© Unofficial Royalty 2024

Henry, Prince of Wales; Credit – Wikipedia

February 19, 1594 – Birth of Henry Frederick, Prince of Wales, son of King James I of England, at Stirling Castle, Scotland
Full name: Henry Frederick
The heir to the thrones of England and Scotland, by the time he was 18 years old, Henry was physically mature, well-educated, an independent thinker, and ready to assume some government responsibility. Negotiations began for a bride for Henry and princesses from Spain, France, and Savoy were in the running. He was on his way to making an excellent and popular king. Henry died of typhoid fever at age 18. His brother Charles (later King Charles I) became heir to the throne.  Henry’s death was considered a national tragedy. Henry’s brother, the future King Charles I, who was now the heir to the throne, felt the loss deeply and insisted until the end of his life that Henry had been poisoned. We can only wonder how different English history might have been if Henry Frederick had been King instead of his brother King Charles I, who was deposed and beheaded.
Unofficial Royalty: Henry, Prince of Wales

February 19, 1817 – Birth of King Willem III of the Netherlands in the Palace of the Nation (now the building that houses the Belgian legislature) in Brussels, which was then part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands, now in Belgium
Full name: Willem Alexander Paul Frederik Lodewijk
In 1839, Willem married his first cousin Sophie of Württemberg. Willem and Sophie had three sons, but they all predeceased their father. On the death of his father in 1849, Willem succeeded as King of the Netherlands. After Sophie’s death in 1877, Willem was eager to marry again to ensure the future of the House of Orange. In 1879, 61-year-old Willem married 20-year-old Emma of Waldeck-Pyrmont. Emma had a positive influence on Willem and the marriage was extremely happy. The last decade of Willem’s life was the best years of his reign. Willem and Emma had one daughter, Wilhelmina, who succeeded her father. In 1888, King Willem III’s health began to decline. When it became apparent that Willem could no longer reign, Emma was sworn in as Regent. On November 23, 1890, 73-year-old King Willem III died and ten-year-old Wilhelmina became Queen. Emma took over as Regent for her daughter until Wilhelmina’s eighteenth birthday in 1898.
Unofficial Royalty: King Willem III of the Netherlands

February 19, 1919 – Death of Bertha Louise of Hesse-Philippsthal-Barchfeld, Princess of Lippe, the first of the two wives of Leopold IV, the last Prince of Lippe, in Detmold, then in the Weimar Republic, now in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia; buried at the Christ Church in Detmold
In 1901, Bertha Louise married the future Leopold IV, Prince of Lippe. The couple had five children. Alexander, Prince of Lippe, the last of the Lippe-Detmold line, died in 1905. With the extinction of the Lippe-Detmold line, the throne of the Principality of Lippe went to Bertha Louise’s husband who reigned as Leopold IV and would be the last reigning Prince of Lippe. Following the German Empire’s defeat in World War I and the German Revolution of 1918-1919, Leopold IV was forced to renounce the throne. However, Leopold negotiated a treaty with the new government that allowed his family to remain in Lippe. Three months later, Bertha Louise died, aged 44.
Unofficial Royalty: Bertha Louise of Hesse-Philippsthal-Barchfeld, Princess of Lippe

 February 19, 1960 – Birth of Prince Andrew, Duke of York, son of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, at Buckingham Palace in London, England
Full name: Andrew Albert Christian Edward
In 1979, Andrew began a career in the Royal Navy that lasted until 2001. He married Sarah Ferguson in 1986 and the couple had two daughters. Andrew’s obligations as a naval helicopter pilot and the negative attention Sarah received from the media contributed to the couple’s estrangement. Andrew and Sarah separated in 1992 and divorced in 1996. The Duke of York and Sarah, Duchess of York (her style upon her divorce) are on amicable terms with each other and are both devoted parents to their daughters. Andrew was accused of child sexual abuse by Virginia Giuffre, who alleges that as a minor she was sex trafficked to him by American financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Andrew was the defendant in a civil lawsuit over sexual assault filed by Giuffre in New York State which was settled out of court in February 2022. Following negative reactions to his connections to Epstein, Andrew permanently resigned from public roles in May 2020 and his honorary military affiliations and royal charitable patronages were returned to Queen Elizabeth II in January 2022.
Unofficial Royalty: Prince Andrew, Duke of York

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Elisabeth of Württemberg, Archduchess of Austria; Credit – Wikipedia

February 18, 1478 – Execution of George Plantagenet, Duke of Clarence, who opposed his brother King Edward IV of England, in the Tower of London; buried at Tewkesbury Abbey in Gloucester, England
In 1478, George was tried for treason against his brother King Edward IV and privately executed in the Tower of London.
Unofficial Royalty: George Plantagenet, Duke of Clarence 

February 18, 1516 – Birth of Queen Mary I of England at the Palace of Placentia (Greenwich Palace), in Greenwich (London), England
Excluding the disputed reigns of Empress Matilda in the 12th century and Lady Jane Grey, Mary’s predecessor, Queen Mary I was the first queen regnant of England. Mary was the only child of King Henry VIII of England and his first wife Catherine of Aragon to survive infancy. Upon the death of her half-brother King Edward VI of England in 1553, John Dudley, 1st Duke of Northumberland and Lord Protector of the Realm arranged for his daughter-in-law Lady Jane Grey, a great-granddaughter of King Henry VII of England, to be proclaimed Queen of England instead of Mary. Mary quickly assembled a force and deposed Jane, who was ultimately beheaded. Mary was 37, and she needed to marry and produce an heir to supplant her Protestant sister, the future Queen Elizabeth I of England. In 1554, Mary married the future King Philip II of Spain but the couple had no children. Throughout her reign, Mary was steadfast in her determination to restore the Roman Catholic religion to England. During the first Parliament of her reign, Edward VI’s religious laws were abolished. During Mary’s reign, nearly 300 Protestants were burned at the stake for heresy.  Mary had become weak and ill in May 1558, possibly from ovarian cysts or uterine cancer. In November 1558, Mary fell ill during an influenza outbreak and died at the age of 42. Mary had wanted to be buried with her mother at Peterborough Cathedral but was buried in Westminster Abbey in a vault she would eventually share with her Protestant sister Elizabeth.
Unofficial Royalty: Queen Mary I of England

February 18, 1712 – Death of Louis, Duke of Burgundy, Le Petite Dauphin, son of Louis, Le Grande Dauphin and grandson of King Louis XIV of France, at the Château de Marly in France; buried at the Basilica of St. Denis near Paris
Louis, Duke of Burgundy was the eldest of the three sons of Louis, Dauphin of France and Maria Anna Victoria of Bavaria. At the time of his birth, Louis’ grandfather Louis XIV was King of France and his father was the heir apparent to the French throne. After Louis’ birth, his father was called Le Grand Dauphin and his son Louis, who was second in the line of succession, was called Le Petit Dauphin. However, King Louis XIV outlived both his son and his grandson and was succeeded by his five-year-old great-grandson King Louis XV when he died in 1715.
Unofficial Royalty: Louis, Duke of Burgundy, Le Petite Dauphin

