© Unofficial Royalty 2024

Empress Matilda, Lady of the English;  Credit – Wikipedia

February 7, 1102 – Birth of Matilda of England, daughter of King Henry I of England, mother of King Henry II of England, probably at the manor house at Sutton Courtenay in Oxfordshire, England
Matilda was the only surviving child of King Henry I of England after her only sibling William Ætheling died in the tragedy of the sinking of the White Ship. In 1114, Matilda married Heinrich V, Holy Roman Emperor. The marriage was childless and when Heinrich died in 1125, Matilda returned to Normandy where her father held the title Duke of Normandy. In 1128, Matilda married Geoffrey V, Count of Anjou. Matilda and Geoffrey did not get along and their marriage was stormy with frequent, long separations. Matilda insisted on retaining her title of Empress for the rest of her life. The couple had three sons including the future King Henry II of England. On Christmas Day 1126, King Henry I of England had gathered his nobles at Westminster where they swore to recognize Matilda and any future legitimate heir she might have as his successors. However, when Henry I died in 1135, his nephew Stephen of Blois quickly crossed from Boulogne (France) to England, seized power in England, and was crowned King Stephen of England on December 22, 1135. Empress Matilda did not give up her claim to England and Normandy, leading to the long civil war known as The Anarchy between 1135 and 1153. Eventually, Stephen and Matilda’s son Henry agreed upon a negotiated peace, the Treaty of Winchester, in which Stephen recognized Henry as his heir. Stephen died in 1154, and Henry ascended the throne as King Henry II, the first Angevin King of England. Empress Matilda lived long enough to see her son Henry II firmly established on the English throne. She spent the rest of her life in the Duchy of Normandy, often acting as Henry’s representative and presiding over the government of the Duchy of Normandy.
Unofficial Royalty: Empress Matilda, Lady of the English

February 7, 1688 – Birth of Marie Luise of Hesse-Kassel, Princess of Orange,  wife of Johan Willem Friso, Prince of Orange, in Kassel, Landgraviate of Hesse, now in Hesse, Germany
When she was 21 years old, Marie Luise’s marriage was arranged by her future mother-in-law Henriëtte Amalia of Anhalt-Dessau who was concerned that her son Johan Willem Friso, Prince of Orange had been almost killed twice in battle and had no heir. Sadly, their marriage lasted only two years. While Johan Willem Friso’s carriage was crossing a river by ferry, the ferry capsized and Johan Willem Friso drowned at the age of 23. At the time of her husband’s death, Marie Luise was pregnant with her second child. Six weeks later, she gave birth to a son who immediately became Willem IV, Prince of Orange. Marie Luise and Johan Willem Friso hold the distinction of being the most recent common ancestors to all currently reigning European monarchs. In addition, they are the ancestors of many former monarchies.
Unofficial Royalty: Marie Luise of Hesse-Kassel, Princess of Orange

February 7, 1693 – Birth of Anna, Empress of All Russia at the Terem Palace in the Moscow Kremlin in Moscow, Russia
Anna was the daughter of Ivan V, Tsar of All Russia and Praskovia Feodorovna Saltykova. Anna had a very short marriage when she and her groom Friedrich Wilhelm, Duke of Courland were both seventeen but Friedrich Wilhelm died two months later and Anna never married again. When 14-year-old Peter II, Emperor of All Russia, grandson of Peter I (the Great), died of smallpox, Anna was chosen to succeed Peter II from the four adult females and one two-year-old male who were candidates for the Russian throne. Anna continued Peter the Great’s Westernization plans including the continued building of St. Petersburg and the canals for seafaring ships and the expansion of the navy. She founded the Cadet Corps, a school for young boys who started at the age of eight being trained for the military. Anna also continued to fund the Russian Academy of Science which Peter the Great had founded to allow for the development of science in Russia. Anna reigned for ten years until her death in 1740.
Unofficial Royalty: Anna I, Empress of All Russia

February 7, 1708 – Birth of Grand Duchess Anna Petrovna of Russia, daughter of Peter I (the Great), Emperor of All Russia, sister of Elizabeth, Empress of All Russia and mother of Peter III, Emperor of All Russia, in Moscow, Russia
Anna Petrovna was one of three of the fourteen children of Peter I (the Great), Emperor of All Russia to survive childhood. In 1725, Anna Petrovna married Karl Friedrich, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp. On February 21, 1728, at Kiel Castle in Kiel, then in the Duchy of Holstein-Gottorp, now in the German state of Schleswig-Holstein, Anna gave birth to a son who was named Karl Peter Ulrich. Sadly, Anna died three months later, on May 4, 1728, at the age of 20. Anna’s son Karl Peter Ulrich succeeded her younger sister Elizabeth, Empress of All Russia as Peter III, Emperor of All Russia. However, the reign of Peter III lasted only six months. He was deposed by his wife, born Princess Sophie of Anhalt-Zerbst, who reigned as Catherine II (the Great), Empress of All Russia.
Unofficial Royalty: Grand Duchess Anna Petrovna of Russia, Duchess of Holstein-Gottorp

