Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2014

Beatrix_in_April_2013

Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands; Credit: Wikipedia

Beatrix was Queen of the Netherlands from 1980 until her abdication in favor of her eldest son in 2013. Her official title since her abdication is Her Royal Highness Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands, Princess of Orange-Nassau, Princess of Lippe-Biesterfeld. Beatrix Wilhelmina Armgard was born at Soestdijk Palace in Baarn, the Netherlands, on January 31, 1938. Beatrix was the first child of the four daughters of Princess Juliana of the Netherlands (became Queen in 1948) and Prince Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld.  At the time of her birth, Beatrix’s grandmother, Queen Wilhelmina reigned. In 1948, Queen Wilhelmina abdicated in favor of Beatrix’s mother Juliana.

Beatrix_infant

The infant Beatrix with her parents; Credit: Wikipedia

Beatrix Wilhelmina Armgard was christened on May 12, 1938, in the Grote of Sint-Jacobskerk in The Hague. Her middle names are the first names of her maternal grandmother Queen Wilhelmina and her paternal grandmother Armgard of Sierstorpff-Cramm.

Her five godparents were:

Beatrix had three younger sisters:

Dutch Royal Family Portrait, 1948

Beatrix, on the right, with her family in 1948; Photo: Corbis

During World War II, three days after Germany invaded the Netherlands in May 1940, the Dutch Royal Family left for London, England. One month later, Beatrix, her mother, and her sister Irene went to Ottawa, Canada, where they would be safer. Prince Bernhard, Beatrix’s father, stayed with Queen Wilhelmina in London during the war, although both made occasional visits to the rest of the family in Canada. Beatrix’s sister Margriet was born while the family was in Canada. While in Canada, Beatrix started her primary education at Rockcliffe Park Public School in Ottawa, Canada. On August 2, 1945, the whole family returned to the Netherlands, and Beatrix spent the rest of her childhood at her birthplace, Soestdijk Palace.

Beatrix_1945

Beatrix, on the left, arrives back in the Netherlands, with her parents and sisters, on August 2, 1945; source: www.tweedewereldoorlog.nl

Upon returning to the Netherlands, Beatrix resumed her education at De Werkplaats (link translated from Dutch), a progressive school in Bilthoven, the Netherlands. In April 1950, Beatrix began her secondary education at the Incrementum, a separate classroom for Beatrix and small groups of selected peers at the Baarns Lyceum (link translated from Dutch). She passed her graduation exams in the arts and classics in 1956. Later that same year, Beatrix enrolled at Leiden University where she first studied sociology, jurisprudence, economics, parliamentary history, and constitutional law. Later she studied the cultures of Suriname and the Netherlands Antilles (both constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Netherlands at that time), the Charter for the Kingdom of the Netherlands, international affairs, international law, history, and European law. In 1959, Beatrix passed her preliminary examination in law, and in 1961 she received a combined degree in law, sociology, and economics.

On March 10, 1966, Princess Beatrix married Claus von Amsberg, a member of the German diplomatic corps, in a civil ceremony at the Amsterdam City Hall. Afterward, a religious ceremony was held at the Westerkerk in Amsterdam. The Westerkerk is a block away from the house where Anne Frank and her family hid from the Nazis for two years and the church’s chiming bells are mentioned in Anne’s diary. On the same day, Claus von Amsberg received the style and title His Royal Highness Prince Claus of the Netherlands.

Beatrix and Claus were married until Claus died in 2002, four months after the birth of his first grandchild. The couple had three sons:

willem alexander birth family

Beatrix and Claus with their three sons; source: Hello

As her mother Queen Wilhelmina had done, Queen Juliana also abdicated in favor of her daughter, and Beatrix became Queen of the Netherlands on April 30, 1980. On April 30, 2013, Queen Beatrix abdicated in favor of her eldest son Willem-Alexander.

beatrix_oath

Queen Beatrix swearing her oath on April 30, 1980; source: Hello

On February 17, 2012, Beatrix’s second son Prince Friso was severely injured in an avalanche while on a skiing holiday in Lech, Austria. He had been buried for about 25 minutes, and the lack of oxygen had caused significant brain damage. He remained in a coma, and in March 2012, he was taken to the Wellington Hospital in London, where his wife and children lived. In July 2013, Prince Friso was brought to Huis Ten Bosch, his mother’s residence, in The Hague, the Netherlands as he was no longer deemed to require hospital care, and on August 12, 2013, Prince Friso passed away.

Friso_funeral

The Dutch Royal Family at Prince Friso’s funeral; Beatrix, front right, with Friso’s daughters and his wife. Photo: Zimbio

After her abdication, Beatrix decided to live at Drakensteyn, a small castle in Baarn, the Netherlands. The castle was bought in 1959 and is the private property of Beatrix. She continues to undertake some royal duties and is the patron of many organizations.

Beatrix_granchildren 2013

Beatrix and her eight grandchildren in 2013; source: queensconsortofengland.blogspot.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.

Kingdom of the Netherlands Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Grand Duke Jean of Luxembourg

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2014

 

Grand Duke Jean of Luxembourg was the reigning Grand Duke from 1964 until 2000 when he abdicated in favor of his eldest son. Jean Benoît Guillaume Robert Antoine Louis Marie Adolphe Marc d’Aviano was born on January 5, 1921, at Berg Castle in Colmar-Berg, Luxembourg. He was the eldest of six children of Grand Duchess Charlotte of Luxembourg and Prince Félix of Bourbon-Parma.  Jean had one younger brother and four younger sisters:

 

Jean received his primary education and started his secondary education in Luxembourg. He completed his secondary education at Ampleforth College, a Roman Catholic boarding school in Yorkshire, England. When Jean reached the age of 18, he was styled Hereditary Grand Duke, recognizing his status as the heir apparent.

The day before Germany invaded Luxembourg in May 1940, the Grand Ducal family left for Paris, France where they stayed for several weeks. They then went to the United States, where they rented an estate on Long Island in Brookville, New York.  Later they lived in Canada and the United Kingdom. While in Canada, Jean studied law and political science at Université Laval in Quebec City, Canada.

