February 6: Today in Royal History

© Unofficial Royalty 2024

King Charles II of England; Credit – Wikipedia

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Keōpūolani, Queen Consort of the Hawaiian Islands

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2024

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

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

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

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

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An illustration of Keōpūolani and her retinue from 1855 book The Christian Queen; Credit – Wikipedia

Keōpūolani was the highest-ranking wife of Kamehameha I the Great, King of the Hawaiian Islands. She was born around 1778, in Pāpōhaku, near present-day Wailuku, on the island of Maui. Keōpūolani was the daughter of Kīwalaʻō, the aliʻi nui (supreme monarch or chief) of the island of Hawaii, and Kekuʻiapoiwa Liliha, half-sister of Kamehameha I. In July 1782, Keōpūolani’s father Kiwalao was overthrown and killed at the Battle of Mokuʻōhai. This was the first step toward Kamehameha I’s domination over all the Hawaiian Islands.

Kamehameha I the Great, King of the Hawaiian Islands, 1816; Credit – Wikipedia

Keōpūolani and Kamehameha I were married in 1795. Their marriage linked the House of Kamehameha to the ruling house of Maui and the old ruling house of Hawaii. Kamehameha I had many wives and many children. The exact number is debated because documents that recorded the names of his wives were destroyed. While he had many wives and children, only his children from his highest-ranking wife Keōpūolani succeeded him to the throne. Keōpūolani had eleven children, all but three died young. Kamehameha I was about twenty years older than Keōpūolani. Because of the large age difference, Kamehameha I called his children with Keōpūolani his grandchildren. (Note: Unofficial Royalty articles are coming for Kamehameha II and Kamehameha III.)

Kamehameha I, King of the Hawaiian Islands died on May 14, 1819. His eldest son with Keōpūolani, Liholiho, succeeded as Kamehameha II, King of the Hawaiian Islands. After the death of Kamehameha I, Keōpūolani married Hoapili, a close friend and advisor of Kamehameha I.

Keōpūolani played an important role in the ʻAi Noa, the elimination of the Hawaiian kapu system in 1819. Kapu was the ancient Hawaiian code of conduct of laws and regulations governing lifestyle, gender roles, politics, and religion. After the elimintion of the kapu system, women were allowed to eat formerly forbidden food and to eat with men, the priests no longer offered human sacrifices, and the many prohibitions surrounding the high chiefs were relaxed. In 1820, Christian missionaries came to the Hawaiian Islands and Keōpūolani and her second husband Hoapili were among the first of the Hawaiian nobles to convert to Christianity. Keōpūolani then wore Western clothing and learned to read and write. She made a public declaration that the custom of taking multiple spouses by royalty would end and the Christian practice of monogamy would be followed.

In August 1823, Keōpūolani became ill and her condition quickly worsened. Many chiefs visited her to pay their respects. When William Pitt Kalanimoku, a High Chief who functioned as the prime minister of the Hawaiian Kingdom, arrived to pay her respects, Keōpūolani told him: “Jehovah is a good God. I love him and I love Jesus Christ. I have given myself to him to be his. When I die, let none of the evil customs of this country be practiced. Let not my body be disturbed. Let it be put in a coffin. Let the teachers attend, and speak to the people at my interment. Let me be buried, and let my burial be after the manner of Christ’s people. I think very much of my grandfather, Kalaniopuʻu, and my father Kiwalaʻo, and my husband Kamehameha, and all my deceased relatives. They lived not to see these good times, and to hear of Jesus Christ. They died depending on false gods. I exceedingly mourn and lament on account of them, for they saw not these good times.”

Keōpūolani had not yet been baptized and wished to do so before she died. English missionary William Ellis, who was fluent in Hawaiian, conducted the baptism in Hawaiian so all could understand. Keōpūolani’s son Kamehameha II, King of the Hawaiian Islands and all the assembled family and nobles listened to Ellis. When they saw that she was baptized with holy water in the name of God, they said that she was no longer one of them and that they believed she was God’s and would go to dwell with him. Keōpūolani stated that she wanted her eight-year-old daughter Princess Nāhienaena to be raised as a Christian and so she was also baptized too. Keōpūolani and her daughter took their Christian name Harriet after Harriet Stewart, the wife of missionary Charles Stewart. An hour later in the early evening of September 16, 1823, 45-year-old Keōpūolani died at Hale Kamani, her home on the beach in Lahaina, on the island of Maui.

