Royal News Recap for Thursday, October 10, 2024

Please join us on our Facebook group at Facebook: Unofficial Royalty

* * * * * * * * * *

Royal News Recaps are published Mondays-Fridays and Sundays, except for Thanksgiving in the United States, Christmas Eve, and New Year’s Eve. The Royal News Recap for Sundays will be a weekend recap. If there is any breaking or major news, we will add an update as necessary.

* * * * * * * * * *

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.

* * * * * * * * * *

Denmark

Japan

Monaco

Netherlands

Sweden

United Kingdom

Disclaimer: Please be advised that any media article titles or content that appear in the Royal News that identify members of royal families with their maiden names, nicknames, incorrect style or title, etc., come directly from the media source and not from Unofficial Royalty. We encourage you to contact the media sources to express your concern about their use of the incorrect name, style, title, etc. Contact information can usually be found at the bottom of each media source’s main page.

Royal News Recap for Wednesday, October 9, 2024

Please join us on our Facebook group at Facebook: Unofficial Royalty

* * * * * * * * * *

Royal News Recaps are published Mondays-Fridays and Sundays, except for Thanksgiving in the United States, Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. The Royal News Recap for Sundays will be a weekend recap. If there is any breaking or major news, we will add an update as necessary.

* * * * * * * * * *

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.

* * * * * * * * * *

Denmark

Jordan

Norway

Luxembourg

Saudi Arabia

United Kingdom

Disclaimer: Please be advised that any media article titles or content that appear in the Royal News that identify members of royal families with their maiden names, nicknames, incorrect style or title, etc., come directly from the media source and not from Unofficial Royalty. We encourage you to contact the media sources to express your concern about their use of the incorrect name, style, title, etc. Contact information can usually be found at the bottom of each media source’s main page.

October 10: Today in Royal History

© Unofficial Royalty 2024

Juliana Maria of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, Queen of Denmark; Credit – Wikipedia

October 10, 1344 – Birth of Mary of Waltham, Duchess of Brittany, daughter of King Edward III of England at Bishop’s Waltham Palace in Bishop’s Waltham, Hampshire, England
Mary had thirteen siblings. Her brothers married into the English nobility and it was their descendants who later battled for the throne in the Wars of the Roses. Around  July 3, 1361,16-year-old Mary and 22-year-old John IV, Duke of Brittany were married at Woodstock Palace in Woodstock, Oxfordshire, England. Mary and John remained at the English court after their marriage. Arrangements were being made for them to leave England and reside in Brittany as the Duke and Duchess of Brittany. However, within weeks, Mary became quite ill, and she died sometime before September 13, 1361,
Unofficial Royalty: Mary of Waltham, Duchess of Brittany

October 10, 1741 – Birth of Carl II, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz at Mirow Castle in Mirow, Duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, now in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany
Full name: Carl Ludwig Friedrich
Carl was the brother of Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz who married King George III of the United Kingdom. In 1794, Carl became the Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz upon the death of his brother Adolf Friedrich IV. In 1815, the Congress of Vienna recognized Mecklenburg-Strelitz as a grand duchy. Carl II, Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz became the first Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. Carl married Friederike of Hesse-Darmstadt who died due to childbirth complications giving birth to her tenth child. Two years later, Carl married Friederike’s younger sister, Charlotte who also died due to childbirth complications shortly after giving birth to their only child.
Unofficial Royalty: Carl II, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz

October 10, 1796 – Death of Juliana Maria of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, Queen of Denmark, second wife of King Frederik V of Denmark, in Fredensborg Palace in Denmark; buried at Roskilde Cathedral in Denmark
In 1752, Juliana Maria married Frederik V six months after his first wife Louisa of Great Britain died. The couple had one son. After the death of Frederik V, he was succeeded by his son from his first marriage King Christian VII who had many symptoms of mental illness. Juliana Maria was instrumental in a coup that would bring about the fall of Christian VII’s physician Johann Friedrich Struensee and discredit Christian’s wife Caroline Matilda of Wales who was having an affair with Struensee. Juliana Maria arranged for King Christian VII to sign the arrest warrant of Struensee after she had already made the arrest in the name of the king. Struensee was executed and Caroline Matilda was exiled. After the fall of Struensee, Juliana Maria and her son, Christian VII’s half-brother Hereditary Prince Frederik, took charge of the Council of State. Christian VII was only nominally king from 1772 onward.
Unofficial Royalty: Juliana Maria of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, Queen of Denmark

