King Carol I of Romania

by Scott Mehl © Unofficial Royalty 2014

King Carol I of Romania; Credit – Wikipedia

King Carol I of Romania was born on April 20, 1839, at Sigmaringen Castle in Sigmaringen, Principality of Hohenzollern, now in the German state of Baden-Württemberg. At the time, he was Prince Karl Eitel Friedrich Zephyrinus Ludwig of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, second son of Karl Anton, The Prince of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen and Princess Josephine of Baden.

Carol had five siblings:

Leopold, Prince of Hohenzollern (1835–1905), married Infanta Antónia of Portugal, daughter of Queen Maria II of Portugal, had three children including King Ferdinand of Romania
Stephanie of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen (1837–1859), married King Pedro V of Portugal, no children
Anton of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen (1841–1866), died in battle at age 24
Friedrich of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen (1843–1904), married Louise of Thurn and Taxis, no children
Marie of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen (1845–1912), married Philippe of Belgium, Count of Flanders, had five children including Albert I, King of the Belgians

When Karl was 11 years old, his father abdicated as the sovereign Prince of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, and the principality was annexed by Prussia. Karl embarked on a military career, becoming an officer in the Prussian forces. Due to political unrest in what was then called the Romanian United Principalities, the former Ruling Prince (Domnitor) – Alexander Ioan Cuza – was forced to abdicate in February 1866. Due largely to the familial relationship with the French Emperor Napoleon III and the Prussian monarchs, Karl was elected by the Romanian government to become the new Ruling Prince on April 20, 1866 – his 27th birthday.

Karl arrived in Romania on May 10, 1866, and declared his allegiance to his new country, taking on the more Romanian spelling of his name – Carol. Soon after the country established its first Constitution, and formally changed the name to Romania – beginning the steps toward eventual independence from the Ottoman Empire.

Carol and Elisabeth of Wied, circa 1870s; Credit – Wikipedia

In 1861, while he was still Prince Karl of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, Carol had met Princess Elisabeth of Wied. After meeting again in 1869 when Carol was touring Europe searching for a bride, the couple was married in Neuwied, Principality of Wied, now in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany on November 15, 1869. They had one daughter – Maria – born on September 8, 1870. Maria died of scarlet fever on April 9, 1874, and Elisabeth never fully recovered from the loss of her only child.

Carol with his wife and their only child in1873; Credit – Wikipedia

In the Russo-Turkish War of 1877, Romania declared independence from the Ottoman Empire and joined forces with Russia. The following year, Romania was formally established as an independent nation under the Treaty of Berlin. Three years later, on March 15, 1881, the Romanian parliament declared Romania a Kingdom, and Karl became King Carol I. His coronation was held on May 10, 1881, the 15th anniversary of his arrival in Romania. He was crowned with the Steel Crown, made from the steel of a cannon captured from the Ottomans during the Russo-Turkish War.

Following a reign of more than 48 years, King Carol I died on October 10, 1914, in Sinaia, Romania. He is buried in the royal crypt at the Monastery of Curtea de Argeș in Curtea de Argeș, Romania. King Carol I was succeeded by his nephew, King Ferdinand I, the second son of his elder brother Leopold.

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Romania Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Princess Annette of Orange-Nassau

photo: Dutch Royal House

April 18, 1972 – Birth of Princess Annette of Orange-Nassau

Princess Annette of Orange-Nassau was born Annette Sekrève, daughter of Ulrich Sekrève and his wife Jolanda de Haan, on April 18, 1972 in The Hague. She received a Masters Degree in Psychology in 1996 from The University of Groningen. It was while at university that she met her future husband.

photo source: The Royal Order of Sartorial Splendor

On July 6, 2000, she married Prince Bernhard of Orange-Nassau, son of Princess Margriet of the Netherlands, in a civil ceremony held in Utrecht. A religious service was held two days later at St Martin’s Cathedral in Utrecht.

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The couple reside in Amsterdam with their three children:
– Isabella van Vollenhoven (2002)
– Samuel van Vollenhoven (2004)
– Benjamin van Vollenhoven (2008)

While not taking on any official role, Princess Annette and her husband are typically in attendance at formal family events within the Dutch royal family.

Check out other royal dates posted daily on our forum.

Irene of Greece, Duchess of Aosta

by Emily McMahon
© Unofficial Royalty 2014

Irene of Greece, Duchess of Aosta; Credit – Wikipedia

Born in Athens, Greece on February 13, 1904, Irene was the second of the three daughters and the fifth of the six children of King Constantine I of Greece and Princess Sophie of Prussia, a granddaughter of Queen Victoria. The name Irene is derived from the Greek word for peace and the princess may have been given that name due to the so-called Macedonian Struggle, a period of violent skirmishes, guerilla warfare, and political assassinations in the Balkans that began the year of her birth.

Irene had five siblings:

King George II of the Hellenes (1890 – 1947), married Princess Elisabeta of Romania, no children, divorced
King Alexander of the Hellenes (1893 – 1920), married Aspasia Manos, had one daughter
Princess Helen of Greece, Queen Mother of Romania (1896 – 1982), married King Carol II of Romania, had one son, divorced
King Paul I of the Hellenes (1901 – 1964), married Princess Frederica of Hanover, had two daughters and one son
Princess Katherine of Greece, The Lady Katherine Brandram (1913 – 2007), married Major Richard Brandram, had one son

Photo circa 1910, Top left: Constantine holding Irene, Top right: the future George II, Left: Sophia, Center: Helen, Right: the future Alexander I, Front: the future Paul I, Katherine is not yet born; Photo Credit – Wikipedia

The Greek royal family spent a significant amount of time in exile during Irene’s childhood. After her father’s death in 1922, Irene moved with her mother and younger sister permanently to Italy. Irene lived in Florence with her mother and younger sister in a somewhat ordinary villa. During Irene’s time in Florence, she trained as a nurse in a local hospital. She was also seen out at local dance halls and cafes and generally living the life of a typical young adult of the time. She was fond of the Scottish Highlands, regularly taking trips there with Helen. In late 1926, Irene and Katherine simultaneously came down with appendicitis, but both made quick recoveries.

