Royal Wedding Flashbacks

source: Daily Mail

They say that everyone loves a wedding. Well here at Unofficial Royalty, there’s nothing we like more than a Royal Wedding!

For many years, royal weddings were small private events, with only a handful of family and guests in attendance. Fortunately for us, that has all changed and royal weddings are now often State Events with carriage processions, balcony appearances and live-streaming media coverage broadcast around the world. (How many of us were awake in the wee hours of the morning to watch Lady Diana Spencer, traveling to St. Paul’s Cathedral in the Glass Coach for her wedding to The Prince of Wales?)

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And let’s not forget the hundreds of invited guests! Today, most royal weddings are a virtual “who’s who” of royalty from around the world.

With June being a popular month for weddings, we’ve decided to spend the month looking back at some of the many royal weddings. Each day this month, we’ll be featuring a different royal wedding from Europe and beyond.  We’re even starting a day early because there are just so many royal weddings we want to highlight!

Be sure to check back tomorrow – and every day this month – and join in on the discussions over on our Forums. Stop by and tell us what you’re favorite wedding is!

Wives of Robert II, King of Scots: Elizabeth Mure and Euphemia de Ross, Queen of Scots

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2017

Robert II, King of Scots from the Forman Armorial produced for Mary, Queen of Scots; Credit – Wikipedia

Robert II, King of Scots, the first monarch of the House of Stewart, had two wives. Elizabeth Mure died before Robert became king and Euphemia de Ross was his only Queen Consort.

Elizabeth Mure

The first wife of Robert II, King of Scots, Elizabeth Mure was probably born at Rowallan Castle near Kilmaurs, a village in East Ayrshire, Scotland. Her parents were Sir Adam Mure of Rowallan and Janet Mure of Pokellie. Elizabeth died before her husband became king.

Rowallan Castle; Photo Credit – By VERNON MONAGHAN, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=9552921

Robert Stewart, the future Robert II, King of Scots, was born in 1316. He was the only child of Walter Stewart, 6th High Steward of Scotland and Marjorie Bruce, the daughter of Robert I the Bruce, King of Scots. Marjorie died in childbirth at age 19. She was thrown from her horse and went into premature labor and died soon after delivering her son Robert. Robert was heir presumptive to the throne of Scotland as his uncle David II, King of Scots, the son of Robert I’s second marriage, was childless. Upon the death of his father in 1327, Robert Stewart became the 7th High Steward of Scotland.

At first, Elizabeth was the mistress of Robert Stewart. The couple married in 1346, but the marriage was not in agreement with the Canon Law of the Roman Catholic Church. After receiving a papal dispensation, the couple remarried. The children born before their marriage were legitimized. Despite the legitimization of Elizabeth’s children, there were family disputes over her children’s right to the crown.

Elizabeth and Robert’s daughter Jean Stewart and her second husband Sir John Lyon, Lord of Glamis had one son Sir John Lyon. Through him, Jean, and therefore Elizabeth Mure and Robert II, are ancestors of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, formerly Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon.  The elder Sir John was a courtier and diplomat, who was appointed Keeper of the Privy Seal upon the accession of Robert II in 1371. The following year, Robert II granted him “the free barony of Glamuyss in the sheriffdom of Forfar.” Glamis has remained the seat of the family ever since. See Wikipedia: Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne for more information.

Elizabeth and Robert had at least ten children:

Elizabeth Mure died before May 1355 and was buried at Paisley Abbey in Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland. Her eldest son, John Stewart, Earl of Carrick would eventually succeed to the throne upon the death of his father as Robert III, King of Scots.

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Euphemia de Ross, Queen of Scots

King Robert II of Scotland and Euphemia de Ross from the Forman Armorial produced for Mary, Queen of Scots; Credit – Wikipedia

Euphemia de Ross was the daughter and probably the only child of Hugh, 4th Earl of Ross and his second wife Margaret de Graham, daughter of Sir David de Graham of Montrose. Hugh’s first wife was Marjorie (or Matilda) Bruce, the sister of Robert I the Bruce, King of Scots. Hugh was a favorite of Robert I who granted him Cromarty Castle, a third of the lands of Kirkcudbright and lands in Skye, Strathglass, and Strathcona. Hugh was also one of the Scots nobles responsible for negotiating the marriage contract of David II, King of Scots, son and successor of Robert I, and Joan of the Tower, daughter of King Edward II of England. Hugh, 4th Earl of Ross was killed along with many other Scottish nobles at the Battle of Halidon Hill on July 19, 1333