The funeral procession of Keōpūolani by missionary William Ellis who baptized Keōpūolani (1823); Credit – Wikipedia

After a large public funeral on September 18, 1823, Keōpūolani was buried at her home Hale Kamani in Lahaina, Maui. In 1837, her second son King Kamehameha III transferred her remains to the sacred island of Mokuʻula in Lahaina, Maui. Later her remains were reburied at the Christian cemetery at Waiola Church in Lahaina, Maui along with her daughter, her second husband, and other royal family members.

The royal cemetery at at Waiola Church in Lahaina, Maui; Credit – Wikipedia

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • Flantzer, Susan. (2024). Kamehameha I the Great, King of the Hawaiian Islands. Unofficial Royalty. https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/kamehameha-i-the-great-king-of-the-hawaiian-islands/
  • Kamehameha I. Royal Family Hawaii. https://www.crownofhawaii.com/kamehameha-i
  • U.S. Department of the Interior. Kamehameha the Great. National Parks Service. https://www.nps.gov/puhe/learn/historyculture/kamehameha.htm
  • Wikimedia Foundation. (2023). Hawaiian Kingdom. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawaiian_Kingdom
  • Wikimedia Foundation. (2023). Kamehameha I. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kamehameha_I
  • Wikimedia Foundation. (2023c, August 16). Keōpūolani. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ke%C5%8Dp%C5%ABolani
  • Young, Peter T. (2022). Hawaiian Woods – Hawaiian Royal Residences. Images of Old Hawaiʻi. https://imagesofoldhawaii.com/hawaiian-woods-hawaiian-royal-residences/

Breaking News: King Charles III has been diagnosed with cancer

Credit – Wikipedia

Buckingham Palace has announced that King Charles III has been diagnosed with “a form of  cancer.” Check our daily (except for Saturdays) Royal News Recap for more news on this.

The statement read:

During The King’s recent hospital procedure for benign prostate enlargement, a separate issue of concern was noted. Subsequent diagnostic tests have identified a form of cancer. His Majesty has today commenced a schedule of regular treatments, during which time he has been advised by doctors to postpone public-facing duties. Throughout this period, His Majesty will continue to undertake State business and official paperwork as usual. The King is grateful to his medical team for their swift intervention, which was made possible thanks to his recent hospital procedure. He remains wholly positive about his treatment and looks forward to returning to full public duty as soon as possible.

February 5: Today in History

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

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

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

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

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

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

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Royal Birthdays & Anniversaries: February 4 – February 10

© Unofficial Royalty 2024

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

Queen Mary of Denmark; Credit – Wikipedia

52nd birthday of Queen Mary of Denmark, wife of King Frederik X of Denmark; born Mary Elizabeth Donaldson in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia on February 5, 1972
Unofficial Royalty: Queen Mary of Denmark

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Crown Prince Jigme Namgyel Wangchuck on the left, with his family; Credit – Facebook page of King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck of Bhutan

8th birthday of Crown Prince Jigme Namgyel Wangchuck, son of Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, King of Bhutan, born at the Lingkana Palace in Thimphu, Bhutan on February 5, 2016
Unofficial Royalty: Jigme Namgyel Wangchuck, Crown Prince of Bhutan

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Princess Marie of Denmark; Photo Credit – Wikipedia

48th birthday of Princess Marie of Denmark, second wife of Prince Joachim of Denmark, born Marie Agathe Odile Cavallier in Paris, France on February 6, 1976
Unofficial Royalty: Princess Marie of Denmark

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Princess Marie-Astrid of Luxembourg and Archduke Carl Christian of Austria; Photo Credit – Royal Order of Sartorial Splendor

42nd wedding anniversary of Princess Marie-Astrid of Luxembourg and Archduke Carl Christian of Austria; married at the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Luxembourg City, Luxembourg on February 6, 1982
Unofficial Royalty: Princess Marie-Astrid of Luxembourg
Unofficial Royalty: Archduke Carl Christian of Austria

