On This Day: British Royal Family


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January 25th ,1377 : Death of Maud of Lancaster, Countess of Ulster


Lady Maud was a great grand daughter of King Henry III and a member of the English Royal Family. Widowed in 1346 she took religious vows and became the Canoness at the Augustinian Campsey Priory in Suffolk. Maud died at the Poor Clares house at Bruisyard Abbey where she was buried.
The Abbey was dissolved in 1539 and her burial has not been preserved.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maud_of_Lancaster,_Countess_of_Ulster
 
26th of January 1568 : Death of Lady Katherine Grey,Countess of Hertford


Lady Katherine Grey was second surviving daughter of Henry Grey, Duke of Suffolk and Lady Frances Brandon.Lady Katherine was a younger sister of Lady Jane Grey and in the line of succession and her secret second marriage to the Earl of Hertford in 1560 enraged queen Elizabeth and they were both imprisoned.

The Countess died aged 27 and is buried at Salisbury Cathedral.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lady_Katherine_Grey

Lady_Katherine_Grey_and_her_son_Lord_Edward_Beauchamp_v2.jpg
 
On this day, January 28, 1457 ~ Birth of King Henry VII of England at Pembroke Castle
 
On this day, January 28, 1457 ~ Birth of King Henry VII of England at Pembroke Castle
His father had died 3 months before he was born and Henry succeeded him as the second Earl.

The title was later merged with Crown after Henry became King.

As far as I'm aware the Earldom has not been recreated?
 
On this day, January 28, 1457 ~ Birth of King Henry VII of England at Pembroke Castle

The birth was so difficult and complicated that Margaret was not able to get pregnant again afterwards (at the birth she was only 13 and a half).
 
On this day, January 29, 1912 ~ Demise of Alexander Duff, 1st Duke of Fife, husband of Louise, Princess Royal, the daughter of King Edward VII
 
On this day, February 1, 1327 ~ Coronation of King Edward III of England
 
2nd of February 1461 : Death of Sir Owen Tudor


Sir Owen was the founder of the Tudor dynasty and was the second husband of Catherine de Valois .Sir Owen was beheaded by Yorkists early on in the early years of the Wars of the Roses and his remains were buried at Greyfriars Church, Hereford. Sadly in 1539 Greyfriars was dissolved and torn down and the burial was not salvaged and is presumed lost.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Owen_Tudor
 
On this day, February 3, 1276 ~ Wedding of Edmund Crouchback, Earl of Lancaster, son of King Henry III of England, and Blanche of Artois
 
Blanche d'Artois was a niece of St Louis IX of France and was named in honour of her grandmother Blanche of Castile.

Blanche was married off to Henri de Champagne later King Henri I of Navarre and later served as Queen Regent for their daughter Jeanne Ier de Navarre.

Her second marriage was to Edmund Crouchback, Earl of Lancaster.
 
On this day, February 4, 1495 ~ Wedding of Anne of York, daughter of King Edward IV of England, and (the future) 3rd Duke of Norfolk, Thomas Howard at Greenwich Palace
 
On this day, February 6, 1665 ~ Birth of Queen Anne of Great Britain at St. James' Palace in London
 
February 8, 1772 death of Princess Augusta of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg, Princess of Wales.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/25502753/augusta_of_saxe-gotha#view-photo=9860390

She was born November 30, 1719 in Gotha. Her father was Frederick II, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg. Her mother was Princess Magdalena Augusta of Anhalt-Zerbst. Her parents had 20 children, 9 of whom reached adulthood. She was second youngest of her parents' children.


