Hereditary Princess Sophie of Liechtenstein

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2014

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Duchess Sophie Elizabeth Marie Gabrielle in Bavaria was born on October 28, 1967, in Munich, Germany. She is the eldest of five daughters of Prince Max, Duke in Bavaria and Countess Elizabeth Douglas.

Sophie has four younger sisters:

  • Duchess Marie-Caroline in Bavaria (born 1969), married Duke Philipp of Württemberg, had three daughters and one son
  • Duchess Helena Eugenie in Bavaria (born 1972), unmarried
  • Duchess Elisabeth Marie in Bavaria (born 1973), married Daniel Terberger, had one son and one daughter
  • Duchess Maria Anna in Bavaria (born 1975), married (1) Klaus Runow, no children, divorced  (2) Baron Andreas von Maltzahn, had two sons

Sophie was raised on the family’s estate, Wildbad Kreuth, about 65 kilometers south of Munich,  Germany, where she began her primary schooling. She then attended the Girls’ Home Primary School of the English Lady in Heiligenstadt, followed by the Girls’ Secondary Boarding School Hohenburg in Lenggries. In 1984, she enrolled in the Adolf Weber High School in Munich, graduating in 1988.

Following several months in London where she attended the Inchbald School of Interior Design, Sophie began studying history and English language and literature at the Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt in 1989.

photo: Corbis

photo: Corbis

On July 3, 1993, Sophie married Hereditary Prince Alois of Liechtenstein at the Vaduz Cathedral in Vaduz, Liechtenstein. He is the eldest son of Prince Hans-Adam II of Liechtenstein and Countess Marie Aglaë Kinsky of Wchinitz and Tettau. They had met some seven years earlier at a party hosted by a mutual friend.  The couple has four children:

  • Prince Joseph Wenzel (born 1995)
  • Princess Marie-Caroline (born 1996)
  • Prince Georg (born 1999)
  • Prince Nikolaus (born 2000)

The family initially lived in London but returned to Liechtenstein in 1996, where her husband began working for The Prince of Liechtenstein Foundation, which oversees and manages the various assets of the Princely Family.

The Hereditary Princess often accompanies her husband on foreign visits, as well as many events within Liechtenstein itself. She serves as a patron for many organizations and events, often relating to children, education, and the arts. She has been the President of the Liechtenstein Red Cross since 2015.

In 2006, she founded the Sophie of Liechtenstein Foundation for Woman and Child. “The goal of the foundation is to give women, who unintentionally become pregnant, a more positive life perspective for themselves and their child.” (Source: The Princely Family of Liechtenstein). The Foundation is funded by the Princely Family and by private donations, and the Hereditary Princess serves as President.

Sophie is a member of the House of Wittelsbach, formerly the reigning house of the Kingdom of Bavaria. She is second in line to the Jacobite succession to the British throne. The Jacobites sought to restore the British crown to King James II of England after he was deposed in the Glorious Revolution of 1688 and subsequently, to his heirs. The current Jacobite heir is Sophie’s childless uncle Franz, Duke of Bavaria, who has never pursued the claim. Franz’s heir is Sophie’s father, Maximilian, Duke in Bavaria who only has five daughters. As the eldest of her father’s daughters, Sophie will be his heir to the Jacobite claim and her eldest son is her heir.

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Empress Masako of Japan

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2014

Credit – Wikipedia

Masako Owada was born at Toranomon Hospital in Tokyo, Japan on December 9, 1963, the eldest daughter of Hisashi Owada and Yumiko Egashira. Her father, Hisashi Owada, is a former Japanese diplomat and served as Japanese Ambassador to the United Nations and as a member of the International Court of Justice, located in the Netherlands.