Irene was linked for some time to Tsar Boris III of Bulgaria. Following her sister Helen’s disastrous experience as the wife of King Carol II of Romania, Irene was said to have declared that she would not marry a Balkan royal. Irene was engaged to Christian of Schaumburg-Lippe, her distant cousin, in October 1927. The engagement was broken off reportedly due to Irene’s dislike of Germany.

Irene and her sister Katherine served as bridesmaids for their cousin Marina when she married George, Duke of Kent in 1934. As royal weddings tend to encourage gossip about other possible couples, talk of a future husband for Irene began to simmer again. She was mentioned as being linked to Nicholas of Romania, a family with whom her own already had two links. Her sister Helen and brother George both married into the Romanian royal family. In the late 1930s, Irene was named as a possible bride to the widowed Leopold III, King of the Belgians. Neither of these prospective marriages progressed beyond talks.

Irene was also instrumental in encouraging “Green Week” in Athens, a time when many trees were planted on the streets of the city to encourage natural beauty and shade. Her brother George II liked the idea and appealed to ambassadors of several different countries for donations of trees.

Irene again became engaged in May 1939 to Prince Aimone of Savoy, 4th Duke of Aosta. Aimone was the son of Emanuele Filiberto, Duke of Aosta and Hélène of Orléans, once a potential bride for both Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence and Nicholas II of Russia. Aimone was descended from Ferdinand VII of Spain, Louis-Philippe of France, and Victor Emmanuel II of Italy, and was at one time thought to marry Infanta Beatriz of Spain. The engagement between Irene and Aimone was considered to be “a love match without political significance,” although there was some speculation that the marriage was arranged to ease tension over Italian troops being stationed near the Greek border. The two had known one another for some time, as the Greeks in exile in Italy had become close with the Savoy family.

The couple married in Florence at the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore on July 1, 1939, in the company of numerous other royals. The ceremony was said to have been gorgeous, with the streets filled with flowers and scores of spectators. Aimone’s and Irene’s wedding was one of the last royal weddings before the outbreak of World War II in Europe.

The couple had one son:

Prince Amedeo, 5th Duke of Aosta (1943 – 2021), married (1) Princess Claude of Orléans, divorced 1987, had three children (2) Silvia Paternò di Spedalotto, no children

Prince Aimone; Photo Credit – Wikipedia

Aimone was named King of Croatia in 1941. Croatia had been established as a puppet monarchy in control of Italy and Greece. He intended to rule under the name Tomislav II, but Aimone accepted the throne mostly out of duty. The region was unstable due to border disputes and the war in Europe; the theoretical monarch of Croatia also held little power as the Ustaše fascist organization controlled the country. Aimone abdicated the throne in 1943 on the orders of King Victor Emmanuel III of Italy.

At the beginning of World War II, Irene began serving with the International Red Cross in the Soviet Union. In July 1944, after the Allies’ armistice with Italy, Irene, her infant son, her sister-in-law and her two nieces were interned by the Germans at the Hotel Ifen in Hirschegg, Austria, They were liberated by the French in May 1945.

After the fall of the Italian monarchy in 1946, Irene and Amadeo escaped to Switzerland while Aimone fled to Argentina. The couple was effectively separated after this time, having spent little time together during the preceding years. Aimone died in Buenos Aires in 1948.

Irene with her son Amadeo in 1959; Photo Credit – Wikipedia

Following her husband’s death in 1948, Irene established herself at Villa Domenico in Fiesole, Italy, near her sister Helena, who lived in Villa Sparta. Irene died on April 15, 1974, after a long illness, at her home in Fiesole, Italy. She is buried at the Basilica of Superga in Turin, Italy.

James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth, Illegitimate Son of King Charles II of England

by Susan Flantzer © Unofficial Royalty 2014

James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth; Credit – Wikipedia

Despite fathering many illegitimate children with his mistresses, King Charles II of England had no children with his wife Catherine of Braganza. King Charles II is an ancestor through his mistresses of many British aristocrats and of several women who married into the British Royal Family. Lucy Walter and King Charles II are ancestors of Sarah, Duchess of York and Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester. Barbara Palmer, Duchess of Cleveland and King Charles II are ancestors of Diana, Princess of Wales and Sarah, Duchess of York. Louise Renée de Penancoet de Kérouaille, Duchess of Portsmouth and King Charles II are ancestors of Diana, Princess of Wales, Queen Camilla, and Sarah, Duchess of York.

In 1648, Charles, Prince of Wales (the future King Charles II of England), the eldest son of King Charles I of England, traveled to The Hague, The Netherlands where his sister Mary, Princess Royal and her husband Willem II, Prince of Orange lived. Charles hoped to persuade them to contribute financially to the royalist cause in the Second English Civil War which ultimately ended with the beheading of King Charles I of England. While in The Hague, the 18-year-old Charles had a brief affair with Lucy Walter.