In 1736 George II was in search of a wife for his eldest son and heir, 29 year old Prince Frederick. His attention had turned to Prussia. The plan was for a double wedding. Frederick would marry the eldest unmarried daughter of Frederick William I, who was Louisa Ulrika. And in return his second eldest unmarried daughter Caroline would marry the Prussian heir the future Frederick II. Plans fell through though as the Prussians were not happy with the arrangement. They wanted Princess Amelia (Caroline's older sister) as a bride for their heir. George II refused and started looking for other marriages. Louise Ulrika would end up married to Gustav III of Sweden and Frederick II would marry Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel-Bevern. In the end neither of George II's daughters who were proposed Prussian brides would marry.


Frederick's mother Caroline feared her son was falling for Lady Diana Spencer, a granddaughter of the Duchess of Marlborough. She convinced her husband to stop in Gotha when he was in Hannover, and seek a bride for their son. His choice settled on Augusta who was 17 at the time.

Frederick agreed to marry his father's choice as he was seeking a higher allowance from parliament.

She arrived ill-prepared in England. Her mother had not thought it needed she learn English before the wedding, as her husband's family was German. She arrived in the UK speaking almost no English, and no French. The couple were married May 8, 1736 at the Royal Chapel at St James palace. She made a good first impression on her father and mother in law.


Augusta was young and very inexperienced in life. Her husband managed to have his mistress placed as her mistress of the bed chamber. He would never take her as his confidant and he caused issues for her with his parents, by forcing her to snub his mother and his father at times. He forced his wife while in labor to leave Hampton court palace and travel to St James palace to give birth so that he could deny his mother the chance to be at the birth. Their daughter was born on a tablecloth due to the change of location. The birth led to a further divide between Frederick and his parents before the Jacobite issues in 1745.

After 1745 they became less isolated from court. Augusta made a good impression on court and society. She was considered a wonderful hostess, and quite elegant.

On March 31, 1751 Augusta was widowed after less then 15 years of marriage. He died from an embolism from a blow from a cricket ball. Her husband was 44. She was pregnant with her 9th child at the time.

She put herself at the mercy of her father in law, who found sympathy for the young widow. She was named potential regent for her son as she was not only the dowager Princess of Wales but the mother of the future king. She spent much of the remaining years of George II's reign in seclusion with her children, seeing to their upbringing. She was rarely seen in public.

In 1760 her eldest son succeeded the throne when George II died. Unlike her husband, her son George III did seek her advice on political matters. She had a bad relationship with his wife. In 1765 during her son's first bout with illness she was suggested as possible regent but that was put down because of the influence of some of her advisors.


She died of throat cancer at Carlton House at the age of 52, almost 21 years after her husband died. She was buried February 15th.


She bore her husband 9 children, the last born after his death:

-Princess Augusta: the child born on a tablecloth after fleeing Hampton court. She married Charles William Ferdinand, Duke of Brunswick. She bore her husband 7 children though two were declared invalids, and a third died young. Her daughter Caroline was the wife of George IV of the UK and was the mother of Charlotte of Wales.

-George: succeeded his grandfather as George III. Married Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. They had 15 children, including George IV, William IV and the Duke of Kent (father of Queen Victoria).

-Edward: Duke of Kent. He died at 28 unmarried. He died at the royal palace in Monaco.

-Elizabeth: died unmarried at the age of 18.

-William: Duke of Gloucester. He married Maria Walpole, the natural daughter of Sir Edward Walpole. The couple had three children, 2 of whom made it to adulthood. Only their son Frederick married but he had no children.

-Henry: Duke of Cumberland. He married Anne Luttrell, but the couple had no children. Their marriage was the catalyst for the Royal Marriage act of 1772 which required the monarch's permission for marriage.

-Louisa: died unmarried at 19.

-Frederick: died unmarried at 15.

-Caroline Mathilda: married Christian VII of Denmark and had two children. Her son was Frederick VI of Denmark. Her daughter Princess Louise Augusta of Denmark was officially the daughter of the king, but it was likely she was her mother's daughter from her lover.
 
On this day, February 8, 1687 ~ Demise of Princess Mary, daughter of Queen Anne of the United Kingdom
 
February 9, 2002- death of Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon.