In October 1942, Prince Félix and Hereditary Grand Duke Jean left Canada for the United Kingdom to join the British Army. Jean joined the Irish Guards on the advice of King George VI of the United Kingdom. After preliminary training, Jean completed his military education at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.  He was commissioned as a second lieutenant and later was promoted to lieutenant.  Jean landed near Bayeux, Normandy on June 11, 1944, five days after D-Day. He took part in the Battle for Caen and the liberation of Brussels. On September 10, 1944, he took part in the liberation of Luxembourg before participating in the invasion of Germany.

For his military service, Jean received the following military decorations:

Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom appointed Jean Colonel of the Regiment of the Irish Guards in 1984 and Honorary General of the British Army in 1995.

On April 9, 1953, Jean married Princess Joséphine-Charlotte of Belgium (1927 – 2005), daughter of Léopold III, King of the Belgians at the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Luxembourg City, Luxembourg.

 

Jean and Joséphine-Charlotte had a happy 52-year marriage which ended with Joséphine-Charlotte’s death in 2005.  The couple had five children:

On November 12, 1964, Jean’s mother Grand Duchess Charlotte abdicated and he became Grand Duke.  Grand Duke Jean reigned until October 7, 2000, when he abdicated in favor of his eldest son Henri.

Jean Henri Guillaume

Grand Duke Jean with his son Grand Duke Henri and his grandson Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume; Photo: Zimbio

Grand Duke Jean of Luxembourg died on April 23, 2019, at the age of 98. His death was announced by his son Grand Duke Henri on the official website of the Grand Ducal Family: “It is with great sadness that I inform you of the death of my beloved father, His Royal Highness Grand Duke Jean, who has passed away in peace, surrounded by the affection of his family.” Grand Duke Jean had been hospitalized with a pulmonary condition.

The funeral of Grand Duke Jean of Luxembourg took place on May 4, 2019, at the Cathedral Notre-Dame of Luxembourg in Luxembourg City, Luxembourg. He was laid to rest in the Ducal Crypt of the Cathedral Notre-Dame of Luxembourg.

Grand Duke Jean’s coffin resting in the Ducal Crypt. Memorial plaques for family members are on the wall; Photo – www.cathol.lu

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.

Grand Duchy of Luxembourg Resources at Unofficial Royalty

King Constantine II of Greece

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2014

Embed from Getty Images 

King Constantine II of Greece was the King of Greece (styled King of the Hellenes) from 1964 until the monarchy was abolished in 1973. He was born on June 2, 1940, at Villa Psychiko, in the suburbs of Athens, Greece. His parents were King Paul of Greece and Princess Frederica of Hanover, both descendants of Queen Victoria’s eldest daughter Victoria, Princess Royal and her husband Friedrich III, German Emperor.

  • Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom → Victoria, Princess Royal (married Friedrich III, German Emperor) → Princess Sophie of Prussia (married King Constantine I of Greece)  → King Paul I of Greece (Princess Frederica of Hanover) → King Constantine II of Greece
  • Queen Victoria → Victoria, Princess Royal (married Friedrich III, German Emperor) → Wilhelm II, German Emperor (married Augusta Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein) → Princess Viktoria Luise of Prussia (married Ernst August of Hanover, Duke of Brunswick)  → Princess Frederica of Hanover (married King Paul of Greece) → King Constantine II of Greece

Constantine had an elder and a younger sister:

Constantine II_birth family

Constantine on the left with his family around 1947; Credit – www.britannica.com

In April of 1941, during World War II, Germany and Italy invaded Greece and Constantine’s family was forced to flee. The family lived in Alexandria, Egypt, and Cape Town, South Africa before returning to Greece in 1946. King George II of Greece, Constantine’s uncle, died childless in 1947, so Constantine’s father became King and Constantine became Crown Prince.

From 1949 – 1955, Crown Prince Constantine attended the Classical Lyceum Anavryton in Athens. The school was based on the educational principles of Kurt Hahn and modeled on the schools that Hahn created, Salem School in Germany and Gordonstoun School in Scotland. Attending the school gave Constantine the opportunity to associate with other children, and many became his life-long friends. Constantine participated in hockey, volleyball, and high jump, acted in school plays, and became Head Boy.

While still in school, Constantine attended military training on weekends. After graduating, he attended all three Greek military academies: Evelpidon Military Academy, Hellenic Naval Academy, and Hellenic Air Force Academy.  In 1960, Constantine went to the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens to study law.

Constantine II_Eisenhower

Crown Prince Constantine meeting President Eisenhower at the White House in 1959; Credit – Wikipedia

In 1960, Constantine became one of the royal Olympian medal winners.  In the 1960 Rome Summer Olympics, Constantine won a Gold Medal in Sailing: Mixed Three Person Keel/Dragon Class, the first Greek Gold Medal since the 1912 Stockholm Summer Olympics.

Constantine II_Olympics

Constantine after being awarded his Gold Medal; Photo source: www.yachtsandyachting.co.uk

In late February 1964, King Paul had surgery for stomach cancer but died soon afterward on March 6, 1964, and Constantine became king at the age of 23. That same evening, the devastated new king swore his oath before the Greek Parliament and his younger sister Irene was recognized as his successor until he married and had children. His elder sister Sofia had converted from Greek Orthodoxy to Roman Catholicism when she married Juan Carlos of Spain and therefore had relinquished her rights to the Greek throne.

Constantine II_oath

King Constantine II of Greece swears his oath in the Greek Parliament; Photo: Greek Royal Family

Later that year, King Constantine married Princess Anne-Marie of Denmark, the youngest daughter of King Frederick IX of Denmark. He had first met his future bride in 1959 when she was 13 years old and he was accompanying his parents on a state visit to Denmark. They met a second time in Denmark in 1961, when Constantine declared to his parents his intention to marry Anne-Marie. In 1962, Anne-Marie served as a bridesmaid at the wedding of King Constantine’s sister Sofia and Juan Carlos of Spain. At that wedding, Constantine and Anne-Marie realized that they were falling in love. Constantine proposed during a sailing holiday in Norway, but the engagement announcement was postponed for six months because of Anne-Marie’s young age. They were married on September 18, 1964, two weeks after Anne-Marie’s 18th birthday, in a Greek Orthodox ceremony at the Metropolitan Cathedral of Athens.