Due to her father’s diplomatic posts, Masako began her schooling first in Moscow, and then in New York City, before the family returned to Japan in 1971. She attended Futaba Gakuen, a private Roman Catholic girls’ school in Tokyo. In 1979, the family returned to the US, settling in Belmont, Massachusetts while her father was a visiting professor at Harvard University. She graduated from Belmont High School in 1981 and enrolled at Radcliffe College, part of Harvard University. She graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in economics in 1985, after which she returned to Japan and attended the University of Tokyo, studying law for several months while preparing to sit for the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs‘ entrance exam. After two years working for the Foreign Ministry, she enrolled at Balliol College, Oxford University, pursuing a Master’s Degree in International Relations.

photo: Imperial Household Agency

Masako and Naruhito on their wedding day; Photo: Imperial Household Agency

In 1986, Masako met her future husband Emperor Naruhito of Japan at a tea held in honor of Infanta Elena of Spain. Despite disapproval from the Imperial Household Agency (as Masako was a commoner), and Masako leaving Japan for several years to study abroad, the two continued their relationship. Naruhito proposed several times, however, Masako turned him down each time. Agreeing to marry the future Japanese Emperor would mean giving up her career in diplomacy and her independence, and having to conform to the strict guidelines of the Imperial Household. Finally, Naruhito convinced Masako that her diplomatic skills could be used differently, as his wife and future Empress, and she accepted his third proposal in December 1992. Their engagement was announced in January 1993, and the formal engagement ceremony was held that April. Finally, On June 9, 1993, Naruhito and Masako were married in a traditional ceremony at the Imperial Shinto Hall in Tokyo. Following the ceremony, and a change into more contemporary attire, the newly married couple processed through the streets of Tokyo.

Naruhito, Masako, and Aiko; Credit – Wikipedia

The couple has one daughter:

In the early years of their marriage, Masako often accompanied her husband on foreign visits and participated in most official functions at the Imperial Palace. However, by 2003, she was rarely seen in public at all. The following year, it was announced that she was suffering from adjustment disorder. However, many speculated that she was dealing with clinical depression, brought on by the pressures and constraints placed upon her by the strict Imperial Household Agency. It would be many years before she would return to the public eye.

The Crown Prince and Crown Princess at the Dutch investiture, 2013. Photo: Zimbio

Masako and Naruhito at the Dutch investiture, 2013. Photo: Zimbio

In a statement released for her 49th birthday in 2012, Masako thanked the Japanese people for their “warm continued support” and stated she continues to make progress with the help of her doctors and those around her. She began to appear more often at official events at the Imperial Palace and around Japan, always at the side of her husband. Perhaps because of the kindness previously extended by former Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, and the fact that her parents were then based in The Hague, Masako accompanied her husband to the investiture of King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands in 2013. In July 2015, Masako traveled to Tonga with her husband to attend the coronation of King Tupou VI. Her doctors stated that Masako has not fully recovered but her strong sense of duty has helped her fulfill her responsibilities

Empress Masako at the enthronement ceremony on October 22, 2019; Credit – Wikipedia

On December 1, 2017,  Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced that Emperor Akihito would abdicate on April 30, 2019, and that his elder son Crown Prince Naruhito, Masako’s husband would become Emperor and Masako would become Empress. On May 1, 2019, Naruhito ascended the throne as Emperor of Japan and the Presentation of the Three Sacred Treasures ceremony occurred. Several more ceremonies occurred – October 22, 2019: Enthronement Ceremony (Sokui-Rei) and November 14-15, 2019: Great Thanksgiving Festival (Daijo-sai). See the link below for more information about the accession and enthronement ceremonies.

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State of Japan Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Queen Mary of Denmark

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2014

photo: Wikipedia

Queen Mary of Denmark – photo: Wikipedia

Queen Mary of Denmark, the wife of King Frederik X of Denmark, was born Mary Elizabeth Donaldson on February 5, 1972, in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. She is the youngest of four children of Professor John Donaldson and Henrietta Horne. Mary’s mother passed away in 1997 and her father was remarried to British novelist Susan Horwood (aka Susan Moody).

Mary began her education in Houston, Texas, where the family was living at the time. The family returned to Tasmania and Mary continued her schooling there. Following the completion of her secondary education, she enrolled in the University of Tasmania and received a degree in Commerce and Law. She also received graduate certifications in Advertising and Marketing and worked in those fields in Australia and Scotland.

 

In September 2000, during the Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia, Mary met the future King Frederik X of Denmark, then the Crown Prince of Denmark, on an evening out with some mutual friends. The two quickly began a relationship and Frederik made several private trips to Australia. As her relationship with Frederik became more serious, Mary left Australia, first working in Paris, France as an English tutor before moving to Denmark and working for Microsoft. Their engagement was announced in October 2003, after Frederik’s mother Queen Margrethe II of Denmark gave her formal consent to the marriage. Mary and Frederik were married on May 14, 2004, at the Church of Our Lady in Copenhagen, Denmark.

