Royal News: Wednesday 23 April 2014

Denmark
Danish Monarchy: State visit in China

Norway
Royal House of Norway: Condolences

Saudi Arabia
Daily Mail: Bustard act: Saudi prince accused of slaying 2,000 near-extinct birds while on safari in Pakistan
Haaretz: Drama in the court of the Saudi Arabian king

Spain
Fox News Latino: Spanish king praises “rebel literature” of Mexico’s Poniatowska
Getty Images: Spanish Royals Meet Famous Writers in ‘Miguel De Cervantes’ 2013 Literature Award

United Kingdom
BBC: The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh to visit Pembs and Vale
BBC: Prince William and Catherine visit Aboriginal site of Uluru
BBC: Royal visit: Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at Ayers Rock
Bucks Free Press: Personal honour from Queen for Royal Swan Marker
Daily Mail: ‘We were snubbed!’ Kyle Sandilands reveals he didn’t meet Royal couple despite VIP invite… and got drunk instead
Daily Mail: SEBASTIAN SHAKESPEARE: Prince Harry thongs to be rolled out in Britain after Chinese fashion firm registered right to use royal’s name
Daily Mail: Prince George may be cute, but is he a genius? Top speech therapist dashes Prince William’s hopes that his son’s first word will be bilby
Daily Mail: Kate and William’s romantic away day in the ‘most remote place on earth’: Duke and Duchess leave George behind as they spend night at Uluru
Daily Mail: Following in Charles and Diana’s footsteps, Wills and Kate visit Uluru as sun sets on one of most stunning sites on earth
Daily Mail: The Duke and Duchess are welcomed at the Uluru cultural centre
Daily Mail: The Duke and Duchess take a stroll in the sunset at Ayres Rock
Daily Mail: Kate and William receive traditional Aboriginal welcome in Uluru
Daily Mail: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge land in Uluru
Daily Mail: It’s recycling day for Kate: Duchess of Cambridge brings out TWO old dresses in one day
Duke & Duchess of Cambridge: Australia Royal Visit: Day Sixteen
Duke & Duchess of Cambridge: Day Sixteen: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visit Uluru
Essex Chronicle: The Queen comes to Chelmsford: Her previous visits to Essex
Essex Chronicle: Bishop of Chelmsford: Visit by the Queen ‘will be for everyone’ in the city
Evening Standard: Duchess of Cambridge left awestruck in Australia by Uluru landmark
Express: Is Liz Kate Middleton’s fashion icon? Duchess adopts the Queen’s style for royal tour
Express: ‘Quite breathtaking’ William and Kate enjoy sunset trip to Ayers Rock
Getty Images: Duke And Duchess Of Cambridge Tour Australia And New Zealand – Day 16
Guardian: Royal tour of Australia is all about creation of soft propaganda
Guardian: William and Kate see the beating heart of Australia – in pictures
Hello: Prince William and Duchess Kate echo his parents’ visit to Ayers Rock 31 years ago
Hello: William and Kate visit Australia’s iconic Uluru — and prepare for a night under the stars
Mirror: Royal tour recap: William and Kate watch sunset over Ayers Rock before going ‘glamping’ near Australia’s iconic rock
North Devon Journal: Princess Anne to visit Wings South West charity in Bideford
Telegraph: Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visit Uluru
Telegraph: Prince George Has grown an extra fat-roll on tour, says Duchess of Cambridge
Western Telegraph: The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh announce full day of Pembrokeshire visits next week

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April 23, 1151 – Death of Adeliza of Louvain, second wife of King Henry I of England

by Susan Flantzer

19th century engraving of Adeliza of Louvain; Photo Credit – www.findagrave.com

April 23, 1151 – Death of Adeliza of Louvain, second wife of King Henry I of England; died and buried at Affligem Abbey in Affligem, Flanders, Belgium

On November 25, 1120, William Ætheling, the only legitimate son of King Henry I of England, died in the sinking of the White Ship.  King Henry I holds the record for the British monarch with the most illegitimate children with at least 25, but at the time of his son’s death, his only surviving legitimate child was a daughter Matilda, often called Maud(e), who was married to Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor.  King Henry’s wife Matilda of Scotland had died in 1118 and he was in need of a male heir, so a second marriage became a necessity.  King Henry I of England, aged 53, married the 18 year old Adeliza of Louvain on January 29, 1121 at Windsor Castle.  It is probable that negotiations for the marriage started before the White Ship disaster.