Embed from Getty Images

King Constantine and Queen Anne-Marie had five children:

At the 2021 wedding of Prince Philippos and Nina Flohr: left to right: Crown Prince Pavlos, Crown Princess Marie-Chantal, the bride’s father Thomas Flohr, Prince Constantine Alexios, King Constantine, and Queen Anne-Marie

On April 21, 1967, a coup d’état led by a group of army colonels took over Greece. A military junta ruled Greece from 1967 – 1974. For more information see Wikipedia: Greek military junta of 1967–74  On December 13, 1967, King Constantine attempted a counter-coup against the military junta which failed, and King Constantine and his family had to flee to Italy. The family lived for two months in the Greek embassy and then for the next five years in a house in a suburb of Rome. King Constantine remained the head of state in exile until June 1, 1973, when the junta abolished the monarchy.  In 1974, after the fall of the junta, a referendum by the Greek people confirmed the abolition of the monarchy and the establishment of the Third Hellenic Republic.

In 1973, the family moved to England, living first in Chobham, Surrey, and later in the London suburb of Hampstead. The Greek government did not permit King Constantine to return to Greece until 1981 when he was allowed to enter Greece for several hours to attend the funeral of his mother Queen Frederica. King Constantine and his family paid a private visit to Greece in 1993. After 2003, when a property dispute between Constantine and the Greek government was settled, Constantine and his family were able to make visits to Greece and purchase a summer home there. In 2013, former King Constantine II permanently returned to reside in Greece.

Constantine II_royals

King Constantine talks with Prince Harry while Queen Anne-Marie chats with the Duchess of Cambridge, now The Princess of Wales, during a luncheon at Windsor Castle; Photo: Zimbio

King Constantine was a close friend of his second cousin King Charles III of the United Kingdom, and a godfather of Prince William, The Prince of Wales. William, in turn, is a godfather of one of King Constantine’s grandchildren, Prince Constantine Alexios, the eldest son of Crown Prince Pavlos. As a descendant of Queen Victoria, King Constantine was related to a number of European royals and was regularly invited to royal functions.

King Constantine II, the former King of Greece, died at Hygeia Hospital in Athens, Greece on January 10, 2023, at the age of 82. He had been admitted to the intensive care unit at the hospital a couple of days earlier. His funeral, attended by many royal guests, was held at the Metropolitan Cathedral of the Annunciation in Athens, Greece, followed by the burial at the Royal Cemetery on the grounds of Tatoi Palace, the former summer palace of the Greek royal family, near Athens, Greece.

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.

Greece Resources at Unofficial Royalty

King Jigme Singye Wangchuck of Bhutan

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2014

King Jigme Singye Wangchuck of Bhutan; Credit – By Prime Minister Office (GODL-India), GODL-India, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=90088581

King Jigme Singye Wangchuck, 4th Dragon King of Bhutan reigned from 1972 until he abdicated in 2006 in favor of his son Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck. Born on November 11, 1955, at Dechencholing Palace in Thimphu, Bhutan, he is the son of King Jigme Dorji Wangchuck and Ashi Kezang Choden Wangchuck.

Jigme Singye was educated privately in Bhutan in both traditional and Buddhist studies. He then attended St. Joseph’s College, in Darjeeling, India, followed by a year studying in London. He returned to Bhutan in 1970, studying at the Ugyen Wangchuck Academy. In addition, he received much training from his father in government matters and accompanied him on many trips around the country.

Jigme Singye became the 4th Dragon King of Bhutan upon his father’s sudden death on July 24, 1972. He was just 16 years old. His coronation was held on June 2, 1974.

Beginning his reign as an absolute monarch, Jigme Singye was instrumental in the democratization of the small nation – continuing the steps that his father had begun. He established and strengthened ties with neighboring India, and in many ways put Bhutan on the map. Perhaps his greatest accomplishment was the transition to a constitutional monarchy. While his father had established the first National Assembly in 1953, the primary power still remained with the King. King Jigme Singye was the driving force in bringing a more democratic form of government to the small nation. He transferred much of his power to the Cabinet Council of Ministers and helped to usher in a more democratic form of government.

King Jigme Singye with his four wives. photo: APFNANEWS

King Jigme Singye with his four wives. photo: APFNANEWS

King Jigme Singye has four wives, all of whom are sisters. They were all married privately in 1979, and again in a public ceremony in 1988, held at the Punakha Dzong.  The King has ten children:

With his first wife – Queen Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck

With his second wife – Queen Tshering Pem Wangchuck

With his third wife – Queen Tshering Yangdon Wangchuck

With his fourth wife – Queen Sangay Choden Wangchuck

  • Prince Khasum Singye Wangchuck (1985)
  • Princess Euphelma Choden Wangchuck (1993)
King Jigme Singye crowning his son, King Jigme Khesar, November 2008. Photo: Royal Government of Bhutan

King Jigme Singye crowning his son, King Jigme Khesar, November 2008. Photo: Royal Government of Bhutan

In 2005, King Jigme Singye announced his intention to abdicate in favor of his eldest son and began to hand off many of his responsibilities. Initially intended to happen in 2008 to coincide with the country’s first parliamentary elections, the King formally abdicated on December 9, 2006.

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.

King Albert II of Belgium

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2014

King Albert II of Belgium; Credit – Wikipedia

King Albert II of Belgium, who abdicated in favor of his son Philippe in 2013, was born at Stuyvenberg Castle in Laeken, Brussels, Belgium on June 6, 1934, the youngest child of the future King Leopold III and Princess Astrid of Sweden. He was given the name Albert in honor of his grandfather Albert I, King of the Belgians who was killed in a mountain climbing accident on February 17, 1934, four months before his birth. The day after his birth, he was created The Prince of Liège.

Embed from Getty Images
Albert being carried into the church for his christening. He is followed by his father and mother and then his elder sister and elder brother.

