Yearly Archives: 2014

King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2014

King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands; Credit – Wikipedia

King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands was born on April 27, 1967, at the University Medical Center in Utrecht, The Netherlands. He was the first of three sons of Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands and Claus von Amsberg.

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Willem-Alexander held by his mother as his father looks on

The infant prince was christened Willem-Alexander Claus George Ferdinand as a member of the Dutch Reformed Church on September 2, 1967, in Grote of Sint-Jacobskerk in The Hague.

  • Willem: traditionally, the first name of the heir to the throne.
  • Alexander: a name his parents liked
  • Claus: after his father
  • George: after his paternal great-grandfather, Baron George von dem Bussche-Haddenhausen
  • Ferdinand: after Ferdinand von Bismarck, his father’s best friend

His godparents were

King Willem-Alexander has two brothers:

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Willem-Alexander, second from the right, with his family; Photo: Hello

Willem-Alexander lived with his family at Drakensteyn in Baarn, The Netherlands until 1981, when the family moved to Huis ten Bosch in The Hague, The Netherlands. Along with his brothers, he attended Nieuwe Baarnse School and Het Baarnsch Lyceum in Baarn. After moving to Huis Ten Bosch in 1981, Willem-Alexander attended the Eerste Vrijzinnig Christelijk Lyceum in The Hague. He completed his secondary education at Atlantic College in Llantwit Major, Wales, where he received an International Baccalaureate in 1985.

From 1985 – 1987, Willem-Alexander received military training at the Royal Netherlands Naval College in Den Helder, The Netherlands. He then served on board the frigates HNLMS Tromp and HNLMS Abraham Crijnssen. He served as a reservist in the Royal Netherlands Navy until his accession to the throne in 2013, when he was honorably discharged.

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Willem-Alexander in the navy uniform of Sub-Lieutenant in 1986; Photo: Wikipedia

In 1987, Willem-Alexander enrolled as a history student at Leiden University in Leiden, The Netherlands, and received his Master of Arts degree in 1993. While he was at Leiden University, Willem-Alexander was a member of the Minerva Student Society. The topic for his Masters dissertation was the Dutch response to France’s decision under President de Gaulle to leave NATO’s integrated command structure.

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Willem-Alexander with his mother at his graduation in 1993; source: http://www.anp-archief.nl/

Willem-Alexander has long been interested in water management and sports issues. He was an honorary member of the World Commission on Water for the 21st century and patron of the Global Water Partnership. He was appointed as the Chairperson of the United Nations Secretary General’s Advisory Board on Water and Sanitation in 2006.

From 1995 – 1998, Willem-Alexander was a patron of the Dutch Olympic Games Committee. In 1998, he became a member of the International Olympic Committee. He resigned from the IOC upon becoming King in 2013.

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King Willem-Alexander cheering on the Dutch speed skating team at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi; Photo: Zimbio

In April 1999, Willem-Alexander met his future wife, Máxima Zorreguieta Cerruti (born 1971 in Buenos Aires, Argentina) in Seville, Spain, during the Seville Spring Fair.  He did not introduce himself as a Prince, and at a later time, when he told Máxima who he was, she thought he was joking. Willem-Alexander and Máxima announced their engagement on March 30, 2001. The couple’s relationship caused significant controversy due to the role Máxima’s father, Jorge Zorreguieta, had in the Argentinian military dictatorship. Máxima’s father was forbidden to attend his daughter’s wedding. Willem-Alexander and Máxima were married on February 2, 2002, in a civil ceremony in the Beurs van Berlage in Amsterdam and then in a religious ceremony at Amsterdam’s Nieuwe Kerk.

King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima have three daughters:

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On January 28, 2013, Willem-Alexander’s mother, Queen Beatrix, announced her intention to abdicate in favor of him. Queen Beatrix signed the Instrument of Abdication at the Royal Palace in Amsterdam on April 30, 2013. Afterward, Willem-Alexander was inaugurated as King at the Nieuwe Kerk, adjacent to the Royal Palace in Amsterdam.

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King Willem-Alexander at his inauguration with Queen Máxima; Photo: Zimbio

When he became King of the Netherlands, Willem-Alexander resigned from most of his official executive functions. The reason given was that he wanted to be a “king of all”, which did not include executive functions of a limited number of organizations. Willem-Alexander remained actively involved with the Orange Fund because he considered it the most important of his organizations. He is the honorary patron of several organizations.

Willem-Alexander is an avid pilot and has said that if he had not been born a royal, he would have liked to be an airline pilot. During the reign of his mother, he regularly flew the Dutch royal aircraft on trips. In May 2017, Willem-Alexander revealed that he had served as a first officer on KLM flights for 21 years, flying twice a month, even after his accession to the throne. Willem-Alexander was rarely recognized while in the KLM uniform.  A few passengers recognized his voice, although he never gave his name and only welcomed passengers on behalf of the captain and crew.