The Danish Royal Family on the balcony of Christansborg Palace on the day of King Frederik X’s accession to the throne. Left to right: Princess Isabella, Crown Prince Christian, King Frederik X, Queen Mary, Princess Josephine, and Prince Vincent

Mary and Frederik reside at Amalienborg (Frederik VIII’s Palace) and the Chancellery House at Fredensborg Palace with their four children:

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Along with what must surely be a busy family life, Mary serves as the patron to a large number of Danish organizations. While these cover a large number of areas, many have to do with health and social care issues. Internationally, she worked with the World Health Organization and was patron of the United Nations Population Fund.

King Frederik X and Queen Mary on the balcony of Christiansborg Palace after Frederik’s accession to the thone of Denmark

In her New Year’s Speech on December 31, 2023, Mary’s mother-in-law Queen Margrethe II announced that she will step down as Queen of Denmark on January 14, 2024, the 52nd anniversary of her accession. On that day, Frederik and Mary became King Frederik X of Denmark and Queen Mary of Denmark. Mary is the first Australian-born person to be queen of a monarchy.

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King Charles III of the United Kingdom

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2014

Charles

King Charles III of the United Kingdom; Credit – Wikipedia

Charles Philip Arthur George was born at Buckingham Palace in London, England on November 14, 1948. He was the first child of the four children of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (born a Prince of Greece and Denmark).

The children of a daughter of a British sovereign, in this case, the then Princess Elizabeth, Duchess of Edinburgh, would not have been accorded the style Royal Highness or the titles Prince/Princess as in the case of the children of Anne, Princess Royal. However, on October 22, 1948, Charles’ grandfather King George VI issued letters patent allowing the children of his eldest daughter and heiress presumptive, to use the style and title of a royal prince or princess. Therefore, Charles was His Royal Highness Prince Charles of Edinburgh at birth.

Charles was christened on December 15, 1948, in the Music Room at Buckingham Palace in London, England using water from the Jordan River. His grandparents were:

Christening of the future King Charles III with his parents and godparents: Seated left to right: Dowager Marchioness of Milford Haven (born Victoria of Hesse and by Rhine), the then Princess Elizabeth holding the infant Charles and Queen Mary. Standing left to right: Patricia Knatchbull, Baroness Brabourne, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (representing godparent Prince George of Greece), King George VI, David Bowes-Lyon, Alexander Cambridge, 1st Earl of Athlone (representing godparent King Haakon of Norway), and Princess Margaret

The infant Charles and his parents lived at Buckingham Palace until he was eight months old. The family then moved to Clarence House, a short distance from the palace. Two nannies, Helen Lightbody and Mabel Anderson, were in charge of the nursery.

Charles has one sister and two brothers:

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Prince Andrew, Princess Anne, Queen Elizabeth holding Prince Edward, Prince Charles, and the Duke of Edinburgh in 1965; Credit – www.telegraph.co.uk

When King George VI died on February 6, 1952, his elder daughter Princess Elizabeth succeeded him as Queen Elizabeth II and three-year-old Charles became heir to the throne. Upon his mother’s accession to the throne, Charles automatically became Duke of Cornwall and also the Scottish titles Duke of Rothesay, Earl of Carrick, Baron of Renfrew, Lord of the Isles and Prince and Great Steward of Scotland. The title Prince of Wales is not automatic and must be conferred by the sovereign.

Charles attended his mother’s coronation in Westminster Abbey on June 2, 1953, and he sat between his grandmother The Queen Mother and his aunt Princess Margaret. Along with his sister Anne, Charles later joined his parents and other members of the royal family on the Buckingham Palace balcony.