February 7, 1837 – Death of the former King Gustav IV Adolf of Sweden in St. Gallen, Switzerland; buried in Riddarholmen Church in Stockholm, Sweden
King Gustav IV Adolf became king at the age of 13 when his father was assassinated and was deposed 17 years later in a coup. In 1797, Gustav IV Adolf married Frederica of Baden and the couple had five children. The occupation of Finland, a territory of Sweden, in 1808 – 1809 by Russian forces was the immediate cause of Gustav Adolf’s overthrow by officers of his own army. Prince Karl, Gustav Adolf’s uncle, agreed to form a provisional government, and the Swedish parliament gave their approval for the coup. Prince Karl was proclaimed King Karl XIII of Sweden on June 6, 1809. In December 1809, Gustav Adolf and his family were sent into exile. Gustav Adolf and his family settled in Frederica’s home country, the Grand Duchy of Baden. However, the couple became incompatible and divorced in 1812. Gustav Adolf ultimately settled in a small hotel in St. Gallen, Switzerland where he lived in great loneliness. On February 7, 1837, Gustav Adolf suffered a stroke and died at the age of 58.
Unofficial Royalty: King Gustav IV Adolf of Sweden

February 7, 1901 – Wedding of Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands and Duke Heinrich of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, civilly at the Palace of Justice and religiously at the Grote of Sint-Jacobskerk both in The Hague, The Netherlands
Wilhelmina and Heinrich first met in October 1892, when both were attending the golden anniversary celebrations of Grand Duke Karl Alexander and Grand Duchess Sophie of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach. Sophie was Wilhelmina’s paternal aunt, and Heinrich’s half-brother was married to one of Sophie’s daughters. Wilhelmina and Heinrich were second cousins once removed, through their mutual descent from Paul I, Emperor of All Russia. They met again in May 1900, when Wilhelmina and her mother traveled to Schloss Schwarzburg in Rudolstadt to meet three prospective grooms for the young Queen. Wilhelmina chose Heinrich, and within a few months, their engagement was announced on October 16, 1900. The wedding, scheduled for February 7, 1901, was overshadowed by the deaths of Wilhelmina’s uncle, Grand Duke Karl Alexander of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach on January 5, 1901, and Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom on January 22, 1901.
Unofficial Royalty: Wedding of Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands and Heinrich of Mecklenburg-Schwerin

February 7, 1908 – Death of Ernst I, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg in Altenburg, Duchy of Saxe-Altenburg, now in Thuringia, Germany; buried in the crypt at the Duchess Agnes Memorial Church in Altenburg, Duchy of Saxe-Altenburg, now in Thuringia, Germany
In 1853, Ernst married Princess Agnes of Anhalt-Dessau. They had two children but only their daughter survived childhood. Ernst I was the longest-reigning Duke of Saxe-Altenburg, reigning from 1853 until 1908. Unlike his predecessors, Ernst left much of the running of the duchy to his ministers, preferring to focus his attention on social issues, and his personal pursuits. However, he remained very active in cultivating the duchy’s relationship with Prussia and the other German states. He joined Prussia in the Austro-Prussian War of 1866, although his forces were never involved in actual battles. For his efforts, he was given a guarantee of independence for Saxe-Altenburg, at a time when Prussia was annexing other territories, including the Kingdom of Hanover. After a reign of nearly 55 years, Ernst I died at the age of 82. on February 7, 1908. As his only son had died in infancy he was succeeded by his nephew, Ernst II, the son of his brother Moritz.
Unofficial Royalty: Ernst I, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg

February 7, 1923 – Birth of George Lascelles, 7th Earl of Harewood, son of Mary, Princess Royal and the first cousin of Queen Elizabeth II, at Chesterfield House in London, England
Full name: George Henry Hubert
The first grandchild of King George V and a first cousin of Queen Elizabeth II, George was the elder of the two sons of Mary, Princess Royal and Henry Lascelles, 6th Earl of Harewood. At the time of his birth, he was sixth in the line of succession, after the four surviving sons of King George V and his mother. During World War II, George served in the British Army with the Grenadier Guards. He was captured by the Germans and held as a prisoner of war. In 1949, George married Marion Stein and they had three children. However, George began a relationship with violinist Patricia Tuckwell. Marion refused to divorce until 1967, by which time George and Patricia had a son. After the divorce, George and Patricia married. However, because their son was born before their marriage, he was not in the line of succession to the throne nor was he eligible to succeed to the Earldom of Harewood. George’s adultery and remarriage made him a social outcast for several years. It was ten years before he was invited to any events by the Royal Family. George had a deep interest in music, especially opera. He was the editor of Opera magazine and director of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. He served as chairman of the board and musical director of the English National Opera and artistic director of the Edinburgh, Adelaide, and Leeds Music Festivals. George Lascelles, 7th Earl of Harewood, died on July 11, 2011, at the age of 88.
Unofficial Royalty: George Lascelles, 7th Earl of Harewood

February 7, 1965 – Death of Admiral Perikles Ioannidis, second husband of Princess Maria of Greece and Denmark, in Athens, Greece; buried at the Royal Cemetery at Tatoi Palace in Greece
From 1917 – 1920, the Greek royal family was in exile after Princess Maria’s brother King Constantine I had been forced from the throne due to disagreements with Prime Minister Eleftherios Venizelos. In 1920, Maria returned to Greece when her brother King Constantine I was restored to power. She traveled aboard a Greek destroyer commanded by Admiral Perikles Ioannidis. Maria was determined to marry a Greek and a romance developed.  Maria’s first husband Grand Duke George Mikhailovich of Russia had been killed by the Bolsheviks during the Russian Revolution. Perikles and Maria married in 1922 but they had no children. Their marriage did have its issues. Perikles had mistresses and often gave his mistresses jewelry stolen from his wife. Maria lost money playing backgammon and Perikles was forced to carefully monitor their expenses. Maria died of a heart attack in 1940. Perikles spent the remainder of his life devoted to philanthropy and public service. He was president of the Piraeus Yacht Club and a benefactor of the Historical and Ethnological Society of Greece. He bequeathed his collection of photographs and historical items to the Historical and Ethnological Society of Greece and the society’s collection is now housed at the National Historical Museum in Athens. Admiral Perikles Ioannidis survived his wife by twenty-five years, dying at the age of 83.
Unofficial Royalty: Admiral Perikles Ioannidis