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Kingdom of the Netherlands Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Prince Albert II of Monaco

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2014

Prince Albert II of Monaco; Credit – Wikipedia

Albert II, Sovereign Prince of Monaco (Albert Alexandre Louis Pierre) was born on March 14, 1958, at the Prince’s Palace in Monaco.  He is the only son and the second of three children of Rainier III, Sovereign Prince of Monaco and American actress and Academy Award winner Grace Kelly.

Albert was christened on April 20, 1958, at Saint Nicholas Cathedral in Monaco. His godparents were:

  • Queen Victoria Eugenie of Spain, born Princess Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg, a granddaughter of Queen Victoria
  • Prince Louis de Polignac, first cousin of his paternal grandfather
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Prince Albert on left with his family; Photo source: The Telegraph

Prince Albert has two sisters:

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Prince Albert with his mother in 1972; Photo Credit – Wikipedia

Prince Albert received his primary and secondary education in Monaco and graduated from the Lycée Albert Premier of Monaco in 1976. He spent time in his mother’s native country at Camp Tecumseh on Lake Winnipesaukee in Moultonborough, New Hampshire where he attended summer camp and was a camp counselor for six summers in the 1970s. Prince Albert spent additional time in the United States when he attended Amherst College in Amherst, Massachusetts as Albert Grimaldi. At Amherst College, he joined the Chi Psi fraternity, and the Amherst Glee Club, graduating in 1981 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science.

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Prince Albert addressing the General Assembly of the United Nations; Photo source: http://www.un.org/

After he graduated from college, Prince Albert had several educational opportunities that broadened his experience. From September 1981 – April 1982, Prince Albert trained onboard the French Navy’s helicopter carrier “Jeanne d’Arc.” He trained with various international companies in the United States and Europe in communication, financial management, and marketing from January 1983 to late 1985. Since May 1993, Prince Albert has led the Monaco delegation to the General Assembly of the United Nations and has regularly taken the floor on behalf of the Principality of Monaco.

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Photo Credit – royalcorrespondent.com

Prince Albert has enjoyed participating in a variety of sports. He represented Monaco in Two-Man Bobsled and Four-Man Bobsled in five Winter Olympics (1988/Calgary, 1992/Albertville, 1994/Lillehammer, 1998/Nagano, 2002/Salt Lake City). Prince Albert has been a member of the International Olympic Committee since 1985 and is President of the Monegasque Olympic Committee.

Prince Albert II being blessed by the Archbishop of Monaco at the Mass on July 12, 2005; Credit – Zimbio

Prince Rainier III died on April 6, 2005, and Albert became the Sovereign Prince of Monaco. On July 12, 2005, at the end of the official mourning period, Prince Albert’s accession to the throne was celebrated by a Mass at St. Nicholas’ Cathedral followed by a garden party for 7,000 Monégasques born in the principality. A second ceremony was held at St. Nicholas Cathedral on November 12, 2005, attended by many guests and royalty from around the world. The evening ended with a gala and opera performance in Monte Carlo.

In 2006, Prince Albert founded The Prince Albert II Foundation, a charity that has donated millions to various environmental projects. The foundation concentrates on environmental protection, sustainable development, climate change, the promotion of renewable energies, and biodiversity.

Before Prince Albert’s marriage in 2011, there was much discussion about what seemed to be his perpetual bachelor state and his dating experiences. On July 6, 2005, a few days before his enthronement ceremony, Prince Albert officially confirmed through his lawyer that he had an illegitimate son. Alexandre Coste (born August 24, 2003, in Paris, France) is the son of Prince Albert and Nicole Coste, a former Air France flight attendant, originally from Togo in Africa. Then in 2006, Prince Albert confirmed that he had an illegitimate daughter. Jazmin Grace Grimaldi (born March 4, 1992, in Palm Beach, California) is the daughter of Prince Albert and Tamara Rotolo, a California woman who reportedly worked as a waitress. DNA tests confirmed the paternity of both children and neither child has a claim on the throne of Monaco.

In June 2001 at the Marenostrum International Swimming Meet in Monaco which Prince Albert presided over, he met Charlene Wittstock (born 1978), a South African swimmer, who had represented her country in the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney. They were first seen together at the opening ceremony of the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin. Charlene moved in with Prince Albert in 2006. She began accompanying him to events including the weddings of the Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden in 2010 and of the Duke of Cambridge in 2011. On June 23, 2010, the Prince’s Palace announced the couple’s engagement. The civil ceremony was held on July 1, 2011, in the Throne Room of the Prince’s Palace.  The religious ceremony took place on July 2, 2011, in the courtyard of the Palace.

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Photo source: BBC/AP

Prince Albert and Princess Charlene have two children, boy and girl twins.  Even though their daughter was born first, their son is the heir apparent because Monaco’s succession is male-preference cognatic primogeniture.

