Kamehameha V, King of the Hawaiian Islands

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2024

The Hawaiian Islands, located in the Pacific Ocean, were originally divided into several independent chiefdoms. The Kingdom of Hawaii was formed in 1795, when the warrior chief Kamehameha the Great of the independent island of Hawaii, conquered the independent islands of Oahu, Maui, Molokai, and Lanai, and unified them under one government and ruled as Kamehameha I, King of the Hawaiian Islands. In 1810, the whole Hawaiian archipelago became unified when Kauai and Niihau voluntarily joined the Kingdom of Hawaii. Two major dynastic families ruled the kingdom: the House of Kamehameha and the House of Kalākaua.

In 1778, British explorer James Cook visited the islands. This led to increased trade and the introduction of new technologies and ideas. In the mid-19th century, American influence in Hawaii dramatically increased when American merchants, missionaries, and settlers arrived on the islands. Protestant missionaries converted most of the native people to Christianity. Merchants set up sugar plantations and the United States Navy established a base at Pearl Harbor. The newcomers brought diseases that were new to the indigenous people including influenza, measles, smallpox, syphilis, tuberculosis, and whooping cough. At the time of James Cook’s arrival in 1778, the indigenous Hawaiian population is estimated to have been between 250,000 and 800,000. By 1890, the indigenous Hawaiian population declined had to less than 40,000.

In 1893, a group of local businessmen and politicians composed of six non-native Hawaiian Kingdom subjects, five American nationals, one British national, and one German national overthrew Queen Liliʻuokalani, her cabinet, and her marshal, and took over the government of the Kingdom of Hawaii. This led to the 1898 annexation of Hawaii as a United States territory. On August 21, 1959, Hawaii became the 50th state of the United States.

In 1993, one hundred years after the Hawaiian monarchy was overthrown, the United States Congress passed and President Bill Clinton signed the Apology Resolution which “acknowledges that the overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii occurred with the active participation of agents and citizens of the United States and further acknowledges that the Native Hawaiian people never directly relinquished to the United States their claims to their inherent sovereignty as a people over their national lands, either through the Kingdom of Hawaii or through a plebiscite or referendum”. As a result, the Hawaiian sovereignty movement, a grassroots political and cultural campaign to reestablish an autonomous or independent nation or kingdom in Hawaii, was established along with ongoing efforts to redress the indigenous Hawaiian population.

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Kamehameha V, King of the Hawaiian Islands; Credit – Wikipedia

Born on December 11, 1830, in Honolulu on the island of Oahu in the Kingdom of the Hawaiian Islands, now in the state of Hawaii, Kamehameha V, King of the Hawaiian Islands was the third of the five children and the third of the four sons of  High Chief Mataio Kekūanaōʻa, Royal Governor of Oʻahu, and Princess Elizabeth Kīnaʻu, daughter of Kamehameha I, King of the Hawaiian Islands and Queen Kalākua Kaheiheimālie.

Kamehameha V had four siblings:

Both parents of Kamehameha IV were converts to Christianity so Kamehameha V was given the name Lot Kapuāiwa and was known as Lot which will be used for the rest of the article. Lot was adopted using the ancient Hawaiian tradition called hānai by Princess Nāhiʻenaʻena, the daughter of King Kamehameha I and Queen Keōpūolani. After Princess Nāhiʻenaʻena died in 1836, Lot was then adopted by his maternal grandmother Queen Kalākua Kaheiheimālie and step-grandfather High Chief Ulumāheihei Hoapili. He was not treated well by his hānai parents and developed a strong dislike for the hānai tradition.

Lot was educated by Congregationalist missionaries at the Chiefs’ Children’s School, later known as Royal School, in Honolulu, which is still in existence as a public elementary school, the Royal Elementary School, the oldest school on the island of Oahu. While he was a student at the Chiefs’ Children’s School, Lot and another student Abigail Maheha had a child, a daughter Keanolani, born in 1847. Although the father was never publicly identified, much circumstantial evidence points to Lot as the father.

Geritt P. Judd and his two royal charges: Prince Lot Kapuāiwa (left) and Prince Alexander Liholiho (right); Credit – Wikipedia

From 1849 to 1852, Lot traveled around the world with his brother Alexander Liholiho ‘Iolanian, the future King Kamehameha IV, and their guardian Gerrit P. Judd, an American physician and missionary who had become a citizen of Hawaii and an advisor and translator to King Kamehameha III. They set sail to San Francisco in September 1849. After they toured California, they continued to Panama, Jamaica, New York City, Washington, D C., and then they crossed the Atlantic Ocean and toured Europe. They met government leaders including American President Zachary Taylor and his Vice President Millard Fillmore, French President Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte (later Napoleon III, Emperor of the French), Prince Albert, the husband of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom, and British Foreign Secretary and future Prime Minister Lord Palmerston.  While in the United States, Alexander personally suffered racism, including when he was almost thrown out of his train car after being misidentified as a slave. His experiences with racism in the United States and the puritanical views of American missionaries in Hawaii influenced the anti-American views of Alexander and the Hawaiian royal family.

Upon returning to the Kingdom of the Hawaiian Islands in 1852, Lot’s uncle King Kamehameha III appointed him to the Privy Council and the House of Nobles where he gained much governmental experience. On December 15, 1854, King Kamehameha III died and Lot’s 20-year-old brother Alexander succeeded him as King Kamehameha IV.

In 1862, Lot was officially added to the line of succession in an amendment to the 1852 Constitution of the Kingdom of Hawaii. Lot and his heirs, followed by his sister Princess Victoria Kamāmalu and her heirs, would succeed in the case his brother died without any legitimate heirs. When Prince Albert Kamehameha, the only son of King Kamehameha IV, died on August 23, 1862, Lot became the heir to the throne. On November 30, 1863, Lot’s brother, 29-year-old brother King Kamehameha IV, and Lot succeeded him as Kamehameha V, King of the Hawaiian Islands.

Kamehameha V addressing the legislature of the Hawaiian Kingdom, circa 1867; Credit – Wikipedia

During Lot’s reign, the 1864 Constitution of the Kingdom of Hawaii was passed. It changed the way Hawaii’s government worked by increasing the power of the king and changing the way the kingdom’s legislature worked. Lot encouraged the revival of some traditional practices by having the laws against Kahunaism repealed. A kahuna was an expert in any field. In 1865, Lot refused to give his assent to a bill that would allow foreign merchants the right to sell liquor directly to native Hawaiians saying: “I will never sign the death warrant of my people.” Alcoholism was one of the many causes of the already declining population of the native Hawaiians.

Travel to the Hawaiian Islands increased during Lot’s reign. The American author Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens) came in March 1866 and stayed for four months. He wrote articles sent to the California newspaper the Sacramento Union describing Hawaii. He described Lot: “He was a wise sovereign; he had seen something of the world; he was educated & accomplished, & he tried hard to do well by his people, & succeeded. There was no trivial royal nonsense about him; He dressed plainly, poked about Honolulu, night or day, on his old horse, unattended; he was popular, greatly respected, and even beloved.” In 1869, Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom sent her second son Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh on a state visit.

Lot’s sister Princess Victoria Kamāmalu; Credit – Wikipedia

Lot never married. He named his sister Princess Victoria Kamāmalu as his heir, however, neither of her brothers had allowed her to marry. Victoria died in 1866 and Lot never named another successor. As he lay dying on December 11, 1872, his forty-second birthday, he told those who came to visit him, “It is hard to die on my birthday, but God’s will be done.” He offered the throne to his cousin Bernice Pauahi Bishop but she refused, and he died an hour later without naming his successor. Because of this, the Legislature of the Hawaiian Kingdom chose the next monarch from the eligible royal family members. Lot’s cousin William Charles Lunalilo, a Kamehameha by birth from his mother, became the first elected King of the Hawaiian Kingdom and reigned as Lunalilo, King of the Hawaiian Islands for only a year before he died.

In the background, the Royal Mausoleum, Mauna ʻAla, now a chapel; Credit – Wikipedia

Lot was interred in the Royal Mausoleum, Mauna ʻAla (Fragrant Hills) in Honolulu, on the island of Oahu. On November 9, 1887, after the Royal Mausoleum became too crowded, the caskets of the members of the House of Kamehameha were moved to the newly built Kamehameha Tomb, an underground vault, under the Kamehameha Dynasty Tomb. Two additional underground vaults were built over the years. In 1922, the Royal Mausoleum, Mauna ʻAla was converted to a chapel after the last royal remains were moved to tombs constructed on the grounds.

