Former Monarchies Index

Front row, left to right: Alfonso XIII of Spain, George V of the United Kingdom, Frederik VIII of Denmark; Back row, left to right: Haakon VII of Norway, Ferdinand I of Bulgaria, Manuel II of Portugal, Wilhelm II of Prussia/Germany, George I of Greece, Albert I of Belgium

In May 1910, European royalty gathered in London for the funeral of King Edward VII of the United Kingdom. Among the mourners were nine reigning kings, who were photographed together in what may be the only photograph of nine reigning kings ever taken. Of the nine kings pictured, Of the nine kings pictured, four would be deposed or forced to abdicate (Ferdinand I of Bulgaria, Wilhelm II of Prussia/Germany, Manuel II of Portugal, Alfonso XIII of Spain) and one assassinated (George I of Greece). In four years, the United Kingdom and Belgium would be at war with Germany and Bulgaria. Only five of the nine monarchies represented in the photo still exist today – Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Spain, and the United Kingdom – although Spain was not a monarchy from 1931 to 1975 [Second Spanish Republic (1931 – 1939) and Spanish State (1939 – 1975)].

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