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Franz I, Emperor of Austria; Credit – Wikipedia

February 12, 1554 – Execution of Lady Jane Grey and her husband Lord Guildford Dudley at the Tower of London in London, England; buried at the Chapel of St. Peter ad Vincula, Tower of London in London, England
Jane was the great-granddaughter of King Henry VII of England through his younger surviving daughter Mary Tudor, Duchess of Suffolk, and was a first cousin once removed of King Edward VI of England. In May 1553, Jane married Lord Guildford Dudley, a younger son of Edward VI’s chief minister John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland. In June 1553, fifteen-year-old Edward VI of England, who was dying, probably of tuberculosis, composed a document “My devise for the succession” naming Jane and her male heirs as his successors because his half-sister Mary was Catholic, while Jane was a committed Protestant and would support the reformed Church of England. Both Mary and Elizabeth were still considered to be legally illegitimate and Edward opposed the succession of his half-sisters for reasons of illegitimacy. The document removed his half-sisters Mary and Elizabeth from the succession. After Edward’s death, Jane was proclaimed Queen of England on July 10, 1553. However, support for Edward’s elder half-sister Mary grew quickly, and most of Jane’s supporters abandoned her. The Privy Council suddenly changed sides and proclaimed Mary as Queen of England on July 19, 1553, deposing Jane. Jane’s father-in-law John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland, was accused of treason and executed less than a month later. Jane was convicted of high treason in November 1553 but Queen Mary I initially spared her life. However, Mary soon saw Jane as a threat when Jane’s father Henry Grey, 1st Duke of Suffolk, became involved with Wyatt’s Rebellion against Queen Mary’s intention to marry the future King Philip II of Spain. Both Jane and her husband Guildford Dudley were executed on February 12, 1554. Jane’s father was executed eleven days later.
Unofficial Royalty: Execution of Lady Jane Grey, Queen of England
Unofficial Royalty: Lady Jane Grey
Unofficial Royalty: Lord Guildford Dudley

February 12, 1627 – Death of Karl I, Prince of Liechtenstein at the Liechtenstein Palace in Prague, Kingdom of Bohemia, now in the Czech Republic; buried in the Old Crypt at Chuch of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary in Vranov, Moravia, now in the Czech Republic
Karl I was the first Prince of Liechtenstein and the founder of the Princely Family of Liechtenstein. In 1590, Karl married Baroness Anna Maria von Boskowitz and Černahora. They had four children including Karl I’s successor Karl Eusebius. In 1592, Karl became the treasurer of Archduke Matthias of Austria, a future Holy Roman Emperor. Karl and his younger brothers had been raised in the Evangelical Lutheran faith but they all converted to Catholicism in 1599. Karl’s younger brother Maximilian and his wife founded a Pauline monastery and had the Chuch of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary built on the monastery grounds in the village of Vranov, then in Moravia, now in the Czech Republic. A crypt in the church served as the burial site for members of the House of Liechtenstein until the burial property was seized after World War II by the Communist government of Czechoslovakia. Since then, both Czechoslovakia and the current Czech Republic have refused to return the property to the Princely Family of Liechtenstein.
Unofficial Royalty:  Karl I, Prince of Liechtenstein

February 12, 1689 – Death of Marie Louise of Orléans, first wife of King Carlos II of Spain, at the Royal Alcázar in Madrid, Spain; buried at the Monastery of San Lorenzo El Real in El Escorial, Spain
The daughter of Philippe I, Duke of Orléans and Henrietta of England, and the granddaughter of King Charles I of England and King Louis XIII of France, Marie Louise married Carlos II, King of Spain in 1679. Carlos II was from the House of Habsburg, which ruled over Austria, Spain, and their many territories, and was notorious for its inbreeding. Carlos suffered from physical and mental developmental disabilities. His very pronounced Habsburg jaw was so severe that he swallowed his food without thoroughly chewing. Marie Louise and Carlos’ childless marriage lasted ten years. After taking a ride on horseback, Marie Louise began to feel strong pain in her stomach. She died the next day, aged 26, on February 12, 1689, at the Royal Alcázar of Madrid in Spain. Although many reasons were considered as causes of Marie Louise’s death including poison, it is most likely that she died from appendicitis, a fatal infection until the mid-nineteenth century when the advent of anesthesia and new surgical techniques allowed for successful appendectomies.
Unofficial Royalty: Marie Louise of Orléans, Queen of Spain

February 12, 1712 – Death of Marie Adélaïde of Savoy, Duchess of Burgundy, wife of Louis, Duke of Burgundy, Le Petite Dauphin at the Palace of Versailles in Versailles, France; buried at the Basilica of St. Denis
Marie Adélaïde of Savoy was the wife of Louis, Duke of Burgundy, Le Petite Dauphin, and the mother of Louis XV, King of France. King Louis XIV outlived both his son Louis, Duke of Burgundy, Le Grand Dauphin and his grandson Louis, Duke of Burgundy, Le Petite Dauphin and was succeeded by his five-year-old great-grandson King Louis XV when he died in 1715. On February 12, 1712, at the Palace of Versailles, 26-year-old Marie Adélaïde died from measles. Her husband Louis dearly loved his wife and stayed by her side throughout her illness. He caught the disease and died six days after her death, on February 18, 1712, aged 29.
Unofficial Royalty: Marie Adélaïde of Savoy, Duchess of Burgundy

February 12, 1768 – Birth of Franz I, the last Holy Roman Emperor and the first Emperor of Austria, in Florence, Grand Duchy of Tuscany, now in Italy
Full name: Franz Joseph Karl
Franz was the son of Pietro Leopoldo I, Grand Duke of Tuscany (later Leopold II, Holy Roman Emperor) and Infanta Maria Luisa of Spain. Franz’s paternal grandparents were the formidable and powerful Empress Maria Theresa, who was in her own right Archduchess of Austria, Queen of Hungary, Queen of Croatia, and Queen of Bohemia, and Francis Stephen, Holy Roman Emperor, Grand Duke of Tuscany, and Duke of Lorraine. Even though her husband was the nominal Holy Roman Emperor, Maria Theresa wielded the real power. Franz married four times but only his second wife Maria Theresa of Naples and Sicily had children – a total of twelve children, before dying in childbirth. Upon the death of his father in 1794, Franz became Franz II, Holy Roman Emperor. During the Napoleonic Wars of the early 19th-century, Holy Roman Emperor Franz II feared that Napoleon could take over the personal, hereditary Habsburg lands within the Holy Roman Empire, so in 1804 he proclaimed himself Emperor Franz I of Austria. As it turned out, Franz’s move was a wise one because the Holy Roman Empire was dissolved in 1806.
Unofficial Royalty: Emperor Franz I of Austria

