© Unofficial Royalty 2024

Victoria, Princess Royal, German Empress, Queen of Prussia; Credit – Wikipedia

August 5, 1103 – Birth of William Ætheling, son of King Henry I of England, in Winchester, England
William Ætheling was the only son of Henry I, King of England and his first wife Matilda of Scotland. His death in the sinking of the White Ship caused a succession crisis that resulted in a terrible civil war known as The Anarchy which lasted eighteen years.
Unofficial Royalty: William Ætheling, Duke of Normandy
Unofficial Royalty: The Sinking of the White Ship and How It Affected the English Succession

August 5, 1301 – Birth of Edmund of Woodstock, 1st Earl of Kent, son of King Edward I of England, at Woodstock Palace in Oxfordshire, England
Edmund was the second of the three children of King Edward I of England and his second wife Margaret of France. The life of Edmund ended with his execution by beheading, but he is rarely mentioned among the beheaded English royals. In 1329, Edmund had been persuaded by an unknown friar that his half-brother Edward II, who died under suspicious circumstances, was still alive and set about raising forces to free him and restore him to the throne. It later emerged that Roger Mortimer, who had helped to overthrow Edward II, was responsible for leading Edmund to believe the former king was still alive, in a form of entrapment. Edmund was executed by beheading for high treason at Winchester Castle on March 19, 1330. The execution had to be held up for a day because no one wanted to be responsible for a prince’s death. Eventually, a convicted murderer agreed to be the executioner in return for a pardon.
Unofficial Royalty: Edmund of Woodstock, 1st Earl of Kent

August 5, 1578 – Birth of Charles d’Albert, Duke of Luynes, favorite of King Louis XIII of France, in Pont-Saint-Esprit, France
Charles d’Albert, Duke of Luynes was a close advisor and favorite of King Louis XIII of France from childhood until his death and held numerous top positions within the French court.
Unofficial Royalty: Charles d’Albert, Duke of Luynes, favorite of King Louis XIII of France

August 5, 1737 – Birth of Johann Friedrich Struensee, favorite of King Christian VII of Denmark and lover of his wife Queen Caroline Matilda, in Halle, Kingdom of Prussia, now in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt
Because he was known for a new kind of therapy for mental illness, Struensee, a medical doctor, was called to treat King Christian VII’s mental issues. Struensee could handle Christian’s instability, a great relief to the king’s advisers. Because of Christian VII’s confidence in him, Struensee gained political power and he also became the lover of Christian’s ill-treated wife Caroline Matilda of Wales (the sister of King George III) whose marriage was less than satisfactory. Eventually, Queen Dowager Juliana Maria, Christian’s stepmother, maneuvered a coup that brought about the fall of Struensee, who was brutally executed, and discredited Caroline Matilda who spent the rest of her short life in custody.
Unofficial Royalty: Johann Friedrich Struensee, a favorite of King Christian VII and lover of Queen Caroline Matilda

August 5, 1828 – Birth of Queen Louise of Sweden and Norway, wife of King Carl XV of Sweden and Norway, born Princess Louise of the Netherlands in the Hague, the Netherlands
Full name: Wilhelmina Frederika Alexandrine Anna Louise
In 1849, Louise met Prince Carl of Sweden, the son and heir of King Oscar I, and negotiations were soon underway to arrange a marriage between the two. While Louise was enamored of her future husband from their first meeting, he found her unattractive. However, King Oscar wanted to create familial ties between the relatively new Bernadotte dynasty in Sweden and some of the other long-established European dynasties. With Louise’s Dutch and Prussian families and the promise of a large dowry, she was an ideal candidate. Prince Carl eventually conceded to his father’s wishes and Louise and Carl were married in 1850. The marriage was an unhappy one. Louise was desperately in love with her husband, but he was consistently unfaithful. Having had complications in her second pregnancy, Louise was unable to bear any more children. Following their son’s death in 1854, leaving no male heir to inherit the throne, Louise offered her husband a divorce, which he declined.
Unofficial Royalty: Louise of the Netherlands, Queen of Sweden and Norway

August 5, 1833 – Birth of Carola of Vasa, Queen of Saxony, wife of King Albert of Saxony, at Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna, Austria
Full name: Karolina Fredrika Franciska Stefania Amalia Cecilia
Carola married the future King Albert of Saxony but the couple never had children. Between 1853 – 1860, Carola had ten miscarriages. Carola was very active in charity work. In addition to supporting organizations that provided medical care, she was also instrumental in establishing several organizations to provide training for a growing workforce due to an increase in industrialization. Through her efforts, homes were built for families who needed housing, nurses received more proper training, and advances were made in the care and treatment of tuberculosis within Saxony. Schools and nursing homes were established, along with several women’s organizations that provided vocational training. Queen Carola is often credited for greatly contributing to the increasing professional independence of women.
Unofficial Royalty: Carola of Vasa, Queen of Saxony