Lucy Walter was born around 1630 at Roch Castle near Haverfordwest, Wales to William Walter and Elizabeth Prothero. During the English Civil War, the Walter family supported the royalist forces and in 1644 Roch Castle was captured by the parliamentary forces and burned. The Walter family fled and Lucy found herself in London and soon set sail for The Hague where she met Charles. On April 9, 1649, Lucy gave birth in Rotterdam, then in the Principality of Orange, now in The Netherlands, to a son named James. Charles did acknowledge the child, but some thought that Colonel Robert Sidney, a younger son of the 2nd Earl of Leicester, was the father.

A DNA test in 2012 concluded that James’ descendant Richard Montagu Douglas Scott, the 10th Duke of Buccleuch, shared patrilineal DNA with a descendant of the royal Stuarts, proving that James Scott, Duke of Monmouth was the son of King Charles II of England. There was also a controversy over whether Charles had secretly married Lucy Walter. Their son claimed his parents had married, but King Charles II said the only woman he had ever married was his queen, Catherine of Braganza. Charles and Catherine’s marriage was childless, but Charles had at least 15 illegitimate children with his mistresses, and James was the eldest of Charles’ children.

When James was about nine years old, he was brought to Paris and placed in the care of his paternal grandmother Henrietta Maria of France, who had returned to her home country during the English Civil War. James lived in the household of William Crofts, 1st Baron Crofts who had followed Charles into exile after the execution of King Charles I of England. At this time, James took the surname Crofts. In 1662, two years after his father was restored to the English throne, James was brought to England.

On February 14, 1663, 14-year-old James was created Duke of Monmouth, Earl of Doncaster, and Baron Scott of Tinsdale. The next month, he was created a Knight of the Garter. On April 20, 1663, James married Anne Scott who was the 4th Countess of Buccleuch in her own right. On their wedding day, the couple was created Duke and Duchess of Buccleuch. Thereafter, James used Scott as his surname but was usually called Monmouth. The couple had seven children and Sarah, Duchess of York and Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester are among their descendants. For more details about the descendants of the Duke of Monmouth.

Children of James and Anne:

Charles Scott, Earl of Doncaster (1672–1674), died in infancy
James Scott, Earl of Dalkeith (1674–1705), married Lady Henrietta Hyde, daughter of Laurence Hyde, 1st Earl of Rochester and had six children including Francis Scott, 2nd Duke of Buccleuch. Laurence Hyde was the brother of Anne Hyde, Duchess of York, wife of James, Duke of York and Albany, later James VII of Scotland, II of England.
Lady Anne Scott (1675–1685), died young
Henry Scott, 1st Earl of Deloraine (1676–1730), married (1) Anne Duncombe, had three children (2) Mary Howard, had two children
Lord Francis Scott (1678–1679), died in infancy
Lady Charlotte Scott (born and died 1683), died in infancy

Anne, Duchess of Buccleuch and her sons; Credit – Wikipedia

At the age of 16, James began to serve in various military and government roles. He served in the Royal Navy under his uncle the Duke of York (the future King James II of England) and was captain of a horse troop of the 1st Life Guards. In 1670, James became a Privy Councilor. His father King Charles II sent James as an ambassador to Paris and Utrecht in 1672. That same year, he commanded British troops sent to help King Louis XIV of France (his father’s first cousin) in a campaign against the Dutch. Other roles included Lord High Chamberlain of Scotland, Master of the Horse, Chancellor of Cambridge University and Captain-General of all the land forces of England, Scotland, and Wales.

James, Duke of Monmouth commanding the British against the Dutch in 1672; Credit – Wikipedia

Because King Charles II had no legitimate children, his Catholic brother James, Duke of York was heir to the throne. In 1678, there was a popular outcry for a Protestant heir, and James, Duke of Monmouth was touted as that heir. King Charles II issued a proclamation that he had married only Catherine of Braganza to squelch the possibility that his son James was a legitimate heir. James was then sent out of England to Scotland to suppress an uprising. His success in Scotland only made James more popular, and he was sent to the Netherlands into temporary exile. When James returned to England, his popularity had not decreased and he was met with bonfires and bells ringing. King Charles II refused to see his son and deprived him of most of his positions. Charles ordered his son into exile, but James defied his father and went on a tour of the West Country to determine his support there. Over the next several years, there were several failed attempts at reconciliation between father and son. In 1683, James was used as a tool in the unsuccessful Rye House Plot to assassinate King Charles II and James, Duke of York. James was obliged to go into exile in the Netherlands and he was there when his father, King Charles II, died on February 6, 1685, and his uncle became King James II.

Upon his father’s death, James, Duke of Monmouth asserted his claim to the throne and planned an invasion of England and Scotland. He landed at Lyme Regis, Dorset, England on June 11, 1685, and proclaimed himself king on June 20, 1685. On July 6, 1685, the armies of uncle and nephew met at the Battle of Sedgemoor where the army of James, Duke of Monmouth was defeated. James had left the battlefield disguised as a peasant and was discovered hiding in a ditch three days later.

James, Duke of Monmouth had previously been attainted of treason by Parliament on June 16, 1685, and was to “suffer Paines of Death and Incurr all Forfeitures as a Traitor Convicted and Attainted of High Treason.” He groveled at the feet of his uncle King James II, begging for his life. James was sent to the Tower of London and beheaded on Tower Hill on July 15, 1685. It took several blows of the ax to behead him. 36-year-old James, Duke of Monmouth was buried in the Chapel of St. Peter ad Vincula at the Tower of London.

The Act of Attainder forfeited his English peerages, but his Scottish peerages were not affected and continued to be held by his widow and their descendants. The subsidiary titles of the Duke of Monmouth peerage were restored to Monmouth’s grandson, Francis Scott, 2nd Duke of Buccleuch. Ironically, King James II’s reign lasted only until 1688, when he was overthrown in the Glorious Revolution by his Protestant daughter Queen Mary II and his nephew and Mary’s husband King William III.