October 10, 1811 – Death of Johann Ludwig von Wallmoden, the illegitimate son of King George II of Great Britain and his mistress Amalie von Wallmoden, in Hanover in the Electorate of Hanover, now in the German state of Lower Saxony; buried in the von Wallmoden family’s hereditary burial site below the tower of the Church of Heinde in Heinde now in the German state of Lower Saxony
Born on April 22, 1736, in Hanover in the Electorate of Hanover, now in the German state of Lower Saxony, Johann Ludwig von Wallmoden was the illegitimate son of King George II of Great Britain and Amalie von Wallmoden, Countess of Yarmouth, George II’s mistress from 1735 until he died in 1760.  Johann Ludwig was brought up at his father’s court and received a comprehensive education. During a grand tour of Italy, Johann Ludwig began to collect art and antiquities. Johann Ludwig joined the Hanoverian Army and rose to the rank of major general. Johann Ludwig married two times: to Charlotte Christiane Auguste Wilhelmine von Wangenheim with whom he had five children and to Baroness Luise Christiane von Lichtenstein with whom he had three children.
Unofficial Royalty: Johann Ludwig von Wallmoden

October 10, 1830 – Birth of Queen Isabella II of Spain at the Royal Palace in Madrid, Spain
Full name: María Isabel Luisa
Isabella’s father Ferdinand VII died in 1833, and she succeeded to the throne, not quite three years old. Isabella married her double first cousin Infante Francisco de Asís de Borbón, Duke of Cadiz. Her marriage was not happy and there were rumors that few, if any, of her children, were fathered by her husband. Isabella had nine children, but only five reached adulthood. Her only surviving son was King Alfonso XII of Spain, the great-great-grandfather of the current Spanish monarch King Felipe VI. Isabella’s authoritarianism, her religious fanaticism, her alliance with the military, and the chaos of her reign — sixty different governments — helped bring about the Revolution of 1868 that exiled her to Paris. The new government replaced Isabella with Amadeo I, the second son of King Victor Emmanuel II of Italy.  During Amadeo’s reign, there were many republican uprisings and he abdicated in 1873 and returned to Italy. The First Spanish Republic was declared, but it lasted a little less than two years.  Isabella officially abdicated in 1870 and after the First Spanish Republic collapsed, her son Alfonso XII became king.
Unofficial Royalty: Queen Isabella II of Spain

October 10, 1837 – Death of Princess Wilhelmine Luise of Nassau-Weilburg, Princess Reuss of Greiz, wife of Heinrich XIII, 2nd Prince Reuss of Greiz, in Greiz, Principality of Reuss-Greiz, now in the German state of Thuringia; buried at the Stadtkirche St. Marien in Greiz
The daughter of Karl Christian, Duke of Nassau-Weilburg and Princess Carolina of Orange-Nassau, twenty-year-old Wilhelmine Luise married thirty-eight-year-old Heinrich XIII, the heir to the throne of the Principality of Reuss-Greiz in 1786. Wilhelmine Luise and Heinrich XIII had four sons. When his father died in 1800, Heinrich XIII succeeded as Prince Reuss of Greiz. Heinrich XIII, 2nd Prince Reuss of Greiz died on January 29, 1817, aged 69. Wilhelmine Luise survived her husband by twenty years, dying on October 10, 1837, aged 72.
Unofficial Royalty: Wilhelmine Luise of Nassau-Weilburg, Princess Reuss of Greiz

October 10, 1846 – Birth of Georg, Prince of Schaumburg-Lippe at Schloss Bückeburg, in Bückeburg, Principality of Schaumburg-Lippe, now in North-Rhine Westphalia, Germany
Full name: Stephan Albrecht Georg
In 1882, Georg married Princess Marie Anna of Saxe-Altenburg, who was eighteen years younger than him. The couple had nine children. Before he succeeded to the throne, Georg had a career in the Prussian Army. Upon the death of his father on May 8, 1893, Georg became the reigning Prince of Schaumburg-Lippe.
Unofficial Royalty: Georg, Prince of Schaumburg-Lippe

October 10, 1903 – Birth of Prince Charles of Belgium, Prince Regent of Belgium, at the Palace of the Marquis d’Assche in Brussels, Belgium
Full name: Charles-Théodore Henri Antoine Meinrad
Charles was the younger brother of Leopold III, King of the Belgians. When Belgium was occupied by Germany during World War II, Leopold III surrendered and was held under house arrest at the Palace of Laeken. After the liberation of Belgium, the Belgian Parliament appointed Charles as Prince Regent. During his Regency, Charles worked to restore Belgium after the war, helping to establish financial aid and grants for the restoration of properties damaged or destroyed. Charles remained Prince Regent of Belgium until a 1950 referendum returned Leopold III to the throne.
Unofficial Royalty: Prince Charles of Belgium Count of Flanders, Prince Regent of Belgium

October 10, 1914 – Death of King Carol I of Romania at Sinaia, Romania; buried at the Curtea de Arges Monastery in Romania
Born Prince Karl of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, he was elected by the Romanian government to become the new Ruling Prince in 1866 after Ruling Prince Alexander Ioan Cuza was forced to abdicate. He took on the more Romanian spelling of his name, Carol. In 1881, the Romanian parliament declared Romania a Kingdom, and he became King Carol I. He married  Princess Elisabeth of Wied and they had one daughter who died in childhood from scarlet fever. After a reign of 48 years, Carol I died at the age of 75 and was succeeded by his nephew, King Ferdinand I, the second son of his elder brother Leopold.
Unofficial Royalty: King Carol I 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.

