Author Archives: Scott

King Carl XIV Johan of Sweden/King Karl III Johan of Norway

by Scott Mehl
© Unofficial Royalty 2015

King Carl XIV Johan of Sweden/King Karl III Johan of Norway; Credit – Wikipedia

King Carl XIV Johan of Sweden/King Karl III Johan of Norway was born Jean Baptiste Bernadotte on January 26, 1763, in Pau, France. He was the youngest of five children of Jean Henri Bernadotte and Jeanne de Saint-Jean. He was educated to follow his father in the law profession but seems to have had no interest. Following his father’s death, Jean ended his studies and joined the military, where he quickly stood out for his courage and leadership. During the French Revolution, he rose quickly through the ranks, attaining the rank of Brigadier General in 1794.

Désirée Clary, 1807 portrait by Robert Lefèvre. source: Wikipedia

On August 16, 1798, Bernadotte married Bernardine Eugénie Désirée Clary, known as Désirée, whose sister Julie Clary was married to Joseph Bonaparte, Napoleon Bonaparte’s brother. Désirée had previously been engaged to Napoleon. They had one son:

In 1804, Napoleon was proclaimed Emperor of France and appointed Bernadotte Marshal of France. He served for several months as Governor of the recently-occupied Hanover, and in December 1805, took part in the battle of Austerlitz. In recognition of his efforts at Austerlitz, Napoleon created Bernadotte Prince of Pontecorvo, a small principality in Italy.

Bernadotte’s relationship with Napoleon was often strained, but the Emperor respected Bernadotte greatly. Bernadotte often went against the Emperor’s orders during battle, at least once being stripped of his command. Despite this, he was later appointed Governor of Rome but never took up the position. Instead, he would find himself heading north to Sweden.

In 1809, King Carl XIII of Sweden ascended the throne of Sweden. He had no living children, and his adopted son and heir died the following year. The Swedes had the idea to offer the position of Crown Prince to one of Napoleon’s Marshals. Bernadotte was well-liked in Sweden, particularly because of his considerate treatment of Swedish prisoners during the recent war with Denmark. In addition, he had a connection to Napoleon and already had a son who could continue the succession. On August 21, 1810, the Swedish Riksdag of the Estates elected Bernadotte as Crown Prince. He arrived in Stockholm in November 1810 and was formally adopted by the King Carl III of Sweden, taking the name Carl Johan, and converting from Roman Catholicism to Lutheranism.

The new Crown Prince quickly took an active role in the Swedish government, particularly in the area of foreign policy. He was actively involved in the events leading up to the Treaty of Kiel in 1814, in which Denmark was forced to cede Norway to Sweden. Norway refused to accept the treaty at first, and the Crown Prince invaded, quickly suppressing the Norwegian forces. Soon, Norway became united with Sweden at the Convention of Moss. Unlike the previous union with Denmark, this was a personal union under a single sovereign, and Norway remained an independent state with its own constitution.  The separate kingdoms of Sweden and Norway were under a common monarch from 1814 until its dissolution in 1905.

Coronation in Norway, painting by Jacob Munch. source: Wikipedia

King Carl XIII of Sweden/King Karl II of Norway died on February 5, 1818, and Bernadotte ascended the thrones of Sweden and Norway. His coronation in Sweden took place on May 11, 1818, at the Stockholm Cathedral (Storkyrkan) in Stockholm, Sweden and he took the name Carl XIV Johan. Thus began the Bernadotte dynasty in Sweden, which continues today. In September 1818, he was crowned at Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim, Norway as King Karl III Johan of Norway.

Following his accession, the King soon lost much of his popularity with the Swedish and Norwegian people. In Norway, his role in the events of 1814 and his constant attempts to change the constitution to allow him great powers, caused him to be viewed skeptically by the people. His attempts to squash the celebrations of Norway’s National Day (May 17th) – going so far as making it illegal – further cemented the negative views of the Norwegians.

In Sweden, where he enjoyed much more power and control, his conservative almost autocratic views caused significant dissent among the population. By the 1830s, there were calls for his abdication, however, he held onto his throne and seems to have regained the respect of many of his subjects.

Tomb of King Carl XIV John and his wife Desiree. photo © Susan Flantzer

On his 81st birthday in January 1844, King Carl XIV Johan of Sweden/King Karl III Johan of Norway suffered a stroke, from which he never recovered. He died on March 8, 1844, at the Royal Palace of Stockholm. Following his funeral, he was interred at the Riddarholmen Church in Stockholm.

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Kingdom of Sweden Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Sarah, Duchess of York

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2015

The Telegraph

Sarah, Duchess of York source: The Telegraph

Sarah, Duchess of York (born Sarah Margaret Ferguson) is the former wife of Prince Andrew, The Duke of York, second son of Queen Elizabeth II and The Duke of Edinburgh. She was born at the Wellbeck Nursing Home in Marylebone, London, England on October 15, 1959, to Major Ronald Ferguson and the former Susan Wright. Her father, a former soldier in the Life Guards, served as polo manager to the Duke of Edinburgh, and for many years, to the Prince of Wales. Sarah’s parents divorced in 1974, and both remarried. She has an older sister – Jane – and three younger half-siblings – Andrew, Alice, and Eliza Charlotte – from her father’s second marriage.

Her ancestors include King Charles II of England (she is descended from two of his illegitimate sons, The Duke of Richmond and The Duke of Monmouth), The 6th Duke of Buccleuch, 1st Duke of Abercorn, and Georgina Spencer, Duchess of Devonshire. Through these ancestors, she is distantly related to her former husband.

 

Sarah spent the first eight years of her life living at Lowood House, the family home in Sunninghill, Berkshire, England. The family then moved to Dummer Down Farm in Hampshire,  England which had been in the Ferguson family for several generations. As a child, Sarah and her family often spent summer weekends at Smith’s Lawn where her father played polo. It was here that her father first met Earl Mountbatten and through him, The Duke of Edinburgh. She often played with the children of The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh although neither Sarah nor her sister has any clear recollections.