February 7, 1999 – Death of King Hussein of Jordan in Amman, Jordan; buried at the Royal Cemetery at Raghadan Palace in Amman, Jordan
King Hussein of Jordan was one of the most important figures in the Middle Eastern region. His efforts for peace in the region earned him the respect of millions around the world, regardless of religious or political beliefs. His father King Talal suffered from mental illness and was forced to abdicate in 1952 after a reign of only one year. The 16-year-old Hussein became King of Jordan with a regency council established until he reached the age of 18. King Hussein had four marriages and a total of eleven children. In July 1998, it was revealed that the King was battling lymphatic cancer, and being treated at the Mayo Clinic in the United States. He returned to Jordan in early January 1999 and somewhat unexpectedly designated his eldest son Abdullah as his successor. After a brief return to the Mayo Clinic for more treatment, the King returned to Jordan for a final time, being taken immediately to the King Hussein Medical Center. Having suffered significant organ failure, he lapsed into a coma, on life-support systems. King Hussein died on the morning of February 7, 1999, with his wife Queen Noor and some of his children at his side.
Unofficial Royalty: King Hussein of Jordan

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King Charles II of England; Credit – Wikipedia

February 6, 1665 – Birth of Queen Anne of Great Britain at St. James’ Palace in London, England
Anne was the younger of the two surviving children of James, Duke of York (the future King James II of England) and his first wife Anne Hyde. In 1683, Anne married Prince George of Denmark, son of King Frederik III of Denmark and brother of King Christian V of Denmark. Even though the marriage was arranged, the marriage was happy and Anne and George were faithful to each other. Anne’s obstetrical history is tragic. She had 17 pregnancies with only five children being born alive. Two died on the day of their birth, two died at less than two years old within six days of each from smallpox, and one died at age 11. In 1688, Anne’s father King James II was overthrown during the Glorious Revolution. Anne’s sister Mary and her husband William III, Prince of Orange, who was Mary and Anne’s first cousin, then reigned jointly as King William III and Queen Mary II. In 1694, Anne’s sister Queen Mary II died of smallpox. When King William III died in 1702, Anne succeeded him. During Anne’s reign, the 1701 Acts of Union were passed uniting the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of Scotland into a single kingdom called Great Britain.
Unofficial Royalty: Queen Anne of Great Britain

February 6, 1685 – Death of King Charles II of England at Whitehall Palace in London, England; buried at Westminster Abbey in London, England
The execution of Charles II’s father King Charles I on January 30, 1649, during the English Civil War, made Charles the de jure King. Charles escaped England and fled to France. Oliver Cromwell was declared Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland, and Ireland. England remained a Commonwealth and then a Protectorate until 1659. In 1660, Parliament formally invited Charles, as King Charles II, to be the English monarch in what has become known as the Restoration. In 1662, Charles II married Catherine of Braganza, the daughter of King João IV of Portugal, but their marriage was childless. Although King Charles II had no legitimate children, he has many descendants through his many illegitimate children.  Among his descendants are Queen Camilla, Diana, Princess of Wales; Sarah, Duchess of York; Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester and Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester. On February 2, 1685, King Charles II suffered an apparent stroke and died four days later at the age of 54. Modern analysis of his symptoms seems to indicate he may have died from uremia, a symptom of kidney failure.
Unofficial Royalty: King Charles II of England

February 6, 1788 – Death of Countess Maria Anna Kottulinska von Kottulin, the fourth of the four wives of Josef Johann Adam, Prince of Liechtenstein, in Vienna, Austria; buried at the Mariabrunn Pilgrimage Church in Vienna, Austria but her tomb has not been preserved
Maria Anna and Josef Johann Adam were married on August 22, 1729, in Vaduz, Liechtenstein. They had two children who died in infancy.  After Josef Johann Adam died in 1732, Maria Anna married Count Ludwig Ferdinand von Schulenburg-Oeynhausen.
Unofficial Royalty: The Four Wives of Josef Johann Adam, Prince of Liechtenstein

February 6, 1899 – Death of Prince Alfred of Edinburgh, Hereditary Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, grandson of Queen Victoria, at Sanitorium Martinnsbrunn in Gratsch bei Meran (Merano) in Tyrol, Italy; buried at in the Ducal Mausoleum at the Glockenburg Cemetery in Coburg, Grand Duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, now in Bavaria, Germany
Alfred was the only son of Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh and Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, second son of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom, and Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna of Russia, only surviving daughter of Alexander II, Emperor of All Russia. As it was expected he would one day inherit the ducal throne of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Alfred was raised primarily in Germany. Separated from his family, he received a strict German education and later served as a Lieutenant in the Prussian 1st Foot Guards in Potsdam. But, unlike many of his relatives, he did not enjoy military life. In August 1893, his father succeeded to the ducal throne of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, and young Alfred became the Hereditary Prince. It is generally accepted that Alfred shot himself while the rest of the family was gathered for his parents’ 25th-anniversary celebrations in January 1899. He initially survived the gunshot but died the following month.
Unofficial Royalty: Prince Alfred of Edinburgh