Royal News Recap for Tuesday, October 8, 2024

Please join us on our Facebook group at Facebook: Unofficial Royalty

* * * * * * * * * *

Royal News Recaps are published Mondays-Fridays and Sundays, except for Thanksgiving in the United States, Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. The Royal News Recap for Sundays will be a weekend recap. If there is any breaking or major news, we will add an update as necessary.

* * * * * * * * * *

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.

* * * * * * * * * *

Denmark

Iran (former monarchy)

Lesotho

Luxembourg

Monaco

Saudi Arabia

Spain

United Kingdom

Disclaimer: Please be advised that any media article titles or content that appear in the Royal News that identify members of royal families with their maiden names, nicknames, incorrect style or title, etc., come directly from the media source and not from Unofficial Royalty. We encourage you to contact the media sources to express your concern about their use of the incorrect name, style, title, etc. Contact information can usually be found at the bottom of each media source’s main page.

October 9: Today in Royal History

© Unofficial Royalty 2024

Barbara Palmer, 1st Duchess of Cleveland; Credit – Wikipedia

October 9, 1690 – Death of Henry FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Grafton, an illegitimate son of King Charles II of England by Barbara Palmer, 1st Duchess of Cleveland
In 1679, Henry married Isabella Bennet, daughter and heiress of Henry Bennet, 1st Earl of Arlington and Elisabeth of Nassau, a granddaughter of Maurits of Nassau, Prince of Orange, and a great-granddaughter of Willem I (the Silent), Prince of Orange. When her father died, Isabella became the 2nd Countess of Arlington in her own right. Henry and Isabella had one son Charles FitzRoy, who succeeded his parents as 2nd Duke of Grafton and 3rd Earl of Arlington. Henry was raised as a sailor and was well-suited to military life. He was appointed Colonel of the Grenadier Guards in 1681 and served as Vice-Admiral of England from 1682 to 1689. On October 9, 1690, in Cork, Ireland, 27-year-old Henry FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Grafton died from wounds received two weeks earlier at the Siege of Cork, during the Williamite War in Ireland when supporters of the former King James II attempted to retake the English throne from King William III and Queen Mary II.
Unofficial Royalty: Henry FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Grafton

October 9, 1709 – Death of Barbara Palmer, 1st Duchess of Cleveland, mistress of King Charles II of England, at Walpole House in Chiswick, England; at the Old Chiswick Cemetery at St. Nicholas Church in Chiswick, London, England
In 1659, Barbara married Roger Palmer, later 1st Earl of Castlemaine. At the end of 1659, Roger and his new wife left with other supporters of the exiled  King Charles II of England, joining him in the Netherlands. In 1660, Barbara became Charles’ mistress and continued as his mistress when Charles II returned to England later that year. Barbara gave birth to six children, some of them, possibly all, were the children of Charles II. Among Barbara’s descendants are Diana, Princess of Wales; Sarah, Duchess of York; the Mitford sisters; philosopher Bertrand Russell; and British Prime Minister Sir Anthony Eden. In 1673, King Charles II cast Barbara aside and took Louise de Kérouaille as his newest favorite mistress. Barbara eventually reconciled with King Charles II and he enjoyed an evening in her company a week before he died in February 1685.
Unofficial Royalty: Barbara Palmer, 1st Duchess of Cleveland

October 9, 1757 – Birth of King Charles X of France at the Palace of Versailles in France
Both King Louis XVIII and King Charles X were brothers of the beheaded King Louis XVI who reigned in France during the Bourbon Restoration. When Napoleon was overthrown in 1814, King Louis XVIII was formally made King of France. In 1824, King Louis XVIII died, and his brother Charles X succeeded to the French throne. Charles longed for a return to absolute rule. He often instructed his prime minister to change or remove laws that he felt were too liberal. Charles’ own actions led to the July Revolution of 1830, his abdication, and the Chamber of the Deputies proclaiming Louis Philippe, Duke of Orléans as Louis Philippe I, King of the French.
Unofficial Royalty: Charles X, King of France