Euphemia had at least three half-siblings from her father’s first marriage:

Arms of Euphemia de Ross; Credit – By Sodacan – Own work, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=38494578

Euphemia was first married to John Randolph, 3rd Earl of Moray. He was the son of Thomas Randolph, 1st Earl of Moray, a supporter of Robert the Bruce. John Randolph was an important figure in the reign of David II, King of Scots, and served as joint Regent of Scotland along with Robert Stewart, 7th High Steward of Scotland, Euphemia’s second husband. John was killed on October 17, 1346, at the Battle of Neville’s Cross leaving Euphemia a young, childless widow.

Nine years later, on May 2, 1355, Euphemia married Robert Stewart, 7th High Steward of Scotland. In 1357, Robert was granted the title Earl of Strathearn, so Euphemia was then the Countess of Strathearn. On February 22, 1371, upon the death of his childless nephew David II, King of Scots, Euphemia’s husband became Robert II, King of Scots, the first monarch of the House of Stewart, and Euphemia became Queen of Scots.

Euphemia and Robert had four children. The children of Robert II from both his marriages considered themselves the rightful heirs to the throne of Scotland, causing considerable family conflict.

Euphemia Stewart, Countess of Strathearn, granddaughter of Euphemia and Robert through their son David Stewart, Earl of Strathearn, is an ancestor of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother formerly Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon. As an only child, Euphemia Stewart was heir to her father’s earldoms. She married Patrick Graham and their daughter Elizabeth married Sir John Lyon, 1st Master of Glamis, the son of Sir John Lyon who had married Jean Stewart, daughter of Robert II and Elizabeth Mure (see above). See Wikipedia: Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne for more information.

Euphemia de Ross, Queen of Scots died in 1386 and was buried at Paisley Abbey in Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland. Her husband Robert II, King of Scots survived her by four years, dying on April 19, 1390.

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.

Works Cited

  • “Aodh, 4. Earl Of Ross”. De.wikipedia.org. N.p., 2017. Web. 19 Apr. 2017.
  • “David II, King Of Scots”. Unofficial Royalty. N.p., 2017. Web. 19 Apr. 2017.
  • “Elizabeth Mure”. En.wikipedia.org. N.p., 2017. Web. 19 Apr. 2017.
  • “Euphemia De Ross”. En.wikipedia.org. N.p., 2017. Web. 19 Apr. 2017.
  • “Hugh, Earl Of Ross”. En.wikipedia.org. N.p., 2017. Web. 19 Apr. 2017.
  • “Person Page”. Thepeerage.com. N.p., 2017. Web. 19 Apr. 2017.
  • “Robert I, King of Scots”.Unofficial Royalty. N.p., 2017. Web. 19 Apr. 2017.
  • “Robert II Of Scotland”. En.wikipedia.org. N.p., 2017. Web. 19 Apr. 2017.

Robert II, King of Scots

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2017

Robert II, King of Scots from Forman Armorial (produced for Mary, Queen of Scots); Credit – Wikipedia

The first monarch of the House of Stewart, Robert II, King of Scots, was born at Paisley Abbey on March 2, 1316. He was the only child of Walter Stewart, 6th High Steward of Scotland and Marjorie Bruce, the daughter of Robert I the Bruce, King of Scots. His 19-year-old mother Marjorie had been riding in Paisley, Renfrewshire Scotland. Her horse was suddenly startled and threw her to the ground. Marjorie went into premature labor and her child Robert was delivered by caesarean section at the nearby Paisley Abbey. Sadly, Marjorie died within a few hours.

Robert’s father Walter Stewart, 6th High Steward of Scotland gave his name to the Royal House of Stewart (later Stuart). The surname Stewart comes from the word steward, which means one who organizes the house of a king. The title of High Steward or Great Steward was given in the 12th century to Walter FitzAlan and shortly afterward, it was made a hereditary title. Walter FitzAlan’s grandson started to use Stewart as his surname. In 1371, Robert II, the 7th, and the last High Steward inherited the throne of Scotland. Since that time, the title of High (or Great) Steward of Scotland has been held as a subsidiary title of Duke of Rothesay and Baron of Renfrew, among the titles traditionally held by the heir apparent of Scotland. When James VI, King of Scots succeeded to the English throne upon the death of Queen Elizabeth I, those titles for the heir apparent came with James. Even today, The Prince of Wales holds the titles traditionally held by the English heir apparent, but also the traditional titles of the Scottish heir apparent: Duke of Rothesay, Earl of Carrick, Baron of Renfrew, Lord of the Isles, Prince and Great Steward of Scotland.