February 12, 1771 – Death of King Adolf Fredrik of Sweden at Stockholm Palace in Stockholm, Sweden; buried at Riddarholmen Church in Stockholm, Sweden
The first Swedish king of the House of Holstein-Gottorp, Adolf Frederik was born Prince Adolf Friedrich of Holstein-Gottorp. In 1743, after the Russo-Swedish War which ended in Sweden’s defeat, negotiations were held with Empress Elizabeth of Russia. She agreed to restore part of Finland to Sweden if her heir’s uncle Adolf Friedrich of Holstein-Gottorp was made heir to the childless King Frederik I of Sweden. Empress Elizabeth’s heir was Karl Peter Ulrich, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp (the ill-fated future Peter III, Emperor of All Russia), the only child of Elizabeth’s deceased sister. Thereafter, Adolf Friedrich was known by the Swedish version of his name, Adolf Frederik. In 1744, Adolf Frederik married Louisa Ulrika of Prussia and the couple had four children including two Kings of Sweden. Upon the death of King Frederik I of Sweden in 1751, Adolf Frederik succeeded to the Swedish throne. During his twenty-year reign, Adolf Fredrik had no real power. The Riksdag (Swedish Parliament) held the power. Adolf Fredrik tried to change this twice, unsuccessfully. At the age of 60, King Adolf Fredrik died on February 12, 1771, after eating an extremely large meal and then suffering a stroke. In Sweden, he is remembered as “the king who ate himself to death.”
Unofficial Royalty: King Adolf Fredrik of Sweden

February 12, 1929 – Death of Lillie Langtry, actress and mistress of the future King Edward VII of the United Kingdom while he was Prince of Wales, in Monaco; buried in her parents’ tomb at St. Saviour’s Church in Jersey, Channel Islands, a British Crown Dependency
Lillie Langtry was the mistress of the future King Edward VII (while he was Prince of Wales) from 1877-1880. A married socialite at the time, she later embarked on a career in the theatre, with the encouragement and support of the Prince. She also took several other lovers, including Prince Louis of Battenberg, the Prince of Wales’s future nephew-by-marriage, who possibly fathered her only child. Lillie remained in close contact with The Prince of Wales, and was an invited guest to his coronation, sitting alongside Sarah Bernhardt and Lady Randolph Churchill. She was also an invited guest to his funeral in 1910. Lillie, aged 75, died of pneumonia in Monaco in the early morning of February 12, 1929. Per her wishes, she was buried along with her parents at St. Saviour’s Church in Jersey.
Unofficial Royalty: Lillie Langtry, Actress and Mistress of King Edward VII of the United Kingdom

February 12, 1932 – Birth of Princess Astrid of Norway, daughter of King Olav V of Norway and sister of King Harald V of Norway, at Villa Solbakken in Oslo, Norway
Full name: Astrid Maud Ingeborg
After her father became King of Norway in 1957, Astrid served as Norway’s “First Lady”, accompanying her father on most of his official duties. King Olav had been a widower since 1954 when his wife Märtha of Sweden died. In 1961, Princess Astrid married Johan Martin Ferner. Because of her marriage to a commoner, she lost her style of Royal Highness (becoming just Highness) but remained a very active member of the Norwegian Royal Family. The couple had five children. In 2015, Johan Martin Ferner, Princess Astrid’s husband of nearly 53 years, passed away. Princess Astrid is still very much involved in the activities of the Norwegian Royal Family, attending most State functions, and serving as Royal Patron to many organizations. In addition, she is the Chairperson of the Crown Princess Märtha Memorial Fund, established in memory of her mother, which provides financial support to social and humanitarian initiatives carried out by non-governmental organizations.
Unofficial Royalty: Princess Astrid of Norway

February 12, 1948 – Death of Caroline Lacroix, mistress of Leopold II, King of the Belgians, in Cambo, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, France; buried at Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris, France
Caroline was the mistress of King Leopold II from 1900 until his death in 1909. She was just sixteen years old when their relationship began, while Leopold was nearly fifty years older. The couple had two sons. Caroline frequently accompanied Leopold II on his travels including accompanying him to London in 1901 for the funeral of his first cousin Queen Victoria. Sensing his impending death, on December 12, 1909, King Leopold II married Caroline in a religious ceremony  However, no civil ceremony was held, a requirement under Belgian law, and the marriage was not deemed legal. Five days later, King Leopold II died with Caroline and their two sons by his side. Seven months after Leopold II’s death, Caroline married her former lover Antoine-Emmanuel Durrieux who helped her negotiate through the financial arrangements left for her by Leopold II. Durrieux adopted her two sons but the marriage soon ended. Caroline then lived a more quiet life, often in the company of her elder son, and spending time at her various homes around Europe.
Unofficial Royalty: Caroline Lacroix, Mistress of Leopold II, King of the Belgians

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Elizabeth of York, Queen of England; Credit – Wikipedia

February 11, 1466 – Birth of Elizabeth of York, Queen of England, daughter of King Edward IV of England, wife of King Henry VII of England, mother of King Henry VIII of England at Westminster Palace in London, England
February 11, 1503 – Death of Elizabeth of York, Queen of England at the Tower of London in London, England due to childbirth complications; buried at Westminster Abbey in London, England
Elizabeth of York was the eldest child of King Edward IV of England and she holds a unique position in British royal history. She was the daughter of King Edward IV, the sister of King Edward V, the niece of King Richard III, the wife of King Henry VII, the mother of King Henry VIII, and the grandmother of King Edward VI, Queen Mary I, and Queen Elizabeth I. Her great-granddaughter was Mary, Queen of Scots whose son, King James VI of Scotland, succeeded Queen Elizabeth I as King James I of England. Through this line, the British royal family and other European royal families can trace their descent from Elizabeth of York. In 1486, Elizabeth married King Henry VII, the victorious Lancaster leader in the Wars of the Roses.  Their marriage united the House of York and the House of Lancaster into the new House of Tudor. Elizabeth and Henry VII had seven children including King Henry VIII and Margaret Tudor whose first husband was James IV, King of Scotland. On February 2, 1503, Elizabeth gave birth to her seventh child, Katherine. Shortly after giving birth, Elizabeth became ill with puerperal fever (childbed fever) and died on February 11, 1503, her 37th birthday. Henry VII was so shaken by her death that he went into seclusion and would only see his mother. Little Katherine died on February 18, 1503.
Unofficial Royalty: Elizabeth of York, Queen of England