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Principality of Monaco Resources at Unofficial Royalty

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Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2014

Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg; Credit – Wikipedia

Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg (Henri Albert Gabriel Félix Marie Guillaume) was born on April 16, 1955, in Betzdorf Castle in Luxembourg. He is the eldest son and second child of Grand Duke Jean of Luxembourg and Princess Joséphine-Charlotte of Belgium, and a first cousin of Philippe, King of the Belgians.

Henri was christened on April 19, 1955, at Betzdorf Castle in Luxembourg. His godparents were:

Grand Duke Henri has four siblings:

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Grand Duke Henri on the left with his parents and three of his siblings; Credit – Wikipedia

Henri received his primary and secondary education in Luxembourg and France. In 1974, he enrolled at Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in the United Kingdom and was commissioned an officer in 1975. Henri studied political science at the University of Geneva and the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, both in Geneva, Switzerland, and he graduated with honors in 1980.

While studying in Geneva, Henri met his future wife, María Teresa Mestre y Batista-Falla, also a political science student. María Teresa was born in Cuba, but her parents left Cuba when she was three years old, and she grew up in New Jersey and New York City. The engagement took Luxembourg by surprise when it was announced on November 8, 1980. The couple married civilly at the Grand Ducal Palace in Luxembourg City on February 4, 1981, and religiously on February 14, 1981, at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Luxembourg City.

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The couple had five children:

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On October 7, 2000, Grand Duke Jean abdicated, Henri became Grand Duke and took the constitutional oath before the Chamber of Deputies later that day. Grand Duke Henri is a constitutional monarch and therefore has limited powers. He has the power to appoint the Prime Minister and Government, to dissolve the Chamber of Deputies, to proclaim laws enacted by the Chamber of Deputies, and to accredit ambassadors. Grand Duke Henri is Commander-in-Chief of the Luxembourg Army and holds the rank of General.

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Grand Duke Henri and his family at the swearing-in ceremony

Grand Duke Henri is active in many organizations. He is a member of the International Olympic Committee, a member of The Mentor Foundation established by the World Health Organization as an international NGO voice of drug use and substance abuse prevention, and a Director of the Charles Darwin Trust for the Galapagos Islands.  The Grand Duke is a member of the board of directors of the Foundation of the Grand Duke and of the Grand Duchess, of which the Grand Duchess is President, and which aims to work for people in distress and with specific needs in Luxembourg society. The Foundation also supports projects in Africa and Asia.

In his Christmas Eve speech on December 24, 2024, Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg announced that he would abdicate in favor of his eldest son, Prince Guillaume, Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg, on October 3, 2025. The elder of Prince Guillaume’s two sons, Prince Charles of Luxembourg, born  May 10, 2020, will become the Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg.

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Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg arrive for the baptism of their grandson, Prince Charles of Luxembour,g on September 19, 2020

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Grand Duchy of Luxembourg Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Prince Hans-Adam II of Liechtenstein

by Scott Mehl    © Unofficial Royalty 2014

Prince Hans-Adam II of Liechtenstein; Credit – Wikipedia

Prince Hans-Adam II of Liechtenstein was born on February 14, 1945, in Zurich. He is the eldest son of Prince Franz Josef II of Liechtenstein and Countess Georgina von Wilczek.

Hans-Adam has four younger siblings:

The Prince attended elementary school in Vaduz and then attended the Schottengymnasium (Scots School) in Vienna, and the Lyceum Alpinum in Zuoz, Switzerland. After briefly working as an intern in a bank in London, he enrolled at the University of St Gallen in Switzerland, graduating in 1969 with a Masters Degree in Business and Economic Studies.

On July 30, 1967, Hans-Adam married Countess Marie Aglaë Kinsky von Wchinitz und Tettau, his second cousin once removed, at Vaduz Cathedral in Vaduz, Liechtenstein. The couple had four children:

In 1970, Prince Hans-Adam took over the management and reorganization of all of the Princely family’s assets. Hans-Adam established the Prince of Liechtenstein Foundation, essentially a holding company for the various assets, businesses, museums, and collections owned by the Princely Family. One of these companies, the LGT Group, is the largest family-owned private wealth and asset manager in Europe.

On August 26, 1984, Prince Franz Josef II appointed Hans Adam as his deputy, handing over most of his duties as Head of State. Franz Josef died on November 13, 1989, and Hans-Adam became the reigning Prince of Liechtenstein, Hans-Adam II.

In a similar move, in 2004, Prince Hans-Adam II appointed his son, Hereditary Prince Alois, as his deputy. While Hans-Adam remains Head of State, the Hereditary Prince has assumed most of the duties of the position. Prince Hans-Adam now focuses primarily on the management of the assets of the Princely Family.

The succession to the throne of Liechtenstein is based upon agnatic primogeniture which forbids women to succeed.  A United Nations committee raised concerns regarding gender equality with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. In 2007, Prince Hans-Adam II explained that the succession law is older than the Principality of Liechtenstein itself,  is a family tradition that does not affect the citizens, and the Constitution of Liechtenstein Constitution states that succession to the throne is a private family matter.