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Charles with his grandmother and aunt at his mother’s coronation; Photo Credit – http://www.abc.net.au/

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Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Charles, Princess Anne, the Duke of Edinburgh, the Queen Mother on the balcony; Credit – www.itv.com

Charles started his early education with a governess, Catherine Peebles. In 1955, Buckingham Palace announced that Charles would go to school, and not be educated by private tutors as had been the case with heirs to the throne in the past. On November 7, 1956, a week before his eighth birthday, Miss Peebles accompanied Charles to Hill House School, a preparatory day school in Knightsbridge, London. Charles then attended two schools his father had also attended: Cheam School in Berkshire, England, and Gordonstoun School in Moray, Scotland.

In October 1967, Charles was admitted to Trinity College, Cambridge University, where he studied anthropology, archaeology, and history. During his second year, Charles attended the University College of Wales in Aberystwyth, Wales where he studied Welsh history and language for a term. He graduated from Cambridge with a 2:2 Bachelor of Arts in 1970, and was the first heir apparent to earn a university degree.

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Charles at Cambridge University; Photo Credit – britishpathe.tumblr.com

Charles had been created Prince of Wales and Earl of Chester in 1958. His formal investiture as Prince of Wales was held on July 1, 1969, at Caernarfon Castle in Wales where Charles gave his replies and speech in both Welsh and English.

Charles_investiture

Queen Elizabeth II formally invests the Prince of Wales with his coronet; Credit – www.dailymail.co.uk

Prince Charles served in both the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. During his university years, he started training in the air force, and after university, he enrolled at the Royal Air Force College Cranwell to train as a jet pilot. Charles then enrolled at the Royal Naval College Dartmouth and served on the guided-missile destroyer HMS Norfolk (1971–1972) and the frigates HMS Minerva (1972–1973) and HMS Jupiter (1974). He qualified as a helicopter pilot at Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton in 1974 and joined the 845 Naval Air Squadron aboard the HMS Hermes. On February 9, 1976, Charles took command of the HMS Bronington, a coastal minehunter, for his last ten months of active service in the Royal Navy.

Charles reached the age of 30 without getting married and was considered the world’s most eligible bachelor. Among the women Charles had been linked to include Georgiana Russell, daughter of the British Ambassador to Spain; Lady Jane Wellesley, daughter of the 8th Duke of Wellington; Davina Sheffield; Lady Sarah Spencer; and Camilla Shand, who later became his second wife.  Charles’ great-uncle Lord Mountbatten, encouraged a marriage with his granddaughter Amanda Knatchbull.  Supposedly, Charles did propose to Amanda Knatchbull sometime after the IRA bombing deaths of her maternal grandfather Lord Mountbatten, her paternal grandmother, and youngest brother Nicholas, but after the deaths of her family members, Amanda was reluctant to join the royal family.

Charles first met Lady Diana Spencer in 1977 while visiting her home, Althorp, while dating her elder sister Sarah. During the summer of 1980, Charles first became seriously interested in Diana as a potential bride when they were guests at a country weekend. The relationship continued to develop as Charles invited Diana for a sailing weekend aboard the royal yacht Britannia. Then an invitation to Balmoral followed for Diana to meet Charles’ family during a weekend in November of 1980. Diana was well received by Queen Elizabeth II, the Duke of Edinburgh, and the Queen Mother. The couple continued to see each other in London. Charles proposed on February 6, 1981, and Lady Diana accepted, but their engagement was kept secret for the next few weeks until it was officially announced on February 24, 1981. The wedding was held at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London on July 29, 1981. 3,500 invited guests attended the ceremony at St. Paul’s, 600,000 people lined the streets of London, and 750 million people watched on television.

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Photo Credit – www.bbc.co.uk

Charles and Diana had two sons:

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Photo Credit – www.dailymail.co.uk

Unfortunately, Charles and Diana’s marriage was not the fairy tale marriage it was expected to be. Within five years, the couple’s incompatibility and age difference of almost 13 years, as well as Diana’s concern about Charles’s previous girlfriend, Camilla Parker Bowles, became visible and was damaging to their marriage. Diana exposed Charles’s affair with Camilla in a book by Andrew Morton, Diana, Her True Story. Audiotapes showing evidence of her own extramarital affairs also surfaced. In December of 1992, British Prime Minister John Major announced the formal separation of the Prince and Princess of Wales in Parliament. Charles and Diana divorced on August 28, 1996. Tragically, Diana died in a car crash in Paris on August 31, 1997. Charles flew to Paris with Diana’s sisters to accompany her body back to London.