August 5, 1901 – Death of Victoria, German Empress, born Victoria Princess Royal, wife of Friedrich III German Emperor, at Friedrichshof in Krönberg im Taunus, Kingdom of Prussia, now in Hesse, Germany, buried at Friedenskirche in Potsdam, Kingdom of Prussia, now in Brandenburg, Germany
In 1899, while visiting her mother at Balmoral Castle in Scotland, Vicky was diagnosed with breast cancer. By 1900, cancer had spread to her spine and she suffered a great deal during the last months of her life. When Queen Victoria died on January 22, 1901, Vicky was too ill to go to England. She died less than seven months later on August 5, 1901, at the age of 60. Vicky was buried in the royal mausoleum of the Friedenskirche in Potsdam, Kingdom of Prussia, now in Brandenburg, Germany next to her beloved husband Fritz. Their two sons who died in childhood are buried in the same mausoleum.
Unofficial Royalty: Victoria, Princess Royal, German Empress

August 5, 1939 – Birth of Princess Irene of the Netherlands, daughter of Queen Juliana of the Netherlands, at Soestdijk Palace in the Netherlands
Full name: Irene Emma Elisabeth
Irene secretly converted to Catholicism and wanted to make a controversial marriage to Carlos Hugo, Duke of Parma. It was announced that the wedding would take place and that Princess Irene would cease to be a member of the Dutch Royal House, and would relinquish all rights to the throne for herself and her descendants. No members of the Dutch royal family attended. Following their honeymoon, they settled in Madrid, Spain. Before divorcing in 1981, the couple had four children. Irene and her children returned to live in the Netherlands. She prefers to be known simply as Irene van Lippe-Biesterfeld and rarely participates in official events in the Netherlands. However, she is almost always seen at family functions and maintains a very close relationship with her sisters and extended family.
Unofficial Royalty: Princess Irene of the Netherlands

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.

© Unofficial Royalty 2024

Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother; Credit – Wikipedia

August 4, 1338 – Death of Thomas of Brotherton, 1st Earl of Norfolk, son of King Edward I of England, at Framlingham Castle in Suffolk, England; buried at the Abbey of Bury St. Edmunds in Suffolk, England which was left in ruins during King Henry VIII’s Dissolution of the Monasteries
In 1316, Thomas was given the office of Lord Marshal of England. The title of “marshal” at one time designated the head of household security for the King of England. The office became hereditary under John FitzGilbert the Marshal and his second son William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke, served four kings (Henry II, Richard I, John, and Henry III) in this office and became one of the most powerful men in Europe. The office of hereditary Marshal (currently Earl Marshal) evolved into a Great Officer of State. In 1672, the office of Marshal of England and the title of Earl Marshal of England were made hereditary in the Howard family and since then the offices have been held by the Duke of Norfolk. Today, the Earl Marshal’s role is chiefly involved in organizing major state ceremonies such as coronations, state funerals, and the opening of parliament. Thomas was an ancestor of two of the wives of Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard.
Unofficial Royalty: Thomas of Brotherton, 1st Earl of Norfolk

August 4, 1699 – Death of Maria Sofia of Neuberg, Queen of Portugal, wife of King Pedro II of Portugal, in Lisbon, Portugal; buried at the Monastery of São Vicente de Fora in Lisbon, Portugal
Maria Sophia of Neuburg, the second wife of Pedro II, King of Portugal. He married her because Portugal had a succession crisis. Isabel Luísa of Braganza, Princess of Beira, the only child and heir presumptive of Pedro II, King of Portugal, was not married. Marie Sophia’s family had a reputation for producing fertile women. Pedro II and Maria Sophia had eight children so Maria Sophia did her duty by providing heirs. On August 4, 1699, two days before her thirty-third birthday, Maria Sophia died at Ribeira Palace in Lisbon, Portugal from erysipelas, a bacterial infection of the skin that can spread to other areas of the body through the bloodstream.
Unofficial Royalty: Maria Sofia of Neuberg, Queen of Portugal

August 4, 1900 – Birth of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, wife of King George VI of the United Kingdom and mother of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, born The Honourable Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon
Full name: Elizabeth Angela Marguerite
On August 4, 1900, The Honorable Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon was born, the youngest daughter and ninth child of the ten children of Claude Bowes-Lyon, Lord Glamis (later the 14th and 1st Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne) and Cecilia Cavendish-Bentinck. The exact place of her birth is unknown. She was alleged to have been born in her parents’ home in London, but her birth was registered at Hitchin, Hertfordshire, near her family’s English country house, St Paul’s Walden Bury, which was also given as her birthplace in the census the following year.
Unofficial Royalty: Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother

August 4, 1906 – Birth of Queen Marie-Jose of Italy, wife of King Umberto II of Italy, born Princess Marie-Jose of Belgium  in Ostend, Belgium
Full name: Marie-Jose Charlotte Sophie Amélie Henriette Gabrielle
Marie José was the youngest child and only daughter of Albert I, King of the Belgians and Elisabeth in Bavaria. She married Crown Prince Umberto of Italy, Prince of Piedmont, the son of King Vittorio Emanuele III of Italy. After World War II, King Victor Emmanuel III abdicated on May 9, 1946. Marie José and her husband became the new King and Queen of Italy, however, their reign was short-lived. A referendum was held on June 2, 1946,  with the majority voting to abolish the monarchy. Accepting the people’s will, Umberto and Marie José left Italy on June 13, 1946, and were barred under the terms of the new constitution from returning to Italian soil. They settled in Portugal, but soon separated, with Marie José and her children then living in Switzerland.
Unofficial Royalty: Marie-Jose of Belgium, Queen of Italy

August 4, 1981 – Birth of Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, wife of Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, born Rachel Meghan Markle in Los Angeles, California
Before her marriage, Meghan was an actress, appearing on Suits, an American legal drama television series, playing Rachel Zane, a senior paralegal with dreams of attending law school. Prince Harry and Meghan were married on May 19, 2018, at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle in Windsor, England. The couple have one son and one daughter.
Unofficial Royalty: Meghan, Duchess of Sussex

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.