Kamehameha Dynasty Tomb – Royal Mausoleum, Honolulu, Hawai; Credit – By Daderot. – Self-photographed, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1101293

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

  • Flantzer, Susan. (2024). Kamehameha IV, King of the Hawaiian Islands. Unofficial Royalty. https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/kamehameha-iv-king-of-the-hawaiian-islands/
  • Wikimedia Foundation. (2024). Kamehameha V. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kamehameha_V
  • Wikimedia Foundation. (2023). Royal Mausoleum (Mauna ʻAla). Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Mausoleum_(Mauna_%CA%BBAla)
  • Wikimedia Foundation. (2023). Hawaiian Kingdom. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawaiian_Kingdom

March 25: Today in Royal History

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King Frederik I of Sweden; Credit – Wikipedia

March 25, 1739 – Birth of Prince Edward of Wales, Duke of York and Albany, son of Frederick, Prince of Wales and the brother of King George III of the United Kingdom, at Norfolk House, St. James’s Square in London, England
Full name: Edward Augustus
Edward was the second of the five sons of Frederick, Prince of Wales (who predeceased his father King George II), and held a high place in the line of succession to the British throne for his entire life. In 1760, when Edward’s brother succeeded to the throne as King George III, Edward was named a privy counselor and was the heir presumptive to the British throne until the birth of the future King George IV in 1762. Edward was destined for a career in the Royal Navy, a short career due to his early death. In 1767, while serving in the Mediterranean, Edward became ill while on the way to Genoa. He was taken to Monaco, the nearest port. Despite the care arranged by Honoré III, Prince of Monaco, 28-year-old Edward died at the Prince’s Palace in Monaco on September 17, 1767.
Unofficial Royalty: Prince Edward of Wales, Duke of York and Albany

March 25, 1751 – Death of King Fredrik I of Sweden at Wrangel Palace in Stockholm, Sweden; buried at Riddarholmen Church in Stockholm, Sweden
Fredrik I was King of Sweden from 1720 until his death in 1751. However, he was also Prince Consort of Sweden from 1718 to 1720 and Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel from 1730 until his death. In 1700, Fredrik married his first cousin Luise Dorothea of Brandenburg but she was sickly and died childless in 1705. In 1715, Fredrik married Ulrika Eleonora of Sweden but their marriage was childless. After the death of her brother Karl XII, King of Sweden in 1718, Ulrika Eleonora succeeded him.  Ulrika Eleonora wrote a letter to the Riksdag in 1720, informing its members of her desire to abdicate in favor of her husband on the condition that she should succeed him if he should die before her. Her husband acceded to the Swedish throne as Fredrik I, King of Sweden and Ulrika Eleonora became Queen Consort. Fredrik I reigned for 31 years and survived his wife by ten years. After suffering several strokes, he died on March 25, 1751, aged 74,
Unofficial Royalty: Frederik I, King of Sweden

March 25, 1921 – Birth of Alexandra of Greece, Queen of Yugoslavia, daughter of King Alexander of Greece, wife of King Peter II of Yugoslavia, in Athens, Greece
Alexandra was the posthumous child of King Alexander of Greece who had died five months before her birth from septicemia caused by an infected monkey bite, and Aspasia Manos. In 1944, she married King Peter II of Yugoslavia who was living in exile in London, England, and the couple had one son. The following year, the Yugoslav monarchy was abolished and King Peter II was formally deposed. The marriage was increasingly strained, with constant struggles to find sources of income and Peter’s numerous affairs. Alexandra and Peter eventually went their separate ways. He settled permanently in the United States while she returned to her mother’s home in Venice, Italy. After the death of her mother, Alexandra moved to the United Kingdom and would live there until her death, from cancer at the age of 72.
Unofficial Royalty: Alexandra of Greece, Queen of Yugoslavia

March 25, 1949 – Death of Prince August Wilhelm of Prussia, son of Wilhelm II, German Emperor, in Stuttgart, Germany; buried in the family cemetery of the Princes of Hohenlohe-Langenburg in Langenburg, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany
August Wilhelm was the son of Wilhelm II, German Emperor and King of Prussia and Princess Augusta Viktoria of Schleswig-Holstein. In 1908, August Wilhelm married his first cousin, Princess Alexandra Viktoria of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg. The marriage ended 12 years later, and August Wilhelm was given full custody of their son. August Wilhelm became involved with the Nazi Party, much to the dislike of his family. After World War II, he was arrested by US forces for being a Nazi. In 1948, August Wilhelm was sentenced to 2-½ years of hard labor but was considered to have already served his sentence and he was released. However, just after his release, new charges were filed and another arrest warrant issued from a court in Potsdam, East Germany, which was now in the Soviet zone. He was never physically arrested because he soon became seriously ill and died.
Unofficial Royalty: Prince August Wilhelm of Prussia

March 25, 1975 – Assassination of King Faisal of Saudi Arabia by his nephew Prince Faisal bin Musaid in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; buried at Al Od Cemetery in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
King Faisal of Saudi Arabia, aged 68, was shot and killed by his 30-year-old nephew Prince Faisal bin Musaid bin Abdulaziz Al Saud during a reception at the Royal Palace in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. On June 18, 1975, Prince Faisal bin Musaid was publicly beheaded in Riyadh for the assassination of King Faisal.
Unofficial Royalty: Assassination of Faisal I, King of Saudi Arabia
Unofficial Royalty: King Faisal of Saudi Arabia

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March 24: Today in Royal History

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Queen Elizabeth I of England; Credit – Wikipedia

March 24, 1275 – Death of Beatrice of England, daughter of King Henry III of England, in London, England; buried at Greyfriars Church in Newgate, London, England
In 1260, Beatrice married John of Dreux, the eldest son of John I, Duke of Brittany. In 1268, King Henry III granted the title Earl of Richmond to John I, Duke of Brittany as an enticement when tensions rose with France. However, John I soon transferred the title Earl of Richmond to his son and heir John of Dreux, who also became John II, Duke of Brittany upon his father’s death in 1286. John of Dreux became Duke of Brittany after the death of Beatrice so she never became Duchess of Brittany. Beatrice died on March 24, 1275, aged 32, in London, England while visiting her brother King Edward I of England. Possibly she died due to childbirth complications as her youngest child Eleanor was born in London in 1275.
Unofficial Royalty: Beatrice of England, Countess of Richmond

March 24, 1394 – Death of Constance of Castile, Duchess of Lancaster at Leicester Castle in Leicester, England; buried at the Church of the Annunciation of Our Lady of the Newarke in Leicester, England
Constance was the daughter of Pedro I, King of Castile, and the second wife of John of Gaunt, son of King Edward III. They married in 1371 and had two children but only one survived infancy, Catherine of Lancaster who married King Enrique III of Castile. Through their daughter Catherine, Constance and John are the great-grandparents of Queen Isabella I of Castile and the great-great-grandparents of Isabella I’s daughter Catherine of Aragon, the first wife of King Henry VIII of England. Constance and John are the ancestors of all subsequent monarchs of the Kingdom of Castile and a united Kingdom of Spain.  Constance died on March 24, 1394, aged 39–40.
Unofficial Royalty: Constance of Castile, Duchess of Lancaster

March 24, 1558 – Death of Anna van Egmont, Princess of Orange, first of the four wives of Willem I, Prince of Orange (the Silent) in Breda, Duchy of Brabant (now the Netherlands); buried in the Grote Kerk in Breda
In 1551, 18-year-old Anna married another 18-year-old, Willem I, Prince of Orange. By all accounts, their marriage was a happy one and they had three children. Anna’s early death at the age of 25 brought much grief to Willem.
Unofficial Royalty: Anna van Egmont, Princess of Orange

March 24, 1603 – Death of Queen Elizabeth I of England at Richmond Palace in Surrey, England; buried at Westminster Abbey in London, England
The last monarch of the House of Tudor, Queen Elizabeth I became queen at the age of 25 on November 17, 1558, and reigned for 44 years, 127 days until her death at age 69 on March 24, 1603. During Elizabeth’s reign, called the Elizabethan Age, the Church of England took its final form, a middle path between Catholicism and Reform Protestantism, William Shakespeare created numerous works, modern science had its birth based upon Francis Bacon‘s inductive method for scientific inquiry, Francis Drake sailed around the world, and the first colony in America was founded and named Virginia in honor of Elizabeth the Virgin Queen. In January 1603, while suffering from a cold, Elizabeth moved from Whitehall Palace to Richmond Palace. She recovered from the cold but fell ill at the end of February with severe tonsillitis. She had no appetite and suffered from insomnia. On March 18, 1603, she became very ill and refused to go to bed, instead lying on a heap of pillows piled on the floor. When Robert Cecil, 1st Earl of Salisbury urged her to go to bed, Elizabeth showed a last flash of her feisty spirit and said to him, “Little man, little man, MUST is not a word to use to princes.”
Unofficial Royalty: Queen Elizabeth I of England