Sarah attended the Daneshill School in Hampshire, England, and then the Hurst Lodge School in Ascot, England graduating in 1977. Following her schooling, she attended Queen’s Secretarial College and took a job with a London public relations firm. She also worked at an art gallery and then a publishing company.

 

Despite having met several times in their youth, it wasn’t until the mid-1980s that Sarah and Prince Andrew developed a friendship when they were both guests at a weekend party at Floors Castle, the Scottish home of the Duke and Duchess of Roxburghe. Their friendship became romantic after a party at Windsor Castle in 1985, as part of Royal Ascot week. The Princess of Wales, with whom Sarah had been friends for several years, arranged for Sarah to be invited and made sure she was seated next to Prince Andrew. Before long, Andrew proposed while the couple was again visiting Floors Castle, and their engagement was announced in March 1986. Sarah’s engagement ring consisted of a large Burmese ruby surrounded by diamonds, designed by her fiance’.

 

Sarah and Prince Andrew married on July 23, 1986 in Westminster Abbey. As Andrew had been created Duke of York earlier that morning, Sarah emerged from the abbey as HRH The Duchess of York, and was the fourth most senior woman in the Royal Family, following The Queen, The Queen Mother, and The Princess of Wales.

Following their honeymoon, the couple lived in Prince Andrew’s apartments at Buckingham Palace while construction took place on their new home Sunninghill Park in Berkshire, England. As a wedding gift, Queen Elizabeth II had purchased five acres of the former Sunninghill Park estate from the Crown Commissioners. The previous house on the estate had once been the intended home of Queen Elizabeth II and Duke of Edinburgh following their marriage. However, it was destroyed by fire before they could take up residence. The new Sunninghill Park became Sarah and Andrew’s primary residence for the remainder of their marriage… and beyond.

Upon marriage, Sarah was very close to most of the members of the Royal Family. She shared a love of horses and country pursuits with Queen Elizabeth II and took up carriage driving which endeared her to the Duke of Edinburgh. The Prince of Wales, now King Charles III, admired her carefree spirit and exuberance. However, in the early months and years of her marriage, The Duke of York was often away on naval duties, leaving Sarah to fend for herself in the complex world of ‘The Firm’. As an outsider, unaccustomed to life in the royal household, she often stumbled in finding her way. Fortunately, she had her friend and sister-in-law Diana to help guide her. At the beginning of her marriage, the media loved Sarah but they soon began to turn on her. Constantly compared to Diana and ridiculed for her fashion sense and her weight, she was called ‘Duchess of Pork’ by many of the British tabloids. For Sarah, it was made more difficult because of the constant absence of her husband.

Over the next four years, Sarah and Andrew had two daughters:

Soon there were cracks in the marriage. The Duke of York was often away on naval duties, and Sarah was seen in the company of other men. After much speculation, the couple announced they were separating on March 19, 1992. A few months later, a tabloid published photos of the Duchess sunbathing topless with another man, causing the rift between her husband and his family to widen. When attempts at reconciliation failed, the couple divorced on May 30, 1996. Now styled as ‘Sarah, Duchess of York’, she initially retained the HRH style. However, Letters Patent were issued a few months later, clarifying that former wives were not entitled to use the royal style. As per The Lord Chamberlain’s office, she is still considered a member of the British Royal Family.

Despite their divorce, Sarah and Andrew continued to live together, both at Sunninghill Park and later at Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park. In 2007, she moved to the neighboring Dolphin House, where she lived until a fire in 2008 caused her to return to Royal Lodge. Sarah and Andrew purchased a ski chalet in Verbier, Switzerland, and Sarah has reportedly made this her primary residence. She also has an apartment in London and retains her rooms at Royal Lodge.

The relationship with her former husband has remained close, with Sarah often stating that he remains her ‘Prince Charming’. Rumors have circulated for years that the two plan to re-marry, but the two seem very happy with their current relationship. While both have had other relationships, they remained fully supportive – and protective – of each other.

One of the most polarizing British royals in recent years, Sarah, Duchess of York, despite her financial problems and scandals, has remained supportive and respectful of her former family and the monarchy. Since divorcing in 1996, she has been in the rare position of having to juggle her former position with her current one. Because of this, she is often, as the expression goes,  “damned if she does, and damned if she doesn’t.”

 

Sarah, Duchess of York has written or contributed to over 40 books, including her series of ‘Budgie the Little Helicopter’ books, several lifestyle books, and two books about Queen Victoria. She served for many years as a spokesperson for Weight Watchers and ventured into film as a producer of the movie The Young Victoria in 2009. She has also worked as a contributor to several news programs, both in the UK and the US.

Despite her successful business ventures, she has often had to deal with financial problems. Reportedly she was near bankruptcy before being bailed out by her husband and several other friends. In 2010, she was secretly filmed by a tabloid offering access to her former husband in exchange for money. This incident, along with others, caused increased tension with her former family, particularly with her former father-in-law The Duke of Edinburgh. However, Queen Elizabeth II was very welcoming to her former daughter-in-law and often invited Sarah to Balmoral or Sandringham with Andrew and their daughters.

Since the early years of her marriage, Sarah has been involved with numerous charities and organizations. Since 1990, she has been Patron of The Teenage Cancer Trust, and a few years later, founded Children in Crisis. Sarah, her former husband, and their daughters established Key To Freedom in 2013. Other organizations she supports include Mental Disability Rights International and the Motor Neurone Disease Association. She has worked with the American Cancer Society and in 2014 was named ambassador for the Institute of Global Health Innovation at Imperial College in London.