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Embed from Getty Images

38th birthday of Princess Raiyah Bint Al-Hussein of Jordan, daughter of King Hussein of Jordan and his fourth wife Queen Noor; born in Amman, Jordan on February 9, 1986
Wikipedia: Princess Raiyah Bint Al-Hussein of Jordan

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February 4: Today in Royal History

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

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

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

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

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

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Robert FitzRoy, 1st Earl of Gloucester, Illegitimate Son of King Henry I of England

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2024

1840 drawing of Robert’s effigy in St James’ Priory, Bristol; Credit – Wikipedia

Born circa the late 1080s-1095, Robert FitzRoy, 1st Earl of Gloucester was an illegitimate son of King Henry I of England. His paternal grandparents were King William I of England (the Conqueror) and Matilda of Flanders. Robert was the half-brother of Empress Matilda, Lady of the English (sometimes called Maud or Maude), King Henry I’s only legitimate surviving child, and was her chief military supporter during the long civil war (1135 – 1153) known as The Anarchy, when Matilda unsuccessfully battled with her first cousin Stephen of Blois for the throne of England.

King Henry I of England, the father of Robert FitzRoy, Earl of Gloucester; Credit – Wikipedia

Robert FitzRoy, Earl of Gloucester was probably the eldest of his father’s many illegitimate children and King Henry I recognized him as his son at birth. He was probably born in Caen, then in the Duchy of Normandy, a possession of the English crown, now in France, before his father became King of England in 1100, during the reign of either his paternal grandfather King William I (the Conqueror) or his paternal uncle King William II Rufus. The identity of Robert’s mother is uncertain. Robert’s mother may have been an unknown woman from Caen, Duchy of Normandy. Robert was educated by Robert Bloet, Bishop of Lincoln who educated many noblemen, including illegitimate children of King Henry I. Robert spoke Latin, was interested in philosophy and history, and as an adult, was an active patron of science and art in England. Contemporary chroniclers Geoffrey of Monmouth and William of Malmesbury both dedicated some of their works to Robert.

King Henry I holds the record for the British monarch with the most illegitimate children, 25 or so illegitimate children who were Robert’s half-siblings.

Robert had two royal half-siblings from her father’s marriage with Matilda of Scotland:

Robert and his wife Mabel holding churches or abbeys which they founded or were benefactors of; Credit – Wikipedia

Robert married Mabel FitzRobert (circa 1100 – 1157), the daughter of Robert FitzHamon, Lord of Gloucester and Glamorgan and Sybil de Montgomery. Mabel was the eldest of her father’s four children, all daughters, and because her three younger sisters became nuns, she was the sole heir to her father’s titles and vast estates in England, Wales, and Normandy upon his death in 1107.

Robert and Mabel had at least eight children:

During the latter part of his father’s reign, Robert was the recognized leader of the Welsh border barons and of Norman expansion in southern Wales. His Lordship of Glamorgan which came from his wife, became a model for the economic and political organization of Anglo-Norman possessions in the conquered territories. However, in 1120 an event occurred that would affect the succession to the English throne and have an impact on many people, including Robert – the sinking of the White Ship.

The Sinking of the White Ship; Credit – Wikipedia

Because the Kings of England still held the Duchy of Normandy (now in France) and were Dukes of Normandy, they were often in Normandy, and this was the case in November 1120. After the successful military campaign in which King Henry I of England had defeated King Louis VI of France at the Battle of Brémule, the English were finally preparing to return to England. King Henry I was offered the White Ship for his return to England, but he had already made other arrangements. Instead, King Henry I suggested that his only son and heir William Ætheling, Duke of Normandy sail on the White Ship along with his retinue which included William Ætheling ’s illegitimate half-brother Richard of Lincoln, William Ætheling’s illegitimate half-sister Matilda FitzRoy, Countess of Perche and many of the heirs of the great estates of England and Normandy. Unfortunately, the White Ship hit a submerged rock and capsized. William Ætheling’s bodyguard quickly got the heir to the throne into the safety of a dinghy. However, William Ætheling heard the screams of his half-sister Matilda, Countess of Perche and ordered the dinghy to turn back to rescue her. At this point, the White Ship began to sink and the many people in the water desperately sought the safety of William Ætheling ’s dinghy. The chaos and the weight were too much causing William Ætheling’s dinghy to capsize and sink without a trace. The tragedy of the White Ship resulted in King Henry I losing his only legitimate son and heir and two of his illegitimate children. All three were half-siblings of Robert FitzRoy, Earl of Gloucester. The contemporary chronicler Orderic Vitalis claimed that only two people survived the shipwreck by clinging to a rock all night.