Diana_funeral

8th Earl Spencer, Prince William, Prince Harry, and Prince Charles watch as the coffin of Diana, Princess of Wales is placed into a hearse at Westminster Abbey following her funeral service; Credit – www.emirates247.com

In 1994, two years after the Prince and Princess of Wales had separated, Charles finally spoke about his relationship with Camilla Parker-Bowles in a televised interview with Jonathan Dimbleby. He told Dimbleby, “Mrs. Parker Bowles is a great friend of mine…a friend for a very long time. She will continue to be a friend for a long time.” The same year Charles admitted in The Prince of Wales: A Biography written by Dimbleby that his relationship with Camilla rekindled after his marriage had irretrievably broken down in 1986. In 1995, Andrew Parker-Bowles and Camilla, who had been living apart for quite a while, announced their divorce.

Following both Charles and Camilla’s divorces, Charles let it be known that his relationship with Camilla was “non-negotiable.” Charles knew that the relationship was causing much negative publicity and he had Mark Bolland, his Deputy Private Secretary, work on the rehabilitation of Camilla’s image which occurred from 1999 until 2005. Camilla was occasionally seen with Charles at unofficial events, then at some public events, and then Camilla accompanied Charles on some public engagements. Camilla socialized with Queen Elizabeth II at the 60th birthday party for former King Constantine II of Greece in 2000 and this meeting was seen as the Queen’s approval of the relationship. Camilla attended events related to Queen Elizabeth II’s Golden Jubilee in 2002. In 2003, she moved into Clarence House which had become Charles’ official residence that same year. By 2004, Camilla was accompanying Charles on almost all of his official engagements.

On February 10, 2005, the couple’s engagement was announced and polls conducted in the United Kingdom showed support for the marriage. Charles and Camilla married on April 9, 2005, in a civil ceremony held at the Guildhall in Windsor. Prince William and Tom Parker Bowles, Camilla’s son, served as the witnesses to the civil wedding ceremony. Later that afternoon, a Service of Prayer and Dedication was held at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor, presided over by The Archbishop of Canterbury.

charles-camilla-wedding

Photo Credit – Hugo Burnand, Pool/Getty Images

While Prince of Wales, Charles had no constitutional role. With the support of his wife Camilla, he strived to make a positive difference in his country and internationally. To do this, he undertook royal duties in support of his mother Queen Elizabeth II, worked as a charitable entrepreneur, and promoted and protected national traditions, virtues, and excellence.

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The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall; Credit – www.princeofwales.gov.uk

As Prince of Wales, Charles was the Patron or President of over 400 charitable organizations. Two organizations supported a number of areas:

  • The Prince’s Trust: provided training programs, mentoring support and financial grants to build the confidence and motivation of disadvantaged young people
  • The Prince of Wales’s Charitable Foundation: uses the profits from the sale of Duchy Originals from Waitrose and Highgrove Enterprises to support the environment, responsible business and enterprise, young people and education, and global sustainability

King Charles III and Queen Camilla at the Presentation Of Addresses by both Houses of Parliament in Westminster Hall, London on September 12, 2022

Upon the death of his mother Queen Elizabeth II on September 8, 2022, Charles succeeded to the throne as King Charles III of the United Kingdom. King Charles III is the first British monarch to be descended from two children of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom. All monarchs after Queen Victoria have been descendants of her eldest son and heir King Edward VII of the United Kingdom. Through his father, Charles is also a descendant of Princess Alice of the United Kingdom, the second daughter and third child of Queen Victoria. Prince Philip’s royal pedigree also brings a good deal more royal heritage into the British royal family because both of Prince Philip’s parents were royal while only one parent of Queen Elizabeth II was royal.

King Charles III and Queen Camilla on the balcony of Buckingham Palace following their coronation; Credit – By HM Government – https://coronation.gov.uk/, OGL 3, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=133959751

The coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla was held on Saturday, May 6, 2023, at Westminster Abbey. Queen Elizabeth II’s 1953 coronation lasted nearly three hours and had 8,000 guests. King Charles III’s coronation was shorter, more diverse, and had fewer guests.

