The Common Bond: Louis IX, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt

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.

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.

Through Princess Amalia, Hereditary Princess of Baden-Durlach:

  • King Philippe of Belgium
  • Prince Hans-Adam II of Liechtenstein
  • Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg
  • Prince 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 Bulgaria
  • Queen Margrethe II of Denmark
  • (the late former) King Constantine II of Greece
  • Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg
  • King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands
  • King Harald V of Norway
  • (the late former) King Michael of Romania
  • King Felipe VI of Spain
  • King 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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