February 18, 1790 – Death of Elisabeth of Württemberg, Archduchess of Austria, first wife of the future Emperor Franz I of Austria; buried at the Imperial Crypt in Vienna, Austria
Elisabeth was the first of the four wives of Emperor Franz I of Austria. At the age of 15, Elisabeth went to Vienna, Austria to prepare to become the bride of Archduke Franz, the nephew of the then Holy Roman Emperor, Joseph II. The Protestant princess was educated by nuns at the Church and Monastery of the Visitation and she converted to Roman Catholicism. Elisabeth married Archduke Franz (the future emperor) in 1788 but died at the age of 22 two years later in childbirth after giving birth to a daughter who lived only four months.
Unofficial Royalty: Elisabeth of Württemberg, Archduchess of Austria

Lord Adolphus FitzClarence was born on February 18, 1802, at Bushy House in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. He was the fifth of the ten children and the third of the five sons of the future King William IV of the United Kingdom and his mistress Dorothea Jordan.

February 18, 1840 – Death of Elisabeth Christine Ulrike of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, Crown Princess of Prussia, first wife of the future King Friedrich Wilhelm II of Prussia, in Stettin, Kingdom of Prussia, now Szczecin in Poland; buried in the Chapel of the Ducal Castle of Stettin
In 1765, Elisabeth Christine married her first cousin, Crown Prince Friedrich Wilhelm of Prussia (the future King Friedrich Wilhelm II), in a marriage arranged by their mutual uncle, King Friedrich II (the Great) of Prussia. The couple had one daughter Frederica Charlotte who married Prince Frederick, Duke of York, the second son of King George III of the United Kingdom. Elisabeth Christine’s marriage was never a happy one, as Friedrich Wilhelm had constant affairs and completely ignored and neglected his wife. Elisabeth Christine soon began her own affair and found herself pregnant. Her lover, a musician, was arrested and reportedly beheaded, and Elisabeth Christine took some drugs to end her pregnancy. Her marriage ended in divorce and she spent the rest of her life under house arrest. She never saw her daughter Frederica again. Elisabeth Christine died on February 18, 1840, at the age of 93, after spending 71 years under house arrest.
Unofficial Royalty: Elisabeth Christine Ulrike of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, Crown Princess of Prussia

February 18, 1932 – Death of former King Friedrich August III of Saxony at Sibyllenort Castle in Sibyllenort, Germany, now Szczodre, Poland; buried in the Wettin Crypt at the Dresden Cathedral in Dresden, Saxony, Germany
Friedrich August began his military career at age 12, entering the Saxony Army as a second lieutenant, and serving with various regiments over the next 27 years before his accession to the throne in 1904. In 1891, he married Archduchess Luise of Austria, Princess of Tuscany, and they had seven children. However, the marriage was not happy. The marriage quickly broke down, as Luise was unwilling to conform to the strict protocols of the Saxony court, and Friedrich August failed to stand up for her or support her. She began an affair with their children’s tutor and caused quite a scandal. Friedrich August’s father threatened to have her interned at a mental asylum in 1902, which led to Luise fleeing the country while pregnant with their youngest child. The marriage ended in divorce, by royal decree of King Georg in 1903. Friedrich August III was the last King of Saxony, abdicating on November 13, 1918, at the end of World War I. Friedrich August retired to Sibyllenort Castle in Lower Silesia (now Poland) where he would live out the rest of his life. He died there on February 18, 1932, after suffering a stroke.
Unofficial Royalty: King Friedrich August III of Saxony

February 18, 1947 – Death of Joachim Ernst, Duke of Anhalt at the Soviet NKVD Special Camp No. 2, the former Buchenwald concentration camp in Weimar, East Germany, now in the German state of Thuringia; his remains were thrown into a mass grave
Joachim Ernst was the last Duke of Anhalt. He came to the throne in September 1918 when he was 17 years old. As he was underage, his father’s brother Prince Aribert of Anhalt served as Regent. With the German Empire crumbling at the end of World War I, Aribert abdicated on Joachim Ernst’s behalf on November 12, 1918. Joachim Ernst married twice. His first marriage was to actress Elisabeth Strickrodt at Ballenstedt Castle in 1927. The marriage was morganatic and lasted only two years. In 1929, Joachim Ernst married Edda-Charlotte von Stephani-Marwitz. They had five children. Joachim Ernst spent his post-abdication life at Ballenstedt Castle, where he raised his family and became a trained agricultural and forestry farmer. Always at odds with the Nazis, he was arrested in 1944 and imprisoned at the Dachau Concentration Camp for three months. He was arrested again in September 1945, this time by the Soviets, and was sent to the NKVD Special Camp No. 2 at the former Buchenwald Concentration Camp. The former Duke of Anhalt died at the camp on February 18, 1947, and his remains were thrown into a mass grave.
Unofficial Royalty: Joachim Ernst, Duke of Anhalt

February 18, 1947 – Birth of Princess Christina of the Netherlands, daughter of Queen Juliana of the Netherlands, at Soestdijk Palace in the Netherlands
Full Name: Maria Christina
Because her mother contracted German measles while pregnant, Christina was born nearly blind. Medical treatment and glasses improved her vision. In 1975, Christina married Jorge Pérez y Guillermo. Having not received the consent of the government, Princess Christina relinquished her rights to the Dutch throne (as well as for her descendants) and her position as a member of The Royal House. The couple had three children and divorced in 1996. Princess Christina was an accomplished musician, recorded several CDs, and sang at several family events, including the funeral of her mother Queen Juliana. In June 2018 it was announced that Princess Christina was suffering from bone cancer. Princess Christina died at Noordeinde Palace in The Hague, the Netherlands on August 16, 2019, at the age of 72 from bone cancer.
Unofficial Royalty: Princess Christina of the Netherlands

February 18, 1984 – Birth of  Princess Stéphanie, Hereditary Grand Duchess of Luxembourg, wife of Guillaume, Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg, born Countess Stéphanie de Lannoy in Ronse, Flanders, Belgium
Full name: Stéphanie Marie Claudine Christine
Both of Stéphanie’s parents come from noble Belgian families. Stéphanie and her siblings all have the rank of Count and Countess in Belgium, as sons and daughters of a Count. Stéphanie first met Prince Guillaume, Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg when they were introduced by friends in Germany eight years before they married. They did not see each other until they met again about five years later and that was when they fell in love. Guillaume proposed to Stéphanie three weeks before their engagement was announced. Unfortunately, Stéphanie’s mother died from a stroke two months before the wedding on October 20, 2012.  The couple has two sons.
Unofficial Royalty: Stephanie, Hereditary Grand Duchess of Luxembourg