Robert had three half-siblings from his father’s second marriage to Isabel de Graham, daughter of Sir Nicholas de Graham, Lord of Dalkeith and Abercorn and Mary of Strathearn

  • Sir John Stewart of Ralston, married Alicia Mure, had issue
  • Sir Andrew Stewart, no issue
  • Egidia Stewart, married (1) Sir James Lindsay, of Crawford, Lord of Crawford and Kirkmichael, had issue (2) Sir Hugh Eglinton, Laird of Aird Rosainb, Eglintoun and Ormdale (3) Sir James Douglas of Dalkeith

In 1318, two-year-old Robert was declared heir to the Scottish throne if his grandfather Robert I did not have any male issue. Six years later, Robert I and his second wife Elizabeth de Burgh had a son David, who became heir to the Scottish throne. Robert’s father Walter Stewart, 6th High Steward of Scotland, died on April 9, 1326. He was buried at Paisley Abbey, alongside his first wife, Marjorie Bruce, and the previous five High Stewards. Ten-year-old Robert became the 7th High Steward of Scotland. The orphaned Robert was placed under the guardianship of his paternal uncle Sir James Stewart of Durrisdeer, who raised his nephew and served as his tutor.

On June 7, 1329, Robert’s grandfather Robert I the Bruce, King of Scots died at the age of 54 and was succeeded by his five-year-old son David II, King of Scots. Robert I’s funeral procession was led by a line of knights dressed in black, including Robert’s 13-year-old grandson Robert Stewart, 7th High Steward of Scotland, the future Robert II, King of Scots, the son of his daughter Marjorie Bruce. In 1326, the Scottish Parliament had restored Robert Stewart to the line of succession in the event his uncle David, who was eight years younger, did not have any male heirs. At the time of his restoration to the succession, Robert received grants of land in Argyll, Roxburghshire, and the Lothians.

However, David II’s accession to the throne sparked another war, the Second War of Scottish Independence, and Robert’s position as heir was threatened. The death of Robert I had weakened Scotland considerably and his successor David II was still a child. The year before he had died, Robert I had arranged for the marriage of his four-year-old David to the seven-year-old Joan of the Tower, youngest daughter of King Edward II of England, in hopes of strengthening relations with England.

However, in 1332-1333, David’s brother-in-law, King Edward III of England, invaded Scotland in support of Edward Balliol‘s claim to the Scots throne and defeated the Scots. Edward Balliol was the eldest son of John Balliol who had been King of Scots from 1292 – 1296. David and Joan sought refuge in France and remained there from 1334 until May of 1341 when David returned to Scotland and took control of the government. King Philippe VI of France persuaded David to invade England. However, the Scots forces were defeated at the Battle of Neville’s Cross on October 17, 1346, and David was taken prisoner. He was held by the English for 11 years and was finally freed in 1357 by the Treaty of Berwick which stipulated that a large ransom would be paid over the next 10 years. Robert Stewart played a major role in the Bruce resistance to Edward Balliol and acted as Guardian of the Kingdom (regent) during David II’s years in France and his imprisonment in England.

Battle of Neville’s Cross from a manuscript Froissart’s Chronicle; Credit – Wikipedia

Robert had two wives. Elizabeth Mure died before Robert became king and Euphemia de Ross was his only Queen Consort. At first, Elizabeth Mure was the mistress of Robert Stewart. The couple married in 1346, but the marriage was not in agreement with the Canon Law of the Roman Catholic Church. After receiving a papal dispensation, the couple remarried. The children born before their marriage were legitimized. Despite the legitimization of Elizabeth’s children, there were family disputes over her children’s right to the crown.

Elizabeth and Robert’s daughter Jean Stewart and her second husband Sir John Lyon, Lord of Glamis had one son Sir John Lyon. Through him, Jean, and therefore Elizabeth Mure and Robert II, are ancestors of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, formerly Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon.  The elder Sir John was a courtier and diplomat, and was appointed Keeper of the Privy Seal upon the accession of Robert II in 1371. The following year, Robert II granted him “the free barony of Glamuyss in the sheriffdom of Forfar.” Glamis has remained the seat of the family ever since. See Wikipedia: Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne for more information.