October 9, 1934 – Assassination of King Alexander I of Yugoslavia in Marseilles, France; buried at the Memorial Church of St. George, Oplenac near Topola, Serbia
45-year-old Alexander I, King of Yugoslavia was assassinated in Marseilles, France, by Bulgarian assassin Vlado Chernozemski during a state visit to France. In the pre-World War II era, French Foreign Minister Louis Barthou was attempting to build alliances. King Alexander was making a state visit to France to sign a Franco-Yugoslav agreement. Barthou met King Alexander when he arrived in Marseilles, France on the Royal Yugoslav Navy destroyer Dubrovnik. The pair slowly traveled in a motorcade through the streets of Marseilles, lined with people eager to see the king. Vlado Chernozemski emerged from the crowd and jumped onto the running board of Alexander and Barthou’s car. He was carrying a bouquet of flowers, in which his pistol was concealed, and shouted “Vive le roi!” (“Long live the king!”) Chernozemski shot Alexander, hitting him once in the abdomen and once in the heart, killing the king within minutes.
Unofficial Royalty: Assassination of Alexander I, King of Yugoslavia
Unofficial Royalty: King Alexander I of Yugoslavia

October 9, 1935 – Birth of Prince Edward, Duke of Kent at 3 Belgrave Square in London, England
Full name: Edward George Nicholas Paul Patrick
Edward became Duke of Kent at age 7 when his father Prince George, Duke of Kent died in a plane crash during active military service in World War II. In 1961, Edward married Katharine Worsley and the couple had three children. As a first cousin of Queen Elizabeth II, he was an active member of the Royal Family and represented the Queen at events in the United Kingdom and around the world.  He is probably most recognized for his role as President of The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, serving from 1969 – 2021, a position to which he succeeded upon his mother’s death in 1968. In this role, he presented the champion’s trophies at Wimbledon each year.
Unofficial Royalty: Prince Edward, Duke of Kent

October 9, 1937 – Death of Ernst Ludwig, Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine, grandson of Queen Victoria, at Schloss Wolfsgarten in Langen, Germany; buried at Rosenhöhe Chapel in Darmstadt, Germany
Ernst Ludwig was the son of Queen Victoria’s daughter Princess Alice and Ludwig IV, Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine. He made an unsuccessful marriage to his first cousin Princess Victoria Melita of Edinburgh and Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. The couple had one daughter who died in childhood. They waited until after Queen Victoria died to divorce. In 1905, Ernst Ludwig married Princess Eleonore of Solms-Hohensolms-Lich and they had two sons. He lost his throne after World War I, however, he was allowed to remain in Hesse and retained several of the family’s properties. Tragically, just weeks after his death, a plane crash in Belgium took the lives of many of his remaining family – his widow, elder son, daughter-in-law, and two grandsons. The plane crash took place on November 16, 1937 – ironically, this was the anniversary of the deaths of both Ernst Ludwig’s sister May (in 1878) and his daughter Elisabeth (in 1903).
Unofficial Royalty: Ernst Ludwig, Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine

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 News Recap for Monday, October 7, 2024

Please join us on our Facebook group at Facebook: Unofficial Royalty

* * * * * * * * * *

Royal News Recaps are published Mondays-Fridays and Sundays, except for Thanksgiving in the United States, Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. The Royal News Recap for Sundays will be a weekend recap. If there is any breaking or major news, we will add an update as necessary.

* * * * * * * * * *

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.

* * * * * * * * * *

Denmark

Jordan

Luxembourg

Monaco

Spain

Sweden

United Kingdom

* * * * * * * * * *

Disclaimer: Please be advised that any media article titles or content that appear in the Royal News that identify members of royal families with their maiden names, nicknames, incorrect style or title, etc., come directly from the media source and not from Unofficial Royalty. We encourage you to contact the media sources to express your concern about their use of the incorrect name, style, title, etc. Contact information can usually be found at the bottom of each media source’s main page.

Netherlands – Accession to the Throne and Inauguration

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2024

A painting by Nicolaas Pieneman depicting King Willem II swearing the oath during his inauguration in 1840; Credit – Wikipedia

The last accession to the throne of the Netherlands took place when Queen Beatrix abdicated on April 30, 2013, thirty-three years after she became Queen of the Netherlands when her mother Queen Juliana abdicated on April 30, 1980. Queen Beatrix’s abdication and the inauguration of her son King Willem-Alexander took place on April 30, 2013. Beatrix signed the instrument of abdication in the Mozeszaal in the Royal Palace in Amsterdam at 10:07 a.m. local time. Willem-Alexander immediately became King of the Netherlands the instant his mother signed the instrument of abdication. His inauguration took place on the afternoon of April 30, 2013, in the Nieuwe Kerk in Amsterdam.

Article 32 of the Dutch Constitution states “Upon assuming the royal prerogative the monarch shall be sworn in and invested as soon as possible in the capital city, Amsterdam, at a public and joint session of the two Houses of the States General. The monarch shall swear or promise allegiance to the Constitution and that he/she will faithfully discharge his/her duties. Specific rules shall be laid down by Act of Parliament.” The Dutch monarch is not crowned, although the crown, orb, and scepter are present at the investiture ceremony. The swearing of the oath constitutes the monarch’s acceptance of the throne.