Adeliza was the eldest child of Godfrey I, Count of Louvain and his first wife Ida of Chiny.  Today Louvain (French)/Leuven (Dutch) is the capital of the province of Flemish Brabant in the Flemish Region of Belgium and is located about 16 miles from Brussels.   Adeliza was beautiful (she was called the “fair maid of Brabant”) and charming.  She was not interested in playing a political role in England, but rather focused her activities on the arts and literature, particularly French poetry.

Adeliza and the wives of King Henry VIII of England probably had a similar amount of pressure put on them to produce a male heir.  However, her marriage to King Henry I was childless.  She was present on the day in January of 1126 when King Henry I named his daughter Matilda as his heir and had his Anglo-Norman barons swear to recognize Matilda and any future legitimate heirs.  Matilda, whose first husband had died, married Geoffrey of Anjou.  Their son eventually became King Henry II of England after a long civil war called The Anarchy, precipitated by Matilda’s cousin Stephen taking the throne when King Henry I died.

In late 1135, King Henry I was in Normandy dealing with a rebellion by the barons in southern Normandy. Henry traveled to the castle at Saint-Denis-en-Lyons, Normandy (now called Lyons-la-Forêt) for some hunting.  According to the chronicler Henry of Huntingdon, Henry ate some lampreys, little eels, which disagreed with him.  Over the next week, his condition, possibly ptomaine poisoning, worsened.  On December 1, 1135, King Henry I of England died at the age of 67.  Henry’s body was brought back to England where he was buried at Reading Abbey.  Adeliza was present at the dedication of Henry’s tomb on the first anniversary of his death.  Reading Abbey, along with Henry’s tomb, was destroyed in 1538 during King Henry VIII’s Dissolution of the Monasteries.

After King Henry I’s death, Adeliza went to live at Arundel Castle which was part of her dower lands.  In 1138, Adeliza married William d’Aubigny, 1st Earl of Lincoln and 1st Earl of Arundel and the couple had seven children.   Among  Adeliza and William’s descendants are the well-known Howard family and the Dukes of Norfolk.  Arundel Castle remains the principal seat of the Duke of Norfolk.

Arundel Castle; Photo Credit – Wikipedia

In 1150, Adeliza left her family and retired to Affligem Abbey in Flemish Brabant (Belgium) near where she grew up. She died at Affligem Abbey on April 23, 1151 at the age of 48 and was buried at the abbey.  Her second husband William d’Aubigny survived her by 25 years.  Adeliza is a main character, along with her stepdaughter Empress Matilda, in historical fiction writer Elizabeth Chadwick‘s novel Lady of the English.

Tomb of Adeliza of Louvain; Photo Credit – http://www.findagrave.com

April 23: Today in Royal History

Æthelred II (the Unready), King of the English; Photo Credit – Wikipedia

April 23, 1014 – Death of Brian Bóruma mac Cennétig (Brian Boru), High King of Ireland, at the Battle of Clontarf; said to be buried at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Armagh, Ireland
Wikipedia: Brian Boru

April 23, 1016 – Death of Æthelred II (the Unready), King of the English, at London, England; buried at (old) St. Paul’s Cathedral (destroyed in the Great Fire of London)
Wikipedia: Æthelred II

April 23, 1124 – Death of King Alexander I of Scotland at Stirling Castle in Stirling, Scotland; buried at Dunfermline Abbey in Fife, Scotland
Wikipedia: Alexander I of Scotland