Elizabeth and Robert had at least ten children:

Elizabeth Mure died before May 1355 and was buried at Paisley Abbey in Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland.

Robert II, King of Scots and Euphemia, Queen of Scots from Forman Armorial (produced for Mary, Queen of Scots); Credit – Wikipedia

Euphemia de Ross was the daughter and probably the only child of Hugh, 4th Earl of Ross and his second wife Margaret de Graham, daughter of Sir David de Graham of Montrose. On May 2, 1355, Euphemia married Robert Stewart, 7th High Steward of Scotland. In 1357, Robert was granted the title Earl of Strathearn, so Euphemia was then the Countess of Strathearn.

Euphemia and Robert had four children. The children of Robert II from both his marriages considered themselves the rightful heirs to the throne of Scotland, causing considerable family conflict.

Euphemia Stewart, Countess of Strathearn, granddaughter of Euphemia and Robert through their son David Stewart, Earl of Strathearn, is an ancestor of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother formerly Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon. As an only child, Euphemia Stewart was heir to her father’s earldoms. She married Patrick Graham and their daughter Elizabeth married Sir John Lyon, 1st Master of Glamis, the son of Sir John Lyon who had married Jean Stewart, daughter of Robert II and Elizabeth Mure (see above). See Wikipedia: Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne for more information.

In the later years of his reign, David II, King of Scots continued to pursue peace with England and worked to make Scotland a stronger kingdom with a more prosperous economy. David II, aged 46, died unexpectedly on February 22, 1371, at Edinburgh Castle and was buried at Holyrood Abbey in Edinburgh, now in ruins. As both his marriages were childless, David was succeeded by his nephew, his senior by eight years, the son of his half-sister Marjorie, who became Robert II, King of Scots, the first monarch of the House of Stewart.

Robert II, King of Scots was crowned at Scone on March 26, 1371, by William de Landallis, Bishop of St. Andrews. Immediately after his coronation, his eldest son John, Earl of Carrick, was recognized as the heir apparent. In order to dispel all conflict among the children of his two marriages, Robert II had a succession act passed in Parliament in 1373. If the heir apparent John, Earl of Carrick dies without sons, the succession would pass to Robert, Duke of Albany and then to his younger brothers from Robert II’s two marriages in order of birth. As his reign progressed, Robert II delegated more power to his three eldest sons, John, Earl of Carrick and heir to the throne; Robert, Duke of Albany and Alexander, Earl of Buchan, who became his lieutenant in the north of Scotland.

Dundonald Castle; Photo Credit – By Otter – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4506227

Fortunately, Robert II’s reign was more peaceful than previous reigns. Hostilities with England were renewed in 1378 and continued intermittently for the rest of Robert II’s reign. In 1384, when Robert II became senile, he left the administration of the kingdom to his eldest son John, Earl of Carrick.  Euphemia de Ross, Queen of Scots died in 1386 and was buried at Paisley Abbey in Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland. Robert II, King of Scots survived his wife by four years, dying on April 19, 1390, at the age of 74 at Dundonald Castle in Ayrshire. He was buried at Scone Abbey. His son John, Earl of Carrick succeeded him as Robert III, King of Scots.

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.

Works Cited

  • “David II, King Of Scots”. Unofficial Royalty. N.p., 2017. Web. 19 Apr. 2017.
  • “High Steward Of Scotland”. En.wikipedia.org. N.p., 2017. Web. 19 Apr. 2017.
  • “Robert I Of Scotland”. Unofficial Royalty. N.p., 2017. Web. 19 Apr. 2017.
  • “Robert II Of Scotland”. En.wikipedia.org. N.p., 2017. Web. 19 Apr. 2017.
  • “Walter Stewart, 6Th High Steward Of Scotland : Genealogics”. Genealogics.org. N.p., 2017. Web. 19 Apr. 2017.
  • “Walter Stewart, 6Th High Steward Of Scotland”. En.wikipedia.org. N.p., 2017. Web. 19 Apr. 2017.
  • Williamson, David. Brewer’s British Royalty. London: Cassell, 1996. Print.
  • “Wives of Robert II: Elizabeth Mure and Euphemia de Ross”. Unofficial Royalty. N.p., 2017. Web. 19 Apr. 2017.