History

Willem ( (the Silent), Prince of Orange; Credit – Wikipedia

Prince of Orange is a title originally associated with the sovereign Principality of Orange, in what is now southern France. Willem I (the Silent), Prince of Orange (reigned 1559 – 1584, assassinated) is the founder of the House of Orange-Nassau, and the ancestor of the Dutch monarchs. When Willem’s childless cousin René of Châlon, Prince of Orange died in 1544, he left the Principality of Orange to Willem. Over the years, the title Prince of Orange became prestigious in the Netherlands and throughout the Protestant world despite losing the territory that had originally gone with the title. The Princes of Orange were also Stadtholders of various Dutch provinces during the period of the Dutch Republic and gained much power.

The 1814 inauguration of Willem VI, as Sovereign Prince of Orange at the Nieuwe Kerk in Amsterdam; Credit – Wikipedia

The Napoleonic Wars disrupted much of Europe. When the French invaded the Dutch Republic in 1795, Willem V, Prince of Orange and his family went into exile, first in England and then in 1796 in Prussia where they lived until 1813. After the defeat of Napoleon, the first inauguration ceremony was held in 1814, when Willem VI, Prince of Orange was sworn in as sovereign prince at the Nieuwe Kerk in Amsterdam. Willem VI, urged on by the powers who met at the Congress of Vienna, proclaimed the Netherlands a monarchy on March 16, 1815. After Napoleon’s defeat at the Battle of Waterloo and his second exile, the Congress of Vienna formally confirmed Willem VI, Prince of Orange as the hereditary ruler, King Willem I, of what was known as the United Kingdom of the Netherlands. Today, the title Prince/Princess of Orange is held by the heir apparent of the Dutch monarch and the Dutch Royal Family are members of the House of Orange-Nassau.

What happens?

Nieuwe Kerk on Dam Square in Amsterdam. The Royal Palace is on the left; Photo – © Susan Flantzer

The inauguration of Sovereign Kings and Queens of the Netherlands is held at the Nieuwe Kerk (New Church) in Amsterdam during a public session of the Dutch legislature, the States General. The Nieuwe Kerk is no longer used for church services and has been converted into a cultural center. However, the Nieuwe Kerk is used for the inauguration of the Dutch monarch according to Article 32 of the Constitution of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. In addition, the religious wedding of the future King Willem-Alexander and Máxima Zorreguieta Cerruti was held at the Nieuwe Kerk in 2002.

Royal guests at King Willem-Alexander’s inauguration

Many guests attended King Willem-Alexander’s inauguration including members of other royal families. However, tradition requires that no foreign sovereign attend the inauguration so that the new Dutch sovereign, as protocol requires, is the one with the highest rank among those present.

Foreign royalty who attended King Willem Alexander’s inauguration:

  • Prince Albert II of Monaco (assuming that Prince Albert could attend because as a Sovereign Prince, his rank is lower than a King.)
  • Sheikha Moza bint Nasser Al-Missned representing the Emir of Qatar
    Princess Lalla Salma of Morocco representing the King of Morocco
  • Crown Prince Naruhito and Crown Princess Masako of Japan representing the Emperor of Japan)
  • Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn of Thailand representing the King of Thailand
  • Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn of Thailand
  • The Prince of Wales (Charles) and Duchess of Cornwall (Camilla), representing the Queen of the United Kingdom
  • Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary of Denmark, representing the Queen of Denmark
  • Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel of Sweden, representing the King of Sweden
  • The Prince (Felipe) and Princess of Asturias (Letizia) representing the King of Spain
  • The Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette Marit of Norway, representing the King of Norway
  • The Duke (Philippe) and Duchess of Brabant (Mathilde), representing the King of the Belgians
  • The Crown Prince Al-Muhtadee Billah and Crown Princess Sarah binti Salleh Ab of Brunei, representing the Sultan of Brunei
  • The Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume and Hereditary Grand Duchess Stéphanie of Luxembourg, representing the Grand Duke of Luxembourg)
  • The Hereditary Prince Alois and Hereditary Princess Sophie of Liechtenstein, representing the Prince of Liechtenstein)
  • Prince Hassan bin Talal and Princess Sarvath al-Hassan of Jordan, representing the King of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan)

The inauguration is strictly ceremonial as the successor to the throne instantly becomes the new monarch at the moment the former monarch dies or abdicates. A monarch must be eighteen years old to participate in an inauguration. Although the inauguration is held in a church, it is not a religious ceremony. The significance of the inauguration is purely constitutional. The present form of the inauguration began with King Willem II’s inauguration in 1840.