She was born August 21, 1930 to the then Duke and Duchess of York (future George VI and Queen Elizabeth). She was born at Glamis Castle, the Scottish home of her maternal grandparents the Earl and Countess of Strathmore and Kinghorne. Uniquely her birth was registered a few days late as to avoid her being the 13th on the registry. Her mother originally planned to name her Ann Margaret but George V was not fan of the name Ann, so instead she was named Margaret Rose which met his approval.

She was baptized October 30 in the private chapel at Buckingham palace. Princess Margaret's godparents included her paternal Uncle the future Edward VIII, her maternal Uncle David Bowes-Lyon, maternal Aunt Rose Levenson-Gower, her paternal great-aunt Princess Victoria, and Princess Ingrid of Sweden (future queen of Denmark).


Despite the wishes of their grandmother, Margaret and Elizabeth received a limited education. They were educated by a governess at home.

When her father became king in December 1936 Margaret found herself second in line for the throne behind her sister. The family moved to Buckingham palace. Like her sister she was a brownie but she went on to girl guide and sea ranger, and served as President of Girl Guiding UK until her death.

In 1952 her father died and her sister assumed the throne. She moved with her mother into Clarence house. It was around this time she started a romance with Peter Townsend who was comptroller to her mother. He was married but he received a divorce in 1952. The queen put off any talk of them marrying until Margaret was 25. In the end facing having to give up her place in the royal family and having to have a civil wedding, they ended their relationship. Peter would end up marrying a second time to Belgian Marie-Luce Jamagne with whom he had three children. He had two sons from his first marriage (his son Hugo from his first marriage was married to Princess Yolande de ligne).


Instead in October 1959 she became engaged to Antony Armstrong-Jones. A photographer, Antony was the stepson of the Earl of Rosse. It was announced February 26, 1960. They were married May 6 at Westminster abbey in the first televised royal wedding. Prince Philip did the honors of escorting his sister in law to the altar, and Anne was among her bridesmaids.



Her husband was created Earl of Snowdon in 1961.


Margaret was an active royal supporting the arts, music and wellfare patronages. She would go on numerous tours for her sister as well.

After years of affairs on both their parts, her and Antony were divorced in 1978. It was the first divorce for a member of the royal family since Victoria Mellita. Her ex would go on to marry Lucy Lindsay-Hogg. Margaret would remain single.


Margaret was a heavy smoker from a young age and in 1985 had to have part of her lung removed. She suffered a stroke in 1998 and later in 2001, hospitalized following it due to having issues with swallowing. By March 2001 she was paralyzed on one side and had lost some of her vision. Her last public appearances were the 101st birthday of her mother and 100th birthday of Princess Alice.


Margaret died at 71 following another stroke. It was 3 days after the 50th anniversary of the death of her hafther. Her funeral was held on February 15th, on the anniversary of her father's funeral. Her ashes are buried with her parents in the King George VI Memorial Chapel in St George's Chapel (her mother would die seven weeks after her).


Margaret and Antony had two children:

-David Armstrong Jones: succeeded his father as the 2nd Earl Snowdon when his father died in 2017. He married The Honourable Serena Stanhope, daughter of the earl of Harrington. They have two children, Charles and Magarita. Unfortunately Serena was pregnant with Margarita at the time Margaret died. He is a furniture maker.


-Sarah: married actor Danniel Chatto and has two sons Samuel and Arthur.She is a professional artist.

 
On this day, February 10, 1134 ~ Demise of Robert III, Duke of Normandy, eldest son of King William I of England
 
On this day, February 11, 1466 ~ Birth of Elizabeth of York, Queen of England, daughter of King Edward IV of England, wife of King Henry VII of England
 
Elizabeth of York died at the in the Tower of London ,the queen had been in poor health following the birth of her daughter Katherine on February 2nd who sadly also died .