Charlotte of Schaumburg-Lippe, Queen of Württemberg

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2017

photo: Von Andreas Faessler – Eigenes Werk, CC-BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=39455299

Charlotte of Schaumburg-Lippe, Queen of Württemberg

Princess Charlotte Marie Luise Ida Hermine Mathilde of Schaumburg-Lippe was the second wife of King Wilhelm II of Württemberg, and the kingdom’s last Queen. She was born on September 10, 1864, at Schloss Ratiborschitz in Bohemia, now in the Czech Republic, to Prince Wilhelm of Schaumburg-Lippe and Princess Bathildis of Anhalt-Dessau, and had seven younger siblings:

Charlotte was raised primarily at Schloss Náchod, the family’s estate in Náchod, now in the Czech Republic, and showed a great interest in sports and hunting, in addition to the more traditional music and art.

King Wilhelm II of Württemberg. source: Wikipedia

At 22-years-old, Charlotte married the then-Crown Prince Wilhelm of Württemberg on April 8, 1886. Wilhelm had been widowed four years earlier and had a young daughter. Despite hoping that this new marriage might produce a male heir, Charlotte and Wilhelm had no children of their own.

In October 1891, Charlotte became Queen of Württemberg when her husband succeeded to the throne. The couple took up residence at the Wilhelmspalais in Stuttgart, Kingdom of Württemberg, now in the German state of Baden-Württemberg. As Queen, Charlotte did not enjoy the same popularity that her husband did. Much of this is her unwillingness to carry out her public role in the way that was expected of her by the people of Württemberg. She much preferred more private events, and after some time stopped accompanying her husband on many official events.

source: Wikipedia

Despite this, Charlotte took on the charity work which was expected of her, assuming the role in several organizations vacated by her predecessor. Charlotte was most interested in causes involving the health and welfare of women.  She was most willing to use her royal position to bring support and attention to them.

When the monarchy came to an end in 1918, King Wilhelm II negotiated with the new German state to ensure that he and his wife would receive an annual income, as well as a residence for life – Schloss Bebenhausen. The two retired to Bebenhausen, now in the German state of Baden-Württemberg. where Wilhelm died in 1921. Queen Charlotte remained there, going by the title Duchess of Württemberg, for another 25 years.

Having suffered a stroke that confined her to a wheelchair two years earlier, Queen Charlotte died at Schloss Bebenhausen on July 16, 1946. With little pomp or ceremony, she was quietly buried beside her husband in the Old Cemetery on the grounds of Ludwigsburg Palace in Ludwigsburg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany.

In addition to having been the last Queen of Württemberg, Charlotte held the distinction of being the last living Queen from any of the German states.

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.

Württemberg Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Marie of Waldeck-Pyrmont, Princess of Württemberg

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2017

Marie of Waldeck-Pyrmont, Princess of Württemberg; Credit – Wikipedia

Princess Marie of Waldeck and Pyrmont was the first wife of Prince Wilhelm of Württemberg, who later reigned as King Wilhelm II of Württemberg. She was born Georgine Henriette Marie on May 23, 1857, in Arolsen, Principality of Waldeck and Pyrmont, now in Hesse, Germany, the third daughter of Georg Viktor, Prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont and Princess Helena of Nassau. Marie had six siblings:

Marie had one half-brother from her father’s second marriage to Princess Louise of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg:

Wilhelm of Württemberg. source: Wikipedia

On February 15, 1877, in Arolsen, Marie married Prince Wilhelm of Württemberg, the future  King Wilhelm II of Württemberg, who was the son of Prince Friedrich of Württemberg and Princess Katherina of Württemberg (a daughter of King Wilhelm I). They had two children:

Princess Marie’s grave at the Old Cemetery, Ludwigsburg Palace. photo: Von peter schmelzle – Eigenes Werk, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=18585848

On April 24, 1882, Marie gave birth to a stillborn daughter and suffered serious complications from childbirth. She died six days later, on April 30, 1882, at Ludwigsburg Palace in Ludwigsburg, Kingdom of Württemberg, now in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. She is buried in the Old Cemetery on the grounds of Ludwigsburg Palace.

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.

Württemberg Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Wilhelm II, King of Württemberg

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2017

Kingdom of Württemberg: Württemberg was a County, a Duchy, and an Electorate before becoming a Kingdom in 1806. At the end of 1805, in exchange for contributing forces to France’s armies, Napoleon, Emperor of the French recognized Württemberg as a kingdom, with Elector Friedrich formally becoming King Friedrich I  on January 1, 1806. The reign of Wilhelm II, the last King of Württemberg, came to an end in November 1918, after the fall of the German Empire led to the abdications of all the ruling families. Today the land that encompassed the Kingdom of Württemberg is located in the German state Baden-Württemberg.