The regalia of the Netherlands; Credit – Wikipedia

The Regalia of the Netherlands, commissioned by King Willem II in 1840, a copy of the Dutch Constitution, and a copy of the Charter for the Kingdom of the Netherlands are placed on a table in the Nieuwe Kerk. The regalia symbolizes the monarch’s power and dignity but are never physically given to or worn by the monarch.

The Crown symbolizes the sovereignty of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the dignity of the head of state. Since Dutch monarchs are not crowned, they never actually wear the crown. The Scepter symbolizes the monarch’s authority and the Orb symbolizes the monarch’s territory. The Sword of State symbolizes the monarch’s power.

********************

The regalia and the chairs of state in place for the inauguration of King Willem-Alexander © Royal Archives, photo: Ben Grishaaver (Leiden University). https://www.royal-house.nl/topics/royal-house/investiture

The President of the Senate opens this public session of the Dutch legislature and then reads a message from the Prime Minister which gives the President of the Senate the political responsibility for the inauguration of the monarch.

The ministers and secretaries of state, the members of the Council of State, and the governors of Aruba, Curaçao, and Saint Martin are welcomed. Members of the Dutch royal family, led by the heir to the throne and the other children of the sovereign enter and take their seats.

King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima walking to the Nieuwe Kerk; Credit – Wikipedia

Meanwhile, the Dutch monarch and his/her spouse leave the adjacent Royal Palace, preceded by a military escort, and walk the short distance to the Nieuwe Kerk.

The interior of the Nieuwe Kerk as King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima make their way down the aisle

On arriving at the Nieuwe Kerk, the monarch is greeted by a parliamentary delegation of five members. During the ceremony, the monarch, wearing an ermine-lined heirloom mantle, and his/her spouse, are seated on chairs of state upon a raised dais, opposite the members of the legislature. Once the monarch is seated, Wilhelmus, the national anthem is sung. The Wilhelmus was written in honor of  Willem I (the Silent), Prince of Orange, known as the Vader des Vaderlands (Father of the Fatherland).

The singing of the Wilhelmus, the national anthem of the Netherlands

The monarch gives a speech before swearing the oath to uphold the constitution and protect the people of the Kingdom. While reciting the oath, the monarch often displays the Spreekgebaar (speaking gesture), a hand gesture used in Germanic Europe and neighboring countries, when swearing an oath. The right hand is raised, with the index finger and middle finger extended upwards; the last two digits are curled downwards against the palm. The thumb is slightly curled or raised.

King Willem-Alexander swearing the oath while raising his hand in the Spreekgebaar

The oath or affirmation: “I solemnly swear (affirm) to the people of the Kingdom that I shall constantly preserve and uphold the Charter for the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the Constitution. I swear (affirm) that I shall defend and preserve the independence and the territory of the Kingdom to the best of my ability, that I shall protect the freedom and rights of all Dutch citizens and residents, and that I shall employ all means placed at my disposal by the law to preserve and promote prosperity, as is incumbent upon a good and faithful Sovereign. So help me God! (This I solemnly affirm!)

Following the monarch’s oath, the President of the Senate makes a declaration on behalf of the assembled people: “We receive and invest, in the name of the people of the Kingdom and in accordance with the Charter for the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the Constitution, you as king/queen. We swear (promise) that we will maintain your inviolability and the rights of your Crown. We swear (promise) to do all that a good and faithful States General, States of Aruba, States of Curaçao, and States of St Maarten should do. So help us God! (This we promise!)

A member of the States General swears the declaration

Next, each member of the States General is called individually to stand and swear or affirm this declaration. They either swear with the Spreekgebaar like the new monarch and state, “So truly help me, God Almighty” or affirm with a simple “That, I promise.”

The President of the Senate declares the inauguration completed, followed by the senior King of Arms exclaiming that the monarch has been inaugurated and the President of the Senate then proclaiming, “Long live the King/Queen!” All assembled respond with three hurrahs. The heralds proceed outside the church to Dam Square where they announce to the public that the monarch has been inaugurated and proclaim “Long live the King/Queen!”

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

  • Investiture. (2017). Royal-House.nl. https://www.royal-house.nl/topics/royal-house/investiture
  • Monarchy of the Netherlands. (2021). Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monarchy_of_the_Netherlands
  • Outline of Abdication and Investiture Programme 30 April. (2015). Royal-House.nl. https://www.royal-house.nl/topics/abdication-and-investiture/news/2013/2/12/outline-of-abdication-and-investiture-programme-30-april
  • Wikipedia Contributors. (2024). Inauguration of the Dutch monarch. Wikipedia; Wikimedia Foundation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inauguration_of_the_Dutch_monarch
  • Wikipedia Contributors. (2024). Inauguration of Willem-Alexander. Wikipedia; Wikimedia Foundation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inauguration_of_Willem-Alexander