Albert was christened with the names Albert Félix Humbert Théodore Christian Eugène Marie in June 1934 at the Church of Saint-Jacques-sur-Coudenberg in Brussels, Belgium. His godparents were:

Embed from Getty Images
Albert on the left with his siblings

Albert had two older siblings:

Albert also had three half-siblings from his father’s second marriage to  Lilian Baels:

Albert’s early years were rather tumultuous, with several deaths in his immediate family, and the onset of World War II. Just a few months before his birth, his grandfather, King Albert I died in a mountain climbing accident, and his father became King Leopold III. The following year, on August 29, 1935, his mother Queen Astrid was killed in a car accident in Switzerland. In May 1940, when the German forces were invading Belgium, Albert and his siblings were evacuated from Belgium, settling in France and then Spain, before returning in August of the same year. During the next four years, the family was under house arrest at the Palace of Laeken, where Albert and his siblings were schooled privately.

In 1944, the family was sent to Germany and then to Austria by the Germans, where they would remain until being liberated by American forces in 1945. Because of the tense political situation in Belgium, the family settled in Switzerland for several years, while King Leopold III’s brother, Charles, served as Regent. While in Switzerland, Albert and his brother attended the Institut Le Rosey, in Rolle. Finally, in July 1950, Albert, his brother Baudouin, and their father returned to Belgium. However, the political situation was still tense, and there were many questions about King Leopold’s actions relating to the war. The following month, King Leopold transferred much of his authority to his elder son Baudouin and would ultimately abdicate in his favor in 1951. As Baudouin was unmarried and had no children, Albert became the heir-presumptive to the Belgian throne.

Embed from Getty Images

In November 1958, while at a reception in Rome for the coronation of Pope John XXIII, Albert met Paola Ruffo di Calabria, from an Italian princely family.  Following a brief courtship, their engagement was announced in early 1959. The couple married on July 2, 1959, at the Cathedral of Saint Michael and Saint Gudula in Brussels.

They took up residence at the Château de Belvédère, in the Royal Park of Laeken, and had three children:

During his years as heir presumptive, Albert’s primary role was as Honorary President of the Board of Directors of the Belgian Foreign Trade Office. In this position, he traveled extensively on trade missions and promoting Belgian companies around the world. He held this position from 1962 until his accession in 1993 and was succeeded by his son, Prince Philippe. He was also President of the Belgian Red Cross from 1958 until 1993 and was succeeded by his daughter, Princess Astrid.

On July 31, 1993, King Baudouin died suddenly at his vacation home in Portugal. Albert became King Albert II of the Belgians and was formally sworn in on August 9th. Breaking with tradition, he chose to remain at the Château de Belvédère, and not move to the Palace of Laeken which had traditionally been the home of the sovereign.

In 1999, stories began to emerge that the King had fathered an illegitimate daughter. According to the allegations, Albert had an affair with Baroness Sybille de Selys Longchamps Boël, and a daughter was born in 1968. This daughter, Delphine Boël, attempted to prove legally that she was Albert’s daughter. However, King Albert never made any public acknowledgment of these allegations.  In November 2018, a court ruling ordered Albert to submit to a DNA test to determine whether he was Boël’s biological father.  In May 2019, a Brussels Court of Appeals sentenced the former king to pay a fine of 5,000 Euros per day for every day he refused to take a DNA test. Later in May 2019, Albert agreed to submit his DNA for a paternity test.  In January 2020, it was made public that Albert was Delphine Boël’s biological father.  In October 2020, the Belgian Court of Appeal ruled that Delphine is entitled to the title of Princess of Belgium and the style of Royal Highness.  This also applies to her children.  Delphine is also entitled to inherit one-quarter of the former King’s estate,  a share equal to his legitimate children.

King Albert’s illegitimate daughter with Baroness Sybille de Selys Longchamps Boël:

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

A photo made available by the Belgian Royal Palace of Queen Paola, King Albert, and Princess Delphine; Credit – Belgium Royal Palace

On October 25, 2020, King Albert and his wife Queen Paola met with Princess Delphine for the first time since she was recognized as a royal at Belvédère Castle in Brussels. A joint statement by all three was released: “On Sunday, October 25, a new chapter began, filled with emotions, appeasement, understanding and also of hope. Our meeting took place at Belvédère Castle, a meeting during which each of us was able to express our feelings and experiences serenely and with empathy. After the turmoil, suffering, and hurt, it is time for forgiveness, healing, and reconciliation. Together we decided to take this new path. This will take patience and effort, but we are determined.”

 

In early July 2013, King Albert announced his intention to abdicate, citing health reasons. On July 21, 2013, Belgium’s National Day, he signed the formal document of abdication and was succeeded by his son, King Philippe. After the abdication, it was decided that the former king would be styled His Majesty King Albert II of Belgium, the same style his father King Leopold III of Belgium used after his abdication. King Albert and Queen Paola have remained largely out of the public eye, preferring to live a quiet retirement, enjoying time with their children and twelve grandchildren.

King Albert and Queen Paola at the wedding of the grandson, Prince Amadeo, July 2014. photo: Zimbio

King Albert and Queen Paola at the wedding of their grandson Prince Amadeo, July 2014.  photo: Zimbio

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

Kingdom of Belgium Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Rulers of the United Arab Emirates

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2014

Credit – Twitter page of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum

Rulers of the United Arab Emirates

The United Arab Emirates is a federation of seven emirates,  Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Ajman, Fujairah, Ras al-Khaimah, Sharjah, and Umm al-Quwain, established in 1971. Each emirate has its own ruler, and one of the rulers is elected as President and Head of State of the UAE.  There is also a Vice-President and Prime Minister who serves as Head of Government. Together, the seven rulers make up the Federal Supreme Council, the highest legislative body in the UAE.

The Emirate of Abu Dhabi

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, Emir of Abu Dhabi; Credit – Wikipedia

The Emir of Abu Dhabi is Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. He was born on March 11, 1961, and is the son of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, Emir of Abu Dhabi, the first President of the United Arab Emirates, and Fatima bint Mubarak Al Ketbi, his third of seven wives.