March 24, 1628 – Birth of Sophie Amalie of Brunswick-Lüneburg, Queen of Denmark and Norway, wife of King Frederik III of Denmark and Norway, at Herzberg Castle in the Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg, now in Lower Saxony, Germany
In 1643, Sophie Amalie married the future Frederik III, King of Denmark and Norway. Sophie Amalie and Frederik had eight children including Jørgen who married Queen Anne of Great Britain (his name anglicized to George) and Ulrika Eleonora who married King Karl XI of Sweden. In 1647, Frederik’s 44-year-old childless elder brother Christian died and when his father died in 1648, Frederik became King of Denmark and Norway. As Queen, Sophie Amalie became the center of court life. She replaced the old medieval court entertainments with opera and ballet. She enjoyed fashion, parties, theatre, and masquerades, and made the French taste fashionable in Denmark. Sophie Amalie was ambitious, participated in state affairs with the blessing of her husband, and influenced policy as his adviser. Sophie Amalie survived her husband King Frederik II by fifteen years, dying on February 20, 1685, aged 56.
Unofficial Royalty: Sophie Amalie of Brunswick-Lüneburg, Queen of Denmark and Norway

March 24, 1805 – Death of Alois I, Prince of Liechtenstein in Vienna, Austria; buried at the Liechtenstein Crypt in Vranov, Czech Republic
Upon the death of his father Franz Josef I, Prince of Liechtenstein in 1781, 22-year-old Alois became the reigning Prince of Liechtenstein. In 1783, Alois married 15-year-old Karoline von Manderscheid-Blankenheim. Although the couple had no children, Karoline had two illegitimate children with her long-time lover Franz von Langendonck, a captain in the Imperial Austrian Army. Alois did much to improve the administration and management of his estates. He introduced modern methods of production on his estates, experimented with breeding, and imported numerous useful and ornamental plants for economic reasons and botanical interest. Alois was passionate about books and continued to expand the princely library by purchasing extensive collections. Alois I died on March 24, 1805, aged 45.
Unofficial Royalty: Prince Alois I, Prince of Liechtenstein 

March 24, 1832 – Death of Maria Anna of Saxony, Grand Duchess of Tuscany, first wife of Leopoldo II, Grand Duke of Tuscany, at the Royal Palace in Pisa, Grand Duchy of Tuscany, now in Italy; buried at the Basilica of San Lorenzo in Florence, Grand Duchy of Tuscany, now in Italy
In 1817, Maria Anna married the future Leopoldo II, Grand Duke of Tuscany. The couple had three daughters. Maria Anna and her husband were the founding patrons of L’Istituto Statale della Ss. Annunziata, the first female boarding school in Florence, then in the Grand Duchy of Tuscany, to educate aristocratic and noble young ladies. The school is still in existence. Maria Anna’s inability to produce a male heir caused depression which coupled with her chronic ill health, made her developing tuberculosis more severe. On March 24, 1832, 32-year-old Maria Anna died.
Unofficial Royalty: Maria Anna of Saxony, Grand Duchess of Tuscany

March 24, 1837 – Birth of Philippe, Count of Flanders at the Royal Castle of Laeken in Laeken, Brussels, Belgium
Full name: Philippe Eugène Ferdinand Marie Clément Baudouin Léopold Georges
Philippe was a younger son of Leopold I, King of the Belgians, and the ancestor of the current Belgian royal family as his son succeeded to the Belgian throne as King Albert I. In 1867, Philippe married Princess Marie of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen and they had five children. It was Philippe and Marie who secured the future of the Belgian dynasty. Philippe was the heir presumptive to the Belgian throne until he died in 1905. Philippe’s elder son Baudouin was second in line to the throne until his death in 1891 from influenza. Then Philippe’s younger son Albert became second in line to the throne. Eventually, Albert succeeded his uncle, King Leopold II, upon his death in 1909 as King Albert I. Philippe led a comfortable life in the intimacy of his Brussels palace surrounded by his objets d’art, his superb horses, and especially his precious library of 30,000 books. He died at the age of 68.
Unofficial Royalty: Philippe, Count of Flanders

March 24, 1866 – Death of Maria Amalia of the Two Sicilies, Queen of the French, wife of Louis-Philippe I, King of the French, in exile at Claremont House in Surrey in England; buried first at Weybridge, England, re-buried in 1876 in the Orléans Mausoleum in the Royal Chapel in Dreux, France
While still very young, Maria Amalia was engaged to her first cousin, the Dauphin of France. His mother Queen Marie Antoinette was Maria Amalia’s maternal aunt. However, the French Revolution resulting in the death of her aunt and her first cousin changed these plans. Her youth was spent in upheaval due to the events in France and the subsequent conflict during the First Coalition soon found the family fleeing Sicily for the safety of Naples. Maria Amalia’s family returned to Naples in 1802, but four years later, when Napoleon invaded, the family again fled to in Palermo. In 1809, Maria Amalia married the future Louis Philippe I, King of the French and they had ten children. In 1830, King Charles X of France was overthrown during the July Revolution and forced to abdicate and Louis Philippe became king.  After her husband was forced to abdicate in 1840, the family left France and was welcomed in England by Queen Victoria, who gave them the use of Claremont House in Surrey, England.  After her husband’s death, Marie Amélie lived a very private life, spending time with her family and enjoying a close relationship with the British Royal Family. At the age of 83, Queen Marie Amélie died at Claremont House on March 24, 1866.
Unofficial Royalty: Maria Amalia of the Two Sicilies, Queen of the French

March 24, 1923 – Death of Ellen Franz, Baroness von Heldburg, morganatic third wife of Georg II, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen, in Meiningen, Germany; buried in the Park Cemetery in Meiningen
Ellen was an actress who came to the Meiningen Court Theatre in 1867 and appeared in numerous roles over the next six years. Within a year of arriving in Meiningen, Ellen became romantically involved with Georg II, who was still married to his second wife, Feodora of Hohenlohe-Langenburg who would die in 1872. In 1873, Ellen and Georg were married but they had no children. Sharing a love of the theatre with her husband, Ellen worked with him to reform and redevelop the Meiningen Theater. Much of their efforts became known as the Meininger Principles and is still taught in theater schools today. Ellen died March 24, 1923, at the age of 83. She is buried beside her husband in the Park Cemetery in Meiningen, now in the German state of Thuringia.
Unofficial Royalty: Ellen Franz, Baroness von Heldburg

March 24, 1953 – Death of Queen Mary of the United Kingdom, born Princess Victoria Mary of Teck, wife of King George V of the United Kingdom, at Marlborough House in London England; buried at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle in Windsor, England
Mary was a great-granddaughter of King George III and a first cousin once removed of Queen Victoria.  She was first engaged to Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence (known as Prince Eddy), the oldest son and eldest child of Albert Edward, Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII) and Princess Alexandra of Denmark. After his death from pneumonia, Mary married his brother, the future King George V. Mary and George had five sons and one daughter. Queen Mary lived long enough to see her granddaughter Elizabeth become Queen of the United Kingdom, but died on March 24, 1953, at age 85 of lung cancer (although her illness was referred to as “gastric problems”) just ten weeks before the coronation. Before her death, Queen Mary had insisted that the coronation go ahead as scheduled.
Unofficial Royalty: Mary of Teck, Queen of the United Kingdom

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Royal Birthdays & Anniversaries: March 24 – March 30

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

Hamzah bin Al Hussein; Credit – By Abd Alrahman Wreikat – https://www.flickr.com/photos/abdelrahmanaldojan/33033564273/in/dateposted-public/, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=57723345

44th birthday of Hamzah bin Al Hussein, formerly Prince Hamzah of Jordan, son of King Hussein I of Jordan and his fourth wife Queen Noor, in Amman, Jordan on March 29, 1980
On April 3, 2022, Hamzah renounced his title of Prince of Jordan.
Unofficial Royalty: Hamzah bin Al Hussein

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March 23: Today in Royal History

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Margaret of Anjou, Queen of England; Credit – Wikipedia

March 23, 1429 – Birth of Margaret of Anjou, Queen of England, wife of King Henry VI of England, at Pont-à-Mousson, Duchy of Lorraine, now in France
In 1445, Margaret married King Henry VI of England and had one son Edward of Westminster, Prince of Wales. Margaret was one of the principal players in the Wars of the Roses, the battle for the English crown between the House of Lancaster and the House of York.  Her son was killed at the Battle of Tewkesbury where Margaret led the Lancastrian forces. Her husband was sent to the Tower of London and where he died, probably murdered on orders from King Edward IV from the House of York. Margaret was imprisoned at Wallingford Castle in England while her father René, Duke of Anjou worked tirelessly to arrange his daughter’s release. In 1475, King Louis XI agreed to pay Margaret’s ransom provided that her father would cede to France his territories of Anjou, Bar, Lorraine, and Provence. Margaret returned to France and died on August 25, 1482, at the age of 53.
Unofficial Royalty: Margaret of Anjou, Queen of England