Execution of James, Duke of Monmouth; Credit – Wikipedia

Lord Frederick Windsor

photo: Zimbio

Lord Frederick Michael George David Louis Windsor was born April 6, 1979 at St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington, London. He is the son of Prince Michael of Kent (a grandson of King George V and cousin of Queen Elizabeth II) and the former Baroness Marie-Christine von Reibnitz.

He was raised at Kensington Palace in London, and Nether Lypiatt Manor, his parents’ former country house in Gloucestershire. He attended school at Wetherby School, Sunningdale School, Eton College, and Magdalen College, Oxford.

photo: Zimbio

On September 12, 2009 Lord Frederick married Sophie Winkleman in the Chapel Royal at Hampton Court Palace. The couple have two daughters:

Maud Elizabeth Daphne Marina Windsor, born August 15, 2013 in Los Angeles
Isabella Alexandra May Windsor, born January 16, 2016 in London

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Prince Alexander of Battenberg, Prince of Bulgaria

by Scott Mehl © Unofficial Royalty 2014

photo: Wikipedia

Prince Alexander Joseph of Battenberg (known as Sandro) was born on April 5, 1857, in Verona, Kingdom of Lombardy-Venetia, now in Italy. His parents were Prince Alexander of Hesse and by Rhine and Countess Julia von Hauke. Julia had been a lady-in-waiting to Alexander’s sister, Marie of Hesse and by Rhine, the future Empress Maria Alexandrovna of Russia (wife of Alexander II, Emperor of All Russia), and the couple met while Alexander was visiting St Petersburg, Russia. As the Emperor would not condone a relationship between the two, they left Russia and were married in 1851 in Breslau, Kingdom of Prussia, now Wroclaw, Poland. Because their marriage was morganatic, Julia did not gain any of her husband’s titles and their children would not be eligible for succession to the Hesse Grand Ducal throne. However, her brother-in-law, Grand Duke Ludwig III of Hesse and by Rhine granted the title Countess of Battenberg to Julia and the children of the marriage. A few years later, this was elevated to Princess of Battenberg.

Alexander had four siblings:

Princess Marie of Battenberg (1852–1923), married Gustav, Count of Erbach-Schönberg, had four children
Prince Ludwig (Louis) of Battenberg (1854–1921), married Princess Victoria of Hesse of Hesse and by Rhine, had four children including Alice who married Prince Andrew of Greece and is the mother of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh; Louise who married King Gustaf Adolf VI of Sweden; and Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma); In 1917, Louis and his children gave up their German titles and took the surname Mountbatten and he was created the 1st Marquess of Milford Haven
Prince Heinrich (Henry) of Battenberg (1858–1896), married Princess Beatrice of the United Kingdom, daughter of Queen Victoria, had including four children including Princess Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg who married King Alfonso XIII of Spain
Prince Franz Joseph (1861–1924), married Princess Anna of Montenegro, no children

Prince Alexander often visited his aunt in Russia and became close to his uncle by marriage Alexander II, Emperor of All Russia. It was this relationship that saw Alexander’s future role as a sovereign. Bulgaria became a principality of the Ottoman Empire under the terms of the Treaty of Berlin in 1878. Alexander II proposed Alexander for the newly created throne, and he was unanimously elected as Prince of Bulgaria in April 1879. He arrived in his new homeland in July 1879, swearing allegiance to the new Bulgarian Constitution.

After a contentious reign, often caught between the conflicting goals of the Bulgarian politicians and the Russian Emperor, Alexander fell victim to a military coup on August 20, 1886. He was forced to sign his abdication before being rushed out of the country and handed over to the Russians. Following a counter-coup a few weeks later, Alexander returned to Bulgaria. However, with the Austrian, German and Russian governments all working against him, he formally, and freely, relinquished the Bulgarian throne on September 7, 1886, and left Bulgarian the following day.

On February 6, 1889, Alexander married opera singer Johanna Loisinger, at which point he assumed the title Count von Hartenau, which he used for the remainder of his life. The couple had two children:

Assènne Ludwig Alexander, Count von Hartenau (1890–1965), married Bertha Husa-Ramos, no children
Marie Therese Vera Zvetana, Countess von Hartenau (1893–1935), married CharlesErcula Boassevan, no children

Johanna Loisinger with her two children circa1894, Credit – Wikipedia

The couple lived in Graz, Austria where Alexander held a post in the Austrian Army. He died at his home in Graz, Villa Hartenau, on October 23, 1893. He was initially buried in Graz, but later his remains were returned to Bulgaria and a State Funeral was held at the St Nedelya Church in Sofia, at the direction of the new Prince Ferdinand of Bulgaria. Soon after, he was entombed at the newly built Battenberg Mausoleum in the center of Sofia, Bulgaria.

Bulgaria Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Karl I, Emperor of Austria

by Susan Flantzer © Unofficial Royalty 2014

Karl I, Emperor of Austria; Credit – Wikipedia

On October 3, 2004, Pope John Paul II beatified Karl I, the last Emperor of Austria, and he is known as Blessed Karl of Austria. Beatification is the third of four steps toward sainthood in the Roman Catholic Church. On January 31, 2008, the Roman Catholic Church, after a 16-month investigation, formally recognized a second miracle attributed to Karl I which is required for his canonization as a saint. However, no word on his canonization has been forthcoming.