February 18, 2000 – Wedding of Letsie III, King of Lesotho and Anna Karabo Motsoeneng at Setsoto Stadium in Maseru, Lesotho
Anna and King Letsie III were married on February 18, 2000, at Setsoto Stadium in Maseru, the capital city of Lesotho The national sports stadium was filled to its capacity of 40,000 people, with thousands turned away. The marriage ceremony was conducted by Bernard Mohlalisi, the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Maseru. Guests included The Prince of Wales, King Mswati III of Swaziland, and Nelson Mandela. The bride wore a white wedding gown with a long train and the groom was dressed in a suit. King Letsie said Anna would be his only wife, going against the tradition in an area where polygamy is relatively common. After the ceremony, the bride and the groom left for a luncheon amid deafening cheers, singing, and ululation from the crowd. The couple hosted an evening banquet for their guests. After her marriage, Anna was known as Queen Masenate Mohato Seeiso.
Unofficial Royalty: Letsie III, King of Lesotho
Unofficial Royalty: Queen ‘Masenate Mohato Seeiso (Anna Karabo Mots’oeneng)

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King Albert I of the Belgians; Credit – Wikipedia

February 17, 1718 – Death of Lady Charlotte FitzRoy, an illegitimate daughter of Charles II by Barbara Palmer, 1st Duchess of Cleveland (aka Barbara Villiers, Countess of Castlemaine); buried in All Saints Churchyard in Spelsbury, Oxfordshire, England
Wikipedia: Lady Charlotte FitzRoy (Unofficial Royalty article coming soon.)

February 17, 1718 – Death of Prince George William of Great Britain, son of the future King George II, at Kensington Palace in London, England; buried at Westminster Abbey in London, England
Little Prince George William lived from November 13, 1717 – February 17, 1718, three months and four days, but an event in his short life caused a huge family argument. The principals in the argument were George William’s grandfather King George I of Great Britain and his father The Prince of Wales, the future King George II of Great Britain. It was the beginning of the battles between fathers and sons that would plague the House of Hanover.
Unofficial Royalty: Prince George William of Great Britain

February 17, 1729 – Death of Johann Ernst IV, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld in Saafeld, Duchy of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, now in Thuringia, Germany; buried in the crypt at the Johanneskirche in Saalfeld, Duchy of Saxe-Saalfeld, now in Thuringia, Germany
Johann Ernst IV, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld was the founder of the House of Saxe-Saalfeld-Coburg which was the precursor to the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, and the ancestor of all British monarchs since Queen Victoria. His father Ernst I, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg had seven sons and disliked primogeniture in which the eldest son is the sole heir. When he died all seven brothers governed the Duchy of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg, as set out in their father’s will. In 1680, the seven brothers concluded a treaty of separation, with each brother getting a portion of the Duchy of Saxe-Gotha Altenburg and becoming a Duke. Johann Ernst IV became Duke of Saxe-Saalfeld. Joann Ernst’s elder brothers Albrecht of Saxe-Coburg and Heinrich of Saxe-Römhild died without male heirs. Upon their deaths, Johann Ernest took possession of Coburg and Römhild, and then became Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld.
Unofficial Royalty: Johann Ernst IV, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld

February 17, 1821 – Birth of Lola Montez, mistress of King Ludwig I of Bavaria, born Marie Dolores Eliza Rosanna Gilbert in Grange, County Sligo, Connacht, Ireland
Lola Montez was a dancer, courtesan, and mistress of King Ludwig I of Bavaria. She was born Marie Dolores Eliza Rosanna Gilbert on February 17, 1821, in Ireland. Starting in 1842, using the stage name Maria de los Dolores Porrys y Montez, also known as Lola Montez, she pretended to be a Spanish dancer from Seville, Spain. She also accepted favors from wealthy men in return for sex and was widely regarded as a courtesan. Lola became famous for her Spider Dance, which involved her shaking imaginary tarantulas out of her clothes and stamping on them. She then raised her skirt so high that the audience could see that she wore no underwear. In 1846, 25-year-old Lola became the mistress of the 60-year-old King Ludwig I of Bavaria. At the start of the Revolutions of 1848 in the German states, Lola was forced to flee, living in Austria, Switzerland, France, and London, working as an entertainer and lecturer. In 1851, Lola went to the United States where she was surprisingly successful. In 1852, on Broadway, she played herself in a theater revue, Lola Montez in Bavaria. She toured the east coast until 1853 when she went to San Francisco where her performances created a sensation. By 1860, Lola was exhibiting third-stage effects of syphilis. She died on January 17, 1861, aged 39, in Brooklyn, a borough of New York City.
Unofficial Royalty: Lola Montez, mistress of King Ludwig I of Bavaria

February 17, 1861 – Birth of Princess Helena of Waldeck and Pyrmont, Duchess of Albany, wife of Prince Leopold of the United Kingdom, Duke of Albany, at Arolsen Castle in Arolsen, Principality of Waldeck and Pyrmont, now in Hesse, Germany
Full name: Helena Frederica Augusta
In 1882, Helena married Queen Victoria’s hemophiliac son Prince Leopold. The couple had one child and Helena was pregnant with their second child when Leopold slipped and fell on a staircase, injuring his knee and his head. He died apparently of a cerebral hemorrhage, the injuries having been exacerbated by his hemophilia. Helena continued to live with her children at Claremont House near Esher in Surrey, England, which Queen Victoria had bought for Leopold upon his marriage. Helena devoted the rest of her life to her children, grandchildren, and charitable work. She died of a heart attack at the age of 61 in Hinterriss, Austria where she was visiting her son.  At her request, Helena was buried in the beautiful countryside of Hinteriss.
Unofficial Royalty: Princess Helena of Waldeck and Pyrmont, Duchess of Albany

February 17, 1909 – Death of Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich of Russia, son of Alexander II, Emperor of All Russia, at the Vladimir Palace in St. Petersburg, Russia; buried in Grand Ducal Mausoleum, adjacent to the Peter and Paul Cathedral in St. Petersburg, Russia
As the third son of Alexander II, Emperor of All Russia, Vladimir was considered distant from the throne but in 1865, the death of his eldest brother Tsesarevich Nicholas Alexandrovich at the age of 21 changed that. Vladimir was then the second in the line of succession after his elder brother Alexander, the future Alexander III, Emperor of All Russia. In 1874, Vladimir married Marie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and they had four sons and one daughter. On February 17, 1909, 61-year-old Vladimir died suddenly after suffering a major cerebral hemorrhage. Today, the most recognized claimant as the Head of the Imperial Family of Russia is through Vladimir’s line. Queen Elizabeth II’s first cousins, Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, and his sister and brother Princess Alexandra and Prince Michael, are Vladimir’s great-grandchildren through his daughter Elena who married into the Greek royal family.
Unofficial Royalty: Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich of Russia