After suffering a stroke three days earlier, Hans-Adam’s wife Princess Marie died at a hospital in Grabs, Switzerland on August 21, 2021, at the age of 81.

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Principality of Liechtenstein Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Queen Sonja of Norway

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2014

Queen Sonja of Norway; Credit – Royal House of Norway

Sonja Haraldsen was born on July 4, 1937, in Oslo, Norway, the daughter of Karl August Haraldsen (1889–1959) and Dagny Ulrichsen (1898–1994). Sonja grew up at 1B Tuengen Allé in Vinderen, Oslo, Norway, one of the wealthiest areas of Oslo. After her elementary education, Sonja received her secondary education at Oslo Vocational School where she studied dressmaking and tailoring. This was a useful course of study as her family owned a clothing store. Sonja then attended a finishing school in Lausanne, Switzerland, École Professionelle des Jeunes Filles, where she studied social science, accounting, and fashion design. When she returned to Norway, Sonja attended the University of Oslo. She studied French, English, and Art History and received an undergraduate degree.

In June of 1959, a few months after her father died, Sonja attended a party hosted by a friend, Johan Stenersen. At this party, Sonja met another friend of Johan Stenersen, Crown Prince Harald of Norway. In August 1959, when the Crown Prince graduated from the Norwegian Military Academy, he invited Sonja to attend the graduation ball, and the couple was photographed together.

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Crown Prince Harald of Norway and Sonja Haraldsen at the Norwegian Military Academy Graduation Ball in August of 1959; Photo: ATF

The relationship between the Crown Prince and Sonja was controversial as many people felt the Crown Prince should marry a princess, not a Norwegian commoner. The controversy continued for years as did the relationship despite the media’s attempts to promote a royal marriage with either of the Greek princesses Sophia and Irene. Crown Prince Harald made it clear to his father King Olav V that he would remain unmarried if he could not marry Sonja. This would have resulted in a succession crisis as Harald was the sole heir to the throne. At that time, Norway did not allow female succession, so his two sisters Ragnhild and Astrid were not in the line of succession.

Finally, in 1968, when King Olav felt the position of the Norwegian people had changed to favor Sonja, he consulted with parliamentary leaders and other government leaders and gave his consent for the Crown Prince to marry a commoner. The engagement of the couple was announced on March 19, 1968, with this announcement from King Olav V: “It is with pleasure that I inform you, Mr. President and Members of the Storting, that I, after seeking advice from the Prime Minister, members of the Government, you, Mr. President, and the parliamentary leaders of the political parties, have today given my consent to my dear son, Crown Prince Harald, to take as his wife Miss Sonja Haraldsen, daughter of the late Mr. Karl August Haraldsen and Mrs. Dagny Haraldsen née Ulrichsen.”

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Engagement photo of Sonja and Harald; Credit – ATF

The wedding was held on August 29, 1968, at the Oslo Cathedral in the presence of 850 guests. Because the bride’s father was deceased and to show his support for his soon-to-be daughter-in-law, King Olav escorted the bride down the aisle. After her marriage, Sonja became Her Royal Highness The Crown Princess of Noway.

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King Olav V escorting the bride down the aisle; Photo: Royal House of Norway

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The future King Harald V and Queen Sonja at their wedding; Photo: Royal Order of Sartorial Splendor 

The couple had two children:

On January 17, 1991, King Olav V died and Sonja’s husband became King Harald V. Sonja became the first Queen Consort of Norway in 53 years, since the death of Queen Maud, wife of King Haakon VII, in 1938. Along with King Harald, Queen Sonja was consecrated in Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim, Norway on June 23, 1991.

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Consecration of the King and Queen; Photo: Royal House of Norway

Queen Sonja has been very active in cultural and social causes. In 1988, as Crown Princess, she started a music competition, now called The Queen Sonja International Music Competition. Originally only for pianists, the competition is now only for singers and the winners receive a cash prize and prestigious engagements at Norwegian music institutions. In addition, Queen Sonja’s School Award was established in 2006 and is awarded to schools that have “demonstrated excellence in its efforts to promote inclusion and equality”. In 2011, Queen Sonja established The Foundation for the Queen Sonja Nordic Art Award.

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Queen Sonja and King Harald; Photo: Royal House of Norway

Queen Sonja is also the patron of the following organizations:

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Kingdom of Norway Resources at Unofficial Royalty

King Abdullah II of Jordan

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2014

photo credit: AP Photo/Yousef Allan, Jordanian Royal Palace

King Abdullah II of Jordan – Credit – AP Photo/Yousef Allan, Jordanian Royal Palace

King Abdullah II of Jordan was born January 30, 1962, in Amman, Jordan, the eldest son of King Hussein I of Jordan and his second wife Antoinette Gardiner (Princess Muna).