Sheikh Mohamed became Emir of Abu Dhabi upon the death of his half-brother Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan on May 13, 2022, and was elected President of the United Arab Emirates the next day. Sheikh Mohamed had been the de facto ruler of Abu Dhabi since his half-brother Sheikh Khalifa suffered a stroke in 2014.

Sheikh Mohamed was first educated at The Royal College in Rabat, Morocco, where he was a classmate of King Mohammed VI of Morocco. Sheikh Mohamed then returned to his hometown of Al-Ain, Abu Dhabi, and completed his secondary education. He attended the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in Sandhurst, England, graduating in 1979.

In 1981, Sheikh Mohamed married Sheikha Salama bint Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Nahyan. They had four sons and five daughters including Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, born in 1982, who is the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.

The Emirate of Dubai

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Emir of Dubai, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE photo: Sheikh Mohammed Official website

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Emir of Dubai, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE.  photo: Sheikh Mohammed Official website

The Emir of Dubai is Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. He was born July 15, 1949, the third son of Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Emir of Dubai from 1958-to 1990.

He was educated in Dubai and attended the Bell Educational Trust’s English Language school in the United Kingdom. He was named Crown Prince in 1995 by his elder brother, Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who had succeeded their father as Emir of Dubai in 1990. Sheikh Mohammed became the Emir of Dubai in 2006 after the death of his brother Sheikh Maktoum. Following his brother’s death in January 2006, Sheikh Mohammed became Emir of Dubai, and was elected the Vice President of the United Arab Emirates.

Of the seven rulers in the UAE, Sheikh Mohammed is one of the more widely known around the world. An avid fan of horse racing and breeding, he owns several major horse farms around the world. He is often seen at races in the UK, the most prominent being Royal Ascot, held each year in Windsor.

Sheikh Mohammed’s senior wife is Sheikha Hind bint Maktoum bin Juma Al Maktoum, his first cousin. They married in 1979, and have twelve children including his son and heir, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammad Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, and Chairman of the Dubai Executive Council.

Sheikh Haman, Crown Prince of Dubai. photo: Emirates24/7

Sheikh Haman, Crown Prince of Dubai. photo: Emirates24/7

In 2004, Sheikh Mohammed married Princess Haya bint Hussein of Jordan, daughter of the late King Hussein of Jordan, and half-sister of King Abdullah II of Jordan, as his junior wife. The couple had two children. Sheikh Mohammed divorced Princess Haya under Sharia Law in February 2019 but he did not inform her. In the early summer of 2019, Princess Haya took her two children and fled to London where she sought political asylum and a divorce. Haya now lives in London and as an envoy of the Embassy of Jordan, she is able to remain in the United Kingdom and was granted diplomatic immunity and protection under the Geneva Convention.

 In March 2020, the High Court in London ruled that Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum inflicted “exorbitant” domestic abuse on his wife and granted Princess Haya sole custody of their children. In 2021, Haya was granted full custody of her children by a British court.  In March 2022, the British High Court declared that Haya had been a victim of “domestic abuse”, and she was announced as the sole person in charge of the children’s schooling and medical care.

Sheikh Mohammed and Princess Haya at Royal Ascot, 2014 photo: Zimbio

Sheikh Mohammed and Princess Haya at Royal Ascot, 2014 photo: Zimbio

The Emirate of Ajman

Sheikh Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi, Emir of Ajman photo: Government of Ajman

Sheikh Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi, Emir of Ajman
Photo: Government of Ajman

The Emir of Ajman is Sheikh Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi. He was born in 1931, the son of Sheikh Rashid Bin Humaid Al Nuaimi. The Emir was educated in Dubai and later studied in Cairo. He became involved in government after Ajman joined the UAE in 1971, serving as deputy ruler and Crown Prince. He became ruler of Ajman upon his father’s death, on September 6, 1981.

His eldest son and heir is Sheikh Ammar bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, Crown Prince and President of the Executive Board.

Sheikh Ammar, The Crown Prince of Ajman photo: emeratnow.com

Sheikh Ammar, The Crown Prince of Ajman
photo: emeratnow.com

The Emirate of Fujairah

Sheikh Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, Emir of Fujairah photo: Fujairah News

Sheikh Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, Emir of Fujairah.  photo: Fujairah News

The Emir of Fujairah is Sheikh Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi. He was born September 25, 1948, the son of Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad Al Sharqi, Emir of Fujairah.

Sheikh Hamad attended the Eastbourne School of English, and the Mons Military Academy, both in the UK. He served as Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries for several years before taking the throne. He became Emir of Fujairah upon his father’s death in 1974.

He is married to Sheikha Fatima bint Thani Al Maktoum and the couple has six children, including his heir, Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, Crown Prince of Fujairah.

Sheikh Mohammed, The Crown Prince of Fujairah photo: Fujairah News

Sheikh Mohammed, The Crown Prince of Fujairah
photo: Fujairah News

The Emirate of Ras al-Khaimah

Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Emir of Ras al-Khaimah photo: Emirates24/7

Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Emir of Ras al-Khaimah
photo: Emirates24/7

The Emir of Ras al-Khaimah is Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi. He was born February 10, 1956, in Dubai, the son of Sheikh Saqr bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Emir of Ras al-Khaimah.

Initially educated in Ras al-Khaimah, he later studied economics at the American University of Beirut. Following the outbreak of war in Beirut, he transferred to the University of Michigan, graduating with a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics and Political Science.

Sheikh Saud was appointed Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler in 2003 when his father removed his elder brother from the position. He became Emir of Ras al-Khaimah upon his father’s death in October 2010.

His son, Sheikh Mohammed bin Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi is Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Ras al-Khaimah.

Sheikh Mohammad, Crown Prince of Ras al_Khaimah photo: Wikipedia

Sheikh Mohammad, Crown Prince of Ras al_Khaimah
photo: Wikipedia

The Emirate of Sharjah

Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Emir of Sharjah photo: UAEinteract.com

Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Emir of Sharjah
photo: UAEinteract.com

The Emir of Sharjah is Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi. He was born July 6, 1939, the son of Sheikh Mohammed Bin Saqr Bin Khalid Al Qasimi and Sheikha Maryam Bint Ghanem Bin Salem Al Shamsi.