October 8: Today in Royal History

© Unofficial Royalty 2024

King Zog I of Albania; Credit – Wikipedia

October 8, 1515 – Birth of Lady Margaret Erskine, mistress of James V, King of Scots
James V, King of Scots had several mistresses but Lady Margaret Erskine was his favorite and the mother of the most important of his nine illegitimate children. Margaret’s father John Erskine, 5th Lord Erskine was appointed guardian of the ten-year-old James V, King of Scots and Constable of Stirling Castle, and so Margaret and James had been acquainted from an early age. Within a few years of her marriage to Sir Robert Douglas of Lochleven, Margaret became the mistress of James V. Margaret and James V’s son James Stewart, 1st Earl of Moray, born circa 1531, had become Protestant like most of Margaret’s family. Despite their religious differences, James Stewart became the chief advisor to his half-sister Mary, Queen of Scots and in September 1561, Mary created her half-brother Earl of Moray.
Unofficial Royalty: Lady Margaret Erskine, mistress of James V, King of Scots

October 8, 1895 – Birth of Ahmed Zogu, King Zog I of Albania, at Burgajet Castle in Burrel,  the Ottoman Empire, now in Albania
After Albania achieved independence, Ahmed Muhtar Zogu held numerous positions within the government, including Minister of the Interior, Chief of the Albanian Military, Prime Minister, and President. In 1927, several Albanian politicians suggested that Albania should become a monarchy again. A commission was quickly established and on August 30, 1928, the Constitutional Assembly overwhelmingly approved the vote. The Kingdom of Albania was established, and President Zogu was offered the throne. The following day, September 1, 1928, Ahmet Zogu took the oath, becoming King Zog I of the Albanians, the country’s first and only reigning King. In 1938, King Zog married Geraldine Apponyi de Nagy-Appony. On April 7, 1939, just two days after Queen Geraldine gave birth to the couple’s only child, Italian forces invaded Albania. Despite attempts to hold them off, the Albanian military was unsuccessful and the royal family was forced into exile. After several years of ill health, King Zog passed away on April 9, 1961, at 66.
Unofficial Royalty: King Zog I of Albania

October 8, 1972 – Death of The Honorable Sir Alexander Ramsay, son of John William Maule Ramsay, 13th Earl of Dalhousie and husband of Princess Patricia of Connaught, a granddaughter of Queen Victoria, at his home Ribsden Holt in Windlesham, Surrey, England; buried in the Royal Burial Ground at Frogmore, Windsor, England
Ramsay had a long career in the Royal Navy. While serving as naval aide-de-camp to Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught in his early years as Governor-General of Canada, Ramsay became acquainted with his youngest child Princess Patricia of Connaught. The couple became engaged at the fishing lodge of J. K. L. Ross, a Canadian businessman, sportsman, thoroughbred racehorse owner/breeder, and philanthropist, on St. Anns Bay in Nova Scotia, Canada. The wedding was held at Westminster Abbey on February 27, 1919. This was the first major royal event after World War I and the first royal wedding at Westminster Abbey since the 1382 wedding of King Richard II and Anne of Bohemia. The couple had one son.
Unofficial Royalty: The Honorable Sir Alexander Ramsay

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 News Recap for Saturday, October 5 and Sunday, October 6, 2024

Please join us on our Facebook group at Facebook: Unofficial Royalty

* * * * * * * * * *

Royal News Recaps are published Mondays-Fridays and Sundays, except for Thanksgiving in the United States, Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. The Royal News Recap for Sundays will be a weekend recap. If there is any breaking or major news, we will add an update as necessary.

* * * * * * * * * *

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.

* * * * * * * * * *

Denmark

Japan

Multiple Monarchies

Nethelands

Saudi Arabia

United Kingdom

* * * * * * * * * *

Disclaimer: Please be advised that any media article titles or content that appear in the Royal News that identify members of royal families with their maiden names, nicknames, incorrect style or title, etc., come directly from the media source and not from Unofficial Royalty. We encourage you to contact the media sources to express your concern about their use of the incorrect name, style, title, etc. Contact information can usually be found at the bottom of each media source’s main page.

October 7: Today in Royal History

© Unofficial Royalty 2024

Maria Caterina Brignole, Princess of Monaco; Credit – Wikipedia

October 7, 1471 – Birth of King Frederik I of Denmark and Norway at Haderslevhus in Haderslev, Denmark
Frederik I, King of Denmark and Norway was the youngest of the four sons and the youngest of the five children of Christian I, King of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. Frederik’s nephew Christian II, King of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden had been deposed in Sweden in 1521 and replaced by Gustav Vasa, the first monarch of the Swedish House of Vasa. By 1523, the Danes also had enough of Christian II and a rebellion started. Christian II was forced to abdicate by the Danish nobles and Frederik, his paternal uncle, was offered the crown. Frederik was the last Roman Catholic Danish monarch. All subsequent Danish monarchs have been Lutheran. Although Frederik remained Catholic, he was somewhat tolerant of the new Protestant Lutheran religion. He ordered Lutherans and Roman Catholics to share the same churches and encouraged the first publication of the Bible in the Danish language. Frederik’s attitude toward religion postponed the all-out warfare between Protestants and Roman Catholics that occurred during the reign of his son King Christian III that ultimately turned Denmark into a Protestant nation.
Unofficial Royalty: King Frederik I of Denmark and Norway