Embed from Getty Images

Karl’s beatification in 2004 was not without controversy. Although Karl was a devout Catholic, some of his actions have been questioned because they do not seem saint-like. During World War I, when Karl was Supreme Commander, the Austrian army used poison gas on the Italian front. In addition, Karl was accused of being a liar. As the war ended, Karl deserted Austria’s ally Germany and secretly attempted to make peace with France. When news of this was leaked, Karl denied all involvement. However, the French published letters from him proving his involvement. Furthermore, after the war, Karl attempted twice to regain the throne of Hungary which he had also formerly held, resulting in the deaths of many in street fighting. The Roman Catholic Church’s view is that Karl showed “heroic virtue” by being the only leader during World War I to put his faith first when making political decisions.

Many churches in Austria have portraits of Blessed Karl of Austria. This altar dedicated to him is in the Augustinerkirche in Vienna, the parish church of the Austrian Imperial Family; Photo Credit – © Susan Flantzer

Karl Franz Joseph Ludwig Hubert Georg Otto Marie was born an Archduke of Austria on August 17, 1887, at Persenbeug Castle in the current Austrian state of Lower Austria. His parents were Archduke Otto Franz of Austria and Princess Maria Josepha of Saxony. Karl’s father, Archduke Otto Franz, was the second son of Archduke Karl Ludwig of Austria, the younger brother of the Emperor of Austria at that time, Franz Joseph I.

Karl had one younger sibling:

Archduke Maximilian Eugen of Austria (1895–1952), married Princess Franziska von Hohenlohe-Waldenburg-Schillingsfürst, had issue

Archduke Otto Franz and his family; Credit – Wikipedia

Karl had a very religious upbringing and spent his early childhood years traveling with his father’s army regiment. He attended the Schottengymnasium in Vienna, a public secondary school, which was an unusual occurrence for a member of the Imperial Family. Karl served in the military from 1903-1906, mostly in areas of Bohemia. From 1906-1908, he served in the military in Prague and also attended Charles-Ferdinand University there, studying law and political science.

On October 21, 1911, Karl married Princess Zita of Bourbon-Parma at Schwarzau Castle, an Austrian home of Zita’s family. Both Zita and Karl were devout Catholics and on the day after their wedding, Karl told Zita, “Now, we must help each other to get to Heaven.” The couple had eight children. Their oldest child Otto, who was Crown Prince during his father’s short reign, was the longest surviving of their children and died on July 4, 2011, at the age of 98.

Karl and Zita on their wedding day; Photo Credit – Wikipedia

Karl and Zita’s children:

Crown Prince Otto (1912 – 2011), married Regina of Saxe-Meiningen, had seven children
Archduchess Adelheid (1914 – 1971), unmarried
Archduke Robert (1915 – 1996), married Margherita of Savoy-Aosta, had five children
Archduke Felix (1916 – 2011), married Anna-Eugénie of Arenberg, seven children
Archduke Karl Ludwig (1918 – 2007), married, Yolanda of Ligne, had four children
Archduke Rudolf (1919 – 2010), married (1) Countess Xenia Tschernyschev-Besobrasoff, had four children; (2) Anna Gabriele of Wrede, had one child
Archduchess Charlotte (1921 – 1989), married George, Duke of Mecklenburg, no issue
Archduchess Elisabeth (1922 – 1993), married Prince Heinrich Karl Vincenz of Liechtenstein, had five children

Karl and Zita with their children; Photo Credit – Wikipedia

In 1889, after the suicide of Crown Prince Rudolf, the only son of Emperor Franz Joseph I, the next heir was Karl’s grandfather Archduke Karl Ludwig, with his elder son Archduke Franz Ferdinand. the second in the line of succession. There have been suggestions that Karl Ludwig renounced his succession rights in favor of his son Franz Ferdinand. However, an act of renunciation was never formally signed and Karl Ludwig was never officially designated heir to the throne. He was only three years younger than Franz Joseph and not a realistic choice. When Karl Ludwig died in 1896, Franz Ferdinand became the heir to his uncle’s throne.

Archduke Franz Ferdinand was the heir until his assassination on June 28, 1914, an event that was one of the causes of World War I. Archduke Franz Ferdinand had been allowed to make a morganatic marriage with the condition that the children of the marriage would not have succession rights. Upon Franz Ferdinand’s death, Karl became the heir. He succeeded to the throne upon the death of Emperor Franz Joseph I in 1916.

Funeral Procession for Emperor Franz Joseph, in front: Zita and Karl with their oldest son Otto; Credit – Wikipedia

At the end of World War I, the armistice required that the Austrian-Hungarian Empire allow for autonomy and self-determination of the government of its various ethnic populations. The various areas proclaimed independence and by October 1918 there was not much left of the empire. On November 11, 1918, the same day as the armistice ending World War I, Karl issued a proclamation in which he recognized the rights of the Austrian people to determine their form of government and released his government officials from their loyalty to him. On November 13, 1918, Karl issued a similar proclamation for Hungary. Karl did not use the term “abdicate” in his proclamations and would never admit that he abdicated.

On March 23, 1919, Karl and his family left for Switzerland. On April 3, 1919, the Austrian Parliament passed the Habsburg Law that forbade Karl or his wife Zita from returning to Austria. The law also prevented other Habsburgs from returning to Austria unless they renounced all intentions of claiming the throne and accepted the condition of living as ordinary citizens. On the same day, all noble titles were abolished. In 1921, Karl returned to Hungary twice in attempting to regain the throne of Hungary. After the second attempt, the Council of Allied Powers exiled Karl and his family to the Portuguese island of Madeira.