February 11, 1816 – Death of Christiane Henriette of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld, Princess of Waldeck and Pyrmont, wife of Karl August, Prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont, in Arolsen, Principality of Waldeck and Pyrmont, now in Hesse, Germany; buried in the park of the New Castle at Arolsen
In 1741, Christiane Henriette married her first cousin, Karl August, the reigning Prince of Waldek-Pyrmont. The couple had seven children including two reigning Princes of Waldeck-Pyrmont. Through Christiane Henriette, her children were the first cousins of Grand Duke Ludwig II of Hesse and by Rhine, King Friedrich Wilhelm III of Prussia, Grand Duke Karl Friedrich of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, and King Ludwig I of Bavaria. When Karl August died in 1763, he was succeeded by his son Friedrich Karl August. Christiane Henriette served as Regent of the Principality of Waldeck-Pyrmont until Friedrich Karl August reached his majority. Christiane Henriette survived her husband by fifty-three years, dying on February 11, 1816, aged 90.
Unofficial Royalty: Christiane Henriette of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld, Princess of Waldeck and Pyrmont

February 11, 1901 – Death of King Milan I of Serbia in Vienna, Austria; buried at the Krušedol Monastery in Vojvodina, Serbia
Milan’s father was a member of the House of Obrenović which vied for control of Serbia, often violently, with the House of Karađorđević. In 1868, Milan’s childless uncle Mihailo Obrenović III, Sovereign Prince of Serbia was assassinated. Sympathizers of the House of Karađorđević were suspected of being behind the assassination. Fourteen-year-old Milan became the Sovereign Prince of Serbia. In 1882, the Principality of Serbia was elevated to the Kingdom of Serbia and so Milan became the first King of Serbia. In 1889, Milan suddenly abdicated the throne without any apparent reason and his twelve-year-old son Alexander became king. Milan lived in Paris, France until 1897 when he returned to Serbia. He became Commander-in-Chief of the Army, which he completely reformed and modernized. Milan and his wife strongly opposed his son’s marriage to Draga Mašin, a widow and a former lady-in-waiting to his mother, who was twelve years older than Alexander. Milan resigned his post as Commander-in-Chief of the Army and subsequently, King Alexander banished both his parents from Serbia. Milan eventually settled in Vienna, Austria where he died the next year on February 11, 1901, at the age of 46 from pneumonia. His son King Alexander I of Serbia and his wife Queen Draga were brutally assassinated in 1903 resulting in the extinction of the House of Obrenović.
Unofficial Royalty: King Milan I of Serbia

February 11, 1929 – Death of Prince Johann II of Liechtenstein at Valtice Castle in Czechoslovakia, now the Czech Republic; buried in the New Crypt of the Princely Mausoleum on the grounds of the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary in Vranov, near Brno, in the Czech Republic.
Johann, Prince II of Liechtenstein is one of the world’s longest-reigning monarchs. He reigned for 70 years, 91 days. In 1858, when Johann was eighteen years old, his father died and he became the Sovereign Prince of Liechtenstein. Johann led a solitary life. He was rather unsocial, did not participate in social events, and never married. He was an art connoisseur and added works to the princely collections but also donated artwork to museums. He also was generous in his support of science, culture, and charities for the needy, and for this support, he was given the nickname Johann the Good. Johann II, Prince of Liechtenstein died at the age of 88, on February 11, 1929. He was succeeded by his brother Franz, the youngest in the family who was thirteen years younger than Johann.
Unofficial Royalty: Prince Johann II of Liechtenstein

February 11, 1948 – Birth of Prince Katsura of Japan in Tokyo, Japan
Prince Katsura, the second son of Prince Mikasa and a first cousin of former Emperor Akihito, never married.  He was paralyzed from the waist down after suffering from a series of strokes in 1988 and used a wheelchair. Despite vision loss in his right eye, paralysis, and memory issues, he remained active in public life and was president of various charity organizations. Prince Katsura died from a massive heart attack on June 8, 2014, at the University of Tokyo Hospital at the age of 66.
Unofficial Royalty: Prince Katsura of Japan

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Henry Stewart, Lord Darnley, 2nd husband of Mary, Queen of Scots; Credit – Wikipedia

February 10, 1134 – Death of Robert III Curthose, Duke of Normandy, eldest son of William the Conqueror, at Cardiff Castle in Wales; buried at Gloucester Cathedral in England
Robert Curthose was the eldest son of King William I of England (the Conqueror). Despite being the eldest son, Robert did not follow his father upon the English throne. Robert’s nickname Curthose comes from the Norman French courtheuse, meaning “short stockings.” In 1087, King William I divided his lands between his two eldest surviving sons. Robert Curthose was to receive the Duchy of Normandy and William Rufus was to receive the Kingdom of England. Henry, the third son, was to receive 5,000 pounds of silver and his mother’s English estates but he did eventually succeed his childless brother William Rufus on the English throne as King Henry I. On his way back from the Crusades, Robert married a wealthy heiress Sybilla of Conversano in 1100 at the bride’s hometown of Apulia (now in Italy). Robert and Sybilla had one son. In 1105, King Henry I invaded Normandy and defeated Robert’s army at the Battle of Tinchebray on September 28, 1106.  Normandy remained a possession of the English crown for over a century. Robert was captured after the battle and spent the rest of his life imprisoned, first at Devizes Castle for twenty years and then at Cardiff Castle for the remainder of his life.  Robert Curthose lived into his eighties and died at Cardiff Castle on February 10, 1134.
Unofficial Royalty: Robert III Curthose, Duke of Normandy