April 23, 1151 – Death of Adeliza of Louvain, second wife of King Henry I of England, at Afflighem in Flanders, Belgium; buried at the Abbey of Afflighem in Afflighem, Belgium
Wikipedia: Adeliza of Louvain

April 23, 1185 – Death of King Afonso II of Portugal in Coimbra, Portugal; buried at Monastery of Santa Cruz in Coimbra, Portugal
Wikipedia: Afonso II of Portugal

April 23, 1196 – Death of Béla III of Hungary
Wikipedia: Béla III of Hungary

April 23, 1217 – Death of Inge II of Norway
Wikipedia: Inge II of Norway

April 23, 1224 – Wedding of Eleanor of England, daughter of King John of England, and William Marshal, 2nd Earl of Pembroke
Eleanor was the third daughter and fifth and youngest child of King John and his wife Isabella of Angouleme.  She first married William Marshall, 2nd Earl of Pembroke at age 9 and was widowed at age 16.
Wikipedia: Eleanor of England
Wikipedia: William Marshal, 2nd Earl of Pembroke

April 23, 1307 – Death of Joan of Acre, daughter of King Edward I of England, at Clare Castle in Clare, Suffolk, England; buried at Clare Priory in Clare, Suffolk, England
Joan was the eighth child of Edward I and his first wife Eleanor of Castile and was born in Acre, Palestine while her parents were taking part in the Crusades.
Wikipedia: Joan of Acre

April 23, 1322 – Wedding of Peter II of Sicily & Elisabeth of Carinthia
Wikipedia: Peter II of Sicily
Wikipedia: Elisabeth of Carinthia

April 23, 1348 – Order of the Garter is founded
Wikipedia: Order of the Garter
British Monarchy: Order of the Garter

April 23, 1445 – Wedding of King Henry VI of England and Margaret of Anjou at Titchfield Abbey in Titchfield, Hampshire, England
Wikipedia: Henry VI of England
Wikipedia: Margaret of Anjou

April 23, 1464 – Death Jeanne of France, Duchess of Berry
Wikipedia: Jeanne of France, Duchess of Berry

April 23, 1600 – Wedding of Maria Anna of Bavaria & Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor
Wikipedia: Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor
The Peerage: Maria Anna of Bavaria

April 23, 1625 – Death of Maurice of Nassau, Prince of Orange, at The Hague, the Netherlands; buried at Nieuwe Kerk in Delft, the Netherlands
Wikipedia: Maurice of Nassau

April 23, 1661 – Coronation of King Charles II of England
Charles’ wife Catherine of Braganza was never crowned because she was Roman Catholic.
Wikipedia: Charles II of England

April 23, 1676 – Birth of King Fredrik I of Sweden at Kassel, Hesse-Kassel (Germany)
Wikipedia: Fredrik I of Sweden

April 23, 1685 – Coronation of King James II of England
James’ second wife Mary of Modena was crowned with him.
Wikipedia: James II of England

April 23, 1702 – Coronation of Queen Anne of Great Britain
Wikipedia: Anne of Great Britain

April 23, 1751 – Death of Prince Jacques I of Monaco at Hôtel Matignon in Paris, France
Wikipedia: Jacques I of Monaco

April 23, 1780 – Death of Maria Antonia of Bavaria, Electress of Saxony
Wikipedia: Maria Anna of Bavaria, Electress of Saxony

April 23, 1809 – Birth of Charles of Hesse & by Rhine
Wikipedia: Charles of Hesse & by Rhine

April 23, 1828 – Birth of Albert, King of Saxony
Wikipedia: Albert, King of Saxony

April 24, 1830 – Birth of Eugenie of Sweden
Eugenie was the daughter of Oscar I of Sweden. Eugenie remained single for life, and may have been one of the first Swedish women to be granted legal independence. Eugenie was an accomplished artist who used the proceeds from sales of her art to fund her charitable projects.
Wikipedia: Eugenie of Sweden