March 23, 1801 – Assassination of Paul I, Emperor of All Russia at the Mikhailovsky Castle in St. Petersburg, Russia; buried at the Peter and Paul Cathedral in St. Petersburg, Russia
Paul was the son of Grand Duchess Catherine Alexeievna (born Sophie of Anhalt-Zerbst, later Catherine II (the Great), Empress of All Russia), and was recognized by Catherine’s husband, Grand Duke Peter Feodorovich (born Karl Peter Ulrich of Holstein-Gottorp, later Peter III, Emperor of All Russia, as his son although he may be was Sergei Vasilievich Saltykov. His first wife Wilhelmine of Hesse-Darmstadt (Grand Duchess Natalia Alexeievna) died in childbirth with her only child. Paul’s second wife was Sophia Dorothea of Württemberg (Maria Feodorovna) with whom he had ten children. Paul became Emperor of All Russia upon the death of his mother Catherine II (the Great) in 1796. Paul agreed with the practices of autocracy and did not tolerate freedom of thought or resistance against autocracy. Because he overly taxed the nobility and limited their rights, the Russian nobles were against him. Paul’s reign was becoming increasingly despotic. Eventually, the nobility reached their breaking point. On the night of March 23, 1801, at the Mikhailovsky Castle in St. Petersburg, Russia, a group of conspirators charged into the bedroom of 46-year-old Paul I, Emperor of All Russia, forced him to abdicate, and then strangled and trampled him to death.
Unofficial Royalty: Assassination of Paul I, Emperor of All Russia
Unofficial Royalty: Paul I, Emperor of All Russia

March 23, 1818 – Death of Princess Augusta of Wales, Duchess of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, daughter of Frederick, Prince of Wales, at Hanover Square in London, England; buried in the Royal Vault at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle in Windsor, England
Augusta was the elder sister of King George III of the United Kingdom. She married Karl Wilhelm Ferdinand, the future Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel. The couple had seven children including Caroline who married her first cousin, the future King George IV of the United Kingdom. (The marriage was a disaster.) Augusta never fully adapted to life in Brunswick nor was she well-liked. Any popularity she had was damaged by the fact that her three eldest sons were born with handicaps. Karl found Augusta dull and preferred to spend time with his mistresses. After her husband was killed during the Napoleonic Wars and Brunswick–Wolfenbüttel was occupied by the French, Augusta escaped to Sweden. Her brother King George III sent a British naval ship to transport his sister back home to England. Augusta lived in London with her daughter Caroline, Princess of Wales. Augusta got to know her granddaughter Princess Charlotte of Wales, who told her grandmother upon their first meeting “that she was the merriest old woman she ever saw.” Augusta died on March 23, 1813, at the age of 75.
Unofficial Royalty: Princess Augusta of Wales, Duchess of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel

March 23, 1897 – Death of Sophie of the Netherlands, Grand Duchess of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, wife of Karl Alexander, Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, in Weimar, Grand Duchy of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach now in Thuringia, Germany; buried in the Weimarer Fürstengruft in the Historical Cemetery in Weimar
In 1842, Sophie married Grand Duke Karl Alexander of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach and the couple had four children. With her own significant wealth, she founded numerous schools and hospitals throughout the grand duchy. Sophie was the sister of King Willem III of the Netherlands. When her brother died in 1890, the Dutch throne passed to his ten-year-old only surviving child Queen Wilhelmina, and Sophie was first in line to inherit the Dutch throne until her death in 1897. She was very close to her niece Wilhelmina and her sister-in-law Queen Emma and made regular visits to the Netherlands to see them. After the death of her son in 1894, Sophie’s health began to deteriorate. She died on March 23, 1897, aged 73.
Unofficial Royalty: Sophie of the Netherlands, Grand Duchess of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach

March 23, 1931 – Death of Anna Nahowski, mistress of Franz Joseph I, Emperor of Austria,  in Vienna, Austria; buried at Hietzing Cemetery in Vienna, Austria, adjacent to Schönbrunn Palace
Franz Joseph and Anna’s relationship lasted for fourteen years, overlapping Franz Joseph’s long-standing private relationship with actress Katharina Schratt. It is probable that Franz Joseph was the father of at least one of Anna’s three children. After the suicide of Franz Joseph’s only son Crown Prince Rudolf, Franz Joseph broke off all contact with Anna. She was informed that she could determine her severance payment for the fourteen years in the service of the emperor. She asked for 200,000 guldens (millions of dollars today) and in return, she had to sign the following statement: “I hereby confirm that I received 200,000 guldens as a gift from His Majesty the Emperor today. I also swear that I will remain silent at all times about the relationship with His Majesty.” Anna never spoke publicly about her affair during her life. She did keep a diary which was released in 1976 after the death of her daughter Helene. The diary revealed the true nature of the relationship between Anna and Franz Joseph. Anna died in Vienna, Austria on March 23, 1931, at the age of 70.
Unofficial Royalty: Anna Nahowski, Mistress of Franz Joseph I, Emperor of Austria

March 23, 1947 – Death of Luise of Austria, Crown Princess of Saxony, wife of the future King Friedrich August III of Saxony, in Brussels, Belgium; buried at the Hedingen Monastery in Sigmaringen, Germany
In 1891, Luise married the future King Friedrich August III, the last King of Saxony and the couple had six children. From the beginning of her marriage, Luise was unhappy. She was unwilling to conform to the strict Saxon court which often caused conflicts with her father-in-law and others in the royal family. She sought refuge in several affairs, including her children’s French tutor, André Giron. Her affair with Giron was discovered when a telegram she sent him was intercepted.  With the help of two of her maids, Luise – pregnant with her youngest child – fled Dresden and headed toward Lake Geneva where she met up with her brother, Leopold Ferdinand, before reconnecting with Giron. Luise and Giron stayed in Geneva, often being seen in public. Their relationship ended just a few days before her divorce was announced on February 11, 1903. In 1907, Luise married for a second time to Enrico Toselli, an Italian musician 12 years younger, and the couple had one son. After World War I, Luise found herself virtually penniless. She spent some time living in Spain with an uncle before moving to Belgium where she spent the remainder of her life. Luise, aged 77, died on March 23, 1947. At the time, she was working as a flower seller to survive.
Unofficial Royalty: Luise of Austria, Crown Princess of Saxony

March 23, 1990 – Birth of Princess Eugenie, Mrs. Jack Brooksbank, born at Portland Hospital in London, England
Full name: Eugenie Victoria Helena
Princess Eugenie is the younger daughter of Prince Andrew, The Duke of York, and Sarah Ferguson and the grandchild of Queen Elizabeth II and The Duke of Edinburgh. In 2018, she married Jack Brooksbank. Eugenie and Jack have two sons August Philip Hawke Brooksbank, born in 2021 and Ernest George Ronnie Brooksbank born in 2023.
Unofficial Royalty: Princess Eugenie, Mrs. Jack Brooksbank

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Geoffrey, Archbishop of York, Illegitimate Son of King Henry II of England

by Susan Flantzer
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King Henry II of England, the father of Geoffrey, Archbishop of York; Credit – Wikipedia

Geoffrey, Archbishop of York, born circa 1152, was the illegitimate son of King Henry II of England, who ascended the throne of England in 1154. Henry II had several long-term mistresses and around twelve illegitimate children. Geoffrey was probably conceived during one of Henry’s sojourns to England. At the time of Geoffrey’s birth, Henry was involved in The Anarchy, the long civil war (1135 -1153) fought over the English throne, between Henry’s mother Empress Matilda and her first cousin King Stephen of England. Fighting occurred in England and the Duchy of Normandy (now in France) and Henry went back and forth across the English Channel. Geoffrey’s paternal grandparents were his namesake Geoffrey V, Count of Anjou, Touraine, and Maine, and Empress Matilda, Lady of the English. Empress Matilda was the widow of Heinrich V, Holy Roman Emperor and she used her style and title from her first marriage for the rest of her life. More importantly, Matilda was the only surviving, legitimate child of King Henry I of England and Duke of Normandy.

The identity of Geoffrey’s mother is uncertain. She may have been named Ykenai and there is speculation that she could have been a prostitute, the daughter of a knight, a Welsh hostage, a servant, or a daughter of one of the royal servants. It appears that Geoffrey was the eldest of Henry II’s children, legitimate or illegitimate, and was probably born before Henry II married Eleanor, Duchess of Aquitaine in her own right. There is no evidence that Henry II had any doubts that Geoffrey was his son. Geoffrey was raised with Henry II’s legitimate children.