February 10, 1567 – Death of Henry Stewart, Lord Darnley, second husband of Mary, Queen of Scots, when Kirk o’ Field, his house in Edinburgh, Scotland, blows up; buried at Holyrood Abbey in Edinburgh, Scotland
Lord Darnley was the second husband of Mary, Queen of Scots and the father of King James VI of Scotland/James I of England. Like his wife Mary, Queen of Scots, Darnley was the grandchild of Margaret Tudor (daughter of King Henry VII of England and the older sister of King Henry VIII of England). Darnley had claims to both the Scottish and English thrones as he was descended from both James II of Scotland and Henry VII of England. In 1565, Darnley and Mary, Queen of Scots were married. They had one child, the future James VI, King of Scots who succeeded to the English throne upon the death of Queen Elizabeth I as King James I of England. In 1565, while Mary was pregnant, Darnley, who was jealous of Mary’s friendship with her private secretary David Riccio, formed a conspiracy to do away with Riccio who was then murdered in Mary’s presence. Mary’s marriage was all but over and she began to be drawn to James Hepburn, 4th Earl of Bothwell. Bothwell entered into a conspiracy with Archibald Campbell, 5th Earl of Argyll and George Gordon, 5th Earl of Huntly to rid Mary of her husband. 1567, Kirk o’ Field, the house where Darnley was staying, was blown up. Darnley and his servant were found dead near the house in an orchard outside the city walls.
Unofficial Royalty: Henry Stewart, Lord Darnley, King Consort of Scotland

February 10, 1598 – Death of Anna of Austria, Queen of Sweden and Poland, first wife of King Sigismund III Vasa of Sweden and Poland, in Warsaw, Poland; buried at Wawel Cathedral in Kraków, Poland
In May 1592, Anna married Sigismund III Vasa, King of Poland. Anna and Sigmund had five children but only one, Ladislaus Vasa, who succeeded his father as King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania, survived childhood. On November 17, 1592, Sigismund’s father Johan III, King of Sweden, Grand Duke of Lithuania died and Sigismund was granted permission by the Polish legislature to claim his inheritance as the rightful King of Sweden. In 1594, Anna accompanied her husband to Sweden, where she and her husband were crowned King and Queen of Sweden. In 1598, Anna died due to birth complications during the birth of her sixth child, who also died.
Unofficial Royalty: Anna of Austria, Queen of Sweden and Poland

February 10, 1606 – Birth of Christine Marie of France, Duchess of Savoy, daughter of King Henri IV of France and wife of Vittorio Amadeo I, Duke of Savoy, at the Palais du Louvre in Paris, France
Christine was the daughter of King Henri IV of France and his second wife Marie de’ Medici. In 1619, on her 13th birthday, she married the future Vittorio Amadeo I, Duke of Savoy and they had seven children. Christine introduced French culture to the Savoy court and was quite active in the renovations of Savoy palaces and castles. Her sister Henrietta Maria had married King Charles I of England and the two sisters had a rivalry to see who had the more splendid court. Upon the death of her husband in 1637, Christine became Regent for her five-year-old son Francesco Giacinto, Duke of Savoy and when he died in 1638, she became Regent for her other son Carlo Emanuele II, Duke of Savoy. In later years, Christine had a religious conversion that radically transformed her from a life of pleasure to a life of extreme penitential practices. She died at the age of 57 and requested to be buried in the habit of a Discalced Carmelite nun.
United Kingdom: Christine Marie of France, Duchess of Savoy

February 10, 1723 – Death of Countess Eleonore Barbara Catharina von Thun-Hohenstein, wife of Anton Florian, Prince of Liechtenstein, in Vienna, Austria; buried in a crypt under the Pauline Church in Vienna, Austria
Eleonore Barbara married Anton Florian, the future sovereign Prince of Liechtenstein, and the couple had eleven children. Anton Florian  became Prince of Liechtenstein in 1718 but he died after a reign of only three years. Eleonore Barbara survived him by less than two years, dying at the age of 62 on February 10, 1723, in Vienna, Austria. She was buried in a crypt under the Pauline Church in Vienna, Austria. The crypt no longer exists and the tombs were not preserved.
Unofficial Royalty: Eleonore Barbara Catharina von Thun-Hohenstein, Princess of Liechtenstein

February 10, 1772 – Death of Prince Josef Wenzel Karl of Liechtenstein in Vienna, Austria; buried at Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, Brno, now in the Czech Republic
The great-grandnephew of Karl I, Prince of Liechtenstein, Josef Wenzel I, Prince of Liechtenstein reigned from 1712 – 1718, was the Regent of Liechtenstein from 1732 – 1745 and reigned again from 1748 – 1772.  In 1718, Josef Wenzel married his first cousin Princess Anna Maria Antonie of Liechtenstein. They had five children who all died in childhood. Josef Wenzel had a successful military career in the Imperial Army of the Holy Roman Empire. He also served as a diplomat for Holy Roman Emperor Karl VI. Josef Wenzel, Prince of Liechtenstein died on February 10, 1772, aged 75, in Vienna Austria. With no surviving sons, Josef Wenzel was succeeded by his nephew, the son of his brother Prince Emmanuel, as Franz Josef I, Prince of Liechtenstein.
Unofficial Royalty: Prince Josef Wenzel Karl of Liechtenstein

February 10, 1840 – Wedding of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom and Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha at the Chapel Royal in St. James’ Palace in London, England
First cousins Victoria and Albert met for the first time in 1836 when Albert and his elder brother Ernst visited England. Seventeen-year-old Victoria seemed instantly infatuated with Albert. She wrote to their uncle Leopold I, King of the Belgians, “How delighted I am with him, and how much I like him in every way. He possesses every quality that could be desired to make me perfectly happy.” In October 1839, Albert and Ernst again visited England, staying at Windsor Castle with Victoria, who was now Queen. On October 15, 1839, the 20-year-old monarch summoned her cousin Albert and proposed to him. Albert accepted, but wrote to his stepmother, “My future position will have its dark sides, and the sky will not always be blue and unclouded.” The couple was married in the Chapel Royal at St. James’ Palace on February 10, 1840, at 1 pm. Traditionally, royal weddings had taken place at night but this wedding was held during the day so the Queen’s subjects could see the couple as they traveled down The Mall from Buckingham Palace.
Unofficial Royalty: Wedding of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha

February 10, 1858 – Birth of Alice Heine, Princess of Monaco, American-born second wife of Prince Albert I of Monaco, in New Orleans, Louisiana
Alice Heine was the second wife of Prince Albert I of Monaco, and the first American woman to marry a reigning European sovereign. Her father Michel Heine was a French banker and businessman who came from a prominent German-Jewish banking family and established a bank in New Orleans, Louisiana. The family returned to France, and in 1875, Alice married Marie Odet Richard Armand de La Chapelle de Saint-Jean de Jumilhac, 7th Duke of Richelieu. Jewish by birth, Alice converted to Roman Catholicism prior to the marriage. The couple had two children. Upon her husband’s death in 1880, Alice became a wealthy young widow. She became one of the leading hostesses in European society and met the future Prince Albert I of Monaco. However, Albert’s father, Prince Charles III, would not permit them to marry. After the death of his father in 1889, Albert became the Sovereign Prince of Monaco and married Alice. The couple had no children. Eventually, Alice and Albert’s lack of mutual interests drove them apart. Alice had an affair with the composer Isidore de Lara. Although Albert had many affairs, he could not tolerate Alice’s affair. In 1901, at the opening of the opera, Albert publicly accused Alice of her affair and slapped her across the face. Alice left the opera immediately and left Monaco the next morning. Albert banned her from ever returning to Monaco. The couple was granted a legal separation in 1902 but never divorced. Alice settled at Claridge’s in London, England. While in London, she became a close friend of Queen Alexandra, wife of King Edward VII of the United Kingdom. Alice died in Paris, France at the age of 67.
Unofficial Royalty: Alice Heine, Princess of Monaco

February 10, 1859 – Death of Anna of Saxony, Hereditary Grand Duchess of Tuscany, first wife of Ferdinando IV, Grand Duke of Tuscany in Naples, Kingdom of the Two Sicilies; buried at the Basilica of San Lorenzo in Florence, Grand Duchy of Tuscany, now in Italy
Anna of Saxony was the daughter of Johann, King of Saxony. Anna’s father was a close friend of Leopoldo II, Grand Duke of Tuscany. The two families were linked by several marriages. A marriage between Anna and Leopoldo’s eldest son and heir Ferdinando, Hereditary Grand Duke of Tuscany was negotiated when the future bride and groom were still children. Anna and Ferdinando were married on November 24, 1856, and Anna gave birth to a daughter in 1858. On February 6, 1859, during a trip to Naples, Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, now in Italy, Anna miscarried a daughter due to typhoid fever. Four days later, Anna died at the age of twenty-three.
Unofficial Royalty: Anna of Saxony, Hereditary Grand Duchess of Tuscany

February 10, 1864 – Death of Antoinette de Mérode-Westerloo, Princess of Monaco, wife of Prince Charles III of Monaco, in Paris, France; buried at St. Nicholas Cathedral in Monaco
Antoinette was the daughter of daughters of Werner Jean-Baptiste Merode, Count of Merode, a Belgian politician from a Belgian noble family, and Countess Victoire de Spangen Uyterness. In 1846, on her 18th birthday, Antoinette married the 27-year-old future Charles III, Prince of Monaco, then the Hereditary Prince of Monaco and Marquis of Baux. Charles and Antoinette had one child, Albert I, Prince of Monaco. During her husband’s early reign, Charles had begun to lose his eyesight. He depended greatly on his wife Antoinette as his condition continued to worsen. in 1862, Antoinette was diagnosed with cancer, and she died on February 10, 1864, at the age of 35.
Unofficial Royalty: Antoinette de Mérode-Westerloo, Princess of Monaco

February 10, 1868 – Birth of Prince Waldemar of Prussia, grandson of Queen Victoria, at the Crown Prince’s Palace in Berlin, Kingdom of Prussia, now in Brandenburg, Germany
Full name: Joachim Friedrich Ernst Waldemar
Prince Waldemar was the son of Victoria, Princess Royal and Friedrich III, German Emperor. His birth came 20 months after the tragic death of his 21-month-old brother Sigismund from meningitis. Waldemar quickly took the place of his mother’s favorite son that had been held by his deceased brother Sigismund. Vicky hoped Waldemar would be everything that his elder brothers Wilhelm and Heinrich were not. Sadly, Waldemar died of diphtheria at age 11, three months after his maternal aunt Princess Alice and her daughter Princess May died from the same disease. A favorite royal story: During a visit to his grandmother Queen Victoria, Waldemar gave her quite a scare. Queen Victoria was working on some papers in her room and when she looked up she saw a small crocodile staring at her. Naturally, she screamed and all within hearing came running.  Waldemar had let Bob, his pet crocodile, out of his box.  In fits of laughter, Waldemar retrieved his crocodile, and order was restored.
Unofficial Royalty: Prince Waldemar of Prussia

February 10, 1872 – Death of Feodora of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, Duchess of Saxe-Meiningen, second wife of Georg II, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen, in Meiningen, Duchy of Saxe-Meiningen, now in Thuringia, Germany, from scarlet fever; buried in the Park Cemetery in Meiningen
Feodora was the youngest child of Ernst I, Prince of Hohenlohe-Langenburg and Princess Feodora of Leiningen, the half-sister of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom. Through her mother, she was the niece of Queen Victoria. In 1858, Feodora married the future Georg II, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen as his second wife. The marriage was primarily intended to find a mother for Georg’s children from his first marriage and was not a love match. Georg never got over the death of his first wife, with whom he shared many common interests. Feodora and Georg had three sons. Feodora died at the age of 33, from scarlet fever.
Unofficial Royalty: Feodora of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, Duchess of Saxe-Meiningen

February 10, 1886 – Birth of Princess Anna of Ysenburg and Büdingen, the second of the two wives of Leopold IV, Prince of Lippe, in Büdingen, then in the Grand Duchy of Hesse and by Rhine, now in the German state of Hesse
Anna was the second of the two wives of Leopold IV, the last Prince of Lippe. The couple had one son. Following the German Empire’s defeat in World War I 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. Anna and Leopold’s son Armin was head of the House of Lippe from 1949 until his death in 2015.
Unofficial Royalty: Anna of Ysenburg and Büdingen, Princess of Lippe

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Caroline Augusta of Bavaria, Empress of Austria; Credit – Wikipedia

February 9, 1670 – Death of King Frederik III of Denmark and Norway in Copenhagen, Denmark; buried at Roskilde Cathedral in Roskilde, Denmark
Frederik had an elder brother so he was not expected to become king. In 1643, he married Sophie Amalie of Brunswick-Lüneburg, and the couple had eight children. In 1647, Frederik’s 44-year-old childless elder brother Christian, Prince-Elect of Denmark and heir apparent to the Norwegian throne, died and his death opened up the possibility for Frederik to be elected heir apparent to the Danish throne. However, when King Christian IV died less than nine months later, Frederik had not yet been elected heir apparent to the Danish throne. After long deliberations between the Danish Estates and the Rigsraadet (royal council), he was finally elected King of Denmark. In 1660, Frederik III used his popularity to end the elective monarchy in favor of a hereditary, absolute monarchy in which the legislature was dissolved and the monarch ruled by decree. This lasted until 1849 when Denmark-Norway became a hereditary, constitutional monarchy. Frederik was an enthusiastic collector of books and his collection became the foundation for the Royal Library in Copenhagen which he founded in 1648. Frederik died at the age of 60, after three days of a painful illness, on February 9, 1670.
Unofficial Royalty: King Frederik III of Denmark and Norway

