by Scott Mehl © Unofficial Royalty 2013
This article will be updated shortly. Louis IX, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt and his wife Countess Palatine Caroline of Zweibrücken became the most recent common ancestors of all current hereditary European monarchs on September 8, 2022 after Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, who was not a descendant, died and her son, Charles III, a descendant through his father, became king.
Until September 8, 2022, Johan Willem Friso of Orange-Nassau, Prince of Orange was the most recent common ancestor of all current hereditary European monarchs.
While some of the current European monarchs are related to each other within just a couple of generations, we have to go back a few hundred years to find the ancestor that all of them have in common – Johan Willem Friso of Orange-Nassau, Prince of Orange (1687-1711). He and his wife, Landgravine Marie Louise of Hesse-Kassel (1688-1765), had two children, Princess Amalia and Willem IV, Prince of Orange. It is through these two children that all of the current reigning monarchs of Europe descend.
Unofficial Royalty: Johan Willem Friso, Prince of OrangeUnofficial Royalty: Marie Luise of Hesse-Kassel, Princess of Orange
Princess Amalia married the Hereditary Prince of Baden-Durlach and had two sons. Her elder son became the first Grand Duke of Baden.
Willem IV married Anne, Princess Royal (daughter of King George II of Great Britain), and had two children who lived to adulthood.
Unofficial Royalty: Willem IV, Prince of OrangeUnofficial Royalty: Anne, Princess Royal, Princess of Orange
Through Princess Amalia, Hereditary Princess of Baden-Durlach:
King Philippe of BelgiumPrince Hans-Adam II of LiechtensteinGrand Duke Henri of LuxembourgPrince Albert II of Monaco(the late former) King Michael of Romania
Through Willem IV, Prince of Orange:
King Philippe of Belgium(former) Tsar Simeon II of BulgariaQueen Margrethe II of Denmark(the late former) King Constantine II of GreeceGrand Duke Henri of LuxembourgKing Willem-Alexander of the NetherlandsKing Harald V of Norway(the late former) King Michael of RomaniaKing Felipe VI of SpainKing Charles III of the United Kingdom
(King Philippe of Belgium, Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg and former King Michael of Romania are descended from both Amalia and Willem IV.)
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