On June 25, 2023, it was announced that Sarah had breast cancer and underwent surgery at King Edward VII Hospital, a private clinic in central London that previously treated the late Queen Elizabeth II and other senior royals. She underwent reconstructive surgery following her mastectomy. On January 21, 2024, it was announced that Sarah had been diagnosed with malignant melanoma after having several moles removed for analysis.

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Mark Phillips, first husband of Anne, The Princess Royal

by Scott Mehl

© Unofficial Royalty 2015

source: Horse-Events.co.uk

Mark Phillips – source: Horse-Events.co.uk

Captain Mark Phillips was the first husband of Anne, Princess Royal and father of her two children. He was born Mark Anthony Peter Phillips on September 22, 1948, to Major Peter Phillips and the former Anne Tiarks, whose father was an Aide-de-Camp to King George VI. He had one sister, Sarah, who passed away.

Following his education at Stouts Hill Preparatory School and Marlborough College, Phillips entered the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst. After passing out, he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Queen’s Dragoon Guards, eventually reaching the rank of Captain in 1975. He retired from the Army in March 1978.

 

An avid horseman, Philips was a member of the British Equestrian Team with whom he won the Team Three-Day Event world title in 1970, the European title in 1971, and Olympic Gold in 1972. He also won Silver at the 1988 Olympics and is a four-time champion at the Badminton Horse Trials.

 

It was through their mutual membership on the British Equestrian Team that Phillips met Princess Anne, the daughter of Queen Elizabeth II and The Duke of Edinburgh. Their engagement was announced on May 29, 1973, and they married at Westminster Abbey in London, England on November 14, 1973. Following their honeymoon, the couple settled at Gatcombe Park in Gloucestershire, England, an estate The Queen had purchased as a wedding gift. It has been speculated that The Queen offered – and Phillips declined – a peerage upon marriage but this has never been confirmed or denied by any member of the Royal Family.

The couple had two children:

In 1989, the couple separated following several years of a very strained marriage, and numerous claims of infidelity. In 1991, following court-mandated DNA testing, it was confirmed that Phillips had fathered a daughter, Felicity, in 1985 as a result of an affair with New Zealand art teacher Heather Tonkin. The following year, in April 1992, Captain Phillips and The Princess Royal were formally divorced.

In the 1980s, Phillips began working with the United States Equestrian Team, serving as Chef d’Equipe of the Eventing Team. It was through this that he met his second wife, Sandy Pflueger, a member of the US Dressage Team. They married on February 1, 1997, and have a daughter Stephanie born later that year. The couple separated in 2012.  Since 2012, Phillips has been in a relationship with Lauren Hough, also a member of the US Team, who is 18 years his junior.

As well as his work with the US Equestrian Team, Phillips is a columnist for Horse & Hound magazine and has designed several courses, including the cross-country venue for the Red Hills Horse Trials, an Olympic qualifying event, in Florida.

 

Captain Phillips is also the Chairman and course designer of the Gatcombe Horse Trials, which is held on The Princess Royal’s Gatcombe Park estate. Begun in the early 1980s by Phillips and The Princess Royal, the event continues to draw equestrians from around the world.

Despite their divorce, Phillips retains a friendly relationship with The Princess Royal. The two are, in fact, neighbors. Some years after their marriage, the couple had purchased the neighboring property of Aston Farm and incorporated it into their Gatcombe Park estate. Following their divorce, the Princess retained Gatcombe, while Phillips moved to Aston Farm which remains his residence in England. However, in recent years, he has been based primarily in the United States where he still serves as the Chef d’Equipe (team manager) of the United States Eventing Team.

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Princess Charlotte of Wales

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2015

Princess Charlotte; Credit – Official Facebook Page – The Royal Family

Princess Charlotte Elizabeth Diana of Wales is the second child of the three children of Prince William, The Prince of Wales and the former Catherine Middleton. She was born at 8:34 am on May 2, 2015, at the Lindo Wing, St. Mary’s Hospital in London. For some background on her name see: Unofficial Royalty: What’s in a Name? – Princess Charlotte of Wales

Charlotte had an older and a younger brother:

Regardless of the gender of any younger siblings, Princess Charlotte will remain second in the line of succession to the British throne after her father The Prince of Wales, and her older brother Prince George of Wales, until her older brother has children. The Succession to The Crown Act 2013, which formally went into effect on March 26, 2015, put in place absolute primogeniture, which means that for those born after October 28, 2011, the eldest child born becomes the heir to his or her parent, regardless of gender.  With the birth of her younger brother Prince Louis on April 23, 2018, Charlotte became the first British princess not to be overtaken in the line of succession by her younger brother.

Later that same day, Prince William brought Prince George to the hospital to meet his new baby sister. Just a few hours later, William and Catherine and their daughter left the hospital and returned home to Kensington Palace, where they were visited by members of their families. Two days later, the couple announced their daughter’s name – Charlotte Elizabeth Diana.

 

The family soon left Kensington Palace and traveled to their home on the Sandringham Estate, Anmer Hall. On July 5, 2015, Princess Charlotte was christened by the Archbishop of Canterbury at St. Mary Magdalene’s Church, Sandringham. The private service was attended only by immediate family and Charlotte’s five godparents:

  • The Honorable Laura Fellowes (maternal first cousin of her father)
  • Adam Middleton (paternal first cousin of his mother)
  • Thomas van Straubenzee (a close friend)
  • James Meade (a close friend)
  • Sophie Carter (a close friend)

 

For her christening, Princess Charlotte wore the Royal Christening Gown, which was made in 2008. It is a replica of the gown first used for the christening of Queen Victoria’s eldest daughter, Victoria, in 1841, and was used for all royal christenings since. The last to use the original gown was Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor, daughter of the Earl and Countess of Wessex in 2004. Also dating back to 1841, the Lily Font was used for Charlotte’s christening, with water from the River Jordan.  Following the christening, The Queen hosted a reception at Sandringham House.