© Unofficial Royalty 2024

King Haakon VII of Norway; Credit – Wikipedia

August 3, 1387 – Death of Olaf II, King of Denmark/Olaf IV, King of Norway at Falsterbohus in Falsterbo, Sweden; buried at Sorø Abbey, a Benedictine Abbey on the island of Zealand in Denmark
Olaf was the only child of King Haakon VI of Norway and Sweden and Margrethe I, Queen of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden in her own right. Olaf II, King of Denmark/Olaf IV, King of Norway died, aged sixteen years old. There were unproven rumors that Olaf was poisoned. In 2015, Jørgen Lange Thomsen, a forensic scientist, proposed a theory Olaf II died from Brugada Syndrome, a genetic disorder. See Copenhagen Post: Mystery of Danish king deaths fosters new theory.
Unofficial Royalty: Olaf II, King of Denmark/Olaf IV, King of Norway

August 3, 1460 – Death of James II, King of Scots at Roxburgh Castle in Scotland, buried at Holyrood Abbey in Edinburgh, Scotland
The “Black Dinner” that occurred during James II’s reign was an inspiration for the famous “Red Wedding” massacre in “The Game of Thrones.” James II besieged Roxburgh Castle near the English border in support of King Henry VI of England and was accidentally killed when a cannon near where he was standing exploded. As with the start of the reigns of James I and James II, Scotland once again had a child king in James III, King of Scots, the son of James II. The rest of the Scottish Stuarts, James IV, James V, Mary, Queen of Scots, and James VI, would also be child monarchs. James II’s death also continued the violent deaths of the Scottish Stuarts that started with the assassination of his father James I and continued with the deaths in battle of James III and James IV and the beheading of Mary, Queen of Scots.
Unofficial Royalty: James II, King  of Scots

August 3, 1770 – Birth of Friedrich Wilhelm III, King of Prussia in Potsdam, Kingdom of Prussia, now in Brandenburg, Germany
Friedrich Wilhelm III became King of Prussia in 1797, upon his father’s death. He immediately implemented changes – cutting the expenses of the royal court, dismissing many of his father’s ministers, and taking on much of the responsibilities himself. This caused great inconsistency during his reign, as he was hesitant to delegate any responsibility to his ministers. He also made efforts to restore the moral dignity of the Prussian royal court – long plagued during his father’s reign with “political intrigues and sexual affairs”.
Unofficial Royalty: Friedrich Wilhelm III, King of Prussia

August 3, 1853 – Death of Georg, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg at Jagdschloss Hummelshaim, now in Thuringia, Germany; buried in the Ducal Mausoleum in Altenburg Cemetery in the Duchy of Saxe-Altenburg, now in Thuringia, Germany. In 1974, all the remains in the mausoleum were removed and buried in an unmarked grave elsewhere in the cemetery.
Georg became Duke of Saxe-Altenburg in 1848, succeeding his brother Joseph who was forced to abdicate. As Duke, he reformed the financial administration of the duchy and founded the George Foundation, which worked to promote and support artists and craftsmen. Georg came significant amounts of his own money to welfare efforts for the poor, earning him the nickname ‘Georg the Good’. His reign lasted a little less than five years. In declining health, Georg handed over much of his role to his son Ernst in the spring of 1853 and died two months later.
Unofficial Royalty: Georg, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg

August 3, 1872 – Birth of King Haakon VII of Norway at Charlottenlund Palace, near Copenhagen, Denmark
Full name: Christian Frederik Carl Georg Valdemar Axel
Born Prince Carl of Denmark, the son of King Frederik VIII of Denmark, he was elected King of Norway when the union between Sweden and Norway was dissolved in 1905 and reigned for 52 years. Through his paternal aunts and uncles, Carl was related to many European royals. Among his first cousins were Nicholas II, Emperor of All Russia, King Constantine I of Greece, King George V of the United Kingdom, and his future wife Princess Maud of Wales who was the daughter of the future King Edward VII of the United Kingdom and Princess Alexandra of Denmark, Carl’s paternal aunt. Carl’s elder brother King Christian X of Denmark reigned from 1912 – 1947.
Unofficial Royalty: King Haakon VII of Norway

August 3, 1943 – Birth of Princess Christina of Sweden, Mrs. Magnuson, sister of King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden at Haga Palace in Solna Municipality, Stockholm, Sweden
Full name: Christina Louise Helena
Christina is the fourth of the four elder sisters of King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden. Princess Christina married Tord Magnuson and like her sisters Margaretha and Désirée, she lost her royal style and title, becoming Princess Christina, Mrs. Magnuson.
Unofficial Royalty: Princess Christina, Mrs. Magnuson