The Queen's coffin lay in State at the Chapel of St. Peter ad Vincula in the Tower and Masses were said daily until the Funeral took place on February 22nd.

The late queens sister Katherine of York, Countess of Devon acted as chief mourner. The queen's coffins was transported to Westminster Abbey beneath the banners of Saints Edward and Edmund and of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
All churches enroute were draped in black and church bells pealed all over London.
 
February 13, 1662 death of Elizabeth Stuart, Queen of Bohemia.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/12344990/elizabeth-stuart#view-photo=2296135

Elizabeth was born August 19, 1596 in Dunfermline Palace in Fife Scotland. Her father was James VI of Scotland at the time (becoming James I of England in 1603). Her mother was Anne of Denmark, a daughter of Frederick II. Elizabeth was second of her parents seven children, two years younger then Henry. Beyond Elizabeth, only Henry who died at 18, and Charles who succeeded his father as Charles I, made it out of childhood. Three sisters and one brother ranged in age from a day old to 2 years old when they died.

Elizabeth was named in honor of Elizabeth I who her father would succeed, who stood as her godmother. She was baptized November 28, 1596.

While in Scotland her childhood was spent at Linlithgow Palace in the care of Lord Livingstone and his wife. She was quite close to her brother Henry.


In 1603 when her godmother died, her father succeeded to the throne. Elizabeth and Henry accompanied their mother on her arrival into London. The royal children though were soon moved to Oatlands, before the coronation.

Elizabeth eventually was placed into the care of Lord Harrington at Coombe Abbey and his wife for her education. There she became close friends with Anne Dudley who was a lifelong friend. Anne's mother was a sister of Lord Harrington. She was among a number of young ladies Elizabeth was educated with while in the home.

Elizabeth was well educated for a woman in her time. She studied history, geography, theology, languages, music and more. She spoke several languages fluently especially French and was an accomplished rider.


Elizabeth was a sought after prize as a wife. Many young men were sent to court her. The future Gustav II Adolf of Sweden was among them but as Sweden was at war with Denmark, he was not considered.


Instead the choice fell on Frederick V of the Palatinate. Having succeeded his father as ruler of the Palatinate at the age of 14 in 1610, his pedigree and standing was considered acceptable. The 16 year old arrived in October 1612 and the match seemed to please both Frederick and Elizabeth. Frederick's friendship with her beloved brother Henry helped her opinion of him. Anne was not happy with the choice as she wanted her daughter to be a queen.

When Henry died Elizabeth's stock went up as she was one step closer to the throne. Her mother wished for them to find a higher husband for Elizabeth. But Elizabeth stood by her commitment to marry Frederick. Deeply saddened by the loss of her beloved older brother, Frederick's friendship with Henry was a strong influence on that.

They were married on Valentine's day in 1613 at Whitehall. Many foreign royals attended and the marriage was seen as a very popular union. It was celebrated with lavish parties both in London and later in Heidelberg.


Frederick set out to transform Heidelberg Castle for his beloved wife. They added gardens in the Renaissance style, menagerie and even a monkey-house.


Her relationship with her mother in law was not a good one. The widowed Louise Juliana of Nassau had not been expecting to come second to her young daughter in law. But Frederick had promised his father in law that Elizabeth would not be placed second. It cased tension between the two women.


In 1619 her husband was offered the throne of Bohemia. King Matthias had died in March and the Bohemians had been faced with his heir Archduke Ferdinand. The Hapsburg was feverent catholic, and the Bohemians who had enjoyed religious freedom, feared Ferdinand's rule. They chose to depose him and selected a new ruler. Her husband was crowned November 9 in Prague castle and she was crowned three days later.

Their rule only lasted a year. The Hapsburgs were not about to allow Bohemia to go without a fight. Ferdinand was now Emperor Ferdinand II seized back the throne in the Battle of White Mountain in 1620. The couple are known as the Winter king and queen for their short rule.