On February 5, 2024, Buckingham Palace announced that King Charles had been diagnosed with “a form of cancer.” The statement from Buckingham Palace said:

During The King’s recent hospital procedure for benign prostate enlargement, a separate issue of concern was noted. Subsequent diagnostic tests have identified a form of cancer. His Majesty has today commenced a schedule of regular treatments, during which time he has been advised by doctors to postpone public-facing duties. Throughout this period, His Majesty will continue to undertake State business and official paperwork as usual. The King is grateful to his medical team for their swift intervention, which was made possible thanks to his recent hospital procedure. He remains wholly positive about his treatment and looks forward to returning to full public duty as soon as possible.

King Charles made his first major public appearance since his cancer diagnosis at the Easter service held at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, on March 31, 2024. In April 2024, it was announced that he would resume public duties after making progress in his cancer treatment.

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House of Windsor Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Infanta Leonor, Princess of Asturias

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2014

2023

Infanta Leonor, Princess of Asturias and heir presumptive to the Spanish throne was born on October 31, 2005, at the Ruber International Clinic in Madrid, Spain. She is the elder of two daughters of King Felipe VI of Spain and his wife Queen Letizia (born Letizia Ortiz Rocasolano).

Currently, Spain’s succession law is male-preference cognatic primogeniture. This means that Leonor, as the elder of King Felipe’s two daughters, is first in line to inherit the throne, and she is the heir presumptive. However, if her parents have a son, which seems unlikely at this point, he would be the heir apparent and Leonor would forfeit the title of Princess of Asturias and the other titles to her brother. There have been discussions of changing the succession law to absolute primogeniture, where the eldest child, regardless of gender, inherits the throne, but no legislation has been forthcoming.  If Leonor ascends to the throne, she will be Spain’s first queen regnant since Isabella II, who reigned from 1833 to 1868.

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Infanta Leonor was christened at Zarzuela Palace in Madrid, Spain on January 14, 2006, with water from the Jordan River, a royal custom. She was also given the additional names of de Todos los Santos (of All the Saints), a Bourbon tradition. Her godparents were:

Leonor has one sister:

Leonor in her military uniform when she entered the General Military Academy; Credit – https://www.casareal.es/

From 2008 – 2021, Leonor attended Santa María de los Rosales School (link in Spanish) in Madrid, Spain, where her father attended until he was 16. Starting in the fall of 2021, Leonor began attending the United World College of the Atlantic in Wales, graduating in May 2023. On August 17, 2023, Leonor began a three-year military training education program at the General Military Academy in Zaragoza, Spain. Leonor is fluent in both Spanish and English, which she learned from her British nanny and also from her grandmother Queen Sofía, and has studied Mandarin.

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Leonor, 2nd from the right, attends her father’s proclamation ceremony; Credit – ceruleanchronicle.com

On June 2, 2014, King Juan Carlos, Infanta Leonor’s grandfather, announced his intention to abdicate the throne in favor of his son. On June 18, 2014, King Juan Carlos signed the formal instrument of abdication and Felipe ascended the throne at midnight. At the same time, Leonor automatically became Princess of Asturias, a title given to the heir to the Spanish throne. King Felipe VI was sworn in and proclaimed as king on June 19, 2014, in a ceremony in the Congress of Deputies, the lower house of the Spanish legislature.

Besides holding the Princess of Asturias title, Leonor is also The Princess of Girona (Aragon), The Princess of Viana (Navarre) and holds the historical titles of Duchess of Montblanc, Countess of Cervera and Lady of Balaguer.  When she turned eighteen, Leonor was formally invested as the Princess of Asturias and swore loyalty to the King, before the Spanish Parliament, taking an oath to discharge her duties faithfully, to abide by the Constitution and the law, ensure that they are abided by, and to respect the rights of citizens and the Autonomous Communities, fully undertook her role as successor to the Crown.

On January 30, 2018, her father’s 50th birthday, Leonor was invested with the Order of the Golden Fleece.  The Order is the highest award in Spain and is considered one of the most prestigious orders in Europe.  The King had awarded her with the order by Royal Decree in October 2015.

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On October 31, 2018,  Leonor gave her first-ever public speech at the Instituto Cervantes in Madrid, where she read the first article of the Constitution of Spain. The speech coincided with the 40th anniversary of the Constitution of Spain and her 13th birthday.