13th-century depiction of Geoffrey’s royal half-siblings: (l to r) William, Young Henry, Richard, Matilda, Geoffrey, Eleanor, Joan, and John; Credit – Wikipedia

Geoffrey had eight royal half-siblings from his father’s marriage to Eleanor of Aquitaine:

Henry II’s plan was for Geoffrey to enter the Church and so Geoffrey was sent to schools in Northhampton, England and Tours, County of Torraine, one of Henry’s possessions, now in France. Before 1170, the teenage Geoffrey took minor orders, lower ranks of Roman Catholic Church ministry. In 1170, when he was about eighteen years old, Geoffrey was appointed Archdeacon of Lincoln in the Diocese of Lincoln, responsible for the oversight of church buildings and some supervision, discipline, and pastoral care of the clergy. However, there is little evidence that he ever performed these responsibilities.

As Henry II’s legitimate son got older, tensions over the future inheritance of Henry’s vast Angevin Empire which included all of present-day England, half of France, and parts of Ireland and Wales. In 1173, Henry II’s legitimate sons Henry, Richard, and Geoffrey (John was too young, only seven years old) rebelled in protest during the Revolt of 1173 – 1174 and, were joined by their mother Eleanor of Aquitaine. Henry II’s illegitimate son Geoffrey fought for him in northern England during the campaigns of the revolt. After the defeat of his legitimate sons, Henry II told his illegitimate son Geoffrey, “You alone have proved yourself my lawful and true son. My other sons are really the bastards.” From then on, Geoffrey was one of his father’s most valued counselors.

Geoffrey’s appointment as Archdeacon of Lincoln was only a stepping stone in Henry II’s plans. In May 1173, Henry arranged for Geoffrey to be elected Bishop of Lincoln. However, Pope Alexander III refused to confirm Geoffrey’s election. Geoffrey was not ordained as a priest, was under the age to become a bishop, and his illegitimate birth prevented him from holding a religious office. Eventually, under duress, Pope Alexander II issued the necessary dispensations and confirmed Geoffrey as Bishop of Lincoln in 1175. However, since he was not ordained another bishop carried out Geoffrey’s duties in the Diocese of Lincoln. In 1181, Pope Lucius III demanded that Geoffrey be ordained or resign. Geoffrey did resign but as compensation, his father King Henry II appointed him Chancellor of England in 1181.

By 1189, only two of Geoffrey’s legitimate brothers were still living, Richard, Eleanor’s favorite and the heir since his elder brother’s death, and John, the youngest child and Henry II’s favorite. King Philippe II of France successfully played upon Richard’s fears that Henry would make John King, and a final rebellion broke out in 1189. Decisively defeated by Philippe and Richard and suffering from a bleeding ulcer, King Henry II retreated to his favorite residence, the Château de Chinon in Anjou, now in France. Only Henry II’s illegitimate son Geoffrey was at his deathbed when he died on July 6, 1189.

King Henry II had made a deathbed wish that Geoffrey be named Archbishop of York. King Richard I did nominate his half-brother Geoffrey as Archbishop of York but probably did so to eliminate a potential rival for the throne. However, Richard insisted that Geoffrey resign his position as Chancellor of England and be ordained as a priest, and his ordination as a priest took place on September 23, 1189.

Geoffrey’s ambitions may have included becoming King of England, and that may account for some of the issues that he had with King Richard I and King John, his two surviving legitimate half-brothers. Geoffrey’s life was full of quarrels. He spent much of his time as Archbishop of York quarreling with the bishops under him and the clergy of York Cathedral. Geoffrey argued with William de Longchamp, King Richard II’s Chancellor and his Regent went Richard went off to fight in the Third Crusade. He had continued disagreements with his half-brothers King Richard II and King John who succeeded Richard in 1199. In 1207, Geoffrey had his final quarrel with King John when he refused to allow the collection of taxes. Geoffrey excommunicated anyone who attempted to collect the taxes in the Diocese of York. In retaliation, King John confiscated Geoffrey’s estates. Geoffrey obtained the support of Pope Innocent III, who ordered King John to restore Geoffrey’s possessions, but in the meantime, Geoffrey fled to the Duchy of Normandy where remained for the rest of his life.

On December 12, 1212, Geoffrey died aged around sixty, at the Notre-Dame-du-Parc Priory in Rouen, then in the Duchy of Normandy, now in France, where he had been living for a few years and where he possibly became a monk. He was buried at the monastery church.

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

  • Ashley, Mike. (1998). The Mammoth Book of British Kings and Queens. Carroll & Graf Publishers.
  • Flantzer, Susan. (2016). King Henry II of England. Unofficial Royalty. https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/king-henry-ii-of-england/
  • Weir, Alison. (2008). Britain’s Royal Families – The Complete Genealogy. Vintage Books.
  • Weir, Alison. (1999). Eleanor of Aquitaine, By Wrath of God, Queen of England. Jonathan Cape.
  • Wikimedia Foundation. (2023). Geoffrey (Archbishop of York). Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoffrey_(archbishop_of_York)
  • Ykenai. geni_family_tree. (2022, April 26). https://www.geni.com/people/Ykenai/6000000026108697539

Breaking News: Catherine, The Princess of Wales is being treated for cancer

 

In January 2024, Catherine, The Princess of Wales was admitted to The London Clinic to have abdominal surgery for an undisclosed medical condition. Due to her convalescence, she postponed all her public engagements and duties until after Easter 2024. Speculation about her condition prompted conspiracy theories and much commentary in the press. On March 22, 2024, Catherine announced that she is in the early stages of chemotherapy after cancer was found in tests. The type of cancer was not disclosed. She explained that when she had abdominal surgery in January, it was not known that there was any cancer. Catherine stated, “However tests after the operation found cancer had been present. My medical team therefore advised that I should undergo a course of preventative chemotherapy and I am now in the early stages of that treatment.” Kensington Palace announced that Catherine will not return to any official duties and that Prince William’s sudden absence from a memorial service in late February for his godfather the late King Constantine II of Greece was because of the discovery of Catherine’s cancer diagnosis.

March 22: Today in Royal History

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Wilhelm I, German Emperor, King of Prussia; Credit – Wikipedia

March 22, 1421 – Death of Thomas of Lancaster, 1st Duke of Clarence, son of King Henry IV of England, at the Battle of Baugé in France; buried at Canterbury Cathedral in Canterbury, Kent, England
In 1411, Thomas married Margaret Holland, the daughter of Thomas Holland, 2nd Earl of Kent and Alice FitzAlan but the couple had no children. Thomas accompanied his brother King Henry V on his campaigns in France during the Hundred Years’ War. He commanded the English army at the Siege of Rouen in 1418 which ended in Rouen’s capture by the English. On March 22, 1421, Thomas, aged 33, was killed at the Battle of Baugé in Anjou, France.
Unofficial Royalty: Thomas of Lancaster, 1st Duke of Clarence

March 22, 1459 – Birth of Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor, Archduke of Austria at Wiener Neustadt Castle in Wiener Neustadt, Archduchy of Austria now in the state of Lower Austria in Austria
Maximilian I reigned as King of the Romans, the de facto leader of the Holy Roman Empire from 1493 – 1508, Holy Roman Emperor from 1508 – 1519, and ruled his family lands as Archduke of Austria from 1493 – 1519. Maximilian married Mary, Duchess of Burgundy in her own right, the only child of Charles I the Bold, Duke of Burgundy, and the couple had three children. It was through the marriage of Maximilian and Mary’s son Philip to Juana I, Queen of Castile and León, Queen of Aragon that the Habsburg lands would be joined with the Spanish lands. Philip and Juana’s son Carlos, best known as Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, was one of the most powerful ever monarchs and had a large number of titles due to his vast inheritance of the Burgundian, Spanish, and Austrian realms. After Mary’s death in a horseriding accident, Maximilan married two more times but neither marriage produced children. Maximilain suffered a stroke on December 15, 1518, that left him bedridden. However, Maximilian continued to read documents and receive foreign envoys. On January 12, 1519, Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor, Archduke of Austria died, aged 59 at the Castle of Wels in Wels, Upper Austria.
Unofficial Royalty: Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor, Archduke of Austria