Robert’s half sister Empress Matilda; Credit – Wikipedia

Although King Henry I had many illegitimate children, the tragedy of the White Ship left him with only one legitimate child, his daughter Matilda. King Henry I’s nephews were the closest male heirs. In 1118, King Henry I’s first wife Matilda of Scotland died, aged 38. In January 1121, King Henry I married for a second time to Adeliza of Louvain, hoping for sons, but the marriage remained childless. King Henry I’s daughter 12-year-old daughter Matilda married 23-year-old Heinrich V, Holy Roman Emperor in 1114. The couple had no children, and Heinrich died from cancer on May 23, 1125, at the age of 44, leaving Matilda as a 23-year-old childless widow with the choice of becoming a nun or remarrying. Some offers of marriage started to arrive but Matilda chose to return to her father’s court.

In 1126, King Henry I arranged for his daughter Matilda to marry Geoffrey of Anjou, eldest son of Fulk V, Count of Anjou. Matilda was quite unhappy about the marriage. She was eleven years older than Geoffrey and marriage to a future mere Count would diminish her status as the widow of an Emperor. Nevertheless, the couple was married on June 17, 1128. 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. In 1129, her husband became Geoffrey V, Count of Anjou when his father left for the Holy Land where he was to become King of Jerusalem. Matilda and Geoffrey had three sons including the future King Henry II of England.

King Henry I’s choice of a successor fell to his daughter Matilda and her successors. On Christmas Day 1126, King Henry I gathered his nobles at Westminster where they swore to recognize Matilda and any future legitimate heirs she might have as his successors. Robert FitzRoy, Earl of Gloucester did homage to his half-sister Matilda, recognizing her as his father’s successor in the kingdom. However, King Henry I’s plan did not work out.

King Stephen of England; Credit – Wikipedia

On December 1, 1135, King Henry I of England died. His nephew Stephen of Blois, the son of King Henry I’s sister Adela of Normandy and Stephen II, Count of Blois, quickly crossed the English Channel, arriving in England accompanied by his military household. With the help of his brother Henry of Blois, Bishop of Winchester, Stephen seized power in England and was crowned King Stephen of England on December 22, 1135, at Westminster Abbey in London. Empress Matilda did not give up her claim to England and Normandy, leading to the long, brutal civil war known as The Anarchy between 1135 and 1153, known as “When Christ and His Saints Slept”.

Matilda’s husband Geoffrey Plantagenet, Count of Anjou; Credit – Wikipedia

For the first few years after the death of his father King Henry I and the usurpation of the crown by his first cousin King Stephen, Robert FitzRoy, Earl of Gloucester was an inactive spectator of the struggle between his half-sister Matilda and his first cousin Stephen for the English throne. In June 1138, Matilda’s husband Geoffrey Plantagenet, Count of Anjou persuaded Robert to join the faction opposing King Stephen. Robert rebelled against King Stephen, starting the beginnings of civil war in England. Meanwhile, Matilda’s husband Geoffrey took advantage of the situation by invading Normandy. Matilda’s maternal uncle King David I of Scotland invaded the north of England and announced that he was supporting the claim of Matilda to the English throne. Matilda gathered an invasion army and landed in England in September 1139 with the support of her half-brother Robert FitzRoy, Earl of Gloucester who served as her commander and several powerful barons.

In 1141, at the Battle of Lincoln where Robert commanded Matilda’s forces, King Stephen was captured, imprisoned, and deposed and Matilda ruled for a short time. Stephen’s brother Henry, Bishop of Winchester turned against his brother and a church council at Winchester declared that Stephen was deposed and declared Empress Matilda “Lady of the English.” Stephen’s wife Matilda of Boulogne rallied Stephen’s supporters and raised an army with the help of William of Ypres, Stephen’s chief lieutenant. Matilda of Boulogne recaptured London for Stephen and forced Matilda to withdraw from the Siege of Winchester, leading to Stephen’s release in 1141 in exchange for Matilda’s half-brother Robert who had also been captured.

