Category Archives: Historical Royals

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Flashback Friday: Diana in New York

  February 2, 2018 at 6:00 am by

February 2, 1989: The Princess of Wales visits the Urban Family Centre on the Lower East Side during her three-day visit to New York City.

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Flashback Friday: Dutch State Visit to Ethiopia

  January 26, 2018 at 3:00 am by

January 26, 1969: Emperor Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia (C) sits in between Queen Juliana (L) and Prince Bernhard of The Netherlands (R) during a gala banquet held in honour of state visit to Ethiopia by the Dutch monarch. Also participating in the visit were Princess Beatrix and Prince Claus.

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Flashback Friday: 1956 Opening of Swedish Parliament

  January 12, 2018 at 3:00 am by

January 12, 1956: The King of Sweden, Gustaf VI Adolf, is surrounded by members of his family ahead of the Opening of Parliament. Queen Louise, the King’s second wife; his daughter-in-law Princess Sibylla, Duchess of Västerbotten, and two of his granddaughters, Princess Margaretha and Princess Birgitta, are wearing formal Swedish court dress, which was the standard attire for the Opening of Parliament until 1974.

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On This Day: Marriage of Paul and Frederica Takes Place In Athens

  January 9, 2018 at 5:00 am by

January 9, 1938: On a rainy day in Athens, Hereditary Prince Paul of Greece married his German fiancee, Princess Frederica of Hanover. The couple had announced their engagement in September 1937, after a two-year-long romance that began in Florence in 1935. Paul had proposed to Frederica while visiting Berlin during the 1936 Olympic Games. They were first cousins once removed, both descendants of the British Queen Victoria and the Danish King Christian … Continue reading →

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Flashback Friday: A Royal Engagement In Philadelphia

  January 5, 2018 at 3:00 am by

January 5, 1956: The reigning Prince of Monaco, Rainier III, poses for photographs with his new fiancee, American actress Grace Kelly, at her family home in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The couple had announced their engagement that day, and were joined by Miss Kelly’s parents, John and Margaret, as they fronted the press. Prince Rainier had presented his bride-to-be with an engagement ring featuring interwoven rubies and diamonds. Upon seeing the jewels … Continue reading →

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On This Day: Death of Charlotte of Wales, Heir To The British Throne

  November 6, 2017 at 3:00 am by

Today marks the 200th anniversary of a death that changed the course of the British Royal Family: on this day, in 1817, Princess Charlotte of Wales – second in line to the throne – died after protracted childbirth that resulted in a stillborn son. The 21-year-old Princess was the only child of the Prince Regent, later George IV, and his estranged wife, Caroline of Brunswick; and, at the time of her death, … Continue reading →

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“Darling Queen – Dear old Bones”: Letters of Queen Wilhelmina and Her English Governess Published

  November 3, 2017 at 7:47 am by

The correspondence of Queen Wilhelmina of The Netherlands and her English governess Elizabeth Saxton-Winter (1855-1935) has been collected in a new book: ‘Darling Queen-Dear Old Bones’. A Dutch edition was published in 2012 but today at Het Loo Palace, the English edition of the book will be handed to the mayor of Apeldoorn. The letters have been edited by Ermentia (Renny) van Heuven-van Nes. She worked at Het Loo Palace … Continue reading →

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On This Day: The Death of ‘Fat Mary’, Duchess Mary Adelaide of Teck

  October 27, 2017 at 7:40 am by

On October 27th 1897 -exactly 120 years ago today- Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge, Duchess of Teck died at White Lodge after an emergency operation. The duchess was born in 1833 as the youngest child of Prince Adolphus of the United Kingdom, Duke of Cambridge and Princess Auguste of Hesse-Kassel. At the age of 30 the princess was still unmarried and went by the name ‘Fat Mary’ due to her … Continue reading →

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Protests At Russian Movie Premiere

  October 25, 2017 at 8:18 am by

The Moscow police detained seven Russian orthodox activists last night at the premiere of a movie “Matilda” about the love affair between the last Tsar of Russia, Nicholas II, and the Polish-born ballerina Mathilde Kschessinska.  The controversial new film has premiered in Russia after months of protests, threats and violence. Last month a cinema that showed a preview of the movie was set in flames. Activists also set alight two … Continue reading →

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On This Day: Death of Otto – A Greek King, A Bavarian Prince

  July 26, 2017 at 3:00 am by

Today is the 150th anniversary of the death of Otto, the Bavarian Prince who reigned as King of the Hellenes from 1832 to 1862. Prince Otto Friedrich Ludwig of Bavaria was born on June 1, 1815 at Mirabell Palace in Salzburg; his parents were the future King of Bavaria, Ludwig I, and Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen. In 1832, after Greece gained independence from the Ottoman Empire, the Great Powers (Great Britain, France and … Continue reading →

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Windsor100: Monarch Profile – George VI