February 9, 1763 – Birth of Ludwig I, Grand Duke of Baden, in Karlsruhe, Grand Duchy of Baden, now in Baden-Württemberg, Germany
As the third son, there was little expectation that Ludwig would succeed to the throne. He pursued a military career from a young age, serving in the Prussian army. He succeeded his nephew Karl Ludwig Friedrich as Grand Duke of Baden in 1818. Ludwig promoted the development of the country and strengthened the military forces. He also established several universities and churches. Ludwig never married, but he did have several illegitimate children. He had a long relationship with Katharina Werner and this relationship resulted in three children. When Ludwig died in 1830 after suffering a stroke, he was succeeded by his half-brother, Leopold.
Unofficial Royalty: Ludwig I, Grand Duke of Baden

February 9, 1834 – Birth of Kamehameha IV, King of the Hawaiian Islands, in Honolulu on the island of Oahu in the Kingdom of the Hawaiian Islands, now in the state of Hawaii
Birth name: Alexander Liholiho ‘Iolanian

Unofficial Royalty: Kamehameha IV, King of the Hawaiian Islands (article coming soon)

February 9, 1873 – Death of Caroline Augusta of Bavaria, Empress of Austria, fourth wife of Emperor Franz I of Austria in Vienna, Austria; buried at the Imperial Crypt in Vienna, Austria
Caroline Augusta was the daughter of King Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria and his first wife Augusta Wilhelmine of Hesse-Darmstadt. In 1808, to prevent Napoleon from arranging a marriage for his heir Crown Prince Wilhelm, King Friedrich I of Württemberg arranged for a marriage of convenience between his son Wilhelm and 16-year-old Caroline Augusta of Bavaria. The marriage was never consummated and the couple lived apart in separate wings in the Royal Palace in Stuttgart, the capital of the Kingdom of Württemberg. After the fall of Napoleon, the marriage was dissolved. In 1816, Caroline Augusta became the fourth wife of the thrice-widowed Franz I, Emperor of Austria. The couple had no children but Caroline was the stepmother to Franz’s numerous children from his second marriage to Maria Theresa of Naples and Sicily. Caroline Augusta devoted herself to charitable activities. Through her efforts, child-care institutions, hospitals, and homes for workers were built. After her husband, Emperor Franz I of Austria died in 1835, Caroline Augusta lived in Salzburg to stay out of the way of her half-sister Sophie who had married Franz’s son Archduke Franz Karl in 1824. Emperor Franz I had been succeeded by his son Ferdinand who abdicated in 1848. At that time, Archduke Franz Karl was persuaded to renounce his succession rights in favor of his eldest son Franz Joseph, who reigned from 1847 – 1916. Caroline Augusta was on good terms with Franz Joseph, who was her nephew, and his wife Elisabeth of Bavaria (Sissi) who was her niece. Caroline Augusta died on February 9, 1873, a day after her 81st birthday.
Unofficial Royalty: Caroline Augusta of Bavaria, Empress of Austria

February 9, 1977 – Death of Queen Alia of Jordan, third wife of King Hussein I of Jordan, in a helicopter crash in Amman, Jordan; first interred at the Royal Cemetery at Al-Maquar in Amman, Jordan, in 1980 was reinterred in a mausoleum King Hussein built on a hill outside of Amman
Queen Alia was the third of the four wives of King Hussein I of Jordan. Her father Baha Ad-Din Touqan served as Jordan’s first ambassador to the United Nations and as Jordanian ambassador to the United Kingdom, Italy, Turkey, and Egypt. In 1972, Alia married King Hussein I of Jordan. The couple had two children (Princess Haya and Prince Ali) and one adopted daughter Abir Muhaisen. On February 9, 1977, Queen Alia was killed in a helicopter crash in Amman. She was returning from a trip to Tafileh, about 140 miles south of Amman, where she was inspecting a hospital after reading negative reports about it in the media. Flying in a violent rainstorm, the military helicopter crashed and all aboard were killed.
Unofficial Royalty: Queen Alia al-Hussein

February 9, 2002 – Death of Princess Margaret of the United Kingdom, daughter of King George VI of the United Kingdom, sister of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, at King Edward VII Hospital in London, England; cremated, ashes buried at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle in Windsor, England
Princess Margaret was the second daughter of King George VI of the United Kingdom and the younger sister of Queen Elizabeth II. Margaret fell in love with Group Captain Peter Townsend, Comptroller of her mother’s household Townsend,  a former equerry to the late King George VI, and a former Deputy Master of the Household. Townsend proposed and Margaret accepted. At the time, the Church of England would not sanction the marriage of a divorced person. Eventually, Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, advised Queen Elizabeth II that Parliament would not approve the marriage unless Margaret was to relinquish her rights to the throne and her royal position. On October 31, 1955, Margaret issued a statement in which she announced that she would not be marrying Group Captain Townsend. She chose to put her royal role and duties ahead of her personal happiness. In 1960, Margaret married photographer Antony Armstrong-Jones who was created Earl of Snowdon and Viscount Linley the following year. The couple had two children and divorced in 1978. Having suffered from ill health for many years, Princess Margaret made her last public appearance at the 100th birthday celebration for her aunt, Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester in December 2001. In a wheelchair for several years, she suffered several strokes which left her a shell of her former self. On February 9, 2002, Princess Margaret passed away at King Edward VII Hospital in London, England having suffered another stroke.
Unofficial Royalty: Princess Margaret of the United Kingdom
Unofficial Royalty: In Memoriam – The Princess Margaret (1930-2002)

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Mary, Queen of Scots; Credit – Wikipedia