By freeing Stephen, Matilda gave up her best chance of becoming Queen of England. The civil war continued for several more years, without much success, with alternate triumphs and defeats. However, it came to a quiet close in 1147 when Matilda’s half-brother Robert FitzRoy, Earl of Gloucester, her valiant commander, died at Bristol Castle in Bristol, England. Robert was buried at St. James’ Priory in Bristol, which he had founded in 1129. Deprived of Robert’s protection, Matilda returned to Normandy in 1147 where she focused on stabilizing the Duchy of Normandy and promoting the rights of her son Henry FitzEmpress, the future King Henry II, to the English throne.

Matilda’s son King Henry II of England; Credit – Wikipedia

Although Robert, Earl of Gloucester did not achieve his goal of seeing his half-sister become Queen of England, Matilda lived long enough to see her son Henry FitzEmpress firmly established on the English throne. In the 1154 Treaty of Winchester, King Stephen recognized Matilda’s son Henry FitzEmpress as his heir. Stephen died on October 25, 1154, and Henry ascended the throne as King Henry II, the first King of England from the House of Angevin. Matilda spent the rest of her life in Normandy, often acting as King Henry II’s representative and presiding over the government of the Duchy of Normandy. She died, aged about 65, on September 10, 1167, in Rouen, Duchy of Normandy, now in France.

Robert FitzRoy, Earl of Gloucester, Empress Matilda, King Stephen, and their families are characters in the late Sharon Kay Penman‘s excellent historical fiction novel When Christ and His Saints Slept about the civil war, The Anarchy. The years of the civil war fought by Matilda and Stephen also serve as a backdrop for Ellis Peters‘ historical detective series about Brother Cadfael, set between 1137 and 1145.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • Beauclerk-Dewar, Peter, & Powell, Roger. (2006). Right Royal Bastards – The Fruits of Passion. Burke’s Peerage & Gentry LLC.
  • Flantzer, Susan. (2017). Empress Matilda, Lady of the English. Unofficial Royalty. https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/empress-matilda-lady-of-the-english/
  • Flantzer, Susan. (2015). King Henry I of England. Unofficial Royalty. https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/king-henry-i-of-england/
  • Robert de Caen 1st Earl of Gloucester. Genealogics. (n.d.). https://www.genealogics.org/getperson.php?personID=I00027782&tree=LEO
  • Weir, Alison. (2008). Britain’s Royal Families – The Complete Genealogy. Vintage Books.
  • Wikimedia Foundation. (2023). Robert, 1st Earl of Gloucester. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert,_1st_Earl_of_Gloucester
  • Williamson, David. (1996). Brewer’s British Royalty: A Phrase and Fable Dictionary. Cassell.

February 3: Today in Royal History

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John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster; Credit – Wikipedia

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

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

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

Unofficial Royalty: Lunalilo, King of the Hawaiian Islands

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

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February 2: Today in Royal History

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Prince Andreas of Greece and Denmark; Credit – Wikipedia

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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February 1: Today in Royal History

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King Carlos I of Portugal; Credit – Wikipedia

February 1, 1707 – Birth of Frederick, Prince of Wales, son of King George II of Great Britain and father of King George III of the United Kingdom, in Hanover, Electorate of Hanover, now in Lower Saxony, Germany
Frederick was one of the seven Princes of Wales who never became King. In 1736, he married Princess Augusta of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg. The couple had nine children including King George III of the United Kingdom and Caroline Matilda who married Christian VII, King of Denmark and Norway. In March 1751, Frederick became ill after he caught “a chill” while gardening. He became feverish and was bled and blistered, the medical treatment of the time. After a brief recovery, Frederick suffered a relapse and was again bled. On March 21, 1751, Frederick suffered a coughing fit and died suddenly. An autopsy found the cause of death to be a burst abscess in the lung. It was popularly believed that his death was caused by a blow from a cricket ball in his chest, but there is no proof of that.
Unofficial Royalty: Frederick, Prince of Wales