On May 20, 2017, Princess Charlotte was a bridesmaid at the wedding of her aunt Pippa Middleton and James Matthews.

On January 8, 2018, Charlotte began attending the Willcocks Nursery School, close to her Kensington Palace home. Princess Charlotte became a big sister on April 23, 2018, when her younger brother Prince Louis was born.  Charlotte joined her brother George at Thomas’s Battersea School on Battersea High Street in London in September 2019.

Princess Charlotte on her first day of nursery school; Photo taken by The Duchess of Cambridge

In 2018, Princess Charlotte was a bridesmaid in two royal weddings – the wedding of her uncle, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, and the wedding of her first cousin once removed, Princess Eugenie of York and Jack Brooksbank.

Charlotte occasionally accompanies his parents on royal tours and engagements. On June 2, 2022, during her great-grandmother’s Platinum Jubilee celebration weekend, Charlotte and her siblings made their debut in the Trooping the Colour carriage procession.

Charlotte and her siblings ride in the Trooping the Colour carriage procession for the first time in 2022; Credit – Wikipedia by John Pannell from Watford, UK

All three Cambridge children joined their parents, Queen Elizabeth II, and other working royals on the Buckingham Palace balcony.

William and Catherine with their children on the Buckingham Palace balcony during the Platinum Jubilee celebrations of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022

In the summer of 2022, Charlotte and her family moved to Adelaide Cottage, a four-bedroom house on the grounds of Windsor Castle in Berkshire, England. The move was made to give Charlotte and her siblings a more normal family life. In the fall of 2022, Charlotte and her siblings began attending Lambrook School, a prestigious fee-paying school in Winkfield, near Windsor. The school is described on its website as a “leading coeducational Prep School for 615 boys and girls aged 3 and 13, set in 52 acres of beautiful Berkshire countryside.” Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis will not be the first royals attending Lambrook School. Prince Christian Victor of Schleswig-Holstein and his brother Prince Albert of Schleswig-Holstein, grandsons of Queen Victoria and sons of Princess Helena and Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein, also attended Lambrook School.

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Marie Juliette Louvet, mistress of Prince Louis II of Monaco, mother of Princess Charlotte

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2015

Marie Juliette Louvet; Credit – https://alchetron.com/Marie-Juliette-Louvet

Marie Juliette Louvet was the mistress of the future Prince Louis II of Monaco, and the mother of his only child, Princess Charlotte, Duchess of Valentinois. She is the grandmother of Prince Rainier III of Monaco, and the great-grandmother of Prince Albert II of Monaco.

Marie Juliett was born on May 9, 1867, in Pierreval, France, to Jacques Louvet and Joséphine Piedefer. At the age of 17, she married a Parisian photographer, Achille Delmaet, with whom she already had a son, Georges. The couple later had a daughter, Marguerite, before divorcing in 1893.

It is believed that Marie Juliette and Prince Louis met while she was working as a hostess in a cabaret in Paris, France. The following year, she was working as a seamstress in a military barracks in Constantine, Algeria, where Prince Louis was also based. Later that year, on September 30, 1898, Marie Juliette gave birth to the couple’s daughter Charlotte. While Louis’ father, Prince Albert I, would not permit the couple to marry, their daughter Charlotte was later recognized as a member of the Monegasque Princely Family, and in 1919, was formally adopted by Prince Louis, becoming Princess Charlotte of Monaco, and Duchess of Valentinois. She would also later become heir to the Monegasque throne following her father’s accession in 1922, later relinquishing her succession rights in favor of her son, the future Prince Rainier III.

Marie Juliette Louvet lived the rest of her life in Paris, where she died on September 24, 1930.

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Ghislaine Dommanget, Princess of Monaco

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2015

Ghislaine Dommanget, Princess of Monaco; Credit – www.findagrave.com

Princess Ghislaine of Monaco was the wife of Prince Louis II of Monaco and the step-grandmother of Prince Rainier III of Monaco. She was born Ghislaine Marie Françoise Dommanget in Reims, France, on October 13, 1900, to Robert Joseph Dommanget and Marie Louise Meunier.

From an early age, Ghislaine was drawn to the stage and became an actress, working at the famed Comédie-Française in Paris. Before meeting Prince Louis II, she was married twice – to Paul Diey and André Brulé – and had one son, Jean Gabriel Brulé, born in 1934.

In 1942, she met Prince Louis II while on a tour of Monaco, and he later wrote that he knew instantly upon meeting that she would one day be his wife. The couple was married on July 24, 1946, in a civil ceremony, with a religious service held three days later, and she became The Princess of Monaco. Ghislaine was nearly 46 years old, while her husband was more than 30 years older. While Prince Louis II was very much in love with Ghislaine, the rest of the Monegasque princely family questioned her motives and viewed her as an opportunist and golddigger. Sadly, Prince Louis died less than three years later, in May 1949, and was succeeded by his grandson, Prince Rainier III. In his will, Louis had left half of his estate to Ghislaine, but Rainier and his sister Antoinette contested this, and the will was overturned. Ghislaine only received her jewelry and other gifts and retained a suite of rooms at The Prince’s Palace. She also received a small pension from the Monegasque government, later stopped by Prince Rainier.

The Dowager Princess returned to Paris, only occasionally returning to Monaco. In 1956, she attended the wedding of Prince Rainier and Grace Kelly. Despite a strained relationship with her step-grandson, Ghislaine developed and maintained a close friendship with Grace, who made efforts to include Ghislaine as part of the family. Later, Ghislaine returned to the stage, even appearing in Monaco, with the condition that she would not use her title of Princess of Monaco. Billed simply as “Ghislaine”, she appeared in three plays in Monaco – Ms. April in 1958, L’Aiglon in 1959, and Pea Flower in 1960.