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Wilhelm II, King of Württemberg; Credit – Wikipedia

King Wilhelm II was the last King of Württemerg, reigning from 1891 until the monarchy was abolished in 1918. He was born Wilhelm Karl Paul Heinrich Friedrich in Stuttgart, Kingdom of  Württemberg, now in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, on February 25, 1848, the only child of Prince Friedrich of Württemberg, a grandson of King Friedrich I of Württemberg, and Princess Katherina Friederike of Württemberg, a daughter of King Wilhelm I of Württemberg.

He studied law, political science, and finance at the University of Tübingen and the University of Göttingen, and also served in the Prussian army. As his uncle, King Karl, was childless, Wilhelm was raised with the expectation that he would one day become King himself.

Princess Marie of Waldeck and Pyrmont. source: Wikipedia

Wilhelm’s first wife was Princess Marie of Waldeck and Pyrmont, the daughter of Georg Viktor, Prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont and Princess Helena of Nassau. The couple married in Arolsen, Principality of Waldeck and Pyrmont, now in the German state of Hesse, on February 15, 1877, and had two children:

On April 30, 1882, Princess Marie died as a result of complications from giving birth several days earlier to a stillborn daughter. Having already lost his young son, Wilhelm was devastated, and from most accounts never fully recovered from these two losses. However, with a young daughter, and hoping for a male heir, Wilhelm soon married for a second time.

Princess Charlotte of Schaumburg-Lippe. source: Wikipedia

His second wife was Princess Charlotte of Schaumburg-Lippe, whom he married in Bückeburg, Principality of Schaumberg-Lippe, now in the German state of Lower Saxony, on April 8, 1886. Charlotte was the daughter of Prince Wilhelm of Schaumburg-Lippe and Princess Bathildis of Anhalt-Dessau. They had no children.

Wilhelm became King on October 6, 1891, upon the death of King Karl. By then, Württemberg was part of the German Empire, although it retained its status as a Kingdom. The King was much loved by his people, and respected for his more down-to-earth nature. He was often seen walking his dogs in the streets of Stuttgart, unaccompanied, and greeting all those he met along the way.

King Wilhelm II with Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph I, c1909. source: Wikipedia

Wilhelm’s reign came to an end in November 1918, after the fall of the German Empire led to the abdications of all of the ruling families. Before formally abdicating, Wilhelm negotiated with the new government to receive an annual income for himself and his wife and also retained Schloss Bebenhausen in Bebenhausen, Germany where the couple lived for the remainder of their lives.

Wilhelm II, King of Württemberg; source: Wikipedia

On October 2, 1921, 73-year-old Wilhelm died at Schloss Bebenhausen in Bebenhausen, Germany, and was buried at the Old Cemetery (link in German) in Ludwigsburg, Germany beside his first wife  Pauline and their infant son Ulrich.  When his second wife Charlotte died in 1946, she was also buried next to Wilhelm.

Grave of Wilhelm and his two wives; Credit – Von peter schmelzle – Eigenes Werk, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=18586267

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.

Württemberg Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Princess Mako of Japan to marry

Princess Mako of Japan; Photo Credit – Wikipedia

It has been announced that Princess Mako of Japan, the elder of the two daughters of Prince Akishino, the second son of Emperor Akihito, will marry commoner Kei Komuro. Princess Mako and Kei Komuro met while they were both students at the International Christian University in Tokyo. Japan’s imperial law requires a princess to leave the Imperial Family after marrying a commoner and lose their imperial style and title.

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Since 1950, seven Japanese princesses had to leave the Imperial Family and lost their imperial style and title.

  • Princess Taka (1929 – 1989), daughter of Emperor Hirohito, married Toshimichi Takatsukasa in 1950
  • Princess Yori (born 1931), daughter of Emperor Hirohito, married Takamasa Ikeda in1952
  • Princess Suga (born 1939), daughter of Emperor Hirohito, married Hisanaga Shimazu in 1960
  • Princess Yasuko (born 1944), daughter of Prince Mikasa, a brother of Emperor Hirohito, married Tadateru Konoe in 1966
  • Princess Masako (born 1951), daughter of Prince Mikasa, a brother of Emperor Hirohito, married Soshitsu Sen in 1983
  • Princess Yori born 1969, daughter of Emperor Akihito, married Yoshiki Kuroda in 2005
  • Princess Noriko (born 1988), daughter of Prince Takamado, son of Prince Mikasa, married Kunimaro Senge in 2014

Succession to the Japanese throne is only through the male line and only males can be in the line of succession. Currently, the line of succession has only four people. Counting Emperor Akihito, there are only five males in the Imperial Family. Unless the succession is changed to allow for female succession and succession through the female line, the future of the succession falls solely upon young Prince Hisahito, Princess Mako’s little brother.