April 23, 1851 – Wedding of Grand Duke Adolphe of Luxembourg and Princess Adelheid-Marie of Anhalt-Dessau, in Dessau, Germany
This was Adolphe’s second marriage. His first wife, Grand Duchess Elizabeth Mikhailovna of Russia, had died in childbirth in 1845.
Wikipedia: Grand Duke Adolphe
Wikipedia: Princess Adelheid-Marie of Anhalt-Dessau

April 23, 1922 – Death of Lord Leopold Mountbatten, grandson of Queen Victoria, at Kensington Palace in London, England; buried at the Royal Burial Grounds at Frogmore near Windsor Castle
Leopold was the son of Princess Beatrice, daughter of Queen Victoria, and Prince Henry of Battenberg.  His mother was a hemophilia carrier and he inherited the disease from her.  Leopold never married and died following emergency surgery.
Wikipedia: Lord Leopold Mountbatten

April 23, 1923 – Death of Princess Louise of Prussia, daughter of Wilhelm I, German Emperor, wife of Grand Duke Friedrich I of Baden
Wikipedia: Louise of Prussia

April 23, 1931 – Death of Isabella, Princess of Asturias, daughter of Queen Isabella II of Spain
The Peerage: Isabella, Princess of Asturias

April 23, 1946 – Wedding of Princess Sophie of Greece & Denmark and Prince George William of Hanover, in Salem, Baden.
This was Sophie’s second marriage. Her first husband, Prince Christoph of Hesse, was killed in a plane crash in 1943.
Wikipedia: Princess Sophie of Greece and Denmark
Wikipedia: Prince George William of Hanover

April 23, 1968 – Birth of Princess Aisha and Princess Zein of Jordan, twin daughters of King Hussein of Jordan and his second wife Princess Muna al-Hussein, in Amman, Jordan
Wikipedia: Princess Aisha
Wikipedia: Princess Zein

April 23, 1981 – Birth of Lady Gabriella Windsor, daughter of Prince Michael of Kent, at St. Mary’s Hospital in Paddington, London, England
Full name: Gabriella Marina Alexandra Ophelia
Wikipedia: Lady Gabriella Windsor

April 23, 2003 – Birth of Princess Laetitia Maria of Belgium, Archduchess of Austria, daughter of Princess Astrid of Belgium, in Brussels, Belgium
Full Name: Laetitia Maria Nora Anna Joachim Zita
Wikipedia: Princess Laetitia Maria of Belgium

April 23, 2004 – Wedding of Prince Ali Bin Al-Hussein of Jordan and Rym Brahimi
Wikipedia: Prince Ali of Jordan
Wikipedia: Rym Brahimi

Royal News: Tuesday 22 April 2014

Luxembourg
Wort: Happy bird-day in Luxembourg!

Saudi Arabia
Business Standard: Saudi King dismisses health minister over MERS cases
Huffington Post: Saudi Prince Reportedly Killed About 2,000 Endangered Birds In Pakistan