Elizabeth had been in Berlin at the time. The couple were unable to return to the Palatinate as it was under the Catholic league at the time, despite aid from her father. They were extended an invitation by the Prince of Orange and settled in the Hague. Life was comfortable though never great in the Hague where she would spend the rest of her life.


Sadly she was widowed in 1632 when her husband was returning from Sweden and died from an infection.Deeply in love with her husband, Elizabeth was over come with grief when she learned of his death. Her brother offered for her to come home to England but she chose to remain, fighting for her eldest son's rights. Even when he reclaimed the Palatinate his mother remained in the Hague. She not only out lived many of her children, but she saw the execution of her brother Charles and exile of her family from England.

In 1660 she saw her nephew Charles restored to the throne as Charles II. She decided it was time to return home to England. In January 1662 she moved to Leicester house where she would die from hemorraghing in the lungs brought on by pneumonia which she had been suffering when she moved.

Her son Rupert was the only one of her children to walk in her funeral procession. She was buried near her beloved brother Henry in Westminster.

https://www.westminster-abbey.org/abbey-commemorations/royals/elizabeth-stuart-queen-of-bohemia

Her death was little attention at the time due to her status. But she would be the grandmother of the future George I.

Elizabeth and her husband had 13 children together. 9 reached adulthood.

-Henry Frederick: died at age 15 from drowning

-Charles Louis: reclaimed the Palatinate as Charles I Louis. Married three times. He had three children with Charlotte of Hesse-Kassel, including his heir Charles II. A morgantic second marriage to Marie Luise von Degenfeld, produced 13 children. His third marriage to Elisabeth Hollander von Bernau produced one son.

-Elisabeth: lived to 61 but never married. Was a philosopher who was known for her writings to Rene Descartes.

-Rupert: known as Rupert of the Rhine, the only child to attend her funeral. He came to prominence as a royalist in the calvary during the English civil war. He He was involved with but never married actress Peg Hughes. They had a daughter Ruperta together. He also had a son Dudley with a previous mistress Frances Bard. His estate was left to Peg and Ruperta. Ruperta would marry Emanuel Scrope Howe.

-Maurice: he served with Rupert in the military. He later became a vice-admiral of the navy. He died at age 31 while sailing to the New world.

-Louise Hollandine: died at 86, and like her elder sister, never married. She was a talented artist.

-Louis: second to die in childhood, he died at four months old.

-Edward: Count Palatine of Simmern. He married Anna Gonzaga, the daughter of the Duke of Mantua who was 9 years older. The couple had three daughters.

-Henriette Marie: She was married to Sigismund, a brother of George Rákóczi II, Prince of Transylvania. She died at the age of 25, and her husband died a few months after her. They had no children.

-Philip Frederick: He became a soldier of fortune after he killed a man in duel and refused to answer to the Dutch courts. He died in battle in service of the Duke of Lorraine at 23.

-Charlotte: died at age 2 a year before her father died.

-Sophia: the only sister to marry and have children. She married Ernest Augustus, Elector of Hanover. They had seven children who reached adulthood. Her eldest would succeed as George I of England. She died several months before Queen Anne, why her son and not her inherited the throne.

-Gustavas Adolphus: died at the age of eight.



Of her 9 children who reached adulthood, she outlived Maurice, Henriette and Philip. She out lived Edward by barely a year.
 
On this day, February 13, 1689 ~ King William III of England and Queen Mary II of England become co-rulers
 
On this day, February 17, 1861 ~ Birth of Princess Helena of Waldeck and Pyrmont, Duchess of Albany, wife of Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany
 
February 23, 1648 birth of Arabella Churchill, mistress to James II.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arabella_Churchill_(royal_mistress)#/media/File:Arabella_Churchill.jpg

She was the daughter of Sir Winston Churchill and Elizabeth Drake. Her maternal grandmother was the niece of George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham. Her parents had 6 children who reached adulthood, four of whom rose to prominance. Her brother John was made the Duke of Marlborough.