February 8, 1587 – Execution of Mary, Queen of Scots at Fotheringay Castle in Northamptonshire, England; buried first at Peterborough Cathedral in Peterborough, England, moved to Westminster Abbey in London, England by her son King James I of England
The only surviving child of James  V, King of Scots and Marie of Guise, Mary became Queen of Scots when she was six days old, upon the death of her father at the age of 30. Her father was the son of James IV, King of Scots and Margaret Tudor, eldest daughter of King Henry VII of England. Mary married three times, to King François II of France, her first cousin Henry Stuart Darnley, and James Hepburn, 4th Earl of Bothwell. She had her only child, James VI, King of Scots, with her second husband Lord Darnley. James VI succeeded the childless Queen Elizabeth I of England. Through her son, Mary, Queen of Scots is the ancestor of the current British royal family and many other European royal families. Following an uprising, Mary was forced to abdicate in favor of her one-year-old son. After an unsuccessful attempt to regain the throne, she fled to England seeking the protection of her first cousin once removed Queen Elizabeth I. Mary had once claimed the English throne and was considered the legitimate sovereign of England by many English Catholics. Elizabeth had confined Mary in various castles and manor houses in England. After eighteen and a half years in captivity, Mary was found guilty of plotting to assassinate Elizabeth in 1586 and was beheaded the following year at Fotheringhay Castle.
Unofficial Royalty: Execution of Mary, Queen of Scots
Unofficial Royalty: Mary, Queen of Scots

February 8, 1676 – Death of Alexei I, Tsar of All Russia in Moscow, Russia; buried at the Cathedral of the Archangel in the Moscow Kremlin
Alexei was the son of the first Romanov ruler, Michael I, Tsar of All Russia. Sixteen-year-old Alexei succeeded his father upon his death in 1645. In 1648, Alexei married Maria Ilyinichna Miloslavskaya. They had thirteen children including Feodor III, Tsar of All Russia and Ivan V, Tsar of All Russia. In 1669, Alexei’s wife Maria Ilyinichna Miloslavskaya died due to childbirth complications. Alexei’s only surviving sons were the future Tsars, Feodor III, who was disabled by an unknown disease that left him disfigured and partially paralyzed, and Ivan V, who had serious physical and mental disabilities. Alexei married again to Natalya Kirillovna Naryshkina and hoped his second marriage would give him a healthy son, and it did, Peter I the Great, Emperor of All Russia. On February 8, 1676, five years after marrying Natalya Kiillovna, Alexei I, Tsar of All Russia died of a heart attack at the age of 46. Coincidentally, two of Alexei’s sons Ivan V and Peter I also died on February 8.
Unofficial Royalty: Alexei I, Tsar of All Russia

February 8, 1696 – Death of Ivan V, Tsar of All Russia in Moscow; buried at the Cathedral of the Archangel in Moscow, Russia
After the death of their elder half-brother Feodor III, Tsar of All Russia, who was disabled by an unknown disease that left him disfigured and partially paralyzed, Ivan and his younger half-brother Peter I (the Great) were co-rulers of Russia. From childhood, Ivan had serious physical and mental disabilities which may have been caused by Down’s Syndrome or a consequence of a disease. 1684, Ivan married Praskovia Feodorovna Saltykova. They had five daughters including Anna Ivanovna, Empress of All Russia. In 1689, 17-year-old Peter overthrew his elder half-sister Sophia Alexeievna who was ruling as Regent. Peter I and Ivan V continued as co-rulers. With Ivan being both incapable and disinterested, Peter functioned as though he were the only Tsar, and eventually Ivan became a non-entity in the Russian court. For the last decade of his life, Ivan spent his days with his wife fasting and praying and was completely overshadowed by Peter. By the age of 27, Ivan was senile, paralyzed, and almost blind. He died February 8, 1696, at the age of 29, 
Unofficial Royalty: Ivan V, Tsar of All Russia

February 8, 1725 – Death of Peter I (the Great), Emperor of All Russia in St. Petersburg, Russia; buried at the Peter and Paul Cathedral in St. Petersburg, Russia
After the death of their elder half-brother Feodor III, Tsar of All Russia, who was disabled by an unknown disease that left him disfigured and partially paralyzed, Peter and his older half-brother Ivan, who had serious physical and mental disabilities, were co-rulers of Russia. Peter married twice to Eudoxia Feodorovna Lopukhina and then to Marta Samuilovna Skavronskaya, later Catherine I, Empress of All Russia. Peter had fourteen children but only three survived to adulthood including Elizabeth, Empress of All Russia. Upon his half-brother’s death in 1696, Peter assumed complete authority. Peter is perhaps the greatest Romanov ruler. He is known for his modernization reforms and the founding of the city of St. Petersburg. Peter was interested in seafaring and maritime affairs, and he wanted Russia to have a seaport to be able to trade with other maritime nations. He needed a better seaport than Arkhangelsk, which was on the White Sea to the north and closed to shipping during the winter. Previously titled Tsar of All Russia, Peter was officially proclaimed Emperor of All Russia in 1721. During the last two years of his life, Peter suffered from urinary tract problems. In the summer of 1724, doctors performed surgery that released four pounds of blocked urine and Peter remained bedridden until late autumn. On February 8, 1725, Peter I (the Great), Emperor of All Russia died at the age of 52 from a bladder infection.
Unofficial Royalty: Peter I (the Great), Emperor of All Russia

February 8, 1772 – Death of Augusta of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg, Dowager Princess of Wales, wife of Frederick, Prince of Wales and mother of King George III of the United Kingdom, at Carlton House in London, England; buried at Westminster Abbey in London, England
In 1736, at the age of 16, and still very young for her age, clutching a doll, and knowing no English, Augusta arrived in England for her marriage to Frederick, Prince of Wales, the son of King George II of Great Britain. Frederick and Augusta had nine children including King George III who succeeded his grandfather King George II, and Caroline Matilda, Queen Consort of Denmark whose marriage was a tragic story. In 1751, Augusta’s husband died at the age of 44. At the time of Frederick’s death, his 32-year-old widow was pregnant with her ninth child. Augusta spent her years as a widow raising her nine children and improving the gardens at Kew Palace, which today are a world-class botanical garden. Her eldest son George succeeded his grandfather as king in 1760. Augusta died of cancer of the throat in 1772, at the age of 52.
Unofficial Royalty: Augusta of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg, Princess of Wales