United Kingdom
BBC: Gun salutes to mark Queen’s 88th birthday
BBC: Queen’s birthday: Gun salute in Green Park London
Canberra Times: Duke and Duchess spend day off in Canberra relaxing, playing with Prince George
Daily Mail: Smile that says one’s on a roll! Or how how this delightfully unstuffy 88th birthday portrait by David Bailey captures the Queen’s joy over her annus mirabilis
Daily Mail: The Queen’s 88th birthday is celebrated with a royal bang as guns fire
Daily Mail: A birthday with all guns blazing! Royal Horse Artillery fire a 41-cannon salute to mark Queen’s 88th as she celebrates privately at Windsor
Daily Mail: Happy birthday Ma’am! As the Queen celebrates her 88th birthday, we celebrate her Majesty’s most iconic looks
Daily Mail: Prince William follows in his late mother’s footsteps as he signs a priceless Bible used in first-ever Christian service in Australia
Daily Mail: Kate and William’s unusual gift: Royal couple to be presented with pictures made of wallaby poo when they visit Uluru later today
Daily Mail: Kate, the hands-on mother! Duchess wipes teething George’s saliva on her own designer outfit
Daily Mail: A rare sight! Kate and William among 1% of visitors to see WATERFALLS on Uluru during Royal Tour in Australia (but Prince George will be staying with nanny)
Duke & Duchess of Cambridge: Australia Royal Visit: Day Fourteen
Duke & Duchess of Cambridge: Day Fourteen: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge take Prince George to the zoo
Duke & Duchess of Cambridge: #RoyalVisitAus – Your favourite moments
Evening Standard: Gun salutes mark Queen’s 88th birthday
Evening Standard: Royal tour: Prince George grips onto Australian rabbit on zoo visit
Express: Gun salutes across Britain mark Queen’s 88th birthday
Express: ‘With love from Diana’ Last letter written by Queen of Hearts expected to sell for £3,000
Express: Row over photos published of Kate and William on a ‘rest day’ during Australia tour
Guardian: William and Kate ‘very relaxed’ about unauthorised pictures
Guardian: Sydney gives duke and duchess the royal treatment – in pictures
Hello: The Queen’s 88th birthday: 25 facts about the monarch
Hello: Queen Elizabeth II turns 88: HELLO! Online take a look at our youthful and active Queen
Mirror: Kate and William to enjoy romantic night on their own during ‘glamping’ getaway at Ayers Rock
Sky News: Kate ‘Papped’ Playing With Prince George

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April 22: Today in Royal History

Queen Isabella of Castile and Leon; Photo Credit – Wikipedia

April 22, 1355 – Death of Eleanor of Woodstock, daughter of King Edward II of England, at Deventer Abbey in Gueldres, now in the Netherlands; buried at Deventer Abbey
Eleanor was the elder daughter and third child of Edward II and Isabella of France.  She married Rainald II, Duke of Gueldres and the couple had two sons.
Wikipedia: Eleanor of Woodstock

April 22, 1433 – Wedding of John, Duke of Bedford, son of King Henry IV of England, and Jacquetta of Luxembourg at Bishop’s Palace in Thérouenne, France
Jacquetta’s second husband was Richard Woodville and their daughter Elizabeth married Edward IV making Jacquetta the grandmother of Elizabeth of York and the Little Princes in the Tower and the great grandmother of Henry VIII.
Wikipedia: John, Duke of Bedford
Wikipedia: Jacquetta of Luxembourg

April 22, 1451 -  Birth of Queen Isabella of Castile and Leon at Madrigal de las Altas Torres in Avila, Spain
Isabella was the wife of King Ferdinand of Aragon and the mother of Catherine of Aragon, the first wife of King Henry VIII of England.  Her great grandfather was John of Gaunt, son of King Edward III of England.
Wikipeida: Isabella of Castile

April 22, 1852 – Birth of Grand Duke Guilliame IV of Luxembourg in Biebrich Palace in Wiesbaden, Germany
Wikipedia: Guilliame IV of Luxembourg

April 22, 1872 – Birth of Princess Margaret of Prussia, daughter of Frederick III, German Emperor, at Neues Palais in Potsdam, Prussia, Germany
Full name: Margarete Beatrice Feodora
Princess Margaret, known as Mossy in the family, was the daughter of Victoria, Princess Royal and the granddaughter of Queen Victoria.  She married Landgrave Frederick Carl of Hesse.
Wikipedia: Princess Margaret of Prussia

April 22, 1906 – Birth of Prince Gustaf Adolf of Sweden, Duke of Västerbotten, eldest son of King Gustaf VI Adolf of Sweden, father of King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden, at Stockholm Palace in Stockholm, Sweden
Gustaf Adolf predeceased his father. He died in an airplane crash at age 40.
Wikipedia: Prince Gustaf Adolf of Sweden