Her affair with James started when he was Duke of York, in 1665. Her family seemed to be fully supportive of her affair.

James was married to his first wife Anne Hyde at the time. The couple had three children at the time, their eldest son Charles had died in 1661. Mary was 3, James was 2 (he would die in 1667) and Anne was born that year.

James had her made a lady in waiting to Anne. Anne would die in 1671, after having another four children, though only one Edgar even survived infancy (dying at age four). Arabella gave James 2 children during Anne's life time.

Charles was astounded his brother was so attracted to such a plain woman. But her quick wit and intelligence bound James to her for 10 years and 4 kids.

James would marry his second wife Mary of Modena in 1775.

In 1680 Arabella would marry herself. The 32 year old mother of four would marry 34 year old courtier Colonel Charles Godfrey. They were married at Holy Trinity Minories. Her husband would later join the Prince of Orange in the glorious revolution, he was one of the earliest, and would be rewarded with his own regiment. He and his wife would continue to reap benefits of their loyalty, their daughters serving as ladies in waiting to Anne. Charles would serve as a member of parliament.

Her and Charles were quite happily married, and were so for 34 years before Charles died in 1714.She would have a further three children with her second husband. Arabella died 16 years later May 30, 1730 at the age of 82. Her former lover James had died in 1701.

Her husband was burried in Bath abbey. Arbaella though was buried with her brother George Churchill in Westminster abbey. She doesnt have a personal stone there though.

https://www.westminster-abbey.org/a.../george-john-arabella-and-henrietta-churchill


Her children with the king:

-Henrietta: She married Henry Waldegrave, 1st Baron Waldegrave. They had two children. Their son James was elevated to 1st Earl Waldegrave. She accompanied her father into exile for years. After Henry's death she eventually remarried to Piers Butler, 3rd Viscount Galmoye but had no further children.She had three grandchildren from her son James.

-James: made Duke of Berwick. He married Lady Honora Burke with whom he had a son James (he also raised her son from her first marriage). After her death he married Anne Bulkeley with whom he had thirteen children. The Dukes of Alba among others are descended from him.

-Henry: was made Duke of Albemarle but that is only recognized by Jacobites. He married Marie Gabrielle d'Audibert de Lussan. He had one child Lady Christine Marie Jacqueline Henriette FitzJames, who was born after he died and she became a nun. His widow would eventually remarry the future 2nd Duke of Melfort (titular as his father had been exiled for supporting James II)

-Arabella:became a nun.

Her children with Charles

-Francis: nothing known about her but she died in 1712

-Charlotte:married Hugh Boscawen, 1st Viscount Falmouth. They had at least five children. Her daughter Anne was the grandmother of the 6th Earl of Cardigan among others.

-Elizabeth: married Edmund Dunch, a whig politician. Her husband was Master of the household for Queen Anne from 1708. The couple only had four daughters. Edmund was the last male member of his family, and he removed the entail on his family property so he could leave it to his daughters. One daughter died young. Their daughter Harriet married the Duke of Manchester. They are the direct ancestors of the current Duke of Manchester.
 
On this day, February 23, 1447 ~ Demise of Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester, son of King Henry IV of England
 
The duke was buried at St Albans Abbey in Suffolk which is now the Cathedral and Abbey Church of St Alban.

The abbey church was looted in 1539 and tombs monuments were destroyed and most burials were desecrated.
What ever survived that were destroyed by the Puritans in the 1640's.