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      Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden

      by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2014

      W_HKH+Kronprinsessan+Victoria.+HRH+Crown+Princess+Victoria+Foto+Kate+Gabor+kungahuset.se

      Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden; Credit – Kate Gabor/Royal Court, Sweden

      Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden, Duchess of Västergötland (Victoria Ingrid Alice Désirée) was born July 14, 1977, at Karolinska University Hospital in Solna, Sweden. She is the eldest of the three children of King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden and his wife Queen Silvia (née Silvia Sommerlath). Victoria is descended from Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom from two lines. Victoria’s paternal grandfather, Prince Gustaf Adolf of Sweden, was the son of Princess Margaret of Connaught, the daughter of Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught, Queen Victoria’s seventh child and third son.  Additionally, her paternal grandmother, born Princess Sibylla of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, was the daughter of Charles Edward, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, the posthumous child of Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany, Queen Victoria’s eighth child and youngest son.

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      Crown Princess Victoria was christened Victoria Ingrid Alice Désirée on September 27, 1977, at the Storkyrkan (Great Church) in Stockholm, Sweden. Her godparents were:

      Victoria_birth family

      Victoria in the pink hat with her parents and siblings; Photo Credit: Hello

      Crown Princess Victoria has two younger siblings:

      In 1979, the Riksdag, the Swedish legislature, introduced an Act of Succession changing the succession to absolute primogeniture, meaning that the eldest child of the monarch, regardless of gender, is first in the line of succession. This Act of Succession became law on January 1, 1980, making Sweden the first monarchy to adopt absolute primogeniture. The previous 1810 Act of Succession allowed for only males to inherit the throne. Victoria’s brother Carl Philip was born as Crown Prince in May 1979 and retained his title and first place in the succession for seven months until January 1, 1980, when his elder sister became Crown Princess and heir apparent. Since 1980, two other princesses have joined Crown Princess Victoria as the heir apparent: Catharina-Amalia, Princess of Orange, the heir apparent to the Dutch throne, and Princess Elisabeth, Duchess of Brabant, the heir apparent to the Belgian throne. Princess Ingrid Alexandra of Norway, the eldest child of Crown Prince Haakon of Noway, is also in a position to be an heir apparent as Norway’s succession is also absolute primogeniture.

      Crown Princess Victoria’s education was well-planned and covered many aspects.

      • Västerled Parish Preschool in Stockholm, Sweden from 1982-84, a municipal elementary school in Smedslätten, Bromma, Stockholm,  completed junior level, 1984-1986 (link translated from Swedish)
      • Ålstenskolan, a municipal elementary school in Ålsten, Bromma, Stockholm, completed intermediate level, 1986-1989 (link translated from Swedish)
      • Enskilda Gymnasiet, a prestigious independent secondary school in Tegnérlunden, in central Stockholm, followed a science and social studies program, 1989-1996
      • Centre International D’Études Françaises at the Université Catholique de L’Ouest in Angers, France, studied French, 1996-1997
      • Specially designed program to gain a general insight into the workings of the Riksdag (the Swedish Parliament) and the Swedish Government, 1997
      • Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, USA: studied Political Science and History, 1998-2000
      • Worked at the Swedish Embassy in Washington DC, May 1999
      • Studied conflict resolution and international peace-building, 2000
      • Studied the Presidency of the European Union, 2001
      • Followed a study program at the offices of the Swedish Government, 2001
      • Completed a study program at the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, and spent time in Uganda and Ethiopia, Spring 2002
      • Worked at the United Nations in New York, June – September 2002
      • Completed an internship with the Swedish Trade Council in Berlin and Paris, Autumn 2002
      • Study and work experience program in Swedish agriculture and forestry, 2003
      • Completed basic military training at the Swedish Armed Forces International Centre, 2003
      • Studied at the Swedish National Defense College in Stockholm focusing on political science, international relations, and conflict resolution, 2004
      • Traveled to Bangladesh and Sri Lanka to study international aid efforts in these countries, 2005
      • Followed the work of the Swedish Embassy in China and traveled to gain insights in the Chinese community, Autumn 2005
      • Diplomatic program at the Swedish Foreign Ministry which lasted for one academic year and included lectures, seminars, and group work, 2006-2007
      • Internship at the Permanent Representation of Sweden to the European Union, 2007-2008
      • Uppsala University, received a Bachelor of Science degree with a major in Peace and Conflict Studies in 2009