Abdullah has three younger siblings:

  • Prince Feisal (born 1963), married (1) Alia Tabbaa, had four children, divorced (2) Sara Bassam Qabbani, no children, divorced (3) Zeina Lubbadeh, had two children
  • Princess Aisha (born 1968), married (1) Zeid Saadedine Juma, had two children, divorced  (2) Ashraf Banayoti, divorced
  • Princess Zein (born 1968), married Majdi Farid Al-Saleh, had three children

Abdullah has a number of half-siblings from his father’s other three marriages.

From his father’s first marriage to Sharifa Dina bint ‘Abdu’l-Hamid (Queen Dina):

  • Princess Alia (born 1956), married (1) Lieutenant-Colonel Nasser Wasfi Mirza, had one child, divorced  (2) Sayyid Mohammed Al-Saleh, had two children

From his father’s third marriage to Alia Baha ad-Din Toukan (Queen Alia):

From his father’s fourth marriage to Lisa Najeeb Halaby (Queen Noor):

At birth, Abdullah was Crown Prince and heir-apparent to the Jordanian throne. However, in 1965, due to the political unrest in the region, King Hussein instead named his brother Prince Hassan, as Crown Prince. The succession laws in Jordan follow agnatic primogeniture but King Hussein had the constitution changed to allow the reigning King to override the usual line of succession and appoint someone else in the royal family as his heir.

Abdullah began his education at the Islamic Educational College in Amman, before attending St Edmund’s School, in Hindhead, Surrey, and the Deerfield Academy, in Massachusetts. He then enrolled in the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, attaining the rank of Second Lieutenant in 1981. He served in the British Army in the 13th/18th Royal Hussars Regiment as a reconnaissance troop leader. He returned to Jordan in 1985 and began serving in the Jordanian Armed Forces. By 1993, he had become Commander of the Jordanian Special Forces, and by 1998, had risen to the rank of Major General.

In January 1993, Prince Abdullah met Rania al-Yassin at a dinner party hosted by mutual friends. Quickly smitten, he proposed just two months later and the couple was married on June 10, 1993. At the time, neither one likely suspected that they would one day become King and Queen of Jordan.

They had four children:

On February 7, 1999, Abdullah became King of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, upon the death of his father, King Hussein. Just two weeks earlier, King Hussein had stripped his brother, Prince Hassan, of the title of Crown Prince, and named Abdullah as his successor. A formal accession ceremony took place in June of the same year. In accordance with King Hussein’s wishes, Abdullah named his younger half-brother Prince Hamzah (eldest son of King Hussein and Queen Noor) as his heir and Crown Prince. However, in 2004 he stripped Hamzah of the title. Without naming a successor, the normal line of succession applied, making Abdullah’s eldest son, Prince Hussein, heir to the throne. Finally, in 2009, King Abdullah formally named Prince Hussein as Crown Prince of Jordan.

King Abdullah II has continued his father’s legacy, working toward peace in the region and making “the welfare of the Jordanian people the cornerstones of his policies for national development, regional peace, and global existence.” (source: kingabdullah.jo)

In his free time, the King enjoys various sporting activities, sharing his father’s passion for motorcycles. He is also a huge science fiction fan, and in 1996, he appeared in a non-speaking role in an episode of Star Trek: Voyager. See Unofficial Royalty: Beam Me Up…Abdullah?  In addition, he was the driving force and primary investor behind a large Star Trek theme park built as part of a huge resort complex – The Red Sea Astrarium – in Aqaba, Jordan.

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Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Emperor Akihito of Japan

by Scott Mehl and Susan Flantzer   
© Unofficial Royalty 2014

Emperor Akihito of Japan; Credit – Wikipedia

Emperor Akihito of Japan was born on December 23, 1933, at the Tokyo Imperial Palace in Tokyo, Japan. He was the fifth of the seven children and the eldest son of Emperor Hirohito and Princess Nagako of Kuni.  Akihito was heir-apparent to the Chrysanthemum Throne from birth.

Akihito and his mother; Credit – Wikipedia

Akihito had five sisters and one brother:

Japanese Imperial Family, 1941; Credit – Wikipedia

Akihito, titled Prince Tsugu, was initially educated by tutors at the Imperial Palace before completing his elementary and secondary education at The Gakushūin (Peers School) in Tokyo. During the American Occupation of Japan, following World War II, Akihito and several of his siblings were tutored in English and Western culture. He later briefly attended Gakushuin University, studying Political Science, but did not obtain a degree. On November 10, 1952, he was formally invested as Crown Prince in a ceremony held at the Imperial Palace.

Akihito’s investiture as Crown Prince; Credit – Wikipedia

Akihito first met his future wife, Michiko Shōda, the eldest daughter of a wealthy flour company executive, on a tennis court in August 1957. The Imperial Household Council formally approved the engagement of Crown Prince Akihito to Michiko Shōda on November 27, 1958, and the engagement ceremony took place on January 14, 1959. It would be the first time a commoner married into the Imperial Family. The engagement announcement drew criticism from traditionalist groups because Michiko came from a Roman Catholic family. She had never been baptized but had been educated in Catholic schools and seemed to share the faith of her parents. There was much speculation that Akihito’s mother strongly opposed the marriage. After the marriage, she treated her commoner daughter-in-law harshly. Akihito and Michiko were married in a traditional Shinto ceremony on April 10, 1959.