August 3, 1986 – Birth of Prince Louis of Luxembourg, son of Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg, at Grand Duchess Charlotte Maternity Hospital in Luxembourg City, Luxembourg
In 2006, Louis and Tessy Antony had a son and they married later that year. At the time of the wedding, Louis relinquished his rights of succession, as well as that of any descendants. He retained his royal style and title and his wife took on the surname ‘de Nassau’. A second son was born in 2007.  In 2009, Tessy was created HRH Princess Tessy of Luxembourg, and their sons were made HRH Prince Gabriel and HRH Prince Noah of Nassau. Louis and Tessy divorced in 2017 and the divorce was finalized in 2019. On April 6, 2021, the Grand Ducal Court of Luxembourg announced the engagement of Prince Louis of Luxembourg and Scarlett-Lauren Sirgue. On February 22, 2022, it was announced that Prince Louis and Scarlett-Lauren had called off the engagement
Full name: Louis Xavier Marie Guillaume
Unofficial Royalty: Prince Louis of Luxembourg

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.

© Unofficial Royalty 2024

King Henri III of France;  Credit – Wikipedia

August 2, 1100 – Suspicious death of King William II Rufus of England in the New Forest in Hampshire and Wiltshire, England; buried at Winchester Cathedral in Winchester, England
On August 2, 1100, William II Rufus, King of England rode out from Winchester Castle on a hunting expedition to the New Forest, accompanied by his brother Henry, who succeeded William II Rufus as King Henry I of England, and several nobles. During the hunt, an arrow hit William Rufus in his chest, puncturing his lungs, and killing him. Was there a conspiracy? Read more at the link below.
Unofficial Royalty: Suspicious Death of William II Rufus, King of England
Unofficial Royalty: King William II Rufus of England

August 2, 1589 – Assassination of King Henri III of France by Jacques Clement at the Château de Saint-Cloud in Hauts-de-Seine, France; buried at the Basilica of Saint-Denis, near Paris, France
Jacques Clément was a fanatic Dominican monk who sided with the Catholic League. He planned to kill King Henri III of France who he believed to be the enemy of Catholicism because he gave some rights to the Protestant Huguenots. On August 1, 1589, Henri III of France was with his army at Saint-Cloud, preparing to attack Paris. Jacques Clément, carrying false papers, was granted access to deliver important documents to Henri III. After giving Henri III some documents, Clément told Henri that he had a secret message for him. Henri III asked his attendants to step back to give him privacy. Clément whispered in Henri’s ear while stabbing him in the abdomen. Henri’s guards immediately killed Clément.
Unofficial Royalty: Assassination of Henri III, King of France
Unofficial Royalty: King Henri III of France

August 2, 1849 – Birth of Maria Pia of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, Duchess of Parma, first wife of Roberto I, Duke of Parma, in Gaeta, Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, now in Italy
Maria Pia was the daughter of Ferdinando II, King of the Two Sicilies and his second wife Maria Theresa of Austria. She was the first wife of Roberto I, Duke of Parma from 1854 – 1859 and titular Duke of Parma from 1859 until he died in 1907. As a not quite six-year-old, Roberto succeeded his father who was assassinated, and then lost his throne five years later due to the Italian unification movement. Maria Pia and Roberto had twelve children. Six of the children were mentally disabled, two died in infancy, and one was stillborn. Their eldest child Marie Louise married Ferdinand I, Prince of Bulgaria (later Tsar). The dangerous practice of close pregnancies and births – twelve children in thirteen years of marriage – made Maria Pia weak and sickly. At the age of 33, Maria Pia died of puerperal fever (childbed fever), a week after giving birth to her last child, a stillborn son.
Unofficial Royalty: Maria Pia of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, Duchess of Parma

August 2, 1858 – Birth of Queen Emma of the Netherlands, second wife of King Willem III of the Netherlands, born Princess Emma of Waldeck and Pyrmont at Arolsen Castle in Arolsen, Principality of Waldeck and Pyrmont, now in Hesse, Germany
Full name: Adelheid Emma Wilhelmina Theresia
In 1877, Queen Sophie, the first wife of King Willem III of the Netherlands died, and Willem was eager to marry again to ensure the future of the House of Orange. One of his three children (all sons) had died and neither of the other two sons was married. At the suggestion of his only sister, he got in touch with the royal couple of Waldeck and Pyrmont, who had several marriageable daughters. In July 1878, Willem visited the family at their summer home where he met 23-year-old Princess Pauline and 20-year-old Princess Emma. His eyes first fell on Pauline, but soon he chose Emma and proposed to her. Willem was 61 years old, 41 years older than Emma. Emma had lessons in the Dutch language and history before her marriage because she wanted to come to her new country Dutch. The couple was married on January 7, 1879. Emma had a positive influence on Willem and their marriage was happy. Their only child Wilhelmina succeeded her father as Queen of the Netherlands.
Unofficial Royalty: Emma of Waldeck and Pyrmont, Queen of the Netherlands

August 2, 1868 – Birth of King Constantine I of Greece in Athens, Greece
Constantine married a granddaughter of Queen Victoria, Princess Sophie of Prussia, daughter of Friedrich III, German Emperor and King of Prussia and Victoria, Princess Royal. In 1913, Constantine’s father King George I of Greece was assassinated and he acceded to the Greek throne as King Constantine I. Due to much political turmoil, Constantine was forced to abdicate in 1917, restored to the throne in 1920, and then forced to abdicate a second time. He lived the rest of his life in exile.
Unofficial Royalty: King Constantine I of Greece