February 1, 1837 – Death of Friedrich Franz I, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin at Ludwigslust Palace in Ludwigslust, Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, now in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany; buried in the vault at the Doberan Minster in Bad Doberan in Mecklenburg, Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, now in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany
In 1775, Friedrich Franz married Princess Luise of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg and had six children. He also had numerous mistresses and fathered at least 15 illegitimate children. He maintained close contact with all of them, providing financial support and arranging for the best education possible for his sons. Friedrich Franz became the reigning Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin in 1785, following the death of his childless uncle Friedrich II. After Napoleon’s defeat, Friedrich Franz was raised to Grand Duke in 1815 by the Congress of Vienna. The remaining years of his reign were focused on strengthening the education system in the Grand Duchy, as well as pushing for legal reforms and the abolishment of serfdom. Friedrich Franz I died of lung disease at the age of 81.
Unofficial Royalty: Friedrich Franz I, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin

February 1, 1864 – Death of Louise Marie Thérèse of France, Duchess of Parma, wife of Carlo III, Duke of Parma, at the Palazzo Giustinian in Venice; buried in the crypt of her grandfather King Charles X of France, at the Kostanjevica Monastery, now Pristava, Slovenia
Louise Marie Thérèse was the daughter of Prince Charles Ferdinand of France, Duke of Berry and Princess Maria Carolina of Bourbon-Two Sicilies. Her paternal grandfather was King Charles X of France, grandson of King Louis XV and brother of King Louis XVI. In 1845, she married the future Carlo III, Duke of Parma and the couple had four children. The authoritarian policies of Louise Marie Thérèse’s husband Carlo III, Duke of Parma made him unpopular, and in 1854, he was assassinated. Louise Marie Thérèse and Carlo III’s six-year-old son Roberto became Duke of Parma with Louise Marie Thérèse as regent but had a short reign. In 1859, the Duchy of Parma was abolished during the Italian unification movement. Louise Marie Thérèse took her children to Venice, Kingdom of Lombardy-Venetia, now in Italy where she spent the rest of her life in exile. She survived her husband by ten years, dying at the age of 44.
Unofficial Royalty: Louise Marie Thérèse of France, Duchess of Parma

February 1, 1908 – Assassination of King Carlos I of Portugal at the Terreiro do Paco in Lisbon, Portugal; buried at the Monastery of São Vicente de Fora in Lisbon, Portugal
In 1886, Carlos married Princess Amélie of Orléans, the daughter of Prince Philippe, Count of Paris, a pretender to the French throne, and the couple had two sons. Carlos became King of Portugal upon his father’s death in 1889. In June 1892, Portugal faced the first of two bankruptcies which further strengthened the Republican movement that placed the blame for the bankruptcy solely on the monarchy. As the King’s reign continued, the political landscape became more volatile every day. In 1906, he appointed João Franco as Prime Minister, despite the misgivings of many of his family and advisers. Franco asked the King to dissolve parliament, causing a huge campaign in Portugal claiming that the country was now a dictatorship. Public support for King Carlos was quickly diminishing, particularly as he strongly supported Franco. It would lead to his tragic death. On February 1, 1908, King Carlos I and his elder son Luís Filipe, Prince Royal were shot and killed by two gunmen while riding in an open carriage in Lisbon, Portugal.
Unofficial Royalty: Assassination of Carlos I, King of Portugal and Luís Filipe, Prince Royal
Unofficial Royalty: King Carlos I of Portugal

February 1, 1965 – Birth of Princess Stephanie of Monaco at the Prince’s Palace in Monte Carlo, Monaco
Full name: Stephanie Marie Elisabeth
Stephanie is the youngest child of Rainier III, Prince of Monaco and Academy Award-winning American actress Grace Kelly. On September 13, 1982, while returning to Monaco from their home in Rocagel, France, Stephanie and her mother had a car accident. Princess Grace died the next day and Stephanie was hospitalized with a hairline fracture of a neck vertebra. Stephanie has been married and divorced twice. She had two children with her first husband her bodyguard Daniel Ducruet before their marriage who are included in the line of succession to the throne of Monaco because their parents eventually married. Stephanie also has a daughter who is not in the line of succession. It is assumed that Jean Raymond Gottlieb, her former head of security, is the father.
Unofficial Royalty: Princess Stephanie of Monaco

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