Akihito and Michiko on their wedding day with Emperor Shōwa and Empress Kōjun; Credit – Wikipedia

Akihito and Michiko had two sons and one daughter:

Akihito ascended the Chrysanthemum Throne on January 7, 1989, upon the death of his father Emperor Hirohito. His formal enthronement took place on November 12, 1990. During his reign, Emperor Akihito made an effort to bring the Imperial family closer to the Japanese people.  Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko made official visits to foreign countries and all forty-seven Prefectures of Japan.  In response to the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami and the Fukushima I nuclear crisis, Emperor Akihito made a historic televised speech urging the Japanese people not to give up hope and to help each other.

Emperor Akihito has had several health issues. He underwent surgery for prostate cancer in 2003. In 2011, he was admitted to the hospital suffering from pneumonia. In February 2012, after having a coronary examination, the Emperor underwent successful heart bypass surgery.

Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko with their sons and their families in 2013; Photo Credit – Wikipedia

Emperor Akihito shared his father’s interest in marine biology.  He is a published ichthyological researcher, has specialized in studies within the taxonomy of the family Gobiidae, and has written papers for scholarly journals such as Gene and the Japanese Journal of Ichthyology.

In 2016, Emperor Akihito gave a televised speech emphasizing his advanced age and declining health that was interpreted as a desire to abdicate.  On June 8, 2017, the National Diet, the Japanese legislature, passed a bill allowing Akihito to abdicate. On December 1, 2017, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced that Emperor Akihito would abdicate on April 30, 2019, in favor of his elder son, Crown Prince Naruhito. The last abdication occurred 200 years ago when Emperor Kōkaku abdicated in 1817.

The era of Emperor Akihito’s reign bears the name “Heisei” and according to custom, he will be renamed “Emperor Heisei” after his death.  After Akihito abdicated on April 30, 2019, he was entitled Jōkō, an abbreviation of Daijō Tennō (Emperor Emeritus), and the new era Reiwa was established for his son and successor Emperor Naruhito.

Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko; Credit – Wikipedia

After the abdication, Akihito and his wife Michiko lived temporarily at the Takanawa Imperial Residence, formerly the home of Prince and Princess Takamatsu, Akihito’s aunt and uncle. It had been empty since the death of Princess Takamatsu in 2004. They then moved to Togu Palace at the Akasaka Estate, the former home of Emperor Naruhito and his family. Togu Palace was renamed Sento Imperial Palace, which translates as “the place where the retired imperial couple live.”

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State of Japan Resources at Unofficial Royalty

King Olav V of Norway

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2014

King Olav V of Norway; Credit – Wikipedia

King Olav V of Norway was born Prince Alexander Edward Christian Frederik of Denmark on July 2, 1903, at Appleton House on the Sandringham Estate in the United Kingdom. He was the only child of Prince Carl of Denmark, the future King Haakon VII of Norway, and Princess Maud of Wales. Olav was the paternal grandson of King Frederik VIII of Denmark and Princess Louise of Sweden, and the maternal grandson of King Edward VII of the United Kingdom and Princess Alexandra of Denmark.

When Olav was born, there was little expectation that he would become a king. However, this would all change in 1905, when his father was named the new King of Norway, taking the name Haakon VII. Two-year-old Alexander was given the more Norwegian name Olav and became Crown Prince of Norway.

Crown Prince Olav, c.1912. Photo: The Royal Court Archives

Crown Prince Olav, c.1912. Photo: The Royal House of Norway, Court Archives

Following his elementary education, Olav attended the Norwegian Military Academy, graduating in 1924, and then studied law and economics at Balliol College, Oxford University, graduating in 1926. An avid skier and sailor, Olav represented Norway in the 1928 Olympic Games, winning a Gold Medal in the sailing competition, and remained active in sailing his whole life.

Crown Prince Olav served in the Norwegian Armed Forces, first in the navy and then the army, working to the rank of Colonel by 1936. In 1939, he was appointed Admiral of the Norwegian Royal Navy, and General of the Royal Army. His extensive military training would serve him well in the coming years, as the Nazis began their takeover of Europe.

photo: Wikipedia

Olav and his wife and first cousin Princess Märtha of Sweden – photo: Wikipedia

On March 21, 1929, at the Oslo Cathedral in Oslo, Olav married his first cousin Princess Märtha of Sweden.