  1. Crown Prince Naruhito (1960) – eldest son of Emperor Akihito
  2. Prince Akishino (1965) – second son of Emperor Akihito
  3. Prince Hisahito (2006) – son of Prince Akishino
  4. Prince Hitachi (1935) – younger brother of Emperor Akihito

Olga Nikolaevna of Russia, Queen of Württemberg

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2017

source: Wikipedia

Olga Nikolaevna of Russia, Queen of Württemberg

Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaevna of Russia was the wife of King Karl I of Württemberg. She was born at the Anichkov Palace  in St. Petersburg, Russia, on September 11, 1822, to Nicholas I, Emperor of All Russia and Princess Charlotte of Prussia, and had six siblings:

Crown Prince Karl, c1851. source: Wikipedia

In January 1846, Olga met her future husband, Crown Prince Karl of Württemberg, while both were in Palermo, Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, now in Italy. Karl was the son of King Wilhelm I of Württemberg and Duchess Pauline of Württemberg. After just a few times together, Karl proposed on January 18 and Olga accepted. They were married in a lavish ceremony at the Peterhof Palace in St. Petersburg, Russia, on July 13, 1846. They had no children of their own, but in 1863, took in Olga’s niece, Grand Duchess Vera Konstantinovna, the daughter of Olga’s brother Konstantin. They later formally adopted Vera in 1871. It is believed by many that Karl was gay, which contributed to their not having any children together. Whether true or not, it is a fact that he had very close relationships with several men, some of which caused significant public outcry and scandal.

From the time she arrived in Württemberg, Olga threw herself into charity work, focusing on the education of girls, and helping wounded soldiers and handicapped people. After becoming Queen in 1864, she continued to support these, and many other causes, earning her the utmost respect and devotion of the people of Württemberg.

Queen Olga (left), with two ladies-in-waiting and a reader (possibly her husband’s chamberlain and reputed lover, Charles Woodcock), c1885. photo: Wikipedia

Aside from her charity work, Queen Olga also had several other interests. One of these was a significant interest in natural science, and she amassed an extensive collection of minerals which was later left to the State Museum of Natural History in Stuttgart. She also, in 1881, wrote a memoir – The Golden Dream of My Youth – about her childhood and life in Russia up until the time of her marriage. She was also particularly interested in natural science and amassed an extensive collection of minerals which was later left to the State Museum of Nature in Stuttgart.

The Altes Palais (Old Castle) in Stuttgart. photo: By BuzzWoof – Own work, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3869267

Just a year after her husband’s death, Dowager Queen Olga died on October 30, 1892, at Schloss Friedrichshafen (link in German), in Friedrichshafen, Kingdom of Württemberg, now in the German state of Baden-Württemberg. She is buried alongside her husband in the crypt below the Schlosskirche at the Old Castle (Altes Palais) in Stuttgart, Kingdom of Württemberg, now in the German state of Baden-Württemberg.

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Württemberg Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Karl I, King of Württemberg

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2017

Kingdom of Württemberg: Württemberg was a County, a Duchy, and an Electorate before becoming a Kingdom in 1806. At the end of 1805, in exchange for contributing forces to France’s armies, Napoleon, Emperor of the French recognized Württemberg as a kingdom, with Elector Friedrich formally becoming King Friedrich I  on January 1, 1806. The reign of Wilhelm II, the last King of Württemberg, came to an end in November 1918, after the fall of the German Empire led to the abdications of all the ruling families. Today the land that encompassed the Kingdom of Württemberg is located in the German state Baden-Württemberg.