April 22, 1957 – Birth of Daniel Chatto, husband of Lady Sarah Armstrong-Jones, daughter of Princess Margaret of the United Kingdom
Full name: Daniel Chatto St. George Sproule
Wikipedia: Daniel Chatto

Royal News: Monday, 21 April 2014

Spain
Getty Images: Spanish Royals Attend Easter Mass in Palma de Mallorca

UK
ABC Online: Royal couple enjoy rest day in Canberra before resuming Australian tour
ABC Online: Royal visit: Prince William and Catherine to get rare glimpse of wet Uluru
ABC Online: Royal visit: William and Catherine visit Taronga Zoo, sign historic Fleet Bible in Sydney
BBC: David Bailey’s portrait of Queen to mark birthday
BBC: Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at Easter Sunday service
BBC: Archbishop’s Easter sermon focuses on suffering
BBC: Royals given tour of Sydney zoo on Australia tour
BBC: Prince George ‘unimpressed’ with toy Bilby on Australia tour
Belfast Telegraph: Gun salutes mark Queen’s birthday
Daily Mail: Mischievous Prince George gets his (three) teeth into his royal duties during a visit to the zoo in Sydney
Daily Mail: ‘Kind eyes and a mischievous glint’: Photographer David Bailey unveils his portrait of the Queen to mark her 88th birthday tomorrow
Daily Mail: The Queen and Prince Philip attend Easter services
Daily Mail: Prince William follows in his late mother’s footsteps as he signs a priceless Bible used in first-ever Christian service in Australia
Daily Mail: New portrait unveiled for British queen’s birthday
Daily Mail: Royals on Easter parade: Queen is joined by royal family members for service at St George’s Chapel in Windsor
Daily Mail: Bea at sea: Princess Beatrice keeps her cool on board a boat whilst boyfriend Dave Clark makes a splash on a lilo in St Barts
Daily Mail: The Duke of Cambridge outed as huge fan of The Hobbit according to the man who plays Bilbo Baggins
Daily Mail: It’s a Royal flush in blue: Kate, George and William all wear matching shades of azure as they land in Australia’s capital Canberra
Daily Mail: A Royal Guide to Queensland: Follow in the Royals’ footsteps across Australia
Daily Mail: Kate and Wills appear to enjoy Sydney zoo just as much as George as the duchess discovers that Koalas really do smell of eucalyptus
Daily Mail: Pippa and Nico share their own petits bisous (that’s French for ‘little kisses’) outside lingerie store with the same name where she’s lingering lovingly with the man she’s tipped to marry
Express: Kate Middleton is worth the long wait for her fans in Australia
Express: William and Kate wow the crowds at Australian Easter service
Express: Zara Phillips back in the saddle just weeks after giving birth
Express: ‘He’s trying to grab his ear’: Prince George meets the Easter bunny at the zoo
Getty Images: Queen Elizabeth II Attends The Easter Day Service At Windsor Castle
Getty Images: Birthday Portrait Of Queen Elizabeth II By David Bailey
Getty Images: An Alternative View: Duke And Duchess Of Cambridge Tour Australia And New Zealand
Getty Images: The Duke And Duchess Of Cambridge Tour Australia And New Zealand – Day 14
Guardian: Royal couple attend Sydney Easter service with Tony Abbott
Guardian: Royal tour: Prince George encounters bilby namesake by Sydney harbour
Guardian: David Bailey portrait of Queen released to mark her 88th birthday
Guardian: Sydney gives duke and duchess the royal treatment – in pictures
Hello: Kate is effortlessly elegant in Alexander McQueen for Sydney church service
Hello: Delighted Prince George celebrates his first Easter Sunday at Taronga Zoo
Hello: William, Kate and George touch down in Canberra
Hello: New portrait of the Queen released ahead of her 88th birthday
Hello: The British royals come together for Easter at Windsor Castle
Telegraph: Royal tour day 14: Duke and Duchess of Cambridge take Prince George to the zoo
Telegraph: David Bailey works his magic on the Queen
Telegraph: The Queen at 88: a picture of happiness
Tenterfield Star: Royal rest day may be just the time to meet the ‘locals’
Tenterfield Star: Duke and Duchess spend day off in Canberra relaxing, playing with Prince George