February 8, 1792 – Birth of Caroline Augusta of Bavaria, Empress of Austria, fourth wife of Emperor Franz I of Austria, at Mannheim, Electorate of the Palatinate, now in Baden-Württemberg, Germany
Caroline Augusta was the daughter of King Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria and his first wife Augusta Wilhelmine of Hesse-Darmstadt. In 1808, to prevent Napoleon from arranging a marriage for his heir Crown Prince Wilhelm, King Friedrich I of Württemberg arranged for a marriage of convenience between his son Wilhelm and 16-year-old Caroline Augusta of Bavaria. The marriage was never consummated and the couple lived apart in separate wings in the Royal Palace in Stuttgart, the capital of the Kingdom of Württemberg. After the fall of Napoleon, the marriage was dissolved. In 1816, Caroline Augusta became the fourth wife of the thrice-widowed Franz I, Emperor of Austria. The couple had no children but Caroline was the stepmother to Franz’s numerous children from his second marriage to Maria Theresa of Naples and Sicily. Caroline Augusta devoted herself to charitable activities. Through her efforts, child-care institutions, hospitals, and homes for workers were built. After her husband, Emperor Franz I of Austria died in 1835, Caroline Augusta lived in Salzburg to stay out of the way of her half-sister Sophie who had married Franz’s son Archduke Franz Karl in 1824. Emperor Franz I had been succeeded by his son Ferdinand who abdicated in 1848. At that time, Archduke Franz Karl was persuaded to renounce his succession rights in favor of his eldest son Franz Joseph, who reigned from 1847 – 1916. Caroline Augusta was on good terms with Franz Joseph, who was her nephew and his wife Elisabeth of Bavaria (Sissi) who was her niece.
Unofficial Royalty: Caroline Augusta of Bavaria, Empress of Austria

February 8, 1857 – Birth of Elisabeth Anna of Prussia, Hereditary Grand Duchess of Oldenburg, first wife of Friedrich August II, Grand Duke of Oldenburg, in Potsdam, Kingdom of Prussia, now in Brandenburg, Germany
In 1878, Elisabeth Anna married the future Friedrich August II, Grand Duke of Oldenburg but she died before he became Grand Duke.  The couple was married in a double wedding, along with Princess Charlotte of Prussia and Bernhard, Hereditary Prince of Saxe-Meiningen. Elisabeth Anne and Friedrich had two daughters.
Unofficial Royalty: Elisabeth Anna of Prussia, Hereditary Grand Duchess of Oldenburg

February 8, 1865 – Death of Emma Portman, Baroness Portman, Lady of the Bedchamber to Queen Victoria
Born Emma Lascelles, daughter of Henry Lascelles, 2nd Earl of Harewood, she married Edward Portman, Baron Portman. She served as Lady of the Bedchamber to Queen Victoria from 1837 to 1851. Like several of the other ladies at court, Emma became involved in the Flora Hastings scandal, spreading the gossip that Lady Flora was pregnant by Sir John Conroy, the Comptroller and Private Secretary to Queen Victoria’s mother The Duchess of Kent. After it was discovered to be untrue, and in fact Lady Flora was suffering from cancer, Emma and the others saw their reputations tarnished greatly. However, Emma weathered the storm and remained a close confidante to Queen Victoria. She stepped down from service in 1851 but was appointed an Extra Lady of the Bedchamber and held that role until her death. Emma Portman, Baroness Portman died on February 8, 1865. The Queen recorded the death in her journal, expressing her shock and sadness at the loss of her friend.
Unofficial Royalty: Emma Portman, Baroness Portman

February 8, 1938 – Death of Prince Nicholas of Greece, son of King George I of Greece, at the Hotel Grande Bretagne in Athens, Greece; buried at the Royal Cemetery, Tatoi Palace, Greece
In 1902, Nicholas married his second cousin Grand Duchess Elena Vladimirovna of Russia, the daughter of Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich of Russia (a son of Alexander II, Emperor of All Russia) and Marie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. Nicholas and Elena had three daughters including Princess Marina who married Prince George, Duke of Kent. Because of the political situation in Greece, members of the Greek royal family, including Nicholas and his wife, were often in exile. The Greek monarchy was restored in 1935, and the following year, Nicholas and Elena returned to Greece. Having suffered from declining health for several years, Prince Nicholas died in 1938 due to atherosclerosis.
Unofficial Royalty: Prince Nicholas of Greece

February 8, 1952 – Death of Hilda of Nassau, Grand Duchess of Baden, daughter of Grand Duke Adolphe of Luxembourg, wife of Grand Duke Friedrich II of Baden, in Badenweiler Baden-Württemberg, Germany; buried in the Grand Ducal Chapel in the Pheasant Garden in Karlsruhe, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
Hilda was the daughter of Adolphe, Duke of Nassau (later Grand Duke of Luxembourg) and Adelheid-Marie of Anhalt-Dessau. In 1885, she married the future and the last Grand Duke Friedrich II of Baden. The couple had no children. As Grand Duchess of Baden, Hilda was a keen supporter of the arts. She often visited museums and exhibitions and helped to promote the arts throughout Baden. She also promoted education and several schools were named in her honor. Hilda’s husband was deposed and forced to abdicate when the German Empire came to an end in November 1918. Hilda and her husband then lived at their home on the island of Mainau in Lake Constance in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Hilda was widowed in 1928 and spent the remainder of her life living quietly in Mainau and the surrounding areas. She died on February 8, 1952, at the age of 87.
Unofficial Royalty: Hilda of Nassau, Grand Duchess of Baden

February 8, 1980 – Death of Anna of Ysenburg and Büdingen, Princess of Lippe, second wife of Leopold IV, Prince of Lippe, in Detmold, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany; buried at Christ Church in Detmold
Anna was the second of the two wives of Leopold IV, the last Prince of Lippe. The couple had one son. Following the German Empire’s defeat in World War I 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. Anna’s husband Leopold died, aged 78, on December 30, 1949. Anna survived him by thirty-one years, dying on February 8, 1980, in Detmold at the age of 94.
Unofficial Royalty: Anna of Ysenburg and Büdingen, Princess of Lippe

February 8, 1983 – Birth of Crown Princess Elia of Albania, wife of Crown Prince Leka II, pretender to the throne of Albania, born Elia Zaharia in Tirana, Albania
Crown Princess Elia, the wife of Crown Prince Leka II of the Albanians, the current pretender to the former Albanian throne, was born Elia Zaharia, the daughter of Gjergj Zaharia, a school teacher and principal, and Yllka Mujo, a well-known Albanian actress. Elia and Crown Prince Leka II were married in a civil ceremony held at the Royal Palace in Tirana, Albania on October 8, 2016. A religious blessing from all the country’s religious leaders followed. The wedding was attended by numerous members of foreign noble and royal families. On January 16, 2024, it was announced that Crown Prince Leka and Crown Princess Elia were ending their marriage.
Unofficial Royalty: Crown Princess Elia of Albania

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© 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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