Sheikh Sultan received his primary education in Sharjah, Kuwait City, and Dubai. He then attended Cairo University, receiving his Bachelor’s Degree in Agricultural Engineering in 1971. In 1985, he earned a Doctorate in Philosophy with distinction in history from Exeter University in the UK; and in 1999, earned a second Doctorate in Philosophy in Political Geography from Durham University in the UK. He is a noted historian and has published numerous books and theatrical works.

His senior wife was Sheikha Moza bint Salim bin Mohammed bin Manee Al Falasi, with whom he had two children. His eldest son, Crown Prince Mohammed, passed away in 1999. His second wife is Sheikha Jawaher bint Sheikh Mohammed bin Sultan bin Saqr Al Qasimi, with whom he has four children. Sheikh Sultan became Emir of Sharjah in 1972, following the death of his brother, Sheikh Khalid III bin Muhammed al-Qasimi.

The Crown Prince of Sharjah photo: Government of Sharjah

The Crown Prince of Sharjah
photo: Government of Sharjah

Following his son’s death, Sheikh Sultan named a distant relative, Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Bin Sultan al-Qasimi, as Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Sharjah.

The Emirate of Umm al-Quwain

Sheikh Saud bin Rashid Al Mu’alla, Emir of Umm al-Quwain photo: paragarme.com

Sheikh Saud bin Rashid Al Mu’alla, Emir of Umm al-Quwain; photo: paragarme.com

The Emir of Umm al-Quwain is Sheikh Saud bin Rashid Al Mu’alla. He was born October 1, 1952, the son of Sheikh Rashid bin Ahmed Al Mu’alla, Emir of Umm al-Quwain. He received his primary education in Umm al-Quwain and attended high school in Lebanon. He then earned his degree in Economics from Cairo University in 1974. He was named Crown Prince in 1982.  Sheikh Saud succeeded as Emir of Umm al-Quwain in 2009, upon his father’s death.

He is married to Sheikha Sumaya bint Saqr bint Mohammed al Qasimi, a sister of the Emir of Ras al-Khaimah. The couple has ten children including Sheikh Rashid bin Saud bin Rashid Al Mu’alla, The Crown Prince of Umm al-Quwain.

The Crown Prince of Umm al-Quwain photo: UAE Football Association

The Crown Prince of Umm al-Quwain
photo: UAE Football Association

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.

King Tupou VI of Tonga

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2014

Kingdom of Tonga: Tonga consists of 169 islands, of which 36 are inhabited, in the south Pacific Ocean, about 1,100 miles/1,800 kilometers northeast of New Zealand’s North Island.

Tonga has long been a monarchy and by the 12th century, Tonga and its Paramount Chiefs had a strong reputation throughout the central Pacific Ocean. Tonga became a kingdom in 1845 and has been ruled by the House of Tupou. From 1900 to 1970, Tonga had a protected state status with the United Kingdom which looked after its foreign affairs under a Treaty of Friendship.

The order of succession to the throne of Tonga was established in the 1875 constitution. The crown descends according to male-preference cognatic primogeniture – a female can succeed if she has no living brothers and no deceased brothers who left surviving legitimate descendants.

*******************

King Tupou VI of Tonga; Credit – Wikipedia

King Tupou VI of Tonga was born on July 12, 1959, at the Royal Palace in Nuku’aolfa, Tonga. He is the youngest son of King Tupou IV and Halaevalu Mataʻaho ʻAhomeʻe, and the younger brother of the late King George Tupou V. His given name at birth was ʻAhoʻeitu ʻUnuakiʻotonga Tukuʻaho. In keeping with Tongan tradition, he was later given three chiefly titles – Lavaka, ‘Ulukalala and Ata – which would typically replace his given name. He was known by any combination of these titles until he became Crown Prince. At that point, he retained the Lavaka title but passed the other two to his sons. (To avoid confusion, he will be referred to as Lavaka).

Following his early schooling in Tonga, Lavaka attended The Leys School in Cambridge, England, graduating in 1977, and earned a degree in Development Studies from the University of East Anglia in 1980. A military career followed. Lavaka joined the Tongan Navy and served until 1998. During this time, he attended the US Naval War College, graduating in 1988, and earned his Master’s Degree in Defense Studies from the University of New South Wales (Australia) in 1997. After leaving the military, he attended Bond University in Australia, earning another Master’s Degree in International Relations in 1999.

Lavaka was also involved in the Tongan government, serving as Defense Minister and Foreign Minister for several years. In 2000, he was appointed Prime Minister, a position he would hold until 2006. In September 2006, his father King Tupou IV died and his elder brother took the throne as King George Tupou V. The new King was not married and had no legitimate children, so Lavaka was the heir-presumptive. Days later, he was formally granted the title of Crown Prince (Tupoutoʻa).

Queen Nanasipauʻu; Credit – Wikipedia

Lavaka married Nanasipauʻu Tukuʻaho, his second cousin, at the Chapel Royal, at the Royal Palace, in Nukuʻalofa, Tonga on December 11, 1982. The couple has three children:

In 2008, Lavaka was appointed Tonga’s first High Commissioner to Australia and took up residence in Canberra. He would remain in this position until March 18, 2012. On that day, his elder brother King George Tupou V passed away and Lavaka ascended the Tongan throne as King Tupou VI.

King Tupou VI after his coronation ceremony; Credit – Wikipedia

King Tupou VI and Queen Nanasipau’u were crowned in a ceremony conducted at Centenary Church in Nuku’alofa. Tonga on July 4, 2015. The celebrations included many international guests, and an estimated 15,000 people lined the roads.

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.

Michael Farquhar: Secret Lives of the Tsars: Three Centuries of Autocracy, Debauchery, Betrayal, Murder, and Madness from Romanov Russia

by Michael Farquhar
© Unofficial Royalty 2014

Winter Palace

The Winter Palace in St. Petersburg, Russia was the official residence of the Romanov tsars; Photo Credit – Susan Flantzer, August 2011

Author Michael Farquhar is sharing with Unofficial Royalty some tidbits from his book Secret Lives of the Tsars: Three Centuries of Autocracy, Debauchery, Betrayal, Murder, and Madness from Romanov Russia, published by Random House.