 
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April 21: Today in Royal History

Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom with her parents; Photo Credit – http://www.southsaskmonarchist.ca

April 21, 1509 – Death of King Henry VII of England at Richmond Palace in Richmond, Surrey, England; buried at Westminster Abbey
Wikipedia: Henry VII of England

April 21, 1767 – Birth of Elisabeth of Württemberg, first wife of Emperor Franz I of Austria, in Treptow, Brandenburg (Germany)
Elisabeth died in childbirth at age 23.
Wikipedia: Elisabeth of Württemberg

April 21, 1843 – Death of Prince Augustus, Duke of Sussex, son of King George III of the United Kingdom, at Kensington Palace in London, England; buried at Kensal Green Cemetery in London, England
Wikipedia: Prince Augustus, Duke of Sussex

April 21, 1673 – Death of Wilhelmine Amalia of Brunswick-Lüneburg, Holy Roman Empress
Wikipedia: Wilhelmine Amalia of Brunswick-Lüneburg, Holy Roman Empress

April 21, 1789 – Wedding of Victor Emmanuel I of Sardina & Maria Theresa of Austria-Este
Wikipedia: Victor Emmanuel I of Sardinia
The Peerage: Maria Theresa of Austria-Este

April 21, 1868 – Wedding of Umberto I, King of Italy & Margherita of Savoy
Wikipedia: Umberto I, King of Italy
Wikipedia: Margherita of Savoy

April 21, 1892 – Death of Alexandrine of Prussia, Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
Wikipedia: Alexandrine of Prussia, Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Schwerin

April 21, 1926 – Birth of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom at 17 Bruton Street in London, England
April 21, 1947 – Princess Elizabeth makes her 21st birthday broadcast from Cape Town, South Africa
Full name: Elizabeth Alexandra Mary
Wikipedia: Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
British Monarchy: 21st birthday speech, 21 April 1947

April 21, 1947 – Wedding of Princess Katherine of Greece and Major Richard Brandram
Princess Katherine was a daughter of King Constantine I of Greece and Princess Sophie of Prussia
Wikipedia: Princess Katherine of Greece and Denmark

April 21, 2007 – Birth of Princess Isabella of Denmark, daughter of Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark, at Copenhagen University Hospital in Copenhagen, Denmark
Full name: Isabella Henrietta Ingrid Margrethe
Wikipedia: Princess Isabella of Denmark

Royal News: Sunday 20 April 2014

Denmark
Getty Images: Queen Margrethe II of Denmark Attends Battle Of Dybbol Memorial Day