March 22, 1759– Birth of Hedwig Elizabeth Charlotte of Holstein-Gottorp, Queen of Sweden, wife of King Carl XIII of Sweden, in Eutin, Duchy of Oldenburg now in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany
In 1774, Hedwig Elisabeth Charlotte married the future King Carl XIII of Sweden. Their marriage was distant and both Hedwig Elisabeth Charlotte and Carl had extramarital affairs. Hedwig Elisabeth Charlotte had two children – one stillborn and one who lived only six days. Hedwig Elisabeth Charlotte was known for her invaluable diary that described the Swedish royal court from 1775-1817.  It was written in the form of unsent letters to her friend Countess Sophie von Fersen. The letters are an important source for historical research. Besides dealing with gossip and social events of the court, Hedwig Elizabeth Charlotte also wrote about the French Revolution, the assassination of her husband’s brother King Gustav III, the Napoleonic Wars, and the deposing of her husband’s nephew Gustav IV Adolf which caused her husband to become King of Sweden. After her husband’s death in February 1818, Hedwig Elizabeth Charlotte said she would not be able to survive without him. On June 20, 1818, after a private dinner with the new King Carl XIV Johan, she went to her room to write, fainted, and died at the age of 59.
Unofficial Royalty: Hedwig Elizabeth Charlotte of Holstein-Gottorp, Queen of Sweden

March 22, 1797 – Birth of Wilhelm I, German Emperor, King of Prussia at the Crown Prince’s Palace in Berlin, Kingdom of Prussia now in Brandenburg, Germany
Full name: Wilhelm Friedrich Ludwig
In 1829, Wilhelm married Augusta of Saxe-Weimar and the couple had two children. Wilhelm became King of Prussia in 1861 upon the death of his childless brother King Friedrich Wilhelm IV of Prussia. During Wilhelm I’s reign as King of Prussia, the work of Otto von Bismarck, Prussian Prime Minister resulted in the unification of Germany and Bismarck then served as Chancellor of the German Empire.  In 1867, the North German Confederation was created.  It was a constitutional monarchy with the Prussian king as the head of state. After the Franco-Prussian War, on  January 18, 1871, in the Hall of Mirrors at the Palace of Versailles in France, Wilhelm was proclaimed German Emperor (Kaiser). Wilhelm I was succeeded by his son Friedrich III, husband of Victoria, Princess Royal.  Already ill with throat cancer, Frederick reigned only three months and was succeeded by his son Wilhelm II. 1888 is known as the “year of the three emperors.”
Unofficial Royalty: Wilhelm I, German Emperor, King of Prussia

March 22, 1837 – Birth of Virginia Oldoïni, Countess of Castiglione, mistress of Napoleon III, Emperor of the French, in Florence, Grand Duchy of Tuscany, now in Italy
Virginia Oldoïni, Countess of Castiglione was the mistress of Emperor Napoleon III of France from 1856-1857. Virginia’s affair with the Emperor ended in 1857, and she returned to Italy. Four years later, the Kingdom of Italy was established, and Virginia maintained that her influence had, in part, contributed to the unification. By 1861, she had moved to France where she settled in Passy before returning to Paris. By then a very wealthy woman, she devoted much of her time and fortune to her newfound passion, photography. She died at the age of 62.
Unofficial Royalty: Virginia Oldoïni, Countess of Castiglione, Mistress of Napoleon III, Emperor of the French

March 22, 1955 – Death of Ernst II, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg at Schloss Fröhliche Wiederkunft in Trockenborn-Wolfersdorf, then in East Germany, now in Thuringia, Germany; buried in the Ducal Cemetery in Trockenborn-Wolfersdorf
In 1898, Ernst married Princess Adelheid of Schaumburg-Lippe and the couple had four children. Ernst became Duke of Saxe-Altenburg following his uncle’s death in 1908. He was a popular ruler who made an effort to be close to his subjects. He would hold audiences for any and all who wanted to meet with him. He also pursued his interests in science and technology, opening an airfield in 1911, and owning one of the first cars in the duchy. Ernst was the last reigning Duke of Saxe-Altenburg, abdicating on November 13, 1918, following the end of World War I. He was the only former German ruler who was a citizen of the German Democratic Republic (East Germany), and the last surviving sovereign from the German Empire. The East German government expropriated his beloved Schloss Fröhliche Wiederkunft in 1946, but Ernst was given the use of the residence for the remainder of his life. At the age of 83, Ernst died at Schloss Fröhliche Wiederkunft on March 22, 1955.
Unofficial Royalty: Ernst II, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg

March 22, 1956 – Birth of Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg, wife of Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg, born Maria Teresa Mestre y Batista in Havana, Cuba
Born in Cuba, Maria Teresa grew up in New York City and Geneva, Switzerland. While attending the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva, where she received a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science, she first met her future husband, then Hereditary Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg. The couple married in 1981 and have five children.
Unofficial Royalty: Maria Teresa Mestre y Batista, Grand Duchess of Luxembourg

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March 21: Today in Royal History

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Princess Louise of the United Kingdom; Credit – Wikipedia

March 21, 1795 – Death of Honoré III, Prince of Monaco in Paris, France, his burial place in unknown
Honoré III, Prince of Monaco is the longest-reigning sovereign of Monaco but the French Revolution had dire consequences for his family and caused the Principality of Monaco to be annexed to France from 1793 until the defeat of Napoleon I, Emperor of the French in 1814. He married Maria Caterina Brignole and the couple had two sons including Honoré IV, Prince of Monaco. Honoré III was imprisoned during the French Revolution. He died soon after his release from prison, in Paris on March 21, 1795, at the age of 74, but his burial place is unknown.
Unofficial Royalty: Honoré III, Prince of Monaco

March 21, 1801 – Birth of Maria Theresa of Austria, Queen of Sardinia, wife of Carlo Alberto I, King of Sardinia, in Vienna, Austria
Full name: Maria Theresa Franziska Josepha Johanna Benedikta
Maria Theresa was the daughter of Ferdinando III, Grand Duke of Tuscany and his first wife Princess Luisa of Naples and Sicily. In 1817, she married the future Carlo Alberto I, King of Sardinia. They had three children including Vittorio Emanuele II, King of Sardinia, later King of Italy, who became the first king of a united Italy. Maria Theresa’s husband became King of Sardinia in 1831. In 1848, Carlo Alberto attempted to rid the Italian peninsula of Austrian-ruled and supported states resulting in the First Italian War of Independence, part of the Italian Unification. After his forces were defeated by the Austrian forces, Carlo Alberto immediately abdicated in favor of his son Vittorio Emanuele and went into exile in Portugal. However, he became seriously ill during the trip and died soon after reaching his destination. After the death of her husband, Maria Theresa no longer appeared in public. However, she was a great influence on her son Vittorio Emanuele II, King of Sardinia. Her son became a driving force behind the Italian unification movement along with Giuseppe Garibaldi, a general and nationalist, and Giuseppe Mazzini, a politician and journalist. However, Maria Theresa did not live long enough to see her son become King of a united Italy. On January 12, 1855, in Turin, Maria Theresa died at the age of 53.
Unofficial Royalty: Maria Theresa of Austria, Queen of Sardinia

March 21, 1852 – Death of Marie of Hesse-Kassel, Queen of Denmark, wife of King Frederick VI of Denmark, at Amalienborg Palace in Copenhagen, Denmark; buried at Roskilde Cathedral in Roskilde, Denmark
Marie was the daughter of Prince Carl of Hesse-Kassel and Princess Louise of Denmark and Norway. Her father was the second son of Friedrich II, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel and Princess Mary of Great Britain, daughter of King George II of Great Britain. Her mother was the youngest child of King Frederik V of Denmark and Norway and his first wife Princess Louisa of Great Britain, daughter of King George II of Great Britain. In 1790, Marie married the future King Frederick VI of Denmark. Frederik and Marie had eight children but unfortunately, six of them, including two boys, died in infancy. Only two daughters survived and both daughters had childless marriages. For the rest of her life, Marie would lament her lack of sons and grandchildren. Injuries from her last childbirth prevented Marie from having any further marital relations and she was forced to accept her husband’s adultery. After her husband’s death in 1839, Marie retired from public life but remained a respected figure, living at Frederiksborg Castle and Amalienborg Palace. She died on March 21, 1852, at the age of 84.
Unofficial Royalty: Marie of Hesse-Kassel, Queen of Denmark

March 21, 1871 – Wedding of Princess Louise of the United Kingdom, daughter of Queen Victoria, and John Campbell, Lord Lorne later 9th Duke of Argyll, at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor, England
Louise broke with tradition and married a non-royal. Several foreign princes were put forward as possible husbands for Louise. However, none of these princes was agreeable to Queen Victoria, and Louise herself wanted nothing to do with marriage to a prince. Instead, she found herself falling in love with John Campbell, Marquess of Lorne and heir to the Dukedom of Argyll. Queen Victoria found this to be a wonderful match, infusing ‘new blood’ into the royal family. Others, including the Prince of Wales, found it appalling that Louise should marry below her class. Despite these misgivings, the couple became engaged on October 3, 1870.  Their marriage was childless. Louise’s husband served the crown as Governor-General of Canada for five years and Louise accompanied him to Canada.
Unofficial Royalty: Wedding of Princess Louise and John Campbell, 9th Duke of Argyll