August 2, 1878 – Birth of Princess Ingeborg of Denmark, Princess of Sweden, daughter of King Frederik VIII of Denmark at Charlottenlund Palace in Copenhagen, Denmark
Full name: Ingeborg Charlotta Carolina Frederikke Louise
Ingeborg married Prince Carl of Sweden, son of King Oscar II of Sweden, and they were the parents of Queen Astrid of Belgium and Crown Princess Märtha of Norway. Belgian Kings Baudouin and Albert II, Norwegian King Harald V, and the late Grand Duchess Josephine-Charlotte of Luxembourg, the wife of the late Grand Duke Jean of Luxembourg are all grandchildren of Carl and Ingeborg. The royal families of Belgium, Luxembourg, and Norway descend from Carl and Ingeborg.
Unofficial Royalty: Ingeborg of Denmark, Princess of Sweden

August 2, 1906 – Birth of Johann Leopold, Hereditary Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha at Callenberg Castle in Coburg, Duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, now in Bavaria, Germany
Full name: Johann Leopold Wilhelm Albrecht Ferdinand Viktor
Johann Leopold was the eldest of the five children of Charles Edward, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, a grandson of Queen Victoria. Although the Duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha no longer existed, Johann lost his succession rights when he made an unequal marriage in 1932. His younger brother Friedrich Josias became Head of the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha upon the death of their father in 1954.
Unofficial Royalty: Johann Leopold, Hereditary Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha

August 2, 1916 – Birth of Queen Zein of Jordan, wife of King Talal of Jordan and mother of King Hussein I of Jordan, born Zein al-Sharaf Bint Jamal in Alexandria, Egypt
Born Zein al-Sharaf bint Jamal, she married her first cousin Prince Talal bin Abdullah, the eldest son of the future King Abdullah I of Jordan. The couple had six children including King Hussein I of Jordan. In 1951, her husband became King of Jordan upon the assassination of his father King Abdullah I of Jordan. At the time of his father’s death, Talal was in a sanatorium in Switzerland being treated for a nervous breakdown. Zein held the power while the newly proclaimed King Talal was treated outside the country. The Jordanian Parliament declared Talal mentally unfit a year later and proclaimed his eldest son Hussein King of Jordan. Zein again took the reins of power when her son Hussein was proclaimed king, until May 1953, when he turned eighteen and assumed full constitutional duties. During the reign of her son, Zein was an influential figure behind the scenes.
Unofficial Royalty: Queen Zein of Jordan

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.

© Unofficial Royalty 2024

King Alexander of Greece; Credit – Wikipedia

August 1, 1402 – Death of Edmund of Langley, Duke of York, son of King Edward III of England, at Kings Langley, Hertfordshire, England; buried at the Church of the Mendicant Friars in Kings Langley, England
As a son of King Edward III, Edmund participated in many military campaigns in France with his brothers. Edmund’s nephew succeeded his grandfather as King Richard II of England. At Richard’s coronation, Edmund carried the Sovereign’s Sceptre with Dove, also called the Rod of Equity and Mercy. In 1381, Edmund served as chief commissioner in his nephew’s marriage negotiations to marry Anne of Bohemia. In 1399, Edmund was acting as regent while his nephew King Richard II was in Ireland. Henry of Bolingbroke (King Henry IV), another nephew, the son of Edmund’s brother John of Gaunt, was planning to depose his cousin Richard. Edmund was prepared to oppose Henry but instead decided to make peace with him.  Edmund of Langley, Duke of York, age 61, died on August 1, 1402, at his birthplace and was buried with his first wife at the Church of the Dominicans at Kings Langley, England. Edmund’s tomb was moved to the Church of All Saints in Kings Langley in 1575, and can still be seen there.
Unofficial Royalty:  Edmund of Langley, Duke of York

August  1, 1691 – Death of Marie de Hautefort, favorite of King Louis XIII of France
Marie de Hautefort was a close confidante and favorite of King Louis XIII of France. She was also a close friend and prominent member of the household of his wife Queen Anne, the former Anne of Austria. Marie first met King Louis XIII through her grandmother’s position as a lady-in-waiting to Louis XIII’s mother and wife.  Marie had an on-again, off-again relationship with Louis XIII and his wife Anne, shortly before and then after the death of Louis XIII.  She left the French court permanently in 1644 and married Charles de Schomberg, Duke d’Halluin, a military leader. After her husband’s death, Marie returned permanently to Paris and resumed contact with the Dowager Queen Anne. The two continued to correspond until Queen Anne died in 1666.
Unofficial Royalty: Marie de Hautefort, favorite of King Louis XIII of France

August 1, 1714 – Death of Queen Anne of Great Britain at Kensington Palace in London, England; buried at Westminster Abbey in London, England
Queen Anne suffered a stroke on July 30, 1714. She died at Kensington Palace on August 1, 1714, at the age of 49 after suffering another stroke. Her remains were buried at Westminster Abbey in a vault under the monument to George Monck, Duke of Albemarle in the Henry VII Chapel. Charles II, William III, Anne’s sister Mary II, and Anne’s husband George of Denmark were also buried in this vault. Anne had become so obese that her coffin was much larger than the other coffins in the vault. Electress Sophia of Hanover, the heir to the throne according to the Act of Settlement, had died on June 8, 1714, just six weeks before the death of Queen Anne, and so Sophia’s son became King George I and started the Hanover dynasty.
Unofficial Royalty: Queen Anne of Great Britain