Luxembourg
Wort: 175 years of independence in Luxembourg

Saudi Arabia
PressTV: Saudi King Abdullah may die in six months: Report

United Kingdom
BBC: In pictures: Prince William and Catherine in Brisbane, Australia
BBC: William and Kate visit air force base in Queensland
Daily Mail: Fit for a Mc-Queen! Elegant in a designer dove grey coat dress, Kate attends church with William on Easter Sunday in Sydney
Daily Mail: Move over, darling… I’m Queen of Oz! Duchess grabs Top Gun spot in Aussie fighter – then fans faint as Royal hysteria rocks Brisbane
Daily Mail: Experts carry out DNA tests on bones thought to belong to monarchs from 1,000 years ago including King Canute
Daily Mail: After her £38,000 Royal wardrobe bill, how you can be a copy-Kate – at a fraction of the price
Daily Mail: Kate’s long love affair with LK Bennett: Duchess wears bold blue and white dress by high street store for visit to Brisbane
Daily Mail: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrive in Brisbane
Daily Mail: Rare night out on the Royal tour: William enjoys a beer alongside a smiling Kate at Australian rugby union game in Sydney
Duke & Duchess of Cambridge: Australia Royal Visit: Day Thirteen
Duke & Duchess of Cambridge: Day Thirteen: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in Brisbane
Evening Standard: Royal tour: Duchess of Cambridge takes control of fighter jet in Australia
Express: I’m in charge! Bold Kate tells Wills to take a back seat
Express: Quite the catch: Prince George has already received TWO marriage proposals
Express: Kate Middleton is worth the long wait for her fans in Australia
Getty Images: Duke And Duchess Of Cambridge Tour Australia And New Zealand – Day 13
Getty Images: Duke And Duchess Of Cambridge Tour Australia And New Zealand – Day 14
Getty Images: SYMM International Horse Trials At Hambleden
Hello: Kate and William make impromptu appearance at Sydney rugby match
Hello: Duchess Kate takes to the cockpit at RAAF Amberley
Hello: Duchess of Cambridge showered with Australian toys for Prince George
Telegraph: Brisbane is “Kate’s land”
Telegraph: Duchess shows poise in fighter jet cockpit

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April 20, 1839 – Birth of King Carol I of Romania

photo: Wikipedia

April 20, 1839 – Birth of King Carol I of Romania

King Carol I of Romania was born on April 20, 1939 at Sigmaringen Castle. At the time, he was Prince Karl Eitel Friedrich Zephyrinus Ludwig of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, second son of Karl Anton, The Prince of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen and Princess Josephine of Baden. His siblings included older brother Leopold, who succeeded their father as head of the Swabian branch of the House of Hohenzollern; older sister Stephanie, who married King Pedro V of Portugal; and younger sister Marie, who married Prince Philippe of Belgium, Count of Flanders. (Marie and Philippe were the parents of King Albert I of the Belgians.) Karl also had two younger brothers, Anton and Friedrich.

When he was 11 years old, his father abdicated as Prince of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, and the principality was annexed by Prussia. Karl embarked on a military career, becoming an officer in the Prussian forces. Due to political unrest in what was then called the Romanian United Principalities, the former Ruling Prince (Domnitor) – Alexander Ioan Cuza – was forced to abdicate in February 1866. Due largely to the familial relationship with the French Emperor Napoleon III and the Prussian monarchs, Karl was elected by the Romanian government to become the new Ruling Prince on April 20, 1866 – his 27th birthday.

Karl arrived in Romania on May 10 1866 and declared his allegiance to his new country, taking on the more Romanian spelling of his name – Carol. Soon after the country established its first Constitution, and formally changed the name to Romania – beginning the steps toward eventual independence from the Ottoman Empire.

On November 15, 1869 in Neuwied, Prince Carol married Princess Elisabeth of Wied. The couple would have just one child, a daughter Maria (born 1870) who died of scarlet fever in 1874.

In the Russo-Turkish War of 1877, Romania declared independence from the Ottoman Empire and joined forces with Russia. The following year, Romania was formally established as an independent nation under the Treaty of Berlin. Three years later, on March 15 1881, the Romanian parliament declared Romania a Kingdom, and Karl became King Carol I. His coronation was held on May 10, 1881, the 15th anniversary of his arrival in Romania. He was crowned with the Steel Crown, made from the steel of a cannon captured from the Ottomans during the Russo-Turkish War.

Following a reign of more than 48 years, King Carol I died on October 10, 1914 in Sinaia. He is buried in the royal crypt at The Curtea de Argeş Cathedral. He was succeeded by his nephew, King Ferdinand I (second son of his elder brother Leopold).

Check out other royal dates posted daily on our forum.