 

Ghislaine then retired to Paris, where she wrote her memoirs, “Sois princesse” … dit-il (“Be Princess”… he said), which she dedicated to Princess Grace. In her later years, she only made two formal appearances in Monaco. In 1974, she attended the celebrations for Prince Rainier’s Silver Jubilee, and her last appearance was at Princess Grace’s funeral in 1982. Ghislaine, Dowager Princess of Monaco died in Neuilly-sur-Seine, France, on April 30, 1991. She is buried in the Passy Cemetery in Paris.

Grave of Ghislaine Dommanget, Princess of Monaco. source: Wikipedia

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Principality of Monaco Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Prince Louis II of Monaco

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2015

Prince Louis II of Monaco – source: Wikipedia

Prince Louis II of Monaco (Louis Honoré Charles Antoine Grimaldi) was born July 12, 1870, in Baden-Baden, Grand Duchy of Baden, now in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. He was the only child of Prince Albert I of Monaco and Lady Mary Victoria Hamilton, daughter of William Hamilton, 11th Duke of Hamilton and Princess Marie of Baden. Shortly after his birth, his mother left her husband and took Louis to the Grand Duchy of Baden, where he was raised until the age of 11. Louis then returned to Monaco to prepare for his future royal role.

Louis attended the Saint-Cyr Military Academy in France and then joined the French Foreign Legion. He served for 10 years and was awarded the Cross of the Legion of Honor. During this time, while serving in Algeria, Louis met Marie Juliette Louvet, a cabaret singer. The couple was deeply in love, but his father would not permit them to marry. A daughter was born in 1898:

Because Louis was unmarried and without an heir, the Monegasque throne was likely to pass to his first cousin once removed, Wilhelm, Duke of Urach, a German nobleman who was the son of his father’s aunt, Princess Florestine of Monaco.  To avoid this, Louis’ father, Prince Albert I, had a law passed recognizing Charlotte as Louis’ heir and part of the sovereign family. However, this law was later ruled invalid under earlier statutes. So, in October 1918, another law was passed allowing for the adoption of an heir with succession rights. On May 16, 1919, Louis legally adopted Charlotte, giving her the Grimaldi surname. Her grandfather created her HSH Princess Charlotte of Monaco and Duchess of Valentinois. Upon Louis’s accession in 1922, Charlotte became the Hereditary Princess of Monaco.

During World War I, Louis again served with the French Army and eventually reached the rank of Brigadier General. Recognized for his outstanding efforts, he was elevated to Grand Officer of the Legion of Honor. His military career ended when he ascended to the Monegasque throne upon his father’s death on June 27, 1922. Some of his contributions during his reign were the establishment of the Monaco Football Club and the Grand Prix of Monaco, which was first held in the principality in 1929. In 1931, he oversaw the establishment of the Ballet de l’Opéra à Monte-Carlo and the construction of the Stade Prince Louis II, a large football stadium in the center of the city. He was also a keen collector of items related to Napoleon, which later formed the basis for the Napoleon Museum, housed at the Prince’s Palace for many years.

Following World War II, during which the principality had been occupied by the Italians and Germans before liberation by the Allies, Prince Louis began spending most of his time in Paris and greatly ignored the principality. In 1944, his daughter Charlotte ceded her rights to the throne in favor of her son Rainier, who would eventually succeed his grandfather. In June 1946, Prince Louis married the French film star Ghislaine Dommanget. The couple lived primarily at the Château de Marchais, their estate outside of Paris.

On May 9, 1949, Prince Louis II died at the Prince’s Palace in Monaco. He is buried at the Cathedral of Monaco.

Grave of Louis II, Prince of Monaco; www.findagrave.com

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.

Principality of Monaco Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Alice Heine, Princess of Monaco

by Scott Mehl
© Unofficial Royalty 2015

source: Wikipedia

Alice Heine, Princess of Monaco; Credit – Wikipedia

Alice Heine, Princess of Monaco, was the second wife of Prince Albert I of Monaco, and the first American woman ever to marry a reigning European sovereign.

She was born Mary Alice Heine on February 10, 1858, in New Orleans, Louisiana, to Michel Heine and Amélie Marie Céleste Miltenberger, and had two younger brothers. Her father, a French banker and businessman, came from a prominent German Jewish banking family and was a cousin of German poet Heinrich Heine. Michel and his brother had established themselves as bankers in the United States.

In 1874, the family returned to France following the American Civil War and quickly established themselves amongst Parisian society. The following year, Alice married Marie Odet Richard Armand de La Chapelle de Saint-Jean de Jumilhac, 7th Duke of Richelieu. Jewish by birth, Alice had converted to Roman Catholicism before the marriage. The couple went on to have two children:

  • Marie Odet Jean Armand de La Chapelle de Saint-Jean de Jumilhac, 8th Duke of Richelieu (1875-1952)
  • Odile Chapelle de Jumilhac, later Princess of La Rochefoucauld by marriage (1879-1974)

In June 1880, the Duke of Richelieu died while on a trip to Athens, Greece. Widowed at just 22 years old, Alice became a very wealthy woman and soon established herself as one of the leading hostesses in European society. Several years later, while on the island of Madeira in Portugal, Alice met the future Prince Albert I of Monaco. From all accounts, the couple was immediately drawn to each other. Both had been married before and had children, and their personalities complemented each other. However, Albert’s father, Prince Charles III, did not approve of the match, and would not permit them to marry.

After four years, Prince Charles III died and Albert ascended to the Monegasque throne. Just seven weeks later, Alice and Albert married on October 30, 1889. Alice brought an extensive collection of jewels and a massive dowry of six million dollars.