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source: Wikipedia

Karl I, King of Württemberg

King Karl of Württemberg reigned from 1864 until his death in 1891. He was born Karl Friedrich Alexander on March 6, 1823, in Stuttgart, Kingdom of Württemberg, now in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, the son of King Wilhelm I of Württemberg and Duchess Pauline of Württemberg. He had two siblings:

He also had two half-siblings from his father’s first marriage to Grand Duchess Ekaterina Pavlovna of Russia:

Karl underwent the traditional military training expected of someone in his position and also studied in Berlin and at the University of Tübingen. He often traveled throughout Europe, and while in Palermo in January 1846, Karl met his future bride.

Karl’s wife Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaevna of Russia; Credit – Wikipedia

Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaevna of Russia was the daughter of Nicholas I, Emperor of All Russia and Princess Charlotte of Prussia. Her parents were hoping to find a significant dynastic marriage for Olga, and the future King of Württemberg was, or so they thought, a perfect choice. Karl and Olga met just a few times before he proposed to her on January 18, 1846. Six months later, on July 13, 1846, they married at the Peterhof Palace in St. Petersburg, Russia. Upon their return, they took up residence at Villa Berg, Karl’s summer palace in Stuttgart. They had no children of their own, but later adopted Olga’s niece, Grand Duchess Vera Konstantinovna.

Karl, Olga and Vera, c1870. source: Wikipedia

The marriage appeared to be a happy one, although it is possible it was never consummated. By most accounts, Karl was homosexual and enjoyed very close relationships with several men through the years. One of these was an American, Charles Woodcock, who served as a reader to Queen Olga. The King and 27-year-old Woodcock became very close, even appearing together in public wearing matching clothes. Soon, Karl appointed Woodcock as his chamberlain, and in 1888, created him Baron Woodcock-Savage. However, a public scandal quickly erupted, and Karl was forced to end the relationship and send Woodcock back to the United States. Following Woodcock’s departure, the King allegedly developed a relationship with the technical director of the royal theater, which would last for the remainder of his life.

source: Wikipedia

Karl took the throne as King Karl I upon his father’s death in June 1864. He was far more liberal than his father, and this was reflected in his actions. He restored the freedom of the press and universal suffrage. Although he sided with Austria during the Austro-Prussian War of 1866, he soon entered into a treaty with Prussia, and would later fight alongside them in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870. He was the last of the kingdoms to join the North German Confederation, and when the German Empire was proclaimed in 1871 – coincidentally on his 25th wedding anniversary – he chose not to attend but instead was represented by his cousin, August.  Several years later, he arranged the marriage of his adopted daughter, Vera, to Duke Eugen of Württemberg. The couple married in May 1874 and had three children.

Tombs of King Karl and Queen Olga. photo: By Wuselig – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=49313906

King Karl died in Stuttgart, Kingdom of Württemberg, now in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, on October 6, 1891. He is buried in the crypt beneath the Schlosskirche at the Old Castle (Altes Schloss) in Stuttgart alongside his wife.

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Württemberg Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Pauline of Württemberg, Queen of Württemberg

by Scott Mehl © Unofficial Royalty 2017

source: Wikipedia

Pauline of Württemberg, Queen of Württemberg

Queen Pauline of Württemberg was the third wife of King Wilhelm I of Württemberg. She was born Duchess Pauline Therese Luise of Württemberg on September 4, 1800, in Riga, Russian Empire, now in Latvia, the daughter of Duke Ludwig of Württemberg and Princess Henriette of Nassau-Weilburg. She had four siblings:

Pauline one half-sibling from her father’s first marriage to  Princess Maria Czartoryska:

King Wilhelm I, c1822. source: Wikipedia

In Stuttgart, Kingdom of Württemberg, now in the German state of Baden-Württemberg, on April 15, 1820, she married her first cousin, King Wilhelm I of Württemberg, as his third wife. He was the son of King Friedrich I of Württemberg and Augusta of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel. They had three children:

Queen Pauline with her son, the future King Karl I, c1825. source: Wikipedia

The couple seemed happy at first, but within a few years, the King had returned to his mistresses and the marriage became very strained. While not getting the respect she deserved from her husband, Pauline did receive much respect from the people of Württemberg – both for her devotion to helping the poor, and the fact that she had provided an heir to the throne.

After King Wilhelm’s death in 1864, Pauline lived much of her remaining years in Switzerland. She died in Stuttgart, Kingdom of Württemberg, now in the German state of Baden-Württemberg on March 10, 1873, and is buried in the Royal Crypt in the Schlosskirche at Ludwigsburg Palace. in Ludwigsburg, Kingdom of Württemberg, now in the German state of Baden-Württemberg.

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.

Württemberg Resources at Unofficial Royalty