August 1, 1817 – Birth of Adolf I, Prince of Schaumburg-Lippe in Bückeburg, Principality of Schaumberg-Lippe, now in North-Rhine Westphalia, Germany
Full name: Adolf Georg
Adolf married his maternal first cousin Princess Hermine of Waldeck and Pyrmont. The couple had eight children including Adolf’s successor Georg, Prince of Schaumburg-Lippe and Prince Adolf of Schaumburg-Lippe who married Princess Viktoria of Prussia, daughter of Friedrich III, German Emperor and Victoria, Princess Royal, eldest daughter of Queen Victoria. On November 21, 1860, upon the death of his father Georg Wilhelm, Prince of Schaumberg-Lippe, Adolf became the reigning Prince of Schaumberg-Lippe.
Unofficial Royalty: Adolf I, Prince of Schaumburg-Lippe

August 1, 1858 – Death of Emma of Anhalt-Bernburg-Schaumburg-Hoym, Princess of Waldeck and Pyrmont, wife of Georg II, Prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont, in Pyrmont, Principality of Waldeck-Pyrmont, now in Lower Saxony, Germany; buried in the Princely Mausoleum at Schloss Rhoden in Rhoden, Principality of Waldeck-Pyrmont, now in the German state of Hesse
Emma married Georg II, Prince of Waldeck-Pyrmont. Emma survived her husband by thirteen years and was buried with her husband in the Princely Mausoleum at Schloss Rhoden in Rhoden, Principality of Waldeck-Pyrmont, now in the German state of Hesse. Emma was the grandmother of Princess Emma of Waldeck-Pyrmont who became Queen of the Netherlands when she married King Willem III of the Netherlands. Emma of Waldeck-Pyrmont was born the day after her grandmother died and was named in her honor.
Unofficial Royalty: Emma of Anhalt-Bernburg-Schaumburg-Hoym, Princess of Waldeck and Pyrmont

August 1, 1893 – Birth of King Alexander I of Greece at the Tatoi Palace near Athens, Greece
Alexander was the second of the three sons of King Constantine I of Greece and Princess Sophie of Prussia, a granddaughter of Queen Victoria. All three sons were Kings of Greece. Alexander was king for only three years. On October 25, 1920, King Alexander died after contracting septicemia from a monkey bite several weeks earlier.
Unofficial Royalty: King Alexander I of Greece

August 1, 1924 – Birth of King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia in Riyadh, then in the Sultanate of Nejd, now in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Abdullah bin Abdulaziz was proclaimed the sixth King of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on August 1, 2005, upon the death of his half-brother King Fahd bin Abdulaziz. Throughout his life, King Abdullah had a love of the desert and a love of horsemanship. He was a breeder of pure Arabian horses and the founder of the equestrian club in Riyadh. Another lifelong passion was reading which he considered very important. He established two libraries, the King Abdulaziz Library in Riyadh, and one in Casablanca, Morocco. King Abdullah died on January 23, 2015, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia at the age of 90, three weeks after being hospitalized for pneumonia. He was succeeded by his 79-year-old half-brother Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the current King of Saudi Arabia.
Unofficial Royalty: King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia

August 1, 2005 – Death of King Fahd of Saudi Arabia at King Faisal Specialist Hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; buried at the Al-Oud Cemetery in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Upon the death of his half-brother King Khalid on June 13, 1982, Fahd became King of Saudi Arabia. In 1986, King Fahd adopted the title Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques replacing His Majesty, to signify an Islamic rather than a secular authority. In 1990, Iraqi forces under Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait, placing the Iraqi army on the Saudi-Kuwaiti border. King Fahd agreed to host American-led coalition troops in Saudi Arabia and later allowed American troops to be based there. This decision brought him considerable criticism and opposition from many Saudis and his full brothers, the Sudairi Seven, who objected to the presence of foreign troops on Saudi soil. Many foreign dignitaries attended King Fahd’s funeral on August 2, 2005, including American Vice President Dick Cheney, French President Jacques Chirac, King Juan Carlos of Spain, Prince Charles of the United Kingdom, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei, Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf, King Abdullah II of Jordan, and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
Unofficial Royalty: King Fahd of Saudi Arabia

August 1, 2016 – Death of Anne of Bourbon-Parma, Queen of Romania, wife of former King Michael of Romania, at a hospital in Morges, Switzerland; buried at the Curtea de Argeș Cathedral in Curtea de Argeș, Romania
Anne was the wife of King Michael I of Romania, whom she married after he abdicated the throne. She was the daughter of Prince René of Bourbon-Parma and  Princess Margrethe of Denmark. On her father’s side, she was the niece of Prince Felix of Bourbon-Parma (husband of Grand Duchess Charlotte of Luxembourg) and Empress Zita of Austria (wife of Karl, the last Emperor of Austria). On her mother’s side, she was the great-granddaughter of King Christian IX of Denmark and therefore closely related to the royal families of Denmark, Greece, Russia, and the United Kingdom. It was not until 1992 that Anne first set foot on Romanian soil. Her husband was banned from the country, but Anne made several visits on his behalf. In 1997, the ban restrictions were lifted and some royal properties were returned to the royal family, including the Elisabeta Palace in Bucharest, which served as their primary residence when in Romania.
Unofficial Royalty: Anne of Bourbon-Parma, Queen of  Romania

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.