March 21, 1924 – Death of Duke Peter Alexandrovich of Oldenburg, first husband of Grand Duchess Olga Alexandrovna of Russia, in Antibes, France; buried in the crypt of St. Michael the Archangel Russian Orthodox Church in Cannes, France
Peter was the only child of Duke Alexander Petrovich of Oldenburg and Princess Eugenia Maximilianovna of Leuchtenberg. Alexander Petrovich’s grandfather had married Grand Duchess Catherine Pavlovna, daughter of Paul I, Emperor of All Russia, and their children and grandchildren were raised in Russia. Despite his German title, Alexander Petrovich, like his father, had grown up entirely in Russia, served in the Russian military, and was considered part of the Russian Imperial Family. Peter and Olga’s marriage was arranged by their mothers and was a marriage in name only. Two years after their marriage, Olga met Nikolai Kulikovsky, an army officer her own age. Over the years, Olga had continued to ask her brother Nicholas II, Emperor of All Russia for permission to marry Nikolai. In 1916, Nicholas II had a change of heart and he officially annulled her marriage to Peter, and Olga and Nikolai were married. After the October Revolution in 1917, Peter along with his father and mother emigrated to France, where he lived in Paris and on a farm near Bayonne, France. In 1922, Peter married Olga Vladimirovna Ratkova-Rognova. Duke Peter Alexandrovich of Oldenburg died at the age of 55.
Unofficial Royalty: Duke Peter Alexandrovich of Oldenburg

March 21, 1929 – Wedding of the future King Olav V of Norway and Princess Märtha of Sweden at Oslo Cathedral in Oslo, Norway
As first cousins, Olav and Märtha had known each other since childhood, and in the late 1920s, they began a romantic relationship. They managed to keep the relationship private, with Olav often traveling to Sweden in disguise to see his future bride. While both were in Amsterdam in 1928 for the Summer Olympic Games (in which Olav was competing), they became secretly engaged. The following January, after Olav again traveled to Sweden, traveling under an assumed name, the engagement was officially announced on January 14, 1929. The announcement was met with great support and excitement in both Norway and Sweden. Märtha never became Queen of Norway. She died from cancer before Olav became King of Norway.
Unofficial Royalty: Wedding of King Olav V of Norway and Princess Märtha of Sweden

March 21, 1943 – Birth of Andreas, Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, the pretender to the former ducal throne, and Head of the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
Full name: Andreas Michael Friedrich Hans Armin Siegfried Hubertus
Andreas is a grandson of Charles Edward, the last reigning Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and is the pretender to the former ducal throne, and head of the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.
Unofficial Royalty: Andreas, Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha

March 21, 1985 – Birth of Princess Claire of Luxembourg, wife of Prince Félix of Luxembourg, born Claire Margareta Lademacher in Filderstadt, Germany
Claire has impressive academic credentials. She received a Bachelors degree in International Communication from the American University of Paris and a Masters degree in bioethics at the Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum in Rome. After earning her Masters, remained in Rome to pursue a doctorate in organ donation ethics. As part of this program, she spent several months as a visiting scholar at the Kennedy Institute of Ethics at Georgetown University in the United States.
Unofficial Royalty: Princess Claire of Luxembourg

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March 20: Today in Royal History

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Tomb of King Henry IV of England and his second wife Joan of Navarre at Canterbury Cathedral; Photo Credit © Susan Flantzer

March 20, 1413 – Death of King Henry IV of England in the Jerusalem Chamber in the home of the abbot at Westminster Abbey in London, England; buried at Canterbury Cathedral in Canterbury, Kent, England
King Henry IV of England, who usurped the throne from his first cousin King Richard II of England, and became the first Lancaster king, was the eldest surviving son of John of Gaunt (third surviving son of King Edward III of England) and his first wife Blanche of Lancaster. In 1380, Henry married heiress Mary de Bohun. Henry and Mary had six children but Mary died giving birth to their last child at the age of 25. In 1403, Henry married Joan of Navarre. They had no children but Joan got along well with her stepchildren. During much of King Henry IV’s 13-year reign, he was occupied with war. While in prayer at the shrine of Edward the Confessor at Westminster Abbey, Henry suffered a fatal attack, possibly a stroke.  He was carried to the Jerusalem Chamber, a room in the house of the abbot, where he died at age 45. Henry was not buried at Westminster Abbey but instead requested that he be buried at Canterbury Cathedral, presumably because of an affinity towards St. Thomas Becket whose shrine was there.
Unofficial Royalty: King Henry IV of England

March 20, 1469 – Birth of Cecily of York, daughter of King Edward IV of England, at the Palace of Westminster in London, England
Cecily was the daughter of Edward IV, the first King of England from the House of York, and Elizabeth Woodville. In 1485, Cecily’s uncle King Richard III arranged for a marriage for Cecily to Ralph Scrope, who was much below her in status to rule out her claim to the throne. When Henry VII, the first Tudor king, came to the throne, Cecily’s marriage to Ralph Scrope was annulled because the marriage was not in the interests of the new Tudor dynasty. Cecily was married to a nobleman loyal to King Henry VII, John Welles, 1st Viscount Welles, the younger half-brother of King Henry VII’s mother Lady Margaret Beaufort. Cecily and John had two daughters who both died in childhood. After the death of her husband and daughters, Cecily returned to the court seeking comfort and protection from her older sister Elizabeth of York who had married King Henry VII. Lady Margaret Beaufort, Henry VII’s mother, also helped Cecily by protecting her rights to her deceased husband’s property that was claimed by his half-sisters. Cecily married Sir Thomas Kyme without the permission of King Henry VII.  Cecily died on August 24, 1507, aged 38, but her place of death and burial site are uncertain.
Unofficial Royalty: Cecily of York, Viscountess Welles

March 20, 1619 – Death of Matthias, Holy Roman Emperor, King of Bohemia, Archduke of Austria, Archduke of Further Austria, King of Hungary and Croatia, in Vienna, Austria; temporarily buried at the Poor Clares Convent of St. Maria, Queen of the Angels in Vienna; reburied on On Easter 1633 at the Capuchin Church in Vienna in what is now called the Founders Vault.
Matthias, Holy Roman Emperor (reigned 1612 – 1619) was also King of Bohemia (reigned 1611 – 1617), Archduke of Austria (reigned 1608 – 1619), Archduke of Further Austria, (1608 – 1619), King of Hungary and Croatia (reigned 1608 – 1618). In 1611, Matthias married his first cousin Anna of Tyrol. Although Matthias was 54 years old, he hoped to have children with his 26-year-old wife but their marriage was childless. Although Matthias and his wife Anna did not leave any children, they left the future Habsburgs a burial site. Matthias and Anna founded the Capuchin Church (German: Kapuzinerkirche) in Vienna, Austria, where the Imperial Crypt (German: Kaisergruft), the traditional burial site of the Habsburgs, is located.
Unofficial Royalty: Matthias, Holy Roman Emperor, King of Bohemia, Archduke of Austria, Archduke of Further Austria, King of Hungary and Croatia

March 20, 1739 – Birth of Princess Maria Josepha of Bavaria, the second of the two wives of Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor, in Munich, then in the Electorate of Bavaria, now in the German state of Bavaria
Maria Josepha of Bavaria was the second of the two wives of Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor who also was the ruler of the Habsburg hereditary lands. Joseph never loved Maria Josepha, and the marriage was probably never consummated. Joseph avoided sharing a bedroom and even had their shared balcony in Schönbrunn Palace partitioned off so he would not have to see Maria Josepha. A severe smallpox epidemic broke out in 1767, and Maria Josepha came down with the disease. Although Joseph, who had survived smallpox at an earlier time, had nursed his first wife as she was dying from smallpox, he did not visit Maria Josepha while she was ill. Maria Josepha, aged 28, died from smallpox at Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna, Austria.
Full name: Maria Josepha Antonia Walburga Felizitas Regula
Unofficial Royalty: Maria Josepha of Bavaria, Holy Roman Empress

March 20, 1811 – Napoleon II, Emperor of the French, son of Napoleon I, Emperor of the French and his second wife Marie-Louise of Austria, at the Tuileries Palace in Paris, France
Full name: Napoléon François Charles Joseph Bonaparte
Napoléon I divorced his childless first wife Joséphine de Beauharnais telling her he needed to find another wife who could provide him a son. He married Marie Louise of Austria and they had one son Napoléon François Charles Joseph Bonaparte. After his defeat at the Battle of Waterloo, Napoléon I abdicated in favor of his four-year-old son and was then exiled to the island of Saint Helena. Napoléon II “reigned” for two weeks, when King Louis XVIII of France, the elder of the two surviving brothers of the beheaded King Louis XVI of France, returned to France to resume the throne he had vacated earlier that year due to Napoléon I’s return from his first exile. Napoléon II and his mother lived in her homeland of Austria. He had been dealing with lung problems from a very early age and eventually developed tuberculosis. He died on July 22, 1832, at Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna, Austria at the age of twenty-one.
Unofficial Royalty: Napoléon François Charles Joseph Bonaparte, Napoleon II