February 17, 1905 – Assassination of Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich of Russia, son of Alexander II, Emperor of All Russia, in Moscow, Russia; first buried in a crypt at the Chudov Monastery within the Moscow Kremlin, in 1995 his remains were exhumed and reburied in a crypt at the Novospassky Monastery in Moscow, Russia
Sergei married  Princess Elisabeth of Hesse and by Rhine, a granddaughter of Queen Victoria but their marriage was childless. The couple was very close with Sergei’s brother Alexander III, Emperor of All Russia and his wife Empress Maria Feodorovna, and were often asked to represent them at royal events elsewhere in the world.  In 1891, Alexander III appointed his brother Serge Governor-General of Moscow. In 1905 in Moscow, Sergei was killed when an assassin threw a nitroglycerin bomb into his carriage. The bomb landed in Sergei’s lap and exploded.
Unofficial Royalty: Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich of Russia

February 17, 1934 – Death of King Albert I of the Belgians in a mountain climbing accident at Marche-les-Dames in Ardennes, Belgium; buried in the Church of Our Lady in Laeken, Brussels, Belgium
In 1900, Albert married Duchess Elisabeth in Bavaria. They had three children including Leopold III, King of the Belgians and  Marie-José who married King Umberto II of Italy. Albert, who had become heir-presumptive upon his father’s death in 1905, succeeded his uncle as King Albert I of the Belgians in 1909. Albert was an avid mountain climber. Sadly, this would bring about his early death. On February 17, 1934, while climbing alone on the Roche de Vieux Bon Dieu at Marche-les-Dames, in the Ardennes region of Belgium, King Albert I fell to his death.
Unofficial Royalty: King Albert I of the Belgians

February 17, 1940 – Birth of Prince Ingolf of Denmark, later Count Ingolf of Rosenborg, at Sorgenfri Palace in Lyngby-Taarbæk, Denmark
Full name: Ingolf Christian Frederik Knud Harald Gorm Gustav Viggo Valdemar Aage
Ingolf, the son of Prince Knud of Denmark (son of King Christian X), was born a Prince of Denmark. He is a first cousin of Queen Margrethe II of Denmark. In 1968, Ingolf decided to marry Inge Terney, an untitled commoner. He did not seek the permission of his uncle King Frederik IX to marry, and therefore forfeited his succession rights and lost his royal title. After his first wife died, Ingolf married lawyer Sussie Hjorhøy Pedersen in 1998. Ingolf and his wife attend major events of the Danish Royal Family.
Unofficial Royalty: Count Ingolf of Rosenborg

February 17, 1954 – Birth of Princess Marie-Astrid of Luxembourg, Archduchess of Austria daughter of Grand Duke Jean of Luxembourg, sister of Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg, at Castle Betzdorf in Luxembourg
Full name: Marie-Astrid Charlotte Léopoldine Wilhelmine Ingeborg Antoinette Elisabeth Anna Alberta
Marie-Astrid is the eldest child of Grand Duke Jean of Luxembourg and Princess Joséphine Charlotte of Belgium and the sister of Henri, the current Grand Duke of Luxembourg. In 1982, she married her second cousin Archduke Carl Christian of Austria, a grandson of the last Austrian Emperor Karl I and his wife Zita of Bourbon-Parma. Marie-Astrid and Carl Christian had five children. Marie-Astrid is typically in attendance at family functions in Luxembourg, as well as the occasional official events.
Unofficial Royalty: Princess Marie-Astrid of Luxembourg, Archduchess of Austria

February 17, 1974 – Birth of Crown Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah of Brunei, son of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei, born in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei
On August 10, 1998, Al-Muhtadee Billah was proclaimed Crown Prince of Brunei. As Crown Prince, Al-Muhtadee Billah acts as Deputy Sultan when his father is out of the country and holds several positions. In 2004, Al-Muhtadee Billah married Sarah binti Pengiran Salleh Ab Rahaman. The couple has four children.
Unofficial Royalty: Crown Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah of Brunei

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Maria Pavlovna of Russia, Grand Duchess of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach; Credit – Wikipedia

February 16, 1679 – Birth of Friedrich Wilhelm, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen in Ichtershausen, Duchy of Saxe-Meiningen, now in Thuringia, Germany
Never expected to be Duke of Saxe-Meinigen, Friedrich Wilhelm was the fifth of the six sons of Bernhard I, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen. When his father died in 1706, he was succeeded by his eldest son Ernst Ludwig I, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen. Following the death of his brother, Ernst Ludwig I, in 1724, Friedrich Wilhelm served as one of the guardians for his two young nephews – Ernst Ludwig II and Karl Friedrich – during their reigns. Following the death of his nephew Karl Friedrich in 1743, he became the reigning Duke of Saxe-Meiningen as all his elder brothers had died in childhood. After reigning for just three years, Friedrich Wilhelm died in 1746. As he was unmarried and had no heirs, the ducal throne passed to his younger half-brother Anton Ulrich.
Unofficial Royalty: Friedrich Wilhelm, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen

February 16, 1747 – Birth of Heinrich XIII, 2nd Prince Reuss-Greiz in Greiz in the County of Reuss-Untergreiz, later the County of Reuss-Greiz, and in 1778, the Principality of Reuss-Greiz, now in Thuringia, Germany
Heinrich was the son of Heinrich XI, 1st Prince Reuss of Greiz and his first wife Countess Conradine Reuss of Köstritz. In 1786, he married Princess Wilhelmine Luise of Nassau-Weilburg and the couple had three sons. Upon the death of his father in 1800, Heinrich XIII succeeded as 2nd Prince Reuss of Greiz. In 1802, a large fire destroyed much of Greiz, the capital of the Principality of Reuss-Greiz. Approximately 430 buildings were destroyed. Many other buildings were demolished to prevent the fire from spreading. Heinrich XIII oversaw the rebuilding of Greiz in the neoclassical style. Heinrich XIII, 2nd Prince Reuss of Greiz died in 1817, aged 69.
Unofficial Royalty: Heinrich XIII, 2nd Prince Reuss-Greiz

February 16, 1786 – Birth of Maria Pavlovna of Russia, Grand Duchess of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, at Pavlovsk Palace in St. Petersburg, Russia
Maria Pavlovna of Russia was the daughter of Paul I, Emperor of All Russia and his second wife, Sophie Dorothea of Württemberg. In 1804, she married the future Grand Duke Karl Friedrich of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach. They had four children including Augusta who married Wilhelm I, King of Prussia and Emperor of Germany. Maria strongly supported and promoted the arts in Weimar, and her patronages included the noted composer Franz Liszt who was appointed to her court. She maintained lifelong correspondences with several prominent writers, poets, and musicians including Vasily Zhukovsky, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, and Friedrich Schiller. Following her husband’s death in 1853, Maria retired from public life. Two years later, she returned to Russia for the last time, for the coronation of her nephew Alexander II, Emperor of All Russia.
Unofficial Royalty: Maria Pavlovna of Russia, Grand Duchess of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach

February 16, 1819 – Death of Prince Honoré IV of Monaco; buried at St. Nicholas Cathedral in Monaco
Honoré IV was Prince of Monaco and Duke of Valentinois from 1814 to 1819. By the time Honoré IV became the Sovereign Prince of Monaco, his physical condition had worsened and he was paralyzed on one side of his body. Because of his condition, a regency was established to rule in his name. Honoré IV’s brother Joseph was regent from 1814 -1815 and then Honoré IV’s son served as regent until his father’s death in 1819 when he succeeded him as Honoré V, Prince of Monaco.
Unofficial Royalty: Prince Honoré IV of Monaco

February 16, 1910 – Death of Princess Hermine of Waldeck and Pyrmont, wife of Adolf I, Prince of Schaumburg-Lippe, at Bückeburg Castle in Bückeburg Castle, then in the Principality of Schaumburg-Lippe, now in the German state of Lower Saxony; buried in Princely Mausoleum at  St. Martini Church in Stadthagen, Principality of Schaumberg-Lippe, now in the German state of Lower Saxony
In 1844, Hermine married her first cousin, the future Adolf I, Prince of Schaumburg-Lippe, and the couple had eight children. Upon the death of his father in 1860, Hermine’s husband Adolf became the reigning Prince of Schaumburg-Lippe. While Princess of Schaumburg-Lippe, Hermine was a supporter of the Schaumburg Costume, the traditional form of clothing for Schaumburg women noted by a red skirt, usually worn at festivals. Before he died in 1893, Adolf arranged for the building of the Palais Bückeburg, also known as the Hermine Palais, which would serve as Hermine’s home while Princess Dowager.
Unofficial Royalty: Hermine of Waldeck and Pyrmont, Princess of Schaumberg-Lippe

February 16, 1991 – Birth of Princess Alexandra of Luxembourg, daughter of Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg, at the Grand Duchess Charlotte Maternity Hospital in Luxembourg City, Luxembourg
Full name: Alexandra Joséphine Teresa Charlotte Marie Wilhelmine
Alexandra is the fourth child and only daughter of Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg. Until 2011, Luxembourg followed Semi-Salic law regarding the succession to the throne. This meant that females could only inherit the throne in the absence of any other male descendants. However, Grand Duke Henri issued a decree on June 20, 2011, establishing absolute primogeniture beginning with his descendants. Now succession passes to the eldest child of the sovereign regardless of gender with males and females having equal succession rights. Alexandra is now in the line of succession. Now Alexandra is in the line of succession behind her elder siblings and their children. Alexandra married Nicolas Bagory in a civil ceremony in Luxembourg City, Luxembourg on April 22, 2023, followed by a religious ceremony at Saint Trophy in Bormes-les-Mimosas, Var, France on April 29, 2023.
Unofficial Royalty: Princess Alexandra of Luxembourg

February 16, 1999 – Death of Alexandre-Athenase Noghès, lover and first husband of Princess Antoinette of Monaco, in Los Angeles, California
Alexandre-Athenase Noghès was a tennis player, playing in tournaments around Europe and representing Monaco in the Davis Cup. He was married three times. His first wife was Marie Angèle Bastel, whom he married in Monaco. The couple had one son before divorcing. In the 1940s, he became the lover and then the first husband of Princess Antoinette of Monaco, with whom he had three children. The couple married three months after their last child was born, but divorced three years later. Alexandre spent several years living on his yacht in Monaco before moving to the United States. There, he met his third wife Margaret “Margot” James. They married in 1970 and eventually settled in California. Alexandre Athenase Noghès died in Los Angeles, California on February 16, 1999, just three months before his 83rd birthday.
Unofficial Royalty: Alexandre-Athenase Noghès, lover and first husband of Princess Antoinette of Monaco

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Princess Catherine Dolgorukova, morganatic second wife of Alexander II, Emperor of All Russia; Credit – Wikipedia

February 15, 1637 – Death of Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor in Vienna, Archduchy of Austria, now Austria; buried in the Mausoleum of Emperor Ferdinand II in Graz, Austria
In addition to being Holy Roman Emperor (reigned 1619 – 1637), Ferdinand was also Archduke of Inner Austria (reigned 1590 – 1637), King of Bohemia (1st reign 1617 – 1619, 2nd reign 1620 – 1637), and King of Hungary and Croatia (reigned 1618 – 1637). In 1600, he married his 26-year-old first cousin Maria Anna of Bavaria. They had seven children but only four survived childhood. After Maria Anna’s death, Ferdinand married his first cousin once removed Eleonora Gonzaga of Mantua but their marriage was childless. The Thirty Years’ War (1618 – 1648) began in 1618 as a result of the inadequacies of Ferdinand II’s predecessors Rudolf II and Matthias. The war was one of the longest and most destructive conflicts in European history, with an estimated 4.5 to 8 million soldiers and civilians dying as a result of battle, famine, and disease. On February 15, 1637, at the age of fifty-eight, Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor died in Vienna, Archduchy of Austria, now Austria.
Unofficial Royalty: Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor, Archduke of Inner Austria, King of Bohemia, King of Hungary and Croatia

February 15, 1710 – Birth of King Louis XV of France at the Palace of Versailles in Versailles, France
When he was five years old, Louis XV succeeded his great-grandfather King Louis XIV and reigned as King of France for 59 years. He is the second-longest reigning King of France after his great-grandfather King Louis XIV who reigned for 72 years. In 1725, Louis XV married Maria Leszczyńska, daughter of the deposed King Stanisław I of Poland. The couple had ten children but all their sons predeceased Louis XV and so he was succeeded by his grandson, the ill-fated King Louis XVI. King Louis XV’s reign saw France’s entry into The War of the Austrian Succession in 1740, with France gaining significant amounts of territory.  However, at the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle in 1748, Louis returned the lands to their rightful owners.  For this, he was greatly praised throughout Europe but became very unpopular within his own country.  A few years later, Louis would find France at war with Great Britain in the French and Indian War and soon pulled into the Seven Years’ War. King Louis XV died of smallpox at the Palace of Versailles on May 10, 1774.
Unofficial Royalty: King Louis XV of France

February 15, 1761 – Birth of Luise of Hesse-Darmstadt, Grand Duchess of Hesse and by Rhine, wife of Grand Duke Ludwig I of Hesse and by Rhine, in Darmstadt, Landgraviate of Hesse-Darmstadt, now in Hesse, Germany
Full name: Luise Henriette Karoline
In 1777, Luise married her first cousin, the future Grand Duke Ludwig I of Hesse and by Rhine. The couple had six children. Luise’s husband Ludwig succeeded his father in April 1790 as Ludwig X, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt. After the fall of the Holy Roman Empire, Hesse-Darmstadt was raised to the Grand Duchy of Hesse, with Ludwig becoming its first Grand Duke, Ludwig I. In 1816, at the Congress of Vienna, he was forced to cede his Westphalian territories, but in return was given the Rheinhessen region which included the city of Mainz. It was then that the Grand Duchy of Hesse became the Grand Duchy of Hesse and by Rhine. Luise died at her summer residence at the age of 68.
Unofficial Royalty: Luise of Hesse-Darmstadt, Grand Duchess of Hesse and by Rhine