© Unofficial Royalty 2024

Maria Ana of Portugal, wife of Grand Duke Guillaume IV of Luxembourg, with her six daughters; Credit – Wikipedia

 July 31, 1527 – Birth of Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor, King of Bohemia, King of Hungary and Croatia, Archduke of Austria in Vienna, Archduchy of Austria, now in Austria
Maximilian married his first cousin Infanta Maria of Spain, the daughter of his uncle Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, who was also King Carlos I of Spain and Isabella of Portugal. The couple had fifteen children including two Holy Roman Emperors and two Queen Consorts (France and Spain).  Upon the death of his father Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor, who was also King of Hungary, Croatia, and Bohemia and Archduke of Austria, Maximilian succeeded as ruler of the Habsburg hereditary lands and was elected Holy Roman Emperor. During his reign, Maximilian had to deal with the ongoing Ottoman-Habsburg wars, conflicts with his Spanish Habsburg cousins, and the effects of the 1555 Peace of Augsburg. The Peace of Augsburg officially ended the religious struggle between Lutherans and Catholics, and made the legal division of Christianity permanent within the Holy Roman Empire, allowing the rulers of the constituent monarchies of the Holy Roman Empire to choose either Lutheranism or Roman Catholicism as the official religion of their state.
Unofficial Royalty: Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor, King of Bohemia, King of Hungary and Croatia, Archduke of Austria

July 31, 1750 – Death of King João V of Portugal at Ribeira Palace in Lisbon, Portugal; buried at the Royal Pantheon of the House of Braganza at the Monastery of São Vicente de Fora in Lisbon.
When João was nearly ten years old, his 32-year-old mother Maria Sophia of Neuburg died. His mother’s death caused changes in João’s behavior. He became withdrawn and depressed. His paternal aunt Catherine of Braganza, the widow of King Charles II of England, had returned to Portugal to live in 1693. Catherine took over caring for João and remained his main female role model until she died in 1705. In 1706, João’s father Pedro II, King of Portugal died and his 17-year-old son  João became King of Portugal. In 1708,  João married Archduchess Maria Anna of Austria, the daughter of Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor. The couple had six children. In 1742, 52-year-old João had a stroke and became partially paralyzed. He recovered somewhat but was left diminished and much less energetic. His wife Maria Anna served as regent for the rest of his life. After a reign of forty-three years, João V, King of Portugal, aged 60, died on July 31, 1750.
Unofficial Royalty: King João V of Portugal

 July 31, 1737 – Birth of Princess Augusta of Wales, Duchess of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, daughter of Frederick, Prince of Wales at St. James’ Palace in London, England
Augusta was the elder sister of King George III of the United Kingdom. She married Karl Wilhelm Ferdinand, the future Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel. The couple had seven children including Caroline who married her first cousin, the future King George IV of the United Kingdom. (The marriage was a disaster.) Augusta never fully adapted to life in Brunswick nor was she well-liked. Any popularity she had was damaged by the fact that her three eldest sons were born with handicaps. Although Augusta reported to her brother King George III that her marriage was happy, it was actually unhappy. Karl found Augusta dull and preferred to spend time with his mistresses. After her husband was killed during the Napoleonic Wars and Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel was occupied by the French, Augusta escaped to Sweden. Her brother King George III sent a British naval ship to transport his sister back home to England. Augusta lived in London with her daughter Caroline, Princess of Wales. Augusta got to know her granddaughter Princess Charlotte of Wales, who told her grandmother upon their first meeting “that she was the merriest old woman she ever saw.” Augusta died on March 23, 1813, at the age of 75.
Unofficial Royalty: Princess Augusta of Wales, Duchess of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel

July 31, 1769 – Birth of Elizabeth Conyngham, Marchioness Conyngham, Mistress of King George IV of the United Kingdom, born Elizabeth Denison
Elizabeth Conyngham, Marchioness Conyngham was the last mistress of King George IV of the United Kingdom, from 1820 until he died in 1830. George IV was so devoted to her that he bequeathed her his plate and jewels, although she refused them when he died. He also provided housing at Windsor Castle and the Brighton Pavilion for Elizabeth and her family. He ensured that they traveled with him when he moved from one residence to the other. She was given full use of the King’s horses and carriages, and most of the large dinners held at her London townhouse were prepared in the kitchens of St. James’s Palace. To King George IV, nothing was ‘off limits’ for his beloved Elizabeth. However, it would all come to a quick end on the morning of June 26, 1830, when King George IV died at Windsor Castle. By the following day, Elizabeth had packed her belongings and left Windsor for her brother’s home before traveling to Paris, reportedly expelled from the country by the new King William IV.
Unofficial Royalty: Elizabeth Conyngham, Marchioness Conyngham, Mistress of King George IV of the United Kingdom