February 6, 1929 – Death of Maria Christina of Austria, Queen of Spain, second wife of King Alfonso XII of Spain, at the Royal Palace in Madrid, Spain; buried at Pantheon of Kings in the Royal Crypt of the Monastery of El Escorial in San Lorenzo de El Escorial, Spain
After the death of his first wife, King Alfonso XII of Spain married Maria Christina in 1879. On November 25, 1885, three days before his 28th birthday, King Alfonso XII died from tuberculosis, leaving two daughters and Maria Christina pregnant with their third child. It was decided that Maria Christina would rule as regent until the child was born. If the child were a male, he would become king and if the child were a female, Alfonso and Maria Christina’s elder daughter María Mercedes would become queen. On May 17, 1886, a son was born who immediately became King Alfonso XIII. Maria Christina continued as regent until Alfonso XIII reached the age of 16 and took control of the monarchy in 1902. On February 5, 1929, Maria Christina attended the theater with Queen Ena and her daughters. The family dined as usual at the Royal Palace of Madrid, at nine in the evening. Following the meal, the family moved to the living room, where each night they viewed a film. Then they retired to their rooms for the night just after midnight. Shortly after going to bed, Maria Christina felt a sharp pain in her chest and could barely breathe. Her maid, seeing her pain, asked if she wanted to call her son the king, but Maria Christina said no. Soon, Maria Christina had another very strong pain, a fatal heart attack, and died at the age of 71.
Unofficial Royalty: Maria Christina of Austria, Queen of Spain

February 6, 1952 – Death of King George VI of the United Kingdom at Sandringham House in Norfolk, England; buried at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle in Windsor, England
As the second son of King George V, Prince Albert, Duke of York (known as Bertie) was not expected to inherit the throne. In January 1936, Bertie’s father King George V died. His elder brother became King Edward VIII and Bertie became heir presumptive to the throne. The new king was unmarried and involved with Wallis Simpson, a twice-divorced American. This relationship would soon bring about unheard-of events in the British monarchy. Failing to reach an agreement with the Government by which he and Mrs. Simpson could marry, King Edward VIII abdicated on December 11, 1936, giving his famous “without the woman I love” speech on the radio. Upon Parliament’s passing of the Abdication Act, Bertie became the new King of the United Kingdom, taking the regnal name George VI, in honor of his father, and to stress the continuity of the British monarchy. During World War II, King George VI was seen as sharing the hardships of the common people and his popularity soared. Buckingham Palace was bombed while the King and Queen were there, and his younger brother the Duke of Kent was killed on active service. George became known as a symbol of British determination to win the war. By 1949, King George VI’s health was failing. He was suffering from lung cancer and several other ailments. His elder daughter Princess Elizabeth and her husband Prince Philip began to take on more royal duties, often filling in for King George VI when he was unable to attend events. A tour of Australia had been postponed and on January 31, 1952, Elizabeth and Philip set off in King George VI’s place. He came to the airport to see them off, looking drawn and frail. It would be the last time he would see his daughter. On February 6, 1952, 56-year-old King George VI passed away in his sleep at Sandringham House in Norfolk, England, and his daughter Queen Elizabeth II began her record-breaking reign.
Unofficial Royalty: King George VI of the United Kingdom
Unofficial Royalty: Transition: The Final Months of King George VI and Accession of Queen Elizabeth II
Unofficial Royalty: When The British Monarch Dies

February 6, 1976 – Birth of Princess Marie of Denmark, second wife of Prince Joachim of Denmark, born Marie Agathe Odile Cavallier in Paris, France
Marie was first seen with Prince Joachim while on holiday in the late summer of 2005. Over the next two years, they were seen together often, and in the spring of 2007, Marie joined the Danish Royal Family for Easter at Marselisborg Palace where she reportedly met Joachim’s mother Queen Margrethe II for the first time. In October 2007, it was announced that Joachim and Marie were engaged, following the Queen’s formal consent. Prior to her marriage, Marie was a French citizen and belonged to the Roman Catholic Church. Marie joined the Evangelical Lutheran Church and became a Danish citizen before her marriage. Joachim and Marie were married on May 24, 2008, at the Møgeltønder Church in South Jutland, Denmark followed by the wedding banquet at Schackenborg Castle. Marie and Joachim have one son and one daughter.
Unofficial Royalty: Princess Marie of Denmark

February 6, 1981 – Death of Queen Frederica of Greece, born Frederica of Hanover, wife of King Paul I of Greece, in exile in Madrid, Spain; buried at the Tatoi Royal Cemetery, near Athens, Greece
Frederica’s father Prince Ernst August of Hanover, Duke of Brunswick was the senior male-line descendant of King George III of the United Kingdom via his son Ernest Augustus, King of Hanover and Duke of Cumberland. Her mother Princess Viktoria Luise of Prussia was the only daughter of Wilhelm II, German Emperor, and a great-granddaughter of Queen Victoria.   In 1938, Frederica married the future King Paul I of Greece. The couple had two children including King Constantine II of Greece and Princess Sophia of Greece who married King Juan Carlos I of Spain. Frederica and Paul are the maternal grandparents of Felipe VI, the current King of Spain. In 1947, upon the death of his brother King George II of Greece, Frederica’s husband became King of Greece. In 1964, King Paul died of cancer and was succeeded by his son King Constantine II. In 1967, a coup d’état led by a group of army colonels took over Greece. King Constantine II attempted a counter-coup against the military junta which failed, and King Constantine and the Greek family had to flee to Italy. Frederica and her unmarried daughter Irene spent some time living in India. In later years, she would divide her time between the home of her son Constantine in the United Kingdom, and the home of her elder daughter Sofia, in Spain. On February 6, 1981, after undergoing cataract surgery in Madrid, Queen Frederica died from a massive heart attack. After receiving permission from the Greek government, Frederica was buried beside her late husband in the Royal Cemetery at Tatoi Palace in Greece. Her children and their families were permitted to attend but had to leave immediately after the burial.
Unofficial Royalty: Frederica of Hanover, Queen of Greece

