IX of Denmark and Princess Louise of Hesse-Kassel. They are the ancestors of six of the ten current European royal families: Belgium, Denmark, Luxembourg, Norway, Spain, and the United Kingdom and two former monarchies Greece and Romania; Credit – Wikipedia

Sources:

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Ancestors of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom

compiled by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

Credit – Wikipedia

Queen Elizabeth II has the typical royal pedigree from her father’s side of the family (the top half of each list below) with one exception. Her great-great-grandfather Duke Alexander of Württemberg made a morganatic or unequal marriage to Countess Claudine Rhédey von Kis-Rhéde, depriving their children of their paternal royal titles, status, and inheritance. In 1863, their children were all elevated by Duke Alexander’s first cousin King Wilhelm I of Württemberg to the rank of Prince and Princess of Teck.

Queen Elizabeth II’s mother was the first non-royal consort since the reign of King Henry VIII. From her mother’s side of the family (the bottom half of each list below), there are several peers and children of peers but there are also some common folk who in their wildest dreams could never have imagined that one of their descendants would be a reigning monarch.

Queen Elizabeth II’s husband Prince Philip, born a Prince of Greece and Denmark, has an impressive royal pedigree that includes British, Danish, Greek, Prussian, and Russian monarchs, in addition to rulers from German principalities, duchies, and grand duchies. Indeed, it is more royal than the royal pedigree of his wife Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom. See Unofficial Royalty: Ancestors of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.

Parents, Grandparents, Great-Grandparents, Great-Great-Grandparents, and Great-Great-Great-Grandparents of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom (1926 – 2022)

The links below are from Unofficial Royalty, Wikipedia, or The Peerage.

Parents

Embed from Getty Images
Queen Elizabeth II with her parents King George VI and Queen Elizabeth and her sister Princess Margaret

Grandparents

Embed from Getty Images
Queen Elizabeth II with her paternal grandparents King George V and Queen Mary

Great-Grandparents

Embed from Getty Images
Great-Grandparents King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra

Great-Great-Grandparents

Great-great-grandparents King Christian IX and Queen Louise of Denmark with their daughter and Queen Elizabeth II’s great-grandmother Alexandra in the middle; Credit – Wikipedia

Great-Great-Great-Grandparents

King George III and Queen Charlotte of the United Kingdom, were great-great-great-grandparents through their son Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge. They are also great-great-great-great-grandparents through their son Prince Edward, Duke of Kent and Strathearn; Credit – Wikipedia

Sources:

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.