July 31, 1812 – Birth of Amélie of Leuchtenberg, Empress of Brazil, second wife of Emperor Pedro I of Brazil (King Pedro IV of Portugal), in Milan, Lombardy-Venetia, now in Italy
Full name: Amélie Auguste Eugénie
Amélie was the daughter of Eugène de Beauharnais (son of Empress Jospéhine, the first wife of Napoleon I, Emperor of the French, from her first marriage) and Princess Augusta of Bavaria. Because of a political and economic crisis, her husband Emperor Pedro I of Brazil abdicated his throne in favor of a daughter from his first marriage. Pedro, Amélie, and their daughter Maria Amélie returned to Portugal. Both Pedro and his daughter Maria Amélie died from tuberculosis.  Amélie financed the construction of a hospital to treat patients with lung diseases in Funchal on the island of Madeira in Portugal called the Hospício da Princesa Dona Maria Amélie which is still in existence. When Amélie died, the Hospício da Princesa Dona Maria Amélia was handed over to her sister Queen Joséphine of Sweden, and according to the terms of Amélie’s will, it is owned and administered by the Swedish Royal Family. King Carl XVI Gustaf, Queen Silvia, and Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden have visited the hospital.
Unofficial Royalty: Amélie of Leuchtenberg, Empress of Brazil

July 31, 1816 – Birth of Maria Theresa of Austria, Queen of the Two Sicilies, second wife of Ferdinando II, King of the Two Sicilies, at Weilburg Castle near Vienna, Austria 
Full name: Maria Theresia Isabella
In 1836, Maria Cristina of Savoy, Queen of the Two Sicilies, wife of Ferdinando II, King of the Two Sicilies died at the age of 23 from childbirth complications after giving birth to a son. The widowed king met Maria Theresa during his stay in Vienna, Austria later in 1836, and they became engaged to strengthen the relations between Austria and the Two Sicilies and married in 1837. Maria Cristina and Ferdinando had twelve children. Ferdinando died in 1859 at the age of 49 after hesitating to have surgery for a strangulated hernia. During Ferdinando II’s reign, the Italian unification movement led by Vittorio Emanuele II, King of Sardinia, later Vittorio Emanuele I, King of Italy, and Giuseppe Garibaldi, a noted general and politician, began. During the reign of Ferdinando’s son Francesco II, Giuseppe Garibaldi’s 1860-1861 invasion called the Expedition of the Thousand led to the fall of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, which then was annexed to the new Kingdom of Italy in 1861. Maria Theresa and her children left Naples and settled in Rome. In the summer of 1867, a cholera epidemic broke out in Rome.  Both Maria Theresa and her youngest son, ten-year-old Gennaro developed cholera and died from the disease.
Unofficial Royalty: Maria Theresa of Austria, Queen of the Two Sicilies

July 31, 1924 – Death of Prince Franz Joseph of Battenberg, son of Prince Alexander of Hesse and by Rhine, in Territet, Switzerland; buried in the Schaffhausen Forest Cemetery in Schaffhausen, Switzerland
The Battenberg/Mountbatten family descends from Franz Joseph’s parents Prince Alexander of Hesse and by the Rhine and his morganatic wife Countess Julia von Hauke. Franz Joseph married Princess Anna of Montenegro but the couple did not have children. During World War I, they found their financial situation more and more precarious and sometimes struggled to make ends meet. After 1920, they began to receive some financial support from Edwina Mountbatten, the wife of Franz Joseph’s nephew Louis Mountbatten, the future 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma. Until her death in 1960, Edwina continued to send money to Princess Anna. Prince Franz Joseph outlived all of his siblings.
Unofficial Royalty: Prince Franz Joseph of Battenberg

July 31, 1942 – Death of Maria Ana of Portugal, Grand Duchess of Luxembourg, wife of Grand Duke Guillaume IV of Luxembourg, in exile during World War II in New York City; temporarily interred at Calvary Cemetery in Queens in New York City and then buried at the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Luxembourg after World War II
Maria Ana married Guillaume, the future Grand Duke of Luxembourg. The couple had six daughters including two reigning Grand Duchesses of Luxembourg. Maria Ana fled Luxembourg with her family when the German Army invaded in 1940. She died in New York City on July 31, 1942, of a stomach ailment and was temporarily interred at Calvary Cemetery in Queens in New York City. Her remains were later returned to Luxembourg and buried at the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Luxembourg City, Luxembourg.
Unofficial Royalty: Maria Ana of Portugal, Grand Duchess of Luxembourg

July 31, 1993 – Death of Baudouin I, King of the Belgians in the Villa Astrida in Motril, Spain; buried at the Church of Our Lady in Laeken, Brussels, Belgium
On July 31, 1993, King Bauduin died at Villa Astrida, his private retreat in Motril, Spain. Although King Baudouin had heart surgery in March 1992, his death from heart failure still came unexpectedly and sent Belgium into a period of deep mourning. He was succeeded by his brother King Albert II, who would reign for the next 20 years until he abdicated in favor of his son Philippe. Baudouin’s funeral was held at the Cathedral of St Michael and St Gudula in Brussels, Belgium, and attended by many royals from around the world. One notable guest was Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, who rarely attended royal funerals. Following the funeral, King Baudouin’s remains were entombed in the Royal Crypt at the Church of Our Lady of Laeken, the traditional burial site of the Belgian monarchs.
Unofficial Royalty: King Baudouin I of the Belgians

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.