February 15, 1788 – Death of Maria Josefa von Harrach-Rohrau, Princess of Liechtenstein, wife of her first cousin Johann Nepomuk Karl, Prince of Liechtenstein, in Roudnice nad Laberm, then in the Kingdom of Bohemia, now in the Czech Republic; buried in the Lobkowicz family crypt of her second husband at the Capuchin Church of St. Wenceslas in Roudnice nad Laberm in the Kingdom of Bohemia, now in the Czech Republic
In 1744, seventeen-year-old Maria Josefa married her first cousin, twenty-year-old Johann Nepomuk Karl, Prince of Liechtenstein, the son of her maternal uncle Josef Johann Adam, Prince of Liechtenstein. Maria Josefa and Johann Nepomuk Karl had three children but only one daughter survived childhood. After four years of marriage,  Johann Nepomuk Karl, Prince of Liechtenstein died at the age of 24. In 1752, Maria Josefa made a second marriage to Prince Joseph Maria von Lobkowicz, a Field Marshal in the Imperial Austrian Army. The couple had four children. Maria Josefa predeceased her second husband and survived her first husband by forty years, dying at the age of 61 on February 15, 1788.
Unofficial Royalty: Maria Josefa von Harrach-Rohrau, Princess of Liechtenstein

February 15, 1852 – Birth of Marie of Battenberg, Princess of Erbach-Schönberg, daughter of Prince Alexander of Hesse and by Rhine, in Strasbourg, France
Full name: Marie Karoline
The Battenberg / Mountbatten family descends from Marie’s parents Prince Alexander of Hesse and by Rhine and his morganatic wife Countess Julia von Hauke. In 1871, Marie married Gustaf Ernst, Count of Erbach-Schönberg and they had four children. An avid writer, Marie published translations of several prominent works and wrote My Trip to Bulgaria, a memoir of her visit to her brother Alexander who was reigning Prince of Bulgaria from 1879 to 1886. In her later years, several more memoirs were published, one of which detailed the relationship she had with her son Maximilian who was mentally unstable. Marie died in Schönberg, Hesse, Germany on June 20, 1923, at the age of 71.
Unofficial Royalty: Marie of Battenberg, Princess of Erbach-Schönberg

February 15, 1855 – Birth of Louisa McDonnell, Countess of Antrim, Queen Victoria’s Acting Mistress of the Robes 1894, Lady of the Bedchamber 1890–1901, and Queen Alexandra’s Lady of the Bedchamber 1901-1910, at St. James’s Palace in London, England
Born Louisa Jane Grey, she was the daughter of The Honorable Charles Grey, who served as the Private Secretary to Prince Albert from 1849 until the Prince’s death in 1861 and then as Private Secretary to Queen Victoria until his death in 1870. Louisa’s early life was spent very close to the royal circles because of her father’s position. The family had apartments at St. James’s Palace in London and lived in the Norman Tower at Windsor Castle and Osborne Cottage on the grounds of Osborne House on the Isle of Wight. In 1875, Louisa married William McDonnell, 6th Earl of Antrim and the couple had three children. After Queen Victoria’s death in 1901, Louisa served as a Lady of the Bedchamber to Queen Alexandra, the wife of King Edward VII. After retiring from royal service, Louisa still kept in touch with many of her royal friends, and occasionally went on holiday with Princess Victoria, King Edward VII’s daughter. She was widowed in 1918 and survived her husband by 31 years dying in 1949 at the age of 94.
Unofficial Royalty: Louisa McDonnell, Countess of Antrim

February 15, 1922 – Death of Catherine Dolgorukova, Princess Yurievskaya, morganatic second wife of Alexander II, Emperor of All Russia, in Nice, France; buried at the Cimetière Russe de Caucade in Nice, France
Princess Yekaterina Mikhailovna Dolgorukova, Princess Catherine Dolgorukov in English, was first the mistress and then the second and morganatic wife of Alexander II, Emperor of All Russia. In 1880, six weeks after the death of his wife Empress Maria Alexandrovna from tuberculosis, Alexander II made a morganatic marriage with Catherine. This marriage caused a scandal in the Imperial Family and violated Russian Orthodox rules regarding the waiting period for remarriage following the death of a spouse. Alexander granted his new wife the title of Princess Yurievskaya and legitimized their four children who were then styled Prince/Princess. On March 13, 1881, Emperor Alexander was assassinated when a bomb was thrown into his carriage. Shortly after Alexander’s funeral, Catherine left Russia forever. She moved to France and, in 1888, settled in Nice on the French Riviera where she died on February 15, 1922, at the age of 74, forgotten and ignored, her obituary only three lines long.
Unofficial Royalty: Catherine Dolgorukova, Princess Yurievskaya

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Maria Pia of Savoy, Queen of Portugal; Credit – Wikipedia

February 14, 1317 – Death of Margaret of France, Queen of England, second wife of King Edward I of England, at Marlborough Castle in Wiltshire, England; buried at Grey Friars Church in Newgate, London, England
In 1299, 60-year-old King Edward I married 17-year-old Margaret of France, the daughter of King Philippe III of France. Although Edward and his beloved first wife Eleanor of Castile had fourteen children, they had only one surviving son. Edward I was worried about the succession, and a second marriage with sons would ensure the succession. Margaret and Edward had two sons and a daughter who died in childhood. As King Edward I’s first wife had done, Margaret accompanied him on military campaigns. On the way to a military campaign in Scotland in 1307, King Edward I died. Although the widowed Margaret was still in her 20s, she never remarried saying, “When Edward died, all men died for me.” Margaret then retired to her dower house, Marlborough Castle, in Wiltshire, England, where she lived the rest of her life. She died there on February 14, 1318, not yet 40 years old.
Unofficial Royalty: Margaret of France, Queen of England

February 14, 1400 – Death/Starvation (?) of deposed King Richard II of England at Pontefract Castle in Wakefield, England; buried at Westminster Abbey in London, England
Richard II, King of England was deposed by his first cousin Henry of Bolingbroke who then reigned as Henry IV, King of England. Held in captivity at Pontefract Castle in Pontefract, West Yorkshire, England, Richard is thought to have starved to death and died on or around February 14, 1400. Henry IV realized that left alive, Richard would remain a threat and it is probable that the deposed king was left at Pontefract Castle to starve to death.
Unofficial Royalty: Death of Richard II, King of England
Unofficial Royalty: King Richard II of England