March 20, 1816 – Death of Queen Maria I of Portugal at the Carmo Convent in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. She was initially interred at the Convent of Ajuda in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. In 1821, Maria’s remains were transported to Lisbon where she was buried in the Estrela Basilica, a church she ordered to be built.
The first of the two Queen Regnants of Portugal, Maria was the eldest of the four children and the eldest of the four daughters of José I, King of Portugal. It was inevitable that Maria would become the reigning Queen of Portugal. However, since female succession to the throne of Portugal had never happened before, her father decided that Maria would marry his younger brother Infante Pedro of Portugal, the first male in the line of succession. In 1760, 25-year-old Maria married her 42-year-old paternal uncle Pedro. Maria and Pedro had six children. Maria is considered to have been a good ruler in the period before her mental instability, which was first noticed in 1786 when she had to be carried back to her apartments in a state of delirium. Her mental instability continued to worsen. The deaths of her husband Pedro in 1786, her eldest son and heir José in 1788, and her confessor Inácio de São Caetano, Archbishop of Salonica in 1788 may have caused major depressive disorder. Her second son João, now heir to the throne then served as prince regent. Maria spent the last eight years of her life in Brazil, always in a state of mental instability. On March 20, 1816, Maria I, Queen of Portugal died, aged 81, at the Carmo Convent in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. She was initially interred at the Convent of Ajuda in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. In 1821, when the Portuguese royal family returned to Portugal, Maria’s remains were transported to Lisbon where she was buried in the Estrela Basilica, a church she ordered to be built.
Unofficial Royalty: Queen Maria I of Portugal

March 20, 1842 – Death of George FitzClarence, 1st Earl of Munster, illegitimate son of King William IV of the United Kingdom and his mistress Dorothea Jordan, by self-inflicted gunshot wound, at his home in Belgravia, London; buried at St. Mary’s Church in Hampton in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames

Unofficial Royalty: George FitzClarence, 1st Earl of Munster

March 20, 1878 – Birth of Heinrich XXIV, 6th Prince Reuss of Greiz in Greiz, Principality of Reuss-Greiz, now in Thuringia, Germany
As a result of a childhood accident, Heinrich XXIV had physical and mental disabilities that prevented him from marrying and ruling the Principality of Reuss-Greiz. Two regents from the House of Reuss-Gera successively ruled the Principality of Reuss-Greiz: Heinrich XIV, 4th Prince Reuss of Gera from 1902 – 1913, and then his son Heinrich XXVII, 5th and last Prince Reuss of Gera from 1913 – 1918, when the German monarchies were abolished in 1918 at the end of World War I.
Unofficial Royalty: Heinrich XXIV, 6th Prince Reuss of Greiz

March 20, 1895 – Death of Woldemar, Prince of Lippe in Detmold, Principality of Lippe now in Germany; buried in the Mausoleum at the Büchenberg in Detmold
In 1858, Woldemar married Princess Sophie of Baden but their marriage was childless. Woldemar succeeded his childless elder brother Leopold III, Prince of Lippe upon his death in 1875. Apart from his grandmother Princess Pauline, who served as Regent for eighteen years for her son Leopold II until he reached his majority, no other Prince of Lippe dealt with government affairs as successfully as Woldemar did. Woldemar and his elder brother Leopold were the only ones of eight siblings who married and neither had any children. Woldemar died in 1895, aged 70. His only surviving brother Alexander suffered from mental illness and had been declared incapacitated and therefore, was incapable of governing. A regency was necessary during the reign of Alexander. This created a succession crisis. After the death of Woldemar’s successor and brother Alexander and the extinction of the Lippe-Detmold line, the throne of the Principality of Lippe went to Count Leopold of Lippe-Biesterfeld who would be the last Prince of Lippe.
Unofficial Royalty: Woldemar, Prince of Lippe

March 20, 1926 – Death of Lovisa of Sweden, Queen of Denmark, wife of King Frederik VIII of Denmark, at Amalienborg Palace in Copenhagen, Denmark; buried at Roskilde Cathedral in Roskilde, Denmark
Lovisa was the only surviving child of King Carl XV of Sweden and Princess Louise of the Netherlands. She has an interesting royal ancestry. Besides being descended from the Kings of Sweden, Lovisa is also a descendant of Empress Josephine of France via her first marriage, King Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria, King Willem I of the Netherlands, King Friedrich Wilhelm III of Prussia, and King George I of Great Britain. In 1869, she married the future King Frederik VIII of Denmark. They had eight children including King Christian X of Denmark, Prince Carl of Denmark later King Haakon VII of Norway, and Princess Ingeborg of Denmark whose children include Märtha Louise, Crown Princess of Norway and Astrid, Queen of the Belgians. Louise died on March 20, 1926, at the age of 75.
Unofficial Royalty: Lovisa of Sweden, Queen of Denmark

March 20, 1934 – Death of Queen Emma of the Netherlands, born Emma of Waldeck-Pyrmont, wife of King Willem III of the Netherlands, at the Palace Lange Voorhout in The Hague, the Netherlands; buried at Nieuwe Kerk in Delft, the Netherlands
In 1877, Queen Sophie, the first wife of King Willem III of the Netherlands died, and Willem was eager to marry again to ensure the future of the House of Orange. One of his three children (all sons) had died and neither of the other two sons was married. At the suggestion of his only sister, he got in touch with the royal couple of Waldeck and Pyrmont, who had several marriageable daughters. In July 1878, Willem visited the family at their summer home where he met 23-year-old Princess Pauline and 20-year-old Princess Emma. His eyes first fell on Pauline, but soon he chose Emma and proposed to her. Willem was 61 years old, 41 years older than Emma. Emma had lessons in the Dutch language and history before her marriage because she wanted to come to her new country Dutch. The couple was married on January 7, 1879. Emma had a positive influence on Willem and the marriage was extremely happy. Their only child Wilhelmina succeeded her father as Queen of the Netherlands. Emma ably served for eight years as Regent of the Netherlands when her ten-year-old daughter Wilhelmina became Queen of the Netherlands. Emma died on March 20, 1934, at the age of 75 from pneumonia.
Unofficial Royalty: Emma of Waldeck-Pyrmont, Queen of the Netherlands

March 20, 1947 – Birth of Prince Hassan bin Talal of Jordan in Amman, Jordan
Prince Hassan is the son of King Talal and Queen Zein, and a younger brother of  King Hussein I. In 1965, King Hussein I named his brother Hassan Crown Prince, and he often served as Regent. He remained Crown Prince until just days before King Hussein died in 1999 when the King named his eldest son Abdullah as Crown Prince. In 1968, Hassan married Sarvath Ikramullah and the couple had four children. Prince Hassan and Princess Sarvath often represent the Jordanian royal family at royal events around the world.
Unofficial Royalty: Prince Hassan of Jordan

March 20, 2004 – Death of Princess Juliana of the Netherlands, formerly Queen Juliana, at the Soestdijk Palace in Baarn, the Netherlands; buried at the Nieuwe Kerk in Delft, the Netherlands
Juliana was the only child of Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands and her husband Prince Hendrik of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. In 1936, she married Prince Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld and they had four daughters. After a reign of nearly 58 years, Queen Wilhelmina abdicated in favor of her daughter and Juliana became Queen of the Netherlands. Juliana was a much more relaxed monarch than her mother had been and this lessened the distance between the royal family and the Dutch people. She often appeared in public dressed like any ordinary Dutch woman, and preferred to be addressed as “Mevrouw” (Dutch for “Mrs.”) rather than her formal “Majesty”. Juliana’s love of bicycling for exercise gave rise to the royal family’s nickname, “the cycling family.” In 1980, Juliana abdicated in favor of her eldest daughter Beatrix. After 1995, when Juliana’s general health began to decline, she made fewer public appearances. Her last public appearance was in 1998 at the wedding of her grandson Prince Maurits. Juliana suffered from Alzheimer’s disease for several years. She died in her sleep at the age of 94 due to pneumonia.
Unofficial Royalty: Queen Juliana of the Netherlands

March 20, 2008 – Death of of Prince Ferdinando of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, Duke of Castro in in Draguignan, France
Prince Ferdinando of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, Duke of Castro, was a claimant to the headship of the House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, and the former throne of the Kingdom of Two Sicilies, from 1973 until his death in 2008.
Unofficial Royalty: Prince Ferdinando of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, Duke of Castro

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