Longest Royal Marriages


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O-H Anglophile

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I saw a thread discussing shortest royal marriages which seemed sad. So in honor of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh's upcoming 70th wedding anniversary I'm starting this thread.
 
Good idea considering that the Queen and the DoE are at the top of the list for the longest royal marriage. :D
 
King George III and Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz were married for 57 years until she died in 1818. Of course it's not terribly long by today's standards and George was considered insane for the last ten years of the union, but it was still lengthy by the standards of the 18th/early 19th centuries. Most people didn't live as long. And they did produce a huge family.

Princess Augusta of Cambridge, Queen Mary's much loved aunt, married Friedrich, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz in June 1843, and then went off to live in Germany. They had one son and were married until 1904, when Friedrich died. So that was 61 years. Mary and Augusta corresponded regularly in spite of World War One, until Augusta died in 1916.
 
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:previous: All things considered, 57 years is a still a long marriage--and since life expectancies were generally shorter 200 or more years ago even more so then.
 
If we are talking living, Elizabeth and Philip.

If we are talking any, then they would be second. Prince Takahito of Japan who died in 2016 was married in 1941. He died five days after he and his wife celebrated their 75th wedding anniversary. He was unfortunately ill for months and they celebrated their anniversary in his hospital room. He was 101, his widow Princess Mikasa is 94.


In the past 100 years:
-Prince and Princess Mikasa- 75 years
-Philip and Elizabeth- 70 years
-Juliana and Bernhard-67 years (d)
-Buhimbol and Sakrit- 66 years (d)
-Hirohito and Nagako-64 years (d)
-Ragnild and Erling-59 years (d)
-Albert II and Paola-58 years
-Emperor Akihito and Michiko-58 years
-Infante Juan and Maria Mercedes-58 years (d)
-Duke and Duchess of Kent- 56 years
-Sofia and Juan Carlos-55 years
-Birgitta and Johan- 55 years (d)
-Astrid and John Ferner-54 years (d)
-Anne marie and Constantine-53 years
-Desiree and Niclas-53 years (d)
-GD Jean and Josephine-Charlotte- 52 years (d)
-Infanta Beatriz and Alessandro-51 years (d)
-Princess Margriet (NL) and Pieter- 50 years
-Hans Adam II and Marie-50 years
-Margrethe and Henrik-50 years

I listed ones who made it at least to 50 years. 4 of whom broke the 65 year mark.

The ones with d, at least one is deceased so no more anniversaries to come.
 
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Queen Juliana and Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands were married for 67 years (and 2 1/2 months), from 7 January 1937 until her death on 20 March 2004. It has been suggested that she didn't recognize her husband (or anyone else) in the last years of her life due to dementia; and the prince wasn't faithful to her from early on in their marriage.
 
Great list, Countessmeout! Unfortunately, some of them are/were only married in name for many years.

Another marriage that passed the 50 years mark (but depending on how you define the last 100 years (start of the marriage?) - it makes sense that it did not appear in your list) is that of Hans-Adams grandparents: prince Aloys of Liechtenstein and archduchess Elisabeth Amelie of Austria. They were married from 20 April 1903 until his death on 16 March 1955; so almost 52 years.

Their son Georg died in the year of (but 8 months before) their 50th wedding anniversary. Their daughter princess Henriette was 1 1/2 years short of their golden wedding anniversary when her husband passed away.
 
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The Japanese Emperor Hirohito picked out Princess Nagako (1903-2000) as his future bride when they were both in their teens, from a very restricted circle.

She was from a cadet branch of the Imperial family, and apparently didn't have any choice as to her groom. They married in January 1924 (when he was Crown Prince) and were together (Hirohito having sacked his traditional 39 concubines on his marriage) until the Emperor died in January 1989. That's 64 years.

Nagako lived on until 2000. She was one of the few Japanese left who remembered life in the Imperial Court before the First World War and the lilting Court language, no longer spoken.
 
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I think we're talking any not just currently living.?
More to list and discuss. Good start participants and great list Countessmeout
 
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Although separated for a few years the Count & Countess of Paris were married for 59 years.
 
Another one to include in the list: Princess Alix of Luxembourg and the (13th) prince of Ligne (Antoine): 55 years (17 August 1950 - 21 August 2005; his death).

Her older sisters Marie Gabriele (49 years and 7 1/2 months) and Marie Adelaide (48 years and 10 1/2 months) almost made the 50 years mark.
 
Great list, Countessmeout! Unfortunately, some of them are/were only married in name for many years.

Another marriage that passed the 50 years mark (but depending on how you define the last 100 years (start of the marriage?) - it makes sense that it did not appear in your list) is that of Hans-Adams grandparents: prince Aloys of Liechtenstein and archduchess Elisabeth Amelie of Austria. They were married from 20 April 1903 until his death on 16 March 1955; so almost 52 years.

Their son Georg died in the year of (but 8 months before) their 50th wedding anniversary. Their daughter princess Henriette was 1 1/2 years short of their golden wedding anniversary when her husband passed away.

Yes, didn't go that far back and missed them:flowers:

Some other long ones (I didn't really go into the non-reigning 1st time)

King Michael of Romania and Anne- just short of 68th anniversary
Princess Yori of Japan and her husband-60 years
Princess Suga of Japan and her husband-57 years
Duke and Duchess of Wurtemberh- 57 years
King Simeon II and Margarita-55 years
Henri, Count of Paris (the late one, not current) and Isabelle were married for 55 years before they separated. Not sure if ever legally divorced. If not, 68 years married, though last 13 separated.
Prince Paul of Yugoslavia and Olga-54 years
King Umberto II and Maria Jose-53 years
Felix of Bourbon Parma and Grand Duchess Charlotte of Lux-51 years
Xavier of Bourbon Parma and Madeleine-50 years
Maria Francoise of Bourbon Parma and Prince Edouard- 50 years
Anne and Carlos, Duke of Calabria-50 years
Prince George of Greece and his wife Marie Bonapart celebrated 50 years days before he died
 
Ithink the queen and Philip are well up there in "longest!" Good luck to them.
 
I think they have set the record for the longest royal marriage at 70 years. Did some snooping around and in total, they've spent 25550 days together as a married couple. We all should be so blessed. :flowers:
 
Yes, didn't go that far back and missed them:flowers:

Some other long ones (I didn't really go into the non-reigning 1st time)

King Michael of Romania and Anne- just short of 68th anniversary
Princess Yori of Japan and her husband-60 years
Princess Suga of Japan and her husband-57 years
Duke and Duchess of Wurtemberh- 57 years
King Simeon II and Margarita-55 years
Henri, Count of Paris (the late one, not current) and Isabelle were married for 55 years before they separated. Not sure if ever legally divorced. If not, 68 years married, though last 13 separated.
Prince Paul of Yugoslavia and Olga-54 years
King Umberto II and Maria Jose-53 years
Felix of Bourbon Parma and Grand Duchess Charlotte of Lux-51 years
Xavier of Bourbon Parma and Madeleine-50 years
Maria Francoise of Bourbon Parma and Prince Edouard- 50 years
Anne and Carlos, Duke of Calabria-50 years
Prince George of Greece and his wife Marie Bonapart celebrated 50 years days before he died

Some more

Prince and Princess Mikasa of Japan - 75 years
Archduke Joseph and Archduess Auguste of Austria - 68 years, 7 months
 
Prince and Princess Mikasa of Japan - 75 years

Thanks Stefan. This marriage lasted 5 years past the milestone that the Queen and the DoE have achieved making it the second longest royal marriage. Still a remarkable feat though. :D
 
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