Albert II, Prince of Monaco; Credit – Wikipedia

Hugely welcomed by the people of Monaco, Alice quickly became instrumental in the principality’s development. Her advanced business sense and large dowry helped restore the nation’s financial stability. Alice then set out to turn Monaco into more than just a small principality dominated by its casino. An avid supporter of the arts, Alice brought the theater, opera, and ballet to Monaco, and is often credited with turning Monaco into one of the cultural hotspots in Europe.

While her husband supported her efforts in the arts, Alice never fully supported or understood Albert’s love of the sea and oceanography. Their mutual lack of support drove the couple apart, and Alice had an affair with the composer Isidore de Lara. Despite his own affairs, Prince Albert was devastated by his wife’s infidelity, but the couple continued to put on the facade of a happy marriage. However, it came crashing down in 1901. On the opening night of the opera, Prince Albert publicly accused Alice of her affair with the composer, in front of the entire opera hall, going as far as slapping her across the face. Humiliated, Alice left the opera immediately and left Monaco the next morning. Her husband quickly banned her from ever returning to Monaco, and made every effort to strip her from Monaco’s history. The couple was granted a legal separation in 1902 but never divorced.

AliceHeine

Alice in her later years

Alice settled at Claridge’s in London, England where she established herself in the upper echelons of British society, entertaining extensively and continuing to patronize the arts. While in London, she became a close friend of Queen Alexandra, wife of King Edward VII of the United Kingdom.

Several years after her estranged husband’s death, Alice, now the Dowager Princess of Monaco, died in Paris, France on December 22, 1925, at the age of 67. She is buried at the Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris, France.

Grave of Alice Heine, Princess of Monaco; Credit – www.findagrave.com

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Vivat Regina!

by The Laird o’ Thistle
September 9, 2015

The day has finally come, the day when Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II – aka Her Grace Elizabeth (first of that name) Queen of Scots – surpasses Queen Victoria as the longest reigning monarch in the history of the British Isles. Queen Victoria is now second, and poor old George III gets bumped to third place… though he is still the longest reigning “King” in British history.

I do not remember when I first realized that this day might come, and then that it would probably come, and then that it was almost certain to come… but, I have been watching and anticipating the day for a long time.

My thoughts today are somewhat personal. Some years ago Dame Helen Mirren, in the BBC documentary Diamond Queen, noted that “except for my sister, the Queen is the only person who has been a constant presence for my whole life.” That is true for many of us. My own first reliable memory of the Queen is of her at Winston Churchill’s funeral… as hushed commentators spoke of the breaking of protocol so that HM entered St. Paul’s before the Churchill family and left after them. (That, at least, is my memory… 50 years on… of what they said.) I was nine years old at the time. And then, within a few years, I was “hooked” on being a royal watcher, from afar.

While I do admire other royals… Prince Charles for his charity and environmental work, Princess Anne for her charitable efforts and world travel for Save the Children, and so on… it is the Queen who has always most fascinated me. I am fascinated by the utterly serious and dutiful way in which she has done her “job” over the years, in some ways against her more private and down-to-earth countrywoman’s nature. With all due respect to Queen Margrethe and Princess Beatrix, virtually no one on earth fails to understand who you mean if you say simply “THE Queen.”

Today she does not simply set a record. Today she leaves her predecessors in the dust. At the end of his reign, George III was blind, deaf, and insane. The old Victoria was feeble and withdrawn if not quite the grieving recluse of her middle years. Queen Elizabeth, though increasingly moving more carefully and slowly, and needing a hand at times on the steps, continues to be out and about, doing her ceremonial and public duties, going to church, doing her “boxes” of paperwork, and keeping abreast of national and international affairs in the U.K., her other realms, the Commonwealth, and throughout the world. She has worked with and been friends with, Indira Gandhi and Nelson Mandela. In 2011, just a few words at Dublin Castle were said to have changed history and set a new course of Anglo-Irish relations. Last year, an absolutely innocuous but carefully timed word after church in Scotland may have swayed a crucial referendum. (Both being items, I might add, that David Starkey seems to have forgotten in his recent comments.) She has traveled further and been personally seen by more people, than any other monarch in the history of the world.

Across the years she has moved through her life surrounded by royal relatives spanning three centuries, thus far. She remembers three of Queen Victoria’s children (Louise, Arthur of Connaught, and Beatrice), as well as many of Victoria’s grandchildren. Throughout the years she has been a devoted granddaughter to her beloved “Grandpapa England” and Queen Mary, a devoted daughter to her revered father – King George VI – and her long-lived “Mummy”, and a loving and patient sister to Princess Margaret. She has only ever had eyes for one man, Prince Philip, and the two keep soldiering on side-by-side, at ages 89 and 94 respectively. The Queen faced the challenges, early on, of being a constantly working mother, and reportedly regrets not having been able to be more present to and with her children. Since Princess Margaret’s death, she continues to include the Snowdon children and grandchildren in the close family circle. She is a loving granny, with a particular bond to her heir’s heir, Prince William, with whom she used to share Sunday tea when he was a student at Eton. The arrival of her great-grandchildren seems to please her greatly, as evidenced by those wonderful pictures of her interacting with little Prince George at Princess Charlotte’s christening earlier this summer. Those children may easily live and perhaps reign, on into the 22nd century.

Meanwhile… today is a day, a milestone, but not yet an ending. Next spring she turns 90. In 2017 the Windsor dynasty turns 100, with her having led it through nearly two-thirds of that time. Later that year, God-willing, she and the Duke of Edinburgh will celebrate their 70th wedding anniversary. More grandchildren will probably marry, and more great-grandchildren will probably appear. The U.K. will continue to reconfigure itself… or, “its-selves”… and so will Europe and the world. She will soon be seeing her 13th U.S. President enter the White House. She’s now on her 7th Pope. And, so it goes….