In March 1922, Karl caught a cold that developed into bronchitis and then pneumonia. After suffering two heart attacks and respiratory failure, Karl died on April 1, 1922, at the age of 34. Due to the Habsburg Law, Karl could not be buried in the Imperial Crypt in Vienna. He was buried at the Church of Our Lady of Monte on the island of Madeira in Portugal. His heart was buried in the Loreto Chapel at the Muri Abbey, a Benedictine monastery dedicated to Saint Martin of Tours, near Basel, Switzerland. When Karl’s wife Zita died in 1989, she was buried in the Imperial Crypt in Vienna, Austria, but requested that her heart be buried with her husband’s. Two of their sons, Rudolf and Felix, are also buried at Muri Abbey.

Tomb of Karl I, Emperor of Austria at the Church of Our Lady of Monte on the island of Madeira in Portugal; Credit – Wikipedia

In the Imperial Crypt (Kaisergruft) in Vienna, Austria, the traditional burial place of the Habsburgs, there is a memorial to Karl near the tomb of his wife Zita. (Photo below)

Memorial to Karl I, Emperor of Austria in the Imperial Crypt; Credit – © Susan Flantzer

Austria Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Märtha of Sweden, Crown Princess of Norway

by Scott Mehl © Unofficial Royalty 2014

source: Royal House of Norway; photo: Ingeborg Ljusnes, the Royal Court Archive

Märtha of Sweden, Crown Princess of Norway; source: Royal House of Norway; photo: Ingeborg Ljusnes, The Royal House of Norway Court Archive

Princess Märtha Sofia Lovisa Dagmar Thyra of Sweden was born March 28, 1901, at the Hereditary Prince’s Palace in Stockholm, Sweden. She was the second daughter of Prince Carl of Sweden, Duke of Västergötland, and Princess Ingeborg of Denmark. Her grandfathers were King Oscar II of Sweden and King Frederik VIII of Denmark. For the first four years of her life, she was also a Princess of Norway. Sweden and Norway were in personal union under the sovereigns of Sweden. This union ended in 1905.

Märtha had three siblings:

Princess Margaretha of Sweden (1899–1977), married her cousin Prince Axel of Denmark, had two sons
Princess Astrid of Sweden (1905–1935), married King Leopold III of Belgium, had two sons and one daughter
Prince Carl Bernadotte, born Prince Carl, Duke of Östergötland (1911–2003), married (1) Countess Elsa von Rosen, morganatic marriage – had to relinquish his succession rights and his royal titles, had one daughter, divorced (2) Ann Margareta Larsson, no children, divorced (3) Kristine Rivelsrud, no children

photo: Wikipedia

On March 21, 1929, Märtha married her first cousin, Crown Prince Olav of Norway at the Oslo Cathedral. She was once again a Princess of Norway.

Unofficial Royalty: Wedding of King Olav V and Princess Märtha of Sweden

The couple took up residence at the Skaugum Estate in Asker, Norway. They had three children:

Princess Ragnhild (1930 – 2012), married Erling Lorentzen, had three children
Princess Astrid (born 1932), married Johan Ferner, had five children
King Harald V of Norway (born 1937), married Sonja Haraldsen, had two children

In 1940, Princess Märtha and her children fled Norway when the Germans invaded, traveling to her native Sweden. However, they were not well received by the Swedish people, feeling that their presence would threaten Sweden’s neutrality. Shortly after, at the invitation of President Franklin D. Roosevelt of the United States, the family sailed for America. After brief stays at Roosevelt’s private estate in Hyde Park, New York, and then the White House, the family leased (and later purchased), an estate in Bethesda, Maryland, just outside of Washington DC. Her husband had stayed with his father, King Haakon VII, establishing a government-in-exile in London.

Princess Märtha remained very active in supporting the Norwegian people during the war, working extensively with the Red Cross, and speaking to groups throughout the country to promote the resistance. She developed a very close friendship with President Roosevelt, and the family was often included in both public and private functions at the White House.

Statue of Crown Princess Märtha outside the Norwegian Embassy in Washington, DC; Credit – Wikipedia

The work Crown Princess Märtha did in the United States had a lasting impact on U.S.-Norwegian relations. Her advocacy on her country’s behalf during World War II influenced President Roosevelt’s famous “Look to Norway” speech. In September 2005, the United States erected a statue of Crown Princess Märtha on the grounds of the Norwegian Embassy in Washington, D.C. as a symbol of the enduring friendship between the two nations. The statue was unveiled by her three children.

The Norwegian Royal Family returning to Oslo, June 1945. photo: Wikipedia

In 1945, with the war finally over, Princess Märtha and the children returned to Norway and were reunited with Crown Prince Olav and King Haakon. She continued her work with the many patronages and charities in Norway, focused on doing everything possible to restore Norway and the Norwegian people.

Sadly, the Crown Princess suffered ill health over the next few years. On April 5, 1954, she died at the National Hospital in Oslo, Norway following a long battle with cancer. She is buried in the Royal Mausoleum at Akershus Castle. Her husband would go on to become King Olav V in 1957 until his death in January 1991. He is buried alongside his wife.

Tombs of King Haakon VII & Queen Maud (left), and King Olav V & Crown Princess Martha (right). photo: Wikipedia

Kingdom of Norway Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Prince Waldemar of Prussia

Prince Waldemar of Prussia, painted by Heinrich von Angeli; Credit – Wikipedia

Prince Waldemar of Prussia (Joachim Friedrich Ernst Waldemar) was born at the Crown Prince’s Palace in Berlin, Kingdom of Prussia, now in Brandenburg, Germany, on February 10, 1868, the sixth child of the Crown Prince and Princess of Prussia. His parents, known as Fritz and Vicky, were the future Friedrich III, German Emperor and Victoria, Princess Royal who was the eldest child of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom. Waldemar’s birth came 20 months after the tragic death of his 21-month-old brother Sigismund from meningitis and on the 28th wedding anniversary of his maternal grandparents, Queen Victoria and the deceased Prince Albert. Vicky was overjoyed with her new son and wrote to Fritz, “All the pain of labour is nothing compared to the happiness of having such a dear little creature to hold & to nurse oneself.”