February 14, 1714 – Death of Maria Luisa of Savoy, first wife of King Felipe V of Spain, at the Royal Alcázar in Madrid; buried at the Monastery of San Lorenzo El Real in El Escorial, Spain
Maria Luisa was the daughter Vittorio Amedeo II, King of Sardinia and Anne Marie of Orléans. In 1701, she married King Felipe V of Spain who has been born a French prince Philippe, Duke of Anjou. Maria Luisa and Felipe V had four sons but only two survived childhood and they both had childless marriages. Maria Luisa and Felipe V had a loving, happy marriage. She acted as Regent of Spain from 1702 until 1703 during Felipe V’s absence due to the War of the Spanish Succession and had great influence over him as his adviser. Sadly, Maria Luisa died from tuberculosis at the age of 25 on February 14, 1714.
Unofficial Royalty: Maria Luisa of Savoy, Queen of Spain

February 14, 1830 – Death of Luise of Hesse-Darmstadt, Grand Duchess of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, wife of Karl August, Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach; buried in the Weimarer Fürstengruft in the Historical Cemetery in Weimar, Grand Duchy of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, now in Thuringia, Germany
Luise was the daughter of the daughter of Ludwig IX, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt and Caroline of Zweibrücken. In 1775, she married Karl August, Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach and the couple had four children. The arranged marriage was purely dynastic and there was not much love between the two. During the Napoleonic Wars, when French forces advanced on Weimar in 1806, Luise stood firm and remained there while most of the family fled or were off fighting in the war. She personally stood up to Napoleon himself and protect Weimar and its people from the fighting. Her efforts were successful, and Weimar remained mostly untouched. Several years later, at the Congress of Vienna in 1815, Luise’s efforts ensured that the duchy did not have to cede any territory, and was instead elevated to a Grand Duchy. Luise stepped away from public duties after being widowed in 1828. The Dowager Grand Duchess died nearly two years later, on February 14, 1830, at the age of 73.
Unofficial Royalty: Luise of Hesse-Darmstadt, Grand Duchess of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach

February 14, 1847 – Birth of Maria Pia of Savoy, Queen of Portugal, wife of King Luís I of Portugal, at the Royal Palace in Turin, Kingdom of Sardinia, now in Italy
Maria Pia was the daughter of Vittorio Emanuele II, King of Sardinia (later king of a united Italy) and Archduchess Adelheid of Austria. In 1862, she married King Luis I of Portugal, and they had two sons including King Carlos I of Portugal. Maria Pia was infamous for her wild spending but she was equally well known for her charity work. In 1889, Maria Pia’s husband died and her son Carlos became King of Portugal. Maria Pia’s brother King Umberto I of Italy was assassinated in 1900. Following the assassination of her son King Carlos I of Portugal and his son Crown Prince Luis Filipe in 1908, and the deposing of her grandson King Manuel II of Portugal two years later, Maria Pia fell into a deep depression. She returned to her native Italy where she died in 1911.
Unofficial Royalty: Maria Pia of Savoy, Queen of Portugal

February 14, 1945 – Birth of Prince Hans-Adam II of Liechtenstein in Zurich, Switzerland
Full name: Johannes Adam Ferdinand Alois Josef Maria Marko d’Aviano Pius
Prince Hans-Adam II is the current reigning Prince of Liechtenstein. He is the eldest son of Prince Franz Josef II of Liechtenstein and Countess Georgina von Wilczek. In 1967, Hans-Adam married Countess Marie Aglaë Kinsky von Wchinitz und Tettau, his second cousin once removed and the couple had four children. Upon the death of his father in 1989, Hans-Adam became the reigning Prince of Liechtenstein. In 2004, Prince Hans-Adam II appointed his son Hereditary Prince Alois as his deputy. While Hans-Adam remains Head of State, the Hereditary Prince has assumed most of the duties of the position. Hans-Adam now focuses primarily on the management of the assets of the Princely Family. After suffering a stroke three days earlier, Hans-Adam’s wife Princess Marie died at a hospital in Grabs, Switzerland on August 21, 2021, at the age of 81.
Unofficial Royalty: Prince Hans-Adam II of Liechtenstein

February 14, 1981 – Wedding of Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg and Maria Teresa Mestre y Batista at the Notre Dame Cathedral in Luxembourg City, Luxembourg
Hereditary Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg (the future Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg) married Maria Teresa Mestre y Batista-Falla on February 14, 1981, in a civil ceremony at the Grand Ducal Palace in Luxembourg City, Luxembourg, and then in a religious ceremony at the Cathedral of Notre Dame also in Luxembourg City, Luxembourg. Over 700 guests attended the wedding and reception. Maria Teresa and Henri met while completing their studies at the University of Geneva. Occasionally both would end up working on class projects together or in the same study groups. It is unknown exactly how long the two knew one another before dating, but it is known that their relationship blossomed out of a strong friendship.
Unofficial Royalty: Wedding of Grand Duke Henri and Maria Teresa Mestre y Batista-Falla

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Elizabeth Stuart, Electress Palatine of the Rhine; Credit – Wikipedia

February 13, 1457 – Birth of Mary, Duchess of Burgundy in her own right, daughter of Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy and wife of Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor, at the Castle of Coudenberg in Brussels, Duchy of Burgundy now in Belgium
The daughter of the powerful Charles I the Bold, Duke of Burgundy, Mary, Duchess of Burgundy in her own right was his only child and heir presumptive. Her father’s vast and rich Burgundian State consisted of parts of the present-day Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, France, and Germany. Mary married Archduke Maximilian of Austria, son of Friedrich III, Holy Roman Emperor and Archduke of Austria. It was through the marriage of Maximilian and Mary’s son Philip IV, Duke of Burgundy, also called Philip of Habsburg and Philip the Handsome, 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. Sadly, 25-year-old Mary died from injuries sustained in a horse-riding accident while pregnant.
Unofficial Royalty: Mary, Duchess of Burgundy, Archduchess of Austria

February 13, 1542 – Execution of Catherine Howard, fifth wife of King Henry VIII of England, at the Tower of London in London, England; buried at the Chapel of St. Peter ad Vincula, Tower of London in London, England
Henry VIII married the teenage Catherine Howard, a first cousin of Henry’s beheaded second wife Anne Boleyn, in 1540. Less than two years later, Catherine Howard was indicted for high treason on charges of premarital relations and extramarital relations with Francis Dereham and Thomas Culpeper who were both executed. Catherine’s lady-in-waiting, Jane Boleyn, Viscountess Rochford, the widow of George Boleyn, who had been accused, convicted, and executed for adultery with his sister Anne Boleyn, was charged with aiding and abetting Catherine. Catherine was brought to the Tower of London on February 10, 1542, by barge, passing under London Bridge where Dereham and Culpepper’s heads were displayed and remained displayed until 1546. Her execution by beheading was to take place on February 13, 1542, at 7:00 AM. The night before her execution, Catherine is believed to have practiced how to lay her head upon the block, which had been brought to her at her request. Catherine was beheaded with one stroke on Tower Green within the Tower of London.  Jane Boleyn, Viscountess Rochford, was executed immediately afterward.
Unofficial Royalty: Catherine Howard, Queen of England