The couple took up residence at the Skaugum Estate in Asker, Norway, and had three children:

Olav, his wife, and children; Photo Credit – Wikipedia

In April 1940, when the Germans invaded Norway, the Norwegian government and the Royal Family were forced from Oslo. Olav’s wife and children went first to Sweden, and then at the invitation of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, sailed for the United States where they remained for the duration of the war. King Haakon VII, Crown Prince Olav, and the government established themselves in Elverum, in Eastern Norway. However, it soon became clear that they would be unable to withstand the German forces. On June 7, 1940, King Haakon and Crown Prince Olav sailed for England, where they established a government-in-exile in London. Here they continued to rally and support the Norwegian people. In 1944, Crown Prince Olav was appointed Chief of Defense and took the lead of the Norwegian forces, working with the Allied Forces.

The reunited Norwegian royal family returned to Oslo in June 1945. photo: Wikipedia

On May 13, 1945, just five days after the Germans surrendered, Olav and several government ministers returned to Norway. The King, as well as Olav’s wife and children, returned the following month.

In April 1954, Olav’s wife Crown Princess Märtha died of cancer, having been ill for some time. Three years later, Olav became King Olav V of Norway, after his father King Haakon VII died on September 21, 1957. Olav, already much loved by the Norwegian people, became even more popular during his reign. He was often found unaccompanied among his people, driving around town, stopping in shops, and taking the train to the ski slopes, gaining him the nickname “The People’s King”.

King Olav V died of a heart attack on January 17, 1991, at the Royal Lodge (Kongsseteren) in Holmenkollen, Oslo, Norway. He was buried with his wife in the green sarcophagus alongside his parents in the Royal Mausoleum at the Akershus Fortress.

White tomb of King Haakon VII and Queen Maud on the left and green tomb of their son King Olav V and his wife Princess Märtha of Sweden, Crown Princess of Norway on the right; Photo Credit – Susan Flantzer

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Kingdom of Norway Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Philippe, King of the Belgians

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2014

© SPF Chancellerie du Premier Ministre – Direction générale Communication externe

Philippe, King of the Belgians – © SPF Chancellerie du Premier Ministre – Direction générale Communication externe

Philippe, King of the Belgians was born Philippe Léopold Louis Marie on April 15, 1960, at the Château du Belvédère in Laeken, Brussels, Belgium. He is the eldest son of the then Prince Albert, Prince of Liège, and Paola Ruffo di Calabria. His father was the younger brother, and heir-presumptive, to the reigning King Baudouin.

Philippe has two younger siblings:

Philippe has a half-sister from his father’s affair with Baroness Sybille de Selys Longchamps. After years of legal battles, on October 1, 2020, the Belgian Court of Appeal ruled that Delphine and her children are entitled to the style and title of HRH Prince/Princess of Belgium, and can use the former King’s surname of Saxe-Coburg.

  • Princess Delphine of Belgium (born 1968), married James O’Hare, an American, had two children, now styled Princess Joséphine of Belgium and Prince Oscar of Belgium

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Philippe was baptized on May 17, 1960, at the Church of Saint-Jacques-sur-Coudenberg in Brussels, Belgium. His godfather was his paternal grandfather, King Leopold III, and his godmother was his maternal grandmother, Luisa Ruffo di Calabria. He was named after his great-grandfather, Philippe, Count of Flanders, the brother of King Leopold II.

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Prince Philippe attended primary and secondary school first at St Michael’s College in Brussels, studying in French, and then the Saint-André de Bruges Abbey in Bruges, studying in Dutch. In 1981, he enrolled at the Royal Military Academy in Brussels, graduating in 1981. After qualifying as a fighter pilot, he received his wings from his uncle, King Baudouin in July 1982. He then joined the very elite Paracommando Regiment of the Belgian Army (now called the Immediate Reaction Cell), qualifying as a paratrooper and assuming command of a paratrooper and commando platoon. He continued his military education with a series of courses at the Royal Higher Defense Institute.

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Following his military education, Philippe attended Trinity College at the University of Oxford and the Graduate School at Stanford University in the United States, earning his Masters Degree in Political Science in 1985.

On July 31, 1993, his uncle King Baudouin died suddenly at his vacation home in Spain and was succeeded by Philippe’s father, King Albert II. Philippe was now heir-apparent to the Belgian throne and was created Duke of Brabant, the title traditionally given to the eldest child and heir of the Belgian monarch. He was also named Honorary Chairman of the Belgian Foreign Trade Board (now the Foreign Trade Agency) by the Belgian government, taking over the role his father had held for over 30 years. In this role, Philippe represented Belgium at over 70 economic missions around the world. Following his accession to the throne, his sister Princess Astrid took over the role.

Mathilde and Philippe on their wedding day; Credit : Order of Sartorial Splendor

On December 4, 1999, Philippe married Mathilde d’Udekem d’Acoz in Brussels, Belgium. A civil ceremony took place at the Brussels Town Hall, followed by a religious ceremony at the Cathedral of Saint Michael and Saint Gudula in Brussels. The couple took up residence at the Royal Palace of Laeken in Laeken, Brussels, Belgium

 

The couple had two daughters and two sons:

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Philippe ascended to the Belgian throne on July 21, 2013, upon the abdication of his father, King Albert II. Philippe’s eldest child, Princess Elisabeth, Duchess of Brabant, will become the Queen of the Belgians due to changes in the succession law in 1991.