Did you know that…

  • Peter the Great had a passion for learning new trades—from shipbuilding to dentistry. He even became adept as an executioner, personally hacking off the heads of his recalcitrant subjects.
  • Once, during an anatomy lesson in Amsterdam, Peter the Great became so annoyed by his companions’ squeamishness that he ordered each of them to take a bite out of the human cadaver being dissected.
  • Peter the Great had no tolerance for dissent—even from his own son, whom he ordered tortured to death.
  • Catherine I, Russia’s first empress in her own right, was born and raised a peasant.
  • Empress Elizabeth was so vain that she never wore the same dress twice. Upon her death in 1762, an astonishing 15,000 gowns were reportedly found in her wardrobe.
  • No one was ever allowed to look prettier than Elizabeth. If a woman of the court happened to make that mistake, the empress was known to take a pair of scissors to the unfortunate’s hair and butcher the offending style.
  • Catherine the Great loved horses. She also loved sex. Contrary to popular legend, however, she never managed to unite the two passions. Still, the lusty empress brought all the enthusiasm of a vigorous ride to her extremely busy boudoir—filling it with a succession of eager young studs half her age.
  • Catherine the Great always sent away her lovers with lavish parting gifts of jewels, palaces, and cold hard cash. In 1776, for example, Peter Zavadovsky was given fifty thousand rubles and four thousand serfs for his services—prompting the French charge d’affaires to write to his brother, “You must agree, my friend, that it’s not a bad line of work to be in here.”
  • Emperor Paul was so unbalanced that upon the death of his mother, Catherine the Great, he decided to reunite her with the husband she hated—digging up the long-dead Tsar Peter III to lay in state by her side.
  • Tsar Nicholas I once toyed mercilessly with Dostoyevsky’s mind. Before writing Crime and Punishment and other classics, the acclaimed novelist was sentenced to death for subversion. Just as he was about to stand before the firing squad, however, Nicholas sent a reprieve—allowing the poor man to suffer until the very last moment.
  • Alexander II was subjected to no fewer than seven attempts on his life, including a massive bomb detonated in his own palace. “Am I such a wild beast that they should hound me to death?” he once exclaimed in despair. Another bomb, hurled directly at the tsar, finally did the job.
  • Grigori Rasputin, the Siberian mystic who advised and guided Tsar Nicholas II and his wife Alexandra to ruin, long had intimations of his own violent demise, which were often accompanied by warnings to the Imperial family that if anything happened to him they would share his fate. “When I perish they will perish,” he once predicted—accurately, as it turned out.

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.

Queen Sirikit of Thailand

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2014

Sirikit

Queen Sirikit of Thailand; Credit – Wikipedia

Sirikit Kitiyakara was born on August 12, 1932, in Bangkok, Siam, now called Thailand. She is the third of four children of Prince Nakkhatra Mangkala Kitiyakara and Bua Snidvongs. Queen Sirikit’s paternal grandfather Prince Kitiyakara Voralaksana was the twelfth son of King Chulalongkorn.  The Queen shares a descent from King Chulalongkorn with her husband King Bhumibol and they are first cousins once removed. Queen Sirikit has two older brothers and one younger sister: Galyanakit Kitiyakara (1929 – 1987), Adulyakit Kitiyakara (1930 – 2004), and Busba Kitiyakara (born 1934).

Sirikit_engagement

King Bhumibol and Queen Sirikit (back row in the middle) and her family in Lausanne, Switzerland on July 19, 1949, when their engagement took place; Credit – thailand.prd.go.th

Queen Sirikit began her primary education at the Rajini School in Bangkok, Thailand. She then attended St. Francis Xavier Convent School in the Samsen District of Bangkok. Her father became the Thai Ambassador to France and Denmark and finally the Ambassador to the Court of St. James in the United Kingdom. Queen Sirikit accompanied her father and was educated in all three countries.

King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand succeeded to the throne on June 9, 1946, upon the death of his older brother King Ananda Mahidol from a gunshot wound under circumstances that have never been fully explained. At the time, the 18-year-old Bhumibol Adulyadej was attending the University of Lausanne in Switzerland. He returned to the university after his brother died and continued his studies.

During his university days, King Bhumibol Adulyadej frequently visited Paris and it was there that he met his future wife Sirikit Kitiyakara, the daughter of the Thai ambassador to France. Both Sirikit and King Bhumibol Adulyadej were studying at the Thai embassy and a relationship developed. In October 1948, King Bhumibol Adulyadej had a serious car accident on a road near Lausanne, Switzerland, and lost his right eye and wore a prosthetic for the rest of his life. Sirikit visited him frequently during his hospital stay and decided to attend school in Lausanne so she could get to know the king better.

The couple became engaged on July 19, 1949, and married at Srapathum Palace in Bangkok, Thailand on April 28, 1950, just a week before the king’s coronation. After the coronation on May 5, 1950, the 22-year-old king and the 17-year-old queen returned to their studies in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Sirikit_wedding

Queen Sirikit and King Bhumibol on their wedding day; Credit – thailand.prd.go.th

The couple had three daughters and one son:

In 1956, as is customary for Thai Buddhist males, King Bhumibol temporarily became a Buddhist monk and Queen Sirikit served as Regent. Because of the excellent way she served as Regent, King Bhumibol gave her the style “Somdet Phra Nang Chao Sirikit Phra Borommarachininat” which would translate to Queen Regent.

Queen Sirikit was well known for her charitable work. She was President of the Thai Red Cross Society and was active in relief work for the many refugees from Cambodia and Burma in Thailand. The Queen took an active role in the aftermath of the tsunami disaster in southern Thailand in December 2004. Tragically, the tsunami took the life of her grandson Bhumi Jensen, the son of her eldest daughter.