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King Carl XIII of Sweden//King Karl II of Norway; Credit – Wikipedia

February 5, 1704 – Birth of Anna Christine of Palatine Sulzbach, Princess of Piedmont, first wife of Carlo Emanuele III, King of Sardinia, at the Palace of Sulzbach-Rosenberg in the Palatinate of Sulzbach, now in Bavaria, Germany
Anna Christine of Sulzbach was the first of the three wives of Carlo Emanuele of Savoy, Prince of Piedmont, the heir apparent to the Kingdom of Sardina, and, after Anna Christine’s death, Carlo Emanuele III, King of Sardinia. They married in 1722 and had one son who died in early childhood. On March 12, 1723, a few days after giving birth to her son, Anna Christine, aged nineteen, died of childbirth complications.
Unofficial Royalty: Anna Christine of Palatine Sulzbach, Princess of Piedmont

February 5, 1818 – Death of King Carl XIII of Sweden/King Karl II of Norway at the Royal Palace of Stockholm; buried at Riddarholmen Church in Stockholm, Sweden
Carl was not destined to be king, but at the age of 60, he became King of Sweden and reigned for nine years. He would be the last Swedish monarch of the House of Holstein-Gottorp. On March 16, 1792, Carl’s elder brother King Gustav III was shot by Jacob Johan Anckarström during a masked ball at the Royal Opera House in Stockholm. Thirteen days later, King Gustav III died of his wounds at the age of 46. His 13-year-old son succeeded him as King Gustav IV Adolf. Due to some questionable, and then some failed military decisions, Gustav IV Adolf was imprisoned in 1809. Carl agreed to form a provisional government and the Swedish parliament, the Riksdag, approved the coup. Gustav Adolf abdicated, thinking if he did so, his son would become king. However, the Riksdag proclaimed that all Gustav Adolf’s family members had forfeited their rights to the throne. After accepting a new liberal constitution, Prince Carl was proclaimed King Carl XIII of Sweden. King Gustav IV Adolf and his family were sent into exile. Carl and his wife Hedwig Elisabeth Charlotte, whom he had married in 1774, had two children – one stillborn and one who lived only six days. The Swedes had the idea to offer the position of Crown Prince to one of Napoleon’s Marshals. Jean Baptiste Bernadotte, who had been appointed Marshal of France in 1804, was well-liked in Sweden, particularly because of his considerate treatment of Swedish prisoners during the recent war with Denmark. In 1810, the Swedish Riksdag of the Estates elected Bernadotte as Crown Prince. He arrived in Stockholm in November 1810 and was formally adopted by King Carl XIII, taking the name Carl Johan. Upon the death of Carl XIII in 1818 at the age of 69, Jean Baptiste Bernadotte ascended the throne as King Carl XIV Johan of Sweden. Thus began the Bernadotte dynasty in Sweden, which continues today.
Unofficial Royalty: King Carl XIII of Sweden/King Karl II of Norway

February 5, 1884 – Death of Maria Ana of Portugal, Princess Georg of Saxony, wife of the future King Georg of Saxony, in Dresden, Kingdom of Saxony, now Saxony, Germany; buried in the Wettin Crypt at the Dresden Cathedral
Maria Ana was the daughter of Queen Maria II of Portugal and Prince Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. In 1859, she married Prince Georg of Saxony, who was at the time second in the line to the Saxony throne, behind his older brother Albert.  The couple had eight children but despite their large family, the marriage proved to be an unhappy one. Georg made little effort to support his wife in her new country and failed to live up to her expectations. Very pious and preferring private life to that of the court, Maria Ana’s primary focus was raising her family, and supporting several religious and social organizations. Maria Ana died at the age of 41 after several months of caring for her youngest son who had been in very ill health for some time. Eighteen years after Maria Ana’s death, her husband Georg became King of Saxony, reigning for just two years.
Unofficial Royalty: Maria Ana of Portugal, Princess Georg of Saxony

February 5, 1972 – Birth of Queen Mary of Denmark, wife of King Frederik X of Denmark, born Mary Elizabeth Donaldson, in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
In September 2000, during the Olympic Games in Sydney, Mary met Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark on an evening out with some mutual friends. The two quickly began a relationship, with Frederik making several private trips to Australia before Mary eventually relocated to Denmark. Their engagement was announced in October 2003, after Queen Margrethe had given her formal consent to the marriage. Frederik and Mary married on May 14, 2004, at the Copenhagen Cathedral. The couple has four children.
Unofficial Royalty: Queen Mary of Denmark

February 5, 2016 – Birth of Jigme Namgyel Wangchuck, Crown Prince of Bhutan, son of Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, King of Bhutan, at the Lingkana Palace in Thimphu, Bhutan
Crown Prince Jigme Namgyel Wangchuck, Druk Gyalsey (Dragon Prince) of Bhutan is the elder of the two sons of King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck of Bhutan and Jetsun Pema, Queen of Bhutan. Jigme Namgyel is the heir apparent to the throne of Bhutan.
Unofficial Royalty: Jigme Namgyel Wangchuck, Crown Prince of Bhutan