October 7, 1515 – Birth of Lady Margaret Douglas, Countess of Lennox, daughter of Margaret Tudor and mother of Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley, at Harbottle Castle in Harbottle, Northumberland, England
Lady Margaret Douglas was the only child of Margaret Tudor, Dowager Queen of Scots and the second of her third husbands, Scottish noble Archibald Douglas, 6th Earl of Angus. She was third in the line of succession to the English throne at the time of her birth. Her elder son was Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley who married his first cousin Mary, Queen of Scots, the daughter and successor of Lady Margaret’s half-brother James V, King of Scots. Darnley and Mary’s son James VI, King of Scots succeeded as King James I of England upon the death of Queen Elizabeth I of England. Margaret and her family suffered the dangerous misfortune of being a threat to the English throne. All British monarchs from King James I onward, and many European royals are the descendants of Lady Margaret Douglas.
Unofficial Royalty: Lady Margaret Douglas, Countess of Lennox

October 7, 1672 – Birth of Ernst Ludwig I, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen at Friedenstein Palace in Gotha, Duchy of Saxe-Gotha, now in Thuringia, Germany
Ernst Ludwig succeeded his father, Bernhard I, as Duke of Saxe-Meiningen. Unlike his own father who had divided his territories among his sons, Bernhard stipulated in his will that the duchy should remain united. However, he also wanted his sons to rule jointly, which none of them wanted to do. Ernst Ludwig, as the eldest son, felt that the throne should go solely to him and his heirs, which caused a rift between him and his brothers. Eventually, he reached an agreement with them which gave him sole reign. His two remaining brothers later ruled after his death, in the guardianship of Ernst Ludwig’s sons.
Unofficial Royalty: Ernst Ludwig I, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen

October 7, 1737 – Birth of Maria Caterina Brignole, Princess of Monaco, wife of Prince Honoré III of Monaco, at the Palazzo Rosso in the Republic of Genoa, now in Italy
In 1757, Maria Caterina married Honoré III, Prince of Monaco, who was eager to marry to provide Monaco with an heir and to obtain Maria Caterina’s large dowry. The couple had two sons including Honoré IV, Prince of Monaco. Maria Caterina and Honoré III lived mostly in Paris where Maria Caterina spent a lot of time with Louis Joseph de Bourbon, Prince of Condé, a great-grandson of Louis XIV, King of France and his mistress Françoise-Athénaïs de Rochechouart, Marquise de Montespan. Louis Joseph used his influence to obtain a legal separation for Maria Caterina from Honoré and the right to manage her own finances. Honoré finally realized his relationship with Maria Caterina was over and eventually accepted Maria Caterina’s relationship with Louis Joseph. There was never a divorce or annulment. Honoré continued with his mistresses and he allowed Maria Caterina to see her two sons.
Unofficial Royalty: Maria Caterina Brignole, Princess of Monaco

October 7, 1748 – Birth of King Carl XIII of Sweden at the Wrangel Palace on Riddarholmen islet in Gamla Stan, the old town of 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 members of Gustav Adolf’s family 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.
Unofficial Royalty: King Carl XIII of Sweden

October 7, 1870 – Birth of Prince Friedrich of Hesse and by Rhine, son of Princess Alice of the United Kingdom and Grand Duke Ludwig IV of Hesse and by Rhine and grandson of Queen Victoria, at Neues Palais in Darmstadt, Grand Duchy of Hesse and by Rhine, now in Hesse, Germany
Full name: Friedrich Wilhelm August Viktor Leopold Ludwig
Prince Friedrich, known as Frittie in the family, was the son of Princess Alice of the United Kingdom and Grand Duke Ludwig IV of Hesse and by Rhine. Following a cut to his ear in February 1873, it was discovered that Frittie suffered from hemophilia when the wound took days to stop bleeding. In May 1873, Frittie and his brother Ernst Ludwig were playing in their mother’s bedroom at the Neues Palais. Ernst went into another room to look through the window, angled to the window in Alice’s bedroom. While Alice was out of the room to get Ernst, Frittie climbed up to the window in the bedroom to see Ernst. The chair he climbed on tipped over and Frittie fell from the window to the ground below. Due to his hemophilia, Prince Friedrich died from a brain hemorrhage.
Unofficial Royalty: Prince Friedrich of Hesse and by Rhine
Unofficial Royalty: Hemophilia in Queen Victoria’s Descendants

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.