  July 16, 2017 at 3:00 am by

Our third Windsor Monarchs profile looks at King George VI, Britain’s wartime King and the father of the current British monarch. Monarch: George VI of the United Kingdom Full Name: Albert Frederick Arthur George Reign: December 11, 1936 – February 6, 1952 Coronation: May 12, 1937 Date and Place of Birth: December 14, 1895 – York Cottage, Norfolk Date and Place of Death: February 6, 1952 – Sandringham House, Norfolk Parents: George V of the United Kingdom and Mary of Teck Spouse: Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon Children: Elizabeth … Continue reading →

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On This Day: Birth of Stephanie, Short-lived Queen of Portugal

  July 15, 2017 at 3:00 am by

180 years ago today, in the southern German town of Krauchenwies, Princess Stephanie of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen was born to Prince Karl and Princess Josephine. The Princess was the couple’s second child, her siblings were Leopold, Prince of Hohenzollern; Carol I of Romania; Prince Anton; Prince Friedrich; and Princess Marie, Countess of Flanders. Among her ancestors Stephanie counted the Princes of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, Grand Dukes of Baden, Landgraves of Hesse-Darmstadt, and Johan Willem … Continue reading →

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On This Day: Birth of Max of Baden, German Chancellor

  July 10, 2017 at 3:00 am by

150 years ago, Prince Maximilian of Baden – future Margrave, future Chancellor of Imperial Germany – was born in Baden-Baden to Prince Wilhelm of Baden and Princess Maria Maximilianovna of Leuchtenberg. Prince Max was the couple’s second child, his elder sister Marie would marry the Duke of Anhalt in 1889. Among his ancestors, the Prince could count Grand Dukes of Baden and Mecklenburg-Strelitz, Tsars of Russia, and Kings of Bavaria, … Continue reading →

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Windsor100: Monarch Profile – Edward VIII

  July 9, 2017 at 3:00 am by

Today’s profile of the Windsor monarchs is on the House’s second, yet brief, King – Edward VIII, later the Duke of Windsor. Monarch: Edward VIII of the United Kingdom Full Name: Edward Albert Christian George Andrew Patrick David Reign: January 20, 1936 – December 11, 1936 Coronation: Uncrowned Date and Place of Birth: June 23, 1894 – White Lodge, Richmond upon Thames Date and Place of Death: May 28, 1972 – Villa Windsor, Paris Parents: George V of the United Kingdom and Mary of … Continue reading →

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Windsor100: Monarch Profile – George V

  July 2, 2017 at 6:00 am by

The House of Windsor this month celebrates the centenary of its founding by King George V of the United Kingdom, as a result of increasing anti-German sentiment among the British people as the First World War continued and continued. The Royal Forums Blog will be running a few special blog entries over the coming weeks as part of the anniversary (keep an eye out for entries headed ‘Windsor100’), including profiles of … Continue reading →

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Flashback Friday: Yugoslav Royal Twins Baptised in France

  June 30, 2017 at 4:00 am by

June 30, 1958: Family members pose with newborn Princes Dimitri and Michael of Yugoslavia following their christening. The two infants were born on June 18 to Prince Alexander of Yugoslavia and his first wife, Princess Maria Pia of Savoy. In the photograph below can be seen: Front Row (L-R): Prince Jacques and Prince Michel of Orléans, godfathers. Second Row (L-R): Queen Marie José of Italy (maternal grandmother), godmothers Princess Maria Gabriella of … Continue reading →

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On This Day: Execution of Mexican Emperor Maximilian

  June 19, 2017 at 4:00 am by

150 years ago, the Second Mexican Empire’s only ruler – Maximilian I – was executed by firing squad at the Cerro de las Campanas in Querétaro City. He had reigned for just over three years. The 34-year-old Emperor had been captured by Republican forces, led by President Benito Juárez, who took the City on May 15 after several months of civil war between the two sides. Maximilian’s reign from the beginning had not received support … Continue reading →

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On This Day: Abdication of Greece’s Constantine I

  June 11, 2017 at 5:00 am by

One hundred years ago today, the first reign of King Constantine I of the Hellenes came to an end as he was forced into exile by the British and French Allied forces. Constantine, who had ascended the throne in March 1913, was determined to keep Greece neutral during the First World War – a stance that was not agreeable to either the Allied or the Central Powers; nor the Greek Prime … Continue reading →

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On This Day: Death of Lilian, Princess of Réthy

  June 7, 2017 at 4:00 am by

Today is the fifteenth anniversary of the death of Lilian, Princess of Réthy, second wife of Belgium’s King Leopold III. She died at the age of 85 at the home she had shared with her husband, Domaine d’Argenteuil, in Waterloo. Her funeral a week later was held at the Church of Our Lady in Laeken, after which the Princess was interred – against her wishes – into the Royal Crypt there, beside King … Continue reading →

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On This Day: Edward and Wallis Wed At Château de Candé

  June 3, 2017 at 4:00 am by

The wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor on June 3, 1937 couldn’t have been more different to previous British royal weddings if it tried. For one thing, until December of 1936 the Duke of Windsor had previously held the title of King Edward VIII. For another, the bride was an American divorcee, the former Bessiewallis (known as Wallis) Warfield Simpson. Finally, the wedding took place not in England … Continue reading →

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