Thank you, Ma’am, for a lifetime of service as Princess and as Queen. Thank you, for all that has been done, and all that will yet be done. God bless you, now and always!

Yours Aye,
Ken Cuthbertson

Queen Elizabeth II of The United Kingdom

by Scott Mehl and Susan Flantzer © Unofficial Royalty 2015

Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom; Credit – The Royal Family Facebook page

Destined to become the longest-reigning British monarch, Princess Elizabeth of York was born at 2:40 am on April 21, 1926, at 17 Bruton Street in Mayfair, London, the home of her maternal grandparents. She was the daughter of the future King George VI and Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, at the time the Duke and Duchess of York. She was named in honor of her mother, her great-grandmother Queen Alexandra, who had died five months earlier, on November 20, 1925, and her grandmother Queen Mary. Her paternal grandparents were King George V and Queen Mary, born Princess Victoria Mary of Teck, and her maternal grandparents were Claude Bowes-Lyon, 14th and 1st Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne, and Cecilia Cavendish-Bentinck. At the time of her birth, Elizabeth was third in the line of succession to the British throne, following her uncle The Prince of Wales (later King Edward VIII and Duke of Windsor) and her father.

Queen Elizabeth II Resources 

On May 29, 1926, in the Private Chapel at Buckingham Palace in London, England, Princess Elizabeth of York was christened.

Her godparents were:

For the first few years of her life, Elizabeth was raised at her parents’ home at 145 Piccadilly, in London, and at White Lodge in Richmond Park.

Elizabeth had one younger sibling:

In 1930, after the birth of Princess Margaret, the family moved to Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park. Royal Lodge is most associated with her mother, as it was her country home until she died in 2002. It is now the home of Prince Andrew, The Duke of York.

In January 1936, Elizabeth’s grandfather, King George V, died at Sandringham. Her uncle David became King Edward VIII, and her father was now heir-presumptive to the throne. Even then, it was expected that the King would marry and have an heir – but as history shows us, this was not how things would turn out. In December 1936, King Edward VIII abdicated the throne, and Elizabeth’s father became King George VI. The quiet family life the Yorks had enjoyed would be changed forever. The young 10-year-old princess was now the heiress-presumptive to the British throne. However, because there was always the possibility of a younger brother being born and becoming heir apparent, Elizabeth did not receive any of the titles traditionally held by the heir. She remained, simply, The Princess Elizabeth.

photo: Hulton-Deutsch Collection/CORBIS

photo: Hulton-Deutsch Collection/CORBIS

King George VI’s coronation was held in 1937 (on the date originally scheduled for his elder brother, Edward VIII). Princess Elizabeth and her sister, Princess Margaret, attended the ceremony, resplendent in ermine robes and small gold coronets.

The two princesses often attended events with their parents. One that would be most notable in Elizabeth’s life was a visit to the Royal Naval College in Dartmouth in 1939. Here she met and spent time with, her second cousin once removed via King Christian X of Denmark and her third cousin via Queen Victoria, Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark. Philip was the son of Prince Andrew of Greece and Princess Alice of Battenberg. Philip was a cadet at the College, and because of his family relationship, was asked to join the official party to entertain the young princesses. The two had already met some years earlier at the wedding of Elizabeth’s uncle, The Duke of Kent, to Philip’s cousin, Princess Marina of Greece but it was in Dartmouth that the 13-year-old Elizabeth truly took notice of her nearly 18-year-old cousin. It is said that Elizabeth was instantly smitten with the dashing Philip and the two began a correspondence that quickly blossomed into a romance.

Princess Elizabeth undertook her first official public engagement on her 16th birthday – an inspection of the Grenadier Guards, of whom she had been appointed Colonel-in-Chief. From this point on, her public role increased and she took on more official engagements, both with her parents and on her own. In 1945, she joined the Women’s Auxiliary Territorial Service with the rank of Subaltern, where she trained as a driver and mechanic. She was later promoted to the rank of Junior Commander.

Unbeknownst to the British people, Philip and Elizabeth had become engaged privately in 1946. The King consented, with the condition that the announcement would be held off until after Elizabeth’s 21st birthday the following year. The family was on a tour of southern Africa when Elizabeth turned 21. On that day, the Princess gave a radio address from Cape Town, South Africa, in which she dedicated her life to the service of the Commonwealth:

“I declare before you all that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted
to your service and the service of our great imperial family to which we all belong.”

(You can hear the entire speech HERE.)

photo: The Telegraph

photo: The Telegraph

Upon the family’s return home, the engagement of The Princess Elizabeth and Lt Philip Mountbatten was announced on July 10, 1947. The couple married four months later, on November 20, 1947, at Westminster Abbey. Just prior, the King issued Letters Patent granting Philip the style of His Royal Highness, and the titles Duke of Edinburgh, Earl of Merioneth, and Baron Greenwich. In addition, he was made a Knight of the Order of the Garter.

Following their honeymoon, spent at Broadlands (the Mountbatten estate in Hampshire) and Birkhall on the Balmoral Estate, the couple took up residence at Windlesham Moor, a country home in Surrey that was leased for them. They remained at Windlesham Moor until July 1949 when they moved into Clarence House in London. Elizabeth and Philip had four children, two born before she became Queen and two born after she became Queen.

Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh with their family in 1979 at Balmoral Castle with two-year-old Peter Phillips in the background; Photo Credit – www.royal.gov.uk

In late January 1952, Elizabeth and Philip embarked on a tour of Australia and New Zealand on behalf of her father, whose doctors would not allow him to travel. On February 6, 1952,  King George VI passed away at Sandringham. The new Queen learned of his death at the Sagana Lodge in Kenya, where the royal party was staying en route to Australia. They immediately returned to London, where she made her Accession Declaration to the Privy Council on February 8, 1952.

photo: The Telegraph

photo: The Telegraph

On June 2, 1953, the Queen’s coronation was held at Westminster Abbey. This was the first British Coronation that had been televised although some parts were deemed too sacred to be seen. In November 1952, the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh embarked on a six-month tour of the Commonwealth, ending in Malta. Here, the couple was joined by their children, Prince Charles and Princess Anne, and the family returned to London on the newly fitted HMY Britannia.