Princess Delphine and Philippe, King of the Belgians, meet for the first time; Credit – Belgian Monarchy Facebook

On October 9, 2020,  King Philippe met his half-sister, Princess Delphine, for the first time at Laeken Castle, the king’s residence. A common message from King Philippe and Princess Delphine was posted on Facebook: “This Friday, October 9th, we met for the first time at Laeken Castle. Our meeting was warm. We had the opportunity to get to know each other during a long and rich exchange that allowed us to talk about each other’s lives and shared interests. This bond will now develop in a family setting.”

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Kingdom of Belgium Resources at Unofficial Royalty

King Felipe VI of Spain

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2014

King Felipe VI of Spain; Credit – Wikipedia

King Felipe VI of Spain was born at the Nuestra Señora de Loreto Clinic in Madrid, Spain on January 30, 1968. He is the only son and third child of King Juan Carlos of Spain and his wife, Queen Sofia, born Princess Sophia of Greece.  At the time of King Felipe’s birth, Spain was ruled by the dictator General Francisco Franco and his father had no official title or position in Spain. However, King Felipe was registered in the Civil Registry as Infante with the style of Royal Highness.

Felipe has two older sisters:

On February 8, 1968, Felipe was baptized at Zarzuela Palace by Monsignor Casimiro Morcillo, Archbishop of Madrid.

His godparents were:

Felipe was baptized with the following names:

  • Felipe: in honor of his ancestor King Felipe V, the first Bourbon who reigned in Spain
  • Juan: in honor of his paternal grandfather Infante Juan, Count of Barcelona
  • Pablo: in honor of his maternal grandfather, King Paul I of Greece
  • Alfonso: in honor of great-grandfather King Alfonso XIII of Spain
  • De Todos los Santos, (of All the Saints): continuing a Bourbon tradition

Queen Victoria Eugenie holding Felipe at his baptism, his other godparent Infante Juan, Count of Barcelona is in the middle of the photo; Photo Credit – www.casareal.es

In 1969, General Franco recognized Juan Carlos as his successor and bestowed upon him the title of Prince of Spain. King Felipe then became second in the line of succession to the vacant throne. Juan Carlos became King of Spain in 1975 upon the death of General Franco. On January 22, 1977, King Felipe was formally created Prince of Asturias, the title traditionally held by the heir to the Spanish throne.

King Felipe attended Santa María de los Rosales School (link in Spanish) in Madrid, Spain until 1984, when he was 16. For his last year of secondary education, he attended Lakefield College School in Lakefield, Ontario, Canada.  In 1985, King Felipe started his military education at the General Military Academy in Zaragoza, Spain, and studied there for three years. From 1988 – 1993, he attended the Autónoma University of Madrid, where he graduated with a degree in law. King Felipe obtained a Master’s Degree in International Relations at the Edmund Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University in Washington, DC where he studied from 1993 – 1995 and was a roommate of his first cousin Crown Prince Pavlos of Greece.

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Felipe receiving his diploma at Georgetown University; Photo Credit – abcnews.com

In 1992, King Felipe was a member of the Spanish Olympic Sailing Team at the Barcelona Summer Olympics. He was the flag bearer at the Opening Ceremonies and his Soling Class sailing team finished in sixth place.

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Felipe as flag bearer at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics;  Credit – http://www.sail-world.com

On November 1, 2003, to the surprise of many, Felipe’s engagement to Letizia Ortiz Rocasolano, a journalist and television news reporter and anchor, was announced. The couple was married on May 22, 2004, at the Santa María la Real de La Almudena Cathedral in Madrid, Spain.

Credit – http://www.casareal.es

King Felipe and Queen Letizia have two daughters:

  • The Princess of Asturias (Leonor de Todos los Santos de Borbón Ortiz), born October 31, 2005, at the Ruber International Clinic in Madrid, Spain
  • Infanta Sofía (Sofía de Todos los Santos de Borbón Ortiz), born on April 29, 2007, at the Ruber International Clinic in Madrid, Spain

King Felipe with his family in 2019; Credit – Wikipedia

On June 2, 2014, King Juan Carlos, Felipe’s father, announced his intention to abdicate the throne in favor of his son. On June 18, 2014, King Juan Carlos signed the formal instrument of abdication and Felipe ascended the throne at midnight. King Felipe VI was sworn in and proclaimed as king on June 19, 2014, in a ceremony in the Congress of Deputies, the lower house of the Spanish legislature.

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King Felipe VI is sworn in at the Cortes Generales; Photo Credit – Wikipedia

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Kingdom of Spain Resources at Unofficial Royalty