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Jeanne of France, Queen of France, Saint Joan of Valois; Credit – Wikipedia

February 4, 1505 – Death of Jeanne of France, Queen of France, Saint Joan of Valois, in Bourges, Duchy of Berry, now in France; buried in the chapel of the convent she founded in Bourges. Her tomb was desecrated and her remains were burned by the Huguenots during the sacking of the city of Bourges.
Jeanne was the daughter of King Louis XI of France. In 1476, Jeanne married Louis of Orléans, the future King Louis XII of France. She was the first of the three wives of King Louis XII of France. The marriage was unhappy, the couple lived apart, and there were no children. Louis succeeded as King of France after the unexpected death of his cousin King Charles VIII in 1498. Jeanne and Louis XII’s childless marriage was annulled because Louis XII wanted to marry Charles VII’s widow Anne, Duchess of Brittany in her own right to gain control of Anne of Brittany’s funds and territories. After her marriage was annulled, Jeanne founded the monastic Order of the Sisters of the Annunciation of Mary and died in 1505 at the age of 40. She was canonized as a saint in 1950.  
Unofficial Royalty: Jeanne of France, Queen of France, Saint Joan of Valois

February 4, 1694 – Death of Natalia Kirillovna Naryshkina, Tsaritsa of All Russia, second wife of Alexei, Tsar of All Russia, mother of Peter I the Great, Emperor of All Russia, at the Moscow Kremlin; first buried at the Ascension Convent, a Russian Orthodox nunnery in the Moscow Kremlin, in 1929 moved to the crypt of the Archangel Cathedral in the Moscow Kremlin
In 1671, Natalya married Alexei, Tsar of All Russia as his second wife. The couple had three children including Peter I (the Great), Emperor of All Russia. Natalya had been brought up in the Moscow home of her distant relative, the Western-influenced statesman, diplomat, and reformer Artamon Sergeyevich Matveev. Mateev married a Western woman, Eudoxie Hamilton from Scotland. Because of Mateev’s influence, Natalya Kirillovna’s upbringing was freer and more Western than that of other Russian women of that time period and it certainly had an influence on her son Peter the Great who was greatly influenced by Western advisers and implemented major reforms to modernize Russia. Natalya Kirillovna died from heart disease at the age of 42 on February 4, 1694.
Unofficial Royalty: Natalia Kirillovna Naryshkina, Tsaritsa of All Russia

February 4, 1761 – Birth of Georg I, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen in the Imperial Free City of Frankfurt, now in Hesse, Germany
Full name: Georg Frederick Karl
Georg became Duke of Saxe-Meiningen in July 1782, upon the death of his childless brother Karl Wilhelm. Four months later, he married Princess Luise Eleonore of Hohenlohe-Langenburg. The couple had three children including Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen who married King William IV of the United Kingdom. One of the first things Georg did upon becoming Duke was to open the Ducal library and art collections to the public. He also oversaw the design of the new English Garden in Meiningen on the site of the former municipal cemetery and began to transform Meiningen into a prestigious royal city. Having always been in poor health, Georg I died at the age of 42, after developing a fever.
Unofficial Royalty: Georg I, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen

February 4, 2002 – Death of Sigvard Bernadotte, Count of Wisborg in Stockholm, Sweden;  buried in the Royal Cemetery in Haga Park in Solna, Sweden
Sigvard was the second son of King Gustav VI Adolf of Sweden and his first wife Princess Margaret of Connaught. He lost his style His Royal Highness and his title Prince of Sweden when he married a commoner. In 1951, Grand Duchess Charlotte of Luxembourg conferred on him the title of Count of Wisborg. Sigvard died in 2002, in Stockholm, Sweden. He was 94 years old, and for the last eight years of his life, he had been the eldest living great-grandchild of Queen Victoria, as well as her longest-lived descendant.
Unofficial Royalty: Sigvard Bernadotte, Count of Wisborg

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John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster; Credit – Wikipedia

February 3, 1014 – Death of Sweyn Forkbeard, King of Denmark, Norway, and England, in Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, England; buried at Roskilde Cathedral in Roskilde, Denmark
Sweyn Forkbeard was the son of Harald Bluetooth, King of Denmark and Norway, the inspiration for the name of the wireless technology company Bluetooth. In 1002 Æthelred II, King of the English was told that the Danish men in England “would faithlessly take his life, and then all his councilors, and possess his kingdom afterward.” In response, Æthelred “ordered slain all the Danish men who were in England.” St. Brice’s Day Massacre occurred on November 13, 1002, the feast day of St. Brice, fifth-century Bishop of Tours. There was a significant loss of life including Gunhilde, the sister of Sweyn Forkbeard. In retaliation, Sweyn attacked England during 1003 – 1004, burning Norwich but famine in 1005 caused him to retreat. The Danish invaders returned and within a few years, all of England came under Danish rule. On Christmas Day in 1013, Sweyn was formally proclaimed King of England. Æthelred had fled to the Isle of Wight and then to Normandy. However, Sweyn’s reign was short-lived as he suddenly died on February 3, 1014, at around the age of 54. Although there are reports that Sweyn died after a fall from his horse, a 2015 study speculated that he may have died from Brugada Syndrome, a genetic disorder in which the electrical activity in the heart is abnormal. It increases the risk of abnormal heart rhythms and sudden cardiac death. The study showed that perhaps up to fourteen Danish kings who suddenly died at a relatively young age without being ill possibly died of Brugada Syndrome.
Unofficial Royalty: Sweyn I Forkbeard, King of Denmark, Norway, and England