Waldemar and his mother; Credit – http://www.royalcollection.org.uk

Waldemar quickly took the place of Vicky’s favorite son previously held by his deceased brother Sigismund. Vicky hoped Waldemar would be everything that his elder brothers Wilhelm and Heinrich were not. She wrote to her mother, “He is such a dear child & although rather more spirited than is easy to manage, he is so trustworthy and honest…”

Waldemar with his sisters the year before his death; Credit – http://www.royalcollection.org.uk

Waldemar had seven siblings:

Wilhelm II, German Emperor (1859 –1941) married (1) Princess Auguste Viktoria of Schleswig-Holstein, had issue (2) Princess Hermine Reuss of Greiz, no issue
Charlotte (1860 –1919) married Bernhard III, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen, had issue
Heinrich (1862 –1929) married his first cousin Princess Irene of Hesse and by Rhine, had issue
Sigismund (1864 – 1866) died of meningitis at 21 months
Victoria (1866 – 1929) married (1) Prince Adolf of Schaumburg-Lippe, no issue (2) Alexander Zoubkov, no issue
Sophie (1870 – 1932) married King Constantine I of Greece, had issue
Margaret (1872 –1954) married Prince Friedrich Karl of Hesse, had issue

Prince Waldemar with his parents and four of his siblings: Charlotte, holding her father’s arm; Fritz holding Margaret in his arms; Victoria, seated, holding a hat on her lap; Vicky, her arms around Sophie; and Waldemar, standing in sailor suit; Photo Credit – www.royalcollection.org

Waldemar reminded his grandmother, Queen Victoria, of her late husband Prince Albert because of Waldemar’s love of animals and interest in science. He loved visiting his grandmother at her home Osborne House on the Isle of Wight. Waldemar collected rocks, minerals, and other specimens that his mother carefully labeled and then placed in the museum in the Swiss Cottage where she had played and learned to cook as a child.

During one visit, Waldemar gave his grandmother quite a scare. Queen Victoria was working on some papers in her room and when she looked up she saw a small crocodile staring at her. Naturally, she screamed and all within hearing came running. Waldemar had let Bob, his pet crocodile, out of his box. In fits of laughter, Waldemar retrieved his crocodile, and order was restored.

Prince Waldemar at the age of five; Credit – Wikipedia

In February 1879, Waldemar celebrated his 11th birthday. A month later, while Fritz and Vicky were watching the children rehearse a pantomime show, Waldemar complained of a sore throat. Unfortunately, Waldemar had come down with diphtheria. Four months previously, Vicky’s sister Alice and Alice’s youngest child May had died of the same disease. Diphtheria is a serious bacterial infection affecting the mucous membranes of the nose and throat. Diphtheria typically causes a sore throat, fever, swollen glands, and weakness, but the determining sign is a thick, gray membrane covering the back of the throat. The membrane can block the windpipe so that the patient has to struggle for breath. Today, diphtheria is extremely rare in developed countries thanks to widespread vaccination against the disease. However, before the advent of modern medicine, diphtheria could be epidemic and it often killed its victims.

Vicky took all the precautions known at that time to avoid spreading the disease. She washed Waldemar with hot vinegar and water, changed his sheets and clothes, and put them in a pail of carbolic acid. While tending him, Vicky covered her own clothing and sprayed herself with carbolic acid after she left Waldemar’s room. He seemed to be improving, but on March 26, 1879, at around 9 PM, the doctors summoned Vicky to Waldemar’s room. His breathing had worsened, and he died shortly after midnight.

Waldemar was buried with one of Vicky’s nightgowns covering him and one of Fritz’s handkerchiefs over his face. A private funeral service was held at the Neues Palais attended by the household staff, Waldemar’s teachers, and the parents of his friends. Vicky did not attend the official funeral the next day. Waldemar was buried near his brother Sigismund at the Friedenskirche (Church of Peace) in Potsdam, Kingdom of Prussia, now in Brandenburg, Germany. The remains of both boys were later transferred to the Kaiser Friedrich Mausoleum at the Friedenskirche where Fritz and Vicky were buried.

Vicky wrote of her son to Robert Napier, 1st Baron Napier of Magdala, “Ours is indeed a grief which must last a lifetime. We can hardly realise yet that we have lost the darling boy who was our pride and delight, who seemed to grow daily in health and strength, in intelligence and vigour of character. We had fondly hoped he would grow up to be on use to his country, and his family – we had planned and dreamt of a bright and useful future for him…He is missed every hour of the day, and the House has lost half its life.”