However in 1703 his coffin was rediscovered and it became something of a ghoulish tourist attraction!
https://churchmonumentssociety.org/...at-the-cathedral-and-abbey-church-of-st-alban
 
On this day, February 24, 1774 ~ Birth of Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge, son of King George III of Great Britain
 
24th of February 1525 : Death of Richard de la Pole also known as the White Rose


Richard de la Pole was a Yorkist pretender to the English throne, he was born in 1480 the youngest son of John de la Pole, Duke of Suffolk and Elizabeth of York. Imprisoned along with his older brothers by Henry VII he later escaped to the continent and entered the service of the French kings and died at the Battle of Pavia. Richard never married but he had a daughter Marguerite de la Pole who was a lady of honour to Marguerite d'Angoulême sister of the king of France.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_de_la_Pole
 
On this day, February 25, 1308 ~ The Coronation of King Edward II of England
 
February 26, 1275 death of Margaret of England, Queen consort of Scotland.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marga...e:Margaret_Plantagenet,_Queen_of_Scotland.JPG

Margaret was born September 29, 1240 at Windsor Castle. She was the daughter of Henry III of England and Eleanor of Provence. She was the second of five children, 4 of whom reached adulthood. Her older brother was Edward I. Her younger siblings who survived childhood were Edmund Crouchback and Beatrice who married John II of Brittany.

In 1244 her father met with Alexander II of Scotland to continue peace talks. The two men were former brother in laws as Alexander's first wife was Henry's younger sister Joan. Joan died in 1238 without producing a child. In 1239 he had remarried to Marie de Coucy. Marie was the mother of his only child, a son Alexander born in 1241.

It was decided to cement the peace with a marriage between Alexander's only child and heir, and Margaret.

Alexander II died in 1249 and her husband to be became king at 7 years old.

On Christmas day 1251 the two were married at York Minster. Margaret was 11 and her husband was 10. They remained in York until January before they made the journey to Edinburgh.

Margaret caused tension between the two countries with letters home that she was unhappy. She was fond of her husband but as they were not permitted to consumate their marriage due to their age, they were kept apart a lot. The seperation from Alexander, the castle, and the climate of Scotland all made her unhappy. She wished to visit her parents but the Scots would not permit it.

In 1255 her mother sent her court physician to check on her daughter. Learning his daughter was pale and unhappy her father sent word demanding that his daughter be treated better. Her father and the regency counsel of Scotland finally came to terms on Margaret's treatment including reuniting her with her husband. It was decided as they were 14 now they would be allowed to consumate their marriage.

It was agreed Alexander III would gain power in 7 years and as well as being reunited with him, Margaret would be allowed freedom to travel. The young couple would visit her parents in September 1255. After her husband returned home she was allowed to remain longer.

In 1257 the couple were held prisoner by the Commyn family who demanded the expulsion of foreigners from the country. The regency counsel, with the backing of Margaret's father, secured their release. Margaret would travel to visit her parents over the coming years including giving birth to her daughter when she was there in 1260-61.

Her father died in 1272. Her brother was on crusade at the time and did not return home until 1274. The coronation of her brother was her last major trip home to England before her death.

She died at Cupar Castle at the age of 34 and was buried at Dumfermline abbey.

Margaret had three children. They outlived her, but none out lived Alexander.

-Margaret: married Eric II of Norway and was the mother of one daughter Margaret who was known as the Maid of Norway. Queen Margaret died in 1283, 3 years before her father. The Maid of Norway was heir to the throne when Alexander III died but when she set sail for Scotland on her father's ship she died leaving the throne vacant and leading to years of war.

-Alexander: died at the age of 20. He was married to Margaret of Flanders (who would eventually remarry Reginald I of Guelders) but they had no children. When he died in 1284 less then a year after his sister, his niece the Maid became heir to the throne.

-David: died at the age of nine.


Her husband out lived her by 11 years dying March 19, 1286. He remained unmarried for a decade after her death. In 1285 he married Yolande of Dreux, the 22 year old daughter of the Count of Dreux. She was pregnant when Alexander died but the child was stillborn. She would later marry Arthur II of Brittany with whom she had six children.
 
On this day, February 26, 1959 ~ Demise of Princess Alexandra, 2nd Duchess of Fife
 
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