February 3, 1399 – Death of John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, son of King Edward III of England, at Leicester Castle in Leicester, England; buried at Old St. Paul’s Cathedral in London, England (tomb destroyed in the Great Fire of London)
A younger son of King Edward III of England, John of Gaunt was a military leader and statesman and the father of King Henry IV of England. Due to his royal birth and marriages, he was one of the richest men of his time and was very influential during the reigns of his father King Edward III and his nephew King Richard II. As Duke of Lancaster, he was the founder of the House of Lancaster, whose members would become Kings of England after his death. All monarchs of England, Great Britain, and the United Kingdom since King Henry IV are descended from John of Gaunt. In fact, most European monarchies are descended from John. The Houses of Lancaster, York, and Tudor were all descended from John of Gaunt’s children.
Unofficial Royalty: John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster

February 3, 1874 – Death of Lunalilo, King of the Hawaiian Islands at Haimoeipo, his private residence in Honolulu, Oahu, Kingdom of the Hawaiian Islands, now in the state of Hawaii; buried in the Lunalilo Mausoleum on the grounds of Kawaiahaʻo Church in Honolulu

Unofficial Royalty: Lunalilo, King of the Hawaiian Islands

February 3, 1919 – Death of Maria Theresia of Austria-Este, Queen of Bavaria, wife of Ludwig III, the last King of Bavaria, at Schloss Wildenwart in Wildenwart Germany; initially buried in the chapel at Schloss Wildenwart, her remains were moved to the Frauenkirche in Munich, Bavaria, Germany upon the death of her husband in 1921
In 1868, Maria Theresia married the future King Ludwig III of Bavaria and the couple had thirteen children. In 1875, after the death of her childless uncle Francesco V, Duke of Modena, Maria Theresia became the Jacobite claimant to the British throne. In 1912, Maria Theresia’s father-in-law Prince Regent Luitpold died and her husband Ludwig became the Prince Regent for his first cousin King Otto. On November 4, 1913, the Bavarian constitution was changed to allow the Prince Regent to become King if the incapacitation of a king had lasted for ten years and there was no reasonable expectation that the incapacitated king would ever reign. On November 5, 1913, King Otto was deposed by Prince Regent Ludwig who assumed the title King Ludwig III. At the end of World War I, Ludwig was the first of the monarchs in the German Empire to be deposed. After briefly living in Austria Maria Theresia and her husband lived at Schloss Wildenwart in the village of Wildenwart about 80 kilometers southeast of Munich, where she died at the age of 69.
Unofficial Royalty: Maria Theresia of Austria-Este, Queen of Bavaria
Unofficial Royalty: The Jacobite Succession – Pretenders to the British Throne

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Prince Andreas of Greece and Denmark; Credit – Wikipedia

February 2, 1455 – Birth of King Hans of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden at Aalborg Castle in Denmark
King Hans held four royal titles: King of Denmark (1481 – 1513), King of Norway (1483 – 1513), King of Sweden (1497 – 1501), and Duke of Holstein and Schleswig (1482–1513 jointly with his younger brother, the future King Frederik I). In 1478, Hans married Christina of Saxony and they had six children. In 1501, Hans began a long-term affair with Edel Jernskjæg, one of Christina’s ladies-in-waiting. The affair caused a scandal and a de facto termination of their marriage. From that time on, the marriage of Hans and Christina was one in name only.
Unofficial Royalty: King Hans of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden

February 2, 1650 – Birth of Nell Gwyn, actress and mistress of King Charles II of England, in London, England
Nell was an orange girl in the theater, selling fruit and sweetmeats within the theater. She later became an actress. The affair between Nell and King Charles II began in April 1668 when Nell was attending a performance at Lincoln’s Inn Fields Theater. Charles II was in the next box and was more interested in flirting with Nell than watching the play. Charles II invited Nell and her escort to supper, along with his brother the Duke of York. Charles and Nell had one surviving son, Charles Beauclerk, 1st Duke of St Albans. The descendants of Nell and King Charles II have continued the line of the Dukes of St. Albans through the centuries. Nell remained one of Charles II’s mistresses until his death in 1685.
Unofficial Royalty: Nell Gwyn, mistress of King Charles II of England

February 2, 1660 – Death of Gaston of France, Duke of Orléans, son of King Henri IV of France, at the Château de Blois, France; buried at the Basilica of St. Denis near Paris
Gaston, Duke of Orléans could be considered the black sheep of his family. Twice he had to leave France for conspiring against the government of his brother King Louis XIII. When his brother refused to grant permission for Gaston to marry Marguerite of Lorraine after the death of his first wife, Gaston married her anyway and kept the marriage secret. Because of his participation against the government in a series of civil wars, Gaston was exiled to one of his homes, the Château de Blois, for the last seven years of his life. There he died at the age of 51.
Unofficial Royalty: Gaston of France, Duke of Orléans

February 2, 1783 – Birth of Karl Friedrich, Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, in Weimar in the Duchy of Saxe-Weimar, now in Thuringia, Germany
After finishing his education, Karl Friedrich embarked on a Grand Tour of Europe. While visiting St. Petersburg in July 1803, Karl Friedrich met his future wife, Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna of Russia. She was the daughter of Paul I, Emperor of All Russia and his second wife Sophia Dorothea of Württemberg. They married in St. Petersburg, Russia on August 3, 1804, and had four children including Princess Augusta who married Wilhelm I, King of Prussia, German Emperor.
Unofficial Royalty: Karl Friedrich, Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach

February 2, 1792 – Death of Elizaveta Romanovna Vorontsova, mistress of Peter III, Emperor of All Russia, in St. Petersburg Russia; buried at the Lazarevskoe Cemetery at the Alexander Nevsky Lavra in St. Petersburg, Russia
Elizaveta’s father, Count Roman Illarionovich Vorontsov, took part in the 1741 coup that brought Elizabeth Petrovna, the only surviving child of Peter I (the Great), Emperor of All Russia, to the throne as Elizabeth, Empress of All Russia. Empress Elizabeth never married and her sister’s son Karl Peter Ulrich of Holstein-Gottorp, whose name was changed to Grand Duke Peter Feodorovich (the future Peter III, Emperor of All Russia), was her heir. Elizaveta was assigned to the court of Grand Duke Peter where she was to serve Peter’s wife Grand Duchess Catherine Alexeievna (the future Catherine II the Great, Empress of All Russia). Peter took Elizaveta Romanovna Vorontsova as his mistress and Catherine had affairs. After the death of his aunt Empress Elizabeth, Peter succeeded to the throne as Peter III, Emperor of Russia but he was soon deposed by his wife who reigned as Catherine II (the Great), and then murdered. Catherine arranged for Elizaveta to marry a middle-aged army colonel of a humble background who was eighteen years older than Elizaveta. In Russian society, the marriage was seen as a mockery of Empress Catherine’s former rival. Elizaveta died on February 2, 1792, at the age of 52.
Unofficial Royalty: Elizaveta Romanovna Vorontsova

February 2, 1799 – Birth of Maria Antonovna Naryshkina, mistress of Alexander I, Emperor of All Russia, born Princess Maria Czetwertyński-Światopełk in Warsaw, Poland
Maria, her mother, and her siblings were brought to Russia by Catherine II (the Great), Empress of All Russia after Maria’s father was hanged by an angry mob in Poland for his support of Russia. Maria was made a maid of honor at the Russian court and Catherine the Great arranged a marriage for her. Maria was known for her dazzling beauty and she attracted the attention of Tsesarevich Alexander Pavlovich, the future Alexander I, Emperor of All Russia. Maria and Alexander’s affair lasted for nearly nineteen years. In 1815, Maria accompanied Alexander I, Emperor of All Russia to the Congress of Vienna, which caused a scandal. Eventually, Maria began to worry about her position and the gossip that surrounded her and Alexander began to have pangs of guilt about the long-term affair. In 1818, the affair ended and Alexander went back to his wife but he continued to talk about Maria as his family.
Unofficial Royalty: Maria Antonovna Naryshkina

February 2, 1882 – Birth of Prince Andreas (Andrew) of Greece and Denmark, son of King George I of Greece and father of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, in Athens, Greece
The father of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, Andreas was the son of King George I of Greece (born a Prince of Denmark) and Grand Duchess Olga Konstantinovna of Russia. In 1903, he married Princess Alice of Battenberg, daughter of Prince Louis of Battenberg and Princess Victoria of Hesse and by Rhine. The couple had four daughters and one son. Andreas’ life was often interrupted by the political turmoil in Greece. By the early 1930s, Andreas had less and less contact with his family. His wife suffered a nervous breakdown and was institutionalized, his four daughters had all married into former German royal families, and his son was attending school first in Germany and then in the United Kingdom. Somewhat at a loss, having been forced into a life of retirement, Andreas moved to the French Riviera. The onset of World War II brought an end to the little contact Andreas had with his wife and children. His wife had returned to Greece, his daughters were all behind German lines, and his son was fighting for the British forces. Prince Andreas died at the Metropole Hotel in Monte Carlo on December 3, 1944, at the age of 62.
Unofficial Royalty: Prince Andreas of Greece

February 2, 1896 – Death of Elisabeth of Saxe-Altenburg, Grand Duchess of Oldenburg, wife of Peter II, Grand Duke of Oldenburg, in Oldenburg, Grand Duchy of Oldenburg, now in Lower Saxony, Germany; buried in the Ducal Mausoleum in Saint Gertrude’s Cemetery in Oldenburg
In 1852, Elisabeth married the future Peter II, Grand Duke of Oldenburg and they had two sons. As Grand Duchess, Elisabeth oversaw the establishment of the Elisabeth Children’s Hospital and served as patron of numerous charities and organizations focused on the well-being of children and the less fortunate. Much of this was done through her Elisabeth Foundation, established at the time of her marriage using funds from her father. Elisabeth died on February 2, 1896, at the age of 70.
Unofficial Royalty: Elisabeth of Saxe-Altenburg, Grand Duchess of Oldenburg

February 2, 2002 – Wedding of King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands and Máxima Zorreguieta Cerruti; civil ceremony at Beurs van Berlage in Amsterdam, Netherlands, religious ceremony at Nieuwe Kerk in Amsterdam, Netherlands
In April 1999, Willem-Alexander met his future wife Máxima Zorreguieta Cerruti in Seville, Spain during the Seville Spring Fair. He did not introduce himself as a Prince and at a later time when he told Máxima who he was, she thought he was joking. They met again a few weeks later in New York and their romance blossomed. Willem-Alexander proposed to Máxima on January 19, 2001, at Huis ten Bosch Palace in The Hague, the Netherlands. The couple had been rollerblading and Willem-Alexander lured Máxima to a pond where he had hidden roses and champagne. By the side of the pond, Willem-Alexander proposed in English, so he could be sure Máxima would understand him, and she immediately said yes.
Unofficial Royalty: Wedding of King Willem-Alexander and Máxima Zorreguieta Cerruti

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