February 13, 1660 – Death of King Karl X Gustav of Sweden at Gothenburg, Sweden; buried at Riddarholmen Church in Stockholm, Sweden
Karl Gustav was the eldest of the three sons of Johann Casimir, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken-Kleeburg and Princess Katarina of Sweden. In 1654, he became King of Sweden upon the abdication of his cousin Christina, Queen of Sweden. Four months after becoming king, Karl Gustav married Hedwig Eleonora of Holstein-Gottorp. They had only one child, the future Karl XI, King of Sweden, who succeeded his father. Karl Gustav’s short reign concentrated on the healing of domestic discords from the reign of Queen Christina and the rallying of Sweden around his new policy of conquest. He achieved great military successes in the Second Northern War against Denmark-Norway and Poland-Lithuania. In February 1660, Karl Gustav became ill with influenza which developed into pneumonia. He became increasingly ill with a high fever and had difficulty breathing. He signed his will appointing a regency consisting of six relatives and close friends for his four-year-old son who would soon be Karl XI, King of Sweden. Karl Gustav said goodbye to his wife, his son, and his closest friends. In the early evening, his condition worsened again and he could not lie down due to his breathing difficulties. He was held up in the arms of two of his friends. At midnight, the doctors announced that death was approaching, and Karl Gustav said goodbye to those present again, and he died at the age of 37 in the early morning hours of February 13, 1660.
Unofficial Royalty: King Karl X Gustav of Sweden

February 13, 1662 – Death of Elizabeth Stuart, Electress Palatine of the Rhine, daughter of King James I of England, wife of Friedrich V, Elector of Palatine of the Rhine, at Leicester House in London, England; buried at Westminster Abbey in London, England
In 1613, Elizabeth married Friedrich V, Elector Palatine of the Rhine and the couple had thirteen children. Through her daughter Sophia, Electress of Hanover whose son succeeded to the British throne as King George I after the Protestant Stuarts died out, Elizabeth is the ancestor of the British royal family and most other European royal families, including those of Belgium, Denmark, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, and Sweden, as well as the former royal families of Greece, Romania, Prussia, and Russia. Elizabeth’s husband Friedrich died from an infection in 1632, at the age of 36. Between her husband’s death in 1632 and her death in 1662, Elizabeth suffered the death of four of her children and the execution of her brother King Charles I of England in 1649. In 1660, Elizabeth’s nephew King Charles II was restored as King of England and Elizabeth decided to visit England. She arrived in England on May 26, 1661, and by July she was determined to remain there. She first lived in Drury House on Wych Street in London. In January of 1662, she moved to Leicester House on the north side of present-day Leicester Square. On February 13, 1662, Elizabeth died of bronchitis at the age of 65 and was buried in the Henry VII Chapel at Westminster Abbey near her brother Henry, Prince of Wales.
Unofficial Royalty: Elizabeth Stuart, Electress Palatine of the Rhine

February 13, 1904 – Birth of Princess Irene of Greece, Duchess of Aosta, daughter of King Constantine I of Greece, in Athens, Greece
Irene was the daughter of King Constantine I of Greece and Princess Sophie of Prussia, a granddaughter of Queen Victoria. Irene and her sister Katherine served as bridesmaids for their cousin Princess Marina of Greece when she married Prince George, Duke of Kent in 1934.  In 1939, Irene married Prince Aimone of Savoy, 4th Duke of Aosta, and the couple had one son. After the fall of the Italian monarchy in 1946, Irene and her son escaped to Switzerland while Aimone fled to Argentina. The couple was effectively separated after this time, having spent little time together during the preceding years. Aimone died in Buenos Aires in 1948. Irene lived at Villa Domenico in Fiesole, Italy, near her sister Helen, who lived in Villa Sparta. Irene died in 1974, after a long illness, at her home in Fiesole, Italy.
Unofficial Royalty: Princess Irene of Greece, Duchess of Aosta

February 13, 1913 – Birth of King Khalid of Saudi Arabia in Riyadh, Saudi, Arabia
Khalid was the son of Abdulaziz, the first King of Saudi Arabia, and Al Jawhara bint Musaed bin Jiluwi Al Saud, one of Abdulaziz’s many wives. On March 25, 1975, 68-year-old King Faisal, Khalid’s half-brother, was shot and killed by his 30-year-old nephew Prince Faisal bin Musaid bin Abdulaziz Al Saud at the Royal Palace in Riyadh. Khalid, who did not even want to be Crown Prince, succeeded to the throne of Saudi Arabia. Although Khalid initially was reluctant to rule Saudi Arabia, he gradually warmed to his role and worked on improving the education, health care, and infrastructure of Saudi Arabia during his seven-year reign.
Unofficial Royalty: King Khalid of Saudi Arabia

February 13, 1991 – Death of Georg Moritz, Hereditary Prince of Saxe-Altenburg, Head of the House of Saxe-Altenburg in Rendsburg, Germany
Georg Moritz was the Hereditary Prince of Saxe-Altenburg and the last Head of the House of Saxe-Altenburg. He died from pneumonia with no heir and the House of Saxe-Altenburg merged into the House of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach.
Unofficial Royalty: Georg Moritz, Hereditary Prince of Saxe-Altenburg, Head of the House of Saxe-Altenburg

February 13, 2018 – Death of Prince Henrik of Denmark, born Henri de Laborde de Monpezat, husband of Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, at Fredensborg Palace in Denmark; his remains were cremated with half of his ashes spread over Danish seas, and the other half interred in the private garden at Fredensborg Castle
Prince Henrik’s parents were members of the French nobility. After a brief stint in the military, Henrik entered the French foreign services. At the time he met Princess Margrethe of Denmark, the eldest daughter of King Frederik IX of Denmark in 1965, Henri was working as the third secretary at the French embassy in the Department of Oriental Affairs in London. Princess Margrethe married Henrik in 1967 and the couple had two sons. In 1972, Margrethe became Queen of Denmark upon the death of her father. In April 2016, Henrik renounced the title of Prince Consort, which he had been given in 2005. He retired from public life and decided to participate in official events to a very limited extent. In 2017, it was announced that Henrik was suffering from dementia. Henrik was hospitalized on January 28, 2018, with a benign tumor in his left lung. His condition severely deteriorated, and on February 13, 2018, Henrik was transferred from the Rigshospitalet in Copenhagen to Fredensborg Castle, where he wished to stay during his remaining time. Later that day Prince Henrik died peacefully in his sleep.
Unofficial Royalty: Prince Henrik of Denmark
Unofficial Royalty: The Funeral of Prince Henrik of Denmark

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