During her reign, Queen Elizabeth II was perhaps the most recognizable person in the world. She made numerous foreign visits, including State Visits, and hosted numerous incoming State Visits, all in her role as Head of State. She also made numerous visits to Commonwealth countries in her role as Head of the Commonwealth.

In 2012, she celebrated her Diamond Jubilee. Queen Elizabeth joined her great-great-grandmother, Queen Victoria, as the only two British monarchs to reach 60 years on the throne. Several days of celebrations were held, including a grand regatta on the Thames, a concert in front of Buckingham Palace, and a Service of Thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey. It was celebrated not only in the United Kingdom but around the world. Members of the Royal Family traveled to all of the Commonwealth Realms and many other Commonwealth countries on her behalf while Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh traveled throughout the United Kingdom.

photo: The Telegraph

photo: The Telegraph

On July 27, 2012, Queen Elizabeth II officially opened the Olympic Games in London. Breaking with tradition, Her Majesty appeared in a short film that began the Opening Ceremonies. Seated at her desk in Buckingham Palace, she is joined by James Bond (played by Daniel Craig), and the two leave for the stadium, where they arrive by parachute! Needless to say, the crowd was overjoyed, and Queen Elizabeth was greeted by the cheers and applause of everyone in attendance. The following year, she was presented with an honorary BAFTA award for her support of the British film industry. The presenter referred to her as “the most memorable Bond girl yet”. I think all of us would agree. You can watch Queen Elizabeth II’s Olympic entrance HERE.

 

On April 9, 2021, Queen Elizabeth’s husband of seventy-three years, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh died at Windsor Castle in Windsor, England, at the age of 99, just two months short of his 100th birthday. The funeral arrangements were planned over the years, with Prince Philip’s involvement and Queen Elizabeth signed off on the funeral plans. Last-minute changes were necessary to ensure compliance with COVID-19 restrictions, including only thirty guests being allowed at the funeral. One of the most poignant images of the funeral was the nearly 95-year-old Queen Elizabeth II, now a widow, sitting alone in a choir stall at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor.

Queen Elizabeth II, official photo for the 70th anniversary of her accession to the throne; Credit – The Royal Family Facebook page

In 2022, Queen Elizabeth II celebrated her Platinum Jubilee, marking seventy years on the throne. There were celebrations throughout the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth nations. See Unofficial Royalty: Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee Weekend.

Queen Elizabeth II meets Liz Truss, her 15th Prime Minister on September 6, 2002, two days before her death; Ironically, the photo shows the longest reigning British monarch and the shortest serving British Prime Minister; Credit – The Royal Family Facebook Page

On September 6, 2022, at Balmoral Castle in Scotland, Queen Elizabeth II had a meeting with the outgoing Prime Minister Boris Johnson, and then had a meeting with the incoming Prime Minister Liz Truss. On the evening of September 7, 2022, Queen Elizabeth was to be at a virtual Privy Council meeting during which Liz Truss would have taken her oath as First Lord of the Treasury (a position the Prime Minister also holds) and her new cabinet ministers would have been sworn into their roles. However, this statement was released: “After a full day yesterday, Her Majesty has this afternoon accepted doctors’ advice to rest. This means that the Privy Council meeting that had been due to take place this evening will be rearranged.”

On September 8, 2022, Buckingham Palace issued this statement: “Following further evaluation this morning, the Queen’s doctors are concerned for Her Majesty’s health and have recommended she remain under medical supervision. The Queen remains comfortable and at Balmoral.”  All of Queen Elizabeth’s children and her grandsons Prince William and Prince Harry traveled to Balmoral.

King George VI Memorial Chapel; Credit – The Royal Family Facebook page

Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom died at the age of 96, at Balmoral Castle, her home in Balmoral, Scotland, on September 8, 2022, at 3:10 PM, more than three hours before the public was informed. The death certificate, released by the National Records of Scotland cites that she died of “old age”. The informant of her death was The Princess Royal, Queen Elizabeth II’s daughter Princess Anne.  Only The Princess Royal and King Charles III were with Queen Elizabeth II when she died.

After a state funeral at Westminster Abbey in London, England on September 19, 2022, Queen Elizabeth II was interred in the King George VI Memorial Chapel in St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle in Windsor England, where her parents and her sister had been interred. At the time of Queen Elizabeth II’s burial, the coffin of her husband Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, who died in 2021, was moved from the Royal Vault at St. George’s Chapel to the King George VI Memorial Chapel.

Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom is the longest-reigning British monarch having surpassed her great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria on September 9, 2015. In May 2022, Queen Elizabeth II surpassed Prince Johann II of Liechtenstein (reigned from November 12, 1858 to  February 11, 1929, for 25,658 days or 70 years, 91 days) and then in June 2022, she surpassed King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand (reigned June 9, 1946 to October 13, 2016, for 25,694 days or 70 years, 126 days) to become the second longest-reigning monarch. Queen Elizabeth II reigned from February 6, 1952 – September 8, 2022, 70 years, 214 days. Only King Louis XIV of France, (reigned May 14, 1643 to September 1, 1715, for 26,407 days or 72 years, 110 days) has reigned longer. (Note: Lengths of reign are from a list of monarchs of states that were internationally sovereign for most or all of their reigns and have verifiable reigns by an exact date.)

Many monarchs came and went during the long reign of Queen Elizabeth II. See who they were at:

There were fifteen Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom during the reign of Queen Elizabeth II:

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.

House of Windsor Resources at Unofficial Royalty