Tomb of Prince Waldemar of Prussia; Credit – http://www.findagrave.com

Princess Louise of the United Kingdom, Duchess of Argyll

Princess Louise of the United Kingdom, Duchess of Argyll; Credit – Wikipedia

Princess Louise Caroline Alberta was born March 18, 1848, at Buckingham Palace in London, England, the fourth daughter and sixth child of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom and Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. She was christened on May 13, 1848, at the Private Chapel in Buckingham Palace. Her godparents were:

Duke Gustav of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (her paternal great-great-uncle)
The Duchess of Saxe-Meiningen (born Princess Marie Frederica of Hesse-Kassel)
The Hereditary Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (her first cousin once-removed, born Princess Augusta of Cambridge)

Louise had eight siblings:

Victoria, Princess Royal (1840-1901) married Friedrich III, German Emperor and King of Prussia, had four sons and four daughters
King Edward VII of the United Kingdom (1841-1910) married Princess Alexandra of Denmark, had two sons and three daughters
Princess Alice (1843-1878) married Ludwig IV, Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine, had two sons and five daughters
Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (1844-1900) married Grand Duchess Marie Alexandrovna of Russia, had one son and four daughters
Princess Helena (1846-1923) married Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein, had two sons and two daughters
Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught (1850-1942) married Princess Louise Margaret of Prussia, had one son and two daughters
Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany (1853-1884) married Princess Helena of Waldeck and Pyrmont, had one son and one daughter
Princess Beatrice (1857-1944) married Prince Henry of Battenberg, had three sons and one daughter

Louise was educated at home with her siblings and developed a strong interest in the arts. In 1863, the Queen permitted Louise to enroll at The National Art Training School to pursue her interests and she became a very skilled painter and sculptress. Later in life, she sculpted a statue of Queen Victoria that stands on the grounds of Kensington Palace.

Statue of Queen Victoria sculpted by Princess Louise; Photo Credit – Susan Flantzer

Several foreign princes were put forward as possible husbands for Louise, including the future King Frederik VIII of Denmark, Prince Albert of Prussia, and the Prince of Orange. However, none of these was agreeable to Queen Victoria, and Louise wanted nothing to do with marriage to a prince. Instead, she fell in love with John Campbell, Marquess of Lorne and heir to the Dukedom of Argyll. Queen Victoria found this a wonderful match, infusing ‘new blood’ into the royal family. Others, including the Prince of Wales, found it appalling that the Princess should marry below her class. Despite these misgivings, the couple became engaged on October 3, 1870. They married at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle in Windsor, England on March 21, 1871, and honeymooned at Claremont House (later the home of Louise’s brother Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany.)

Unofficial Royalty: Wedding of Princess Louise and John Sutherland Campbell, 9th Duke of Argyll

In 1878, Lorne (as he was known) was appointed Governor-General of Canada, and he and Louise took up residence at Rideau Hall in Ottawa. Initially getting a cool welcome, the couple soon ingratiated themselves with the Canadian people, traveling throughout the country and socializing with people from all classes and backgrounds. In 1880, she was severely injured in a sleigh accident, although this was significantly downplayed in both the Canadian and British press. Therefore, her subsequent lack of public appearances gave the impression that she was simply shirking her duties. In fact, her health was significantly affected and she spent much time recuperating. Her husband remained Governor-General until 1883 at which point they again took up residence in Britain. Queen Victoria gave them apartments in Kensington Palace, which would be Louise’s home for the rest of her life.

Princess Louise is often credited with helping to develop the tourist industry of the British colony of Bermuda. To take advantage of the warmer climate, Princess Louise spent the winter of 1883 in Bermuda. This quickly led to a trend of wealthier Americans and Canadians escaping to the tropical climate for the winter. In 1885, a grand hotel was built on Hamilton Harbor to accommodate the influx of wealthy visitors. It was duly named The Princess Hotel in honor of Louise’s visit two years earlier.

Years later, in 1905, the Canadian province of Alberta was named in her honor. Initially, to be named Louise, the Princess requested that her third name, Alberta, be used to also honor her late father Prince Albert. Lake Louise and Mount Alberta were also named for the Princess.

In 1900, her father-in-law passed away and her husband became the 9th Duke of Argyll. This meant that the couple now had several prominent homes at their disposal, including Inveraray Castle, the seat of the Dukes of Argyll as Chief of the Clan Campbell.

The following year, in January 1901, Queen Victoria died at Osborne House in the presence of most of her children, including Louise. Despite the Queen’s wishes that Osborne should remain a royal residence, the new King gifted the house to the nation. Princess Louise was given a small cottage on the estate, Kent House, which she later gave to her niece Victoria of Hesse and by Rhine (later Marchioness of Milford-Haven).

Portrait by Philip de Laszlo, 1915; Source: The de Laszlo Archive Trust

Louise was widowed in 1914 when her husband passed away after a lengthy illness. He had been ill for several years, suffering from what is now believed to have been Alzheimer’s Disease. During these years, Louise devoted herself to caring for her husband. Despite the sometimes distant relationship between the two, she was truly devastated at the loss of her beloved husband. She would go on to survive him by more than 25 years. During this time, she remained an active member of the royal family, taking part in official events and maintaining contact with many of her patronages and charities. By the mid-1930s, her health was declining. She made her last public appearance at an Exhibition in 1937, however, she was unable to attend the coronation of her great-nephew, King George VI that May. She spent her remaining years at Kensington Palace, living in her apartments next door to her sister Beatrice. She was very close with her great-nephew The Duke of Kent and his wife, Princess Marina of Greece.

Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll circa 1933

Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll, died at Kensington Palace in London, England on December 3, 1939, at the age of 91. Following a private funeral on December 12, 1939, her cremated remains were initially placed in the Royal Crypt at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor. A few months later, in March 1940, her ashes were moved to the Royal Burial Ground at Frogmore in Windsor, England.

Recommended Books

Darling Loosy: Letters to Princess Louise (1856-1939) – Elizabeth Longford
Princess Louise: Queen Victoria’s Unconventional Daughter – Jehanne Wake
The Mystery of Princess Louise: Queen Victoria’s Rebellious Daughter – Lucinda Hawksley

Queen Victoria Resources at Unofficial Royalty