King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s health declined in his later years. The king resided at Siriraj Hospital in Bangkok for several years. On July 21, 2012, Queen Sirikit felt unsteady and staggered while exercising at Siriraj Hospital where King Bhumibol Adulyadej resided. Doctors determined that she had suffered a stroke. The Queen was not seen in public until August 2013 when the King was discharged from the hospital. Since then, Queen Sirikit has refrained from making public appearances.  King Bhumibol Adulyadej died on October 13, 2016, at Siriraj Hospital in Bangkok, at the age of 88, following several years of illness.

 

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.

King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2014

 

King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand was born December 5, 1927, at Mount Auburn Hospital in Cambridge, Massachusetts in the United States. He was the youngest of three children of Prince Mahidol Adulyadej and his commoner wife Princess Srinagarindra.  At the time of King Bhumibol’s birth, his father was studying medicine at Harvard Medical School in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

King Bhumibol had two siblings:

  • Princess Galyani Vadhana (1923 – 2008), married (1) Colonel Aram Rattanakul Serireongrit, had one daughter, divorced  (2) Prince Varananda Dhavaj, no children
  • King Ananda Mahidol (1925 – 1946), unmarried, King Bhumibol’s predecessor on the throne
Bhumibol_siblings

King Bhumibol on his mother’s lap with his brother and sister; Credit – Wikipedia

In 1928, King Bhumibol’s family returned to Thailand after his father received his M.D. from Harvard Medical School. On September 24, 1929, King Bhumibol’s father Prince Mahidol Adulyadej died of kidney failure at the age of 37. Prince Mahidol Adulyadej did much to improve medicine and public health in Thailand and is considered the father of modern medicine and public health in Thailand.

King Bhumibol began his education at Mater Dei School in Bangkok, Thailand. In 1933, King Bhumibol, his mother, and his siblings moved to Switzerland where he attended Ecole Nouvelle de la Suisse Romande in Lausanne Switzerland. In 1934, King Prajadhipok, King Bhumibol’s uncle, abdicated and as he had no children, King Bhumibol’s 9-year-old brother Ananda Mahidol became king. The family remained in Switzerland and regents were appointed to take over the duties of the young king. King Bhumibol completed his secondary education at the Gymnase Classique Cantonal of Lausanne and received a baccalauréat des lettres (high-school diploma with a major in French literature, Latin, and Greek. King Bhumibol began studying at the University of Lausanne but returned to Thailand in 1945 when World War II ended.

In his childhood, King Bhumibol began two hobbies that would become lifelong passions. At the age of seven, he received his first camera and wherever he went, his camera went also.  Some of his many photographs are displayed at the King Bhumibol Photographic Museum. In 1942 at the age of 15, King Bhumibol became a jazz enthusiast and started to play the saxophone. He was an accomplished jazz saxophone player and composer, playing Dixieland and New Orleans jazz. The King also played the clarinet, trumpet, guitar, and piano.

 

On June 9, 1946, King Bhumibol became king at the age of 18. King Bhumibol’s brother King Ananda Mahidol was found shot dead in his bedroom in the Boromphiman Throne Hall at the Grand Palace in Bangkok, four days before he was scheduled to return to Switzerland to finish his doctoral degree in law at the University of Lausanne. The circumstances of King Ananda Mahidol’s death have never been fully explained. At the end of the mourning period, King Bhumibol returned to Switzerland to complete his university studies.

During his university days, King Bhumibol frequently visited Paris and it was there that he met his future wife Sirikit Kitiyakara, the daughter of the Thai ambassador to France. In October of 1948, King Bhumibol Adulyadej had a serious car accident on a road near Lausanne, Switzerland, and lost his right eye and wore a prosthetic for the rest of his life.  Sirikit visited him frequently during his hospital stay and decided to attend school in Lausanne so she could get to know the king better. The couple became engaged on July 19, 1949, and married at Srapathum Palace in Bangkok, Thailand on April 28, 1950, just a week before the king’s coronation. After the coronation on May 5, 1950, the 22-year-old king and the 17-year-old queen returned to their studies in Lausanne, Switzerland. The couple had three daughters and one son:

Bhumbol_and_Sirikit

King Bhumibol Adulyadej and Queen Sirikit on their wedding day; Credit – Wikipedia

King Bhumibol’s coronation was held on May 5, 1950, at the Grand Palace in Bangkok, Thailand. On Coronation Day, King Bhumibol’s consort was made Queen of Thailand.  On June 9, 2006, King Bhumibol celebrated his 60th anniversary as the King of Thailand, becoming the longest-reigning monarch in Thai history.

Bhumibol_coronation

The Coronation of King Bhumibol Adulyadej; Credit – www.phuketgazette.net

King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s health declined in his later years. The King resided at Siriraj Hospital in Bangkok for several years.  He left the hospital in August 2013 but returned intermittently until 2015 when he returned to the hospital permanently.

 

On December 5, 2012, King Bhumibol’s 85th birthday, he made an appearance on the palace balcony. Hundreds of thousands of Thais waving flags crowded around Bangkok’s Royal Plaza to witness a rare public appearance by their revered and ailing king. Queen Sirikit did not attend. She has not made public appearances since suffering a stroke in July 2012.

 

King Bhumibol Adulyadej died on October 13, 2016, at Siriraj Hospital in Bangkok, at the age of 88, following several years of illness.  At the time of his death, he was the world’s longest-reigning current monarch, having reigned for 70 years and 126 days.  The King’s son, Maha Vajiralongkorn was proclaimed King of Thailand following a period of personal mourning.   Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn, did not want to be immediately named king to give the nation time to mourn his father’s death.

The King’s remains lay in state from October 16, 2016, until the cremation ceremony on October 26, 2017.  While the King’s remains lay in state, foreign dignitaries paid their respects.  The public square Sanam Luang was used as the cremation ground and on February 27, 2017, the construction of an elaborate, temporary crematorium began. The cremation took place on October 26, 2017, thirteen days after the first anniversary of the King’s death. On October 29, 2017, the royal ashes were enshrined at the Royal Cemetery at Wat Ratchabophit.

The Royal Crematorium; Credit – Wikipedia

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