      Victoria_basic training

      Crown Princess Victoria during her basic military training in 2003; Photo: Swedish Royal Court, Jan Collsioo/Scanpix

      Crown Princess Victoria’s Fund was established in 1997 to provide support for recreational activities for children and young people with disabilities or chronic illnesses. Radiohjälpen, the fund-raising branch of Sveriges Television, the Swedish national TV and radio stations, runs an annual fund-raising drive supporting Crown Princess Victoria’s Fund.  The work this fund does is very important to the Crown Princess. Each year Victoria visits several clubs or projects that have been granted money. These visits are not announced in the official royal diary but are kept private. Sveriges Television accompanies her and airs short programs from these visits at some time during the year.

      In November 1997, the Swedish Royal Court announced that Victoria had an eating disorder after a period of much speculation in the press. Victoria had intended to attend Uppsala University in Sweden, but those plans were changed. Instead, she spent two years studying at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, USA. This allowed Victoria to lead an anonymous life while getting professional help and to recover without worrying about media speculations or being recognized on the streets.

      In 2002, the Swedish media began to report that Crown Princess Victoria was in a relationship with Daniel Westling, a personal trainer and gym owner, which she refused to confirm. Victoria first met Daniel Westling in 2001 when he became her personal trainer at the gym he owned in Stockholm. It was at a friend’s birthday party in 2002 that photographers caught a kiss between the two, fueling the interest in Victoria’s personal life.

      Despite some public opinion against Daniel as a potential spouse for the princess due to his “common” background, Victoria made it clear that one’s background was not the deciding factor in marriage, but rather the happiness shared by the couple. Speculation increased in July 2008 when Daniel moved to a rental apartment in a wing of Drottningholm Palace. Many believed this was to allow him to be groomed for the role of consort to the Crown Princess. The Royal Palace announced the engagement of Crown Princess Victoria and Daniel Westling on February 24, 2009. The announcement indicated that after the wedding Daniel Westling would be known as Prince Daniel, Duke of Västergötland, the male counterpart of Victoria’s title Duchess of Västergötland. Another announcement in May 2010 said that Westling would be granted the style His Royal Highness upon marriage.

       

      The wedding was held at Stockholm Cathedral also known as Storkyrkan on June 19, 2010. One Canadian reporter said it was “Europe’s biggest royal wedding since the Prince of Wales married Lady Diana Spencer in 1981.” There were 1,200 invited guests and 500,000 people lined Stockholm’s streets. According to Sveriges Television, the Swedish national public TV broadcaster, the wedding was the biggest event ever covered on television in Sweden.

      Victoria_wedding

      Victoria and Daniel greeting people in the streets of Stockholm; Credit – Wikipedia

      Victoria and Daniel have a daughter and a son. Their daughter Estelle is second in line to the Swedish throne after her mother and remained in that position after the birth of her brother.

      July 2023

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      Kingdom of Sweden Resources at Unofficial Royalty

      Princess Elisabeth of Belgium, Duchess of Brabant

      by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2014

      Princess Elisabeth of Belgium, Duchess of Brabant; Credit – Wikipedia (2023)

      The heir apparent to the Belgian throne, Princess Elisabeth, Duchess of Brabant (Elisabeth Therese Maria Helena), was born on October 25, 2001, at Erasmus Hospital in Anderlecht, Brussels, Belgium. She is the oldest of four children of Philippe King of the Belgians and Queen Mathilde (née Mathilde d’Udekem d’Acoz).

      Princess Elisabeth’s family in 2022: Princess Eléonore, Prince Gabriel, Queen Mathilde, King Philippe, Princess Elisabeth, and Prince Emmanuel

      Elisabeth has two brothers and a sister:

      Elisabeth was baptized on December 9, 2001, at Ciergnon Castle by Cardinal Godfried Danneels, the Archbishop of Mechelen-Brussels. Her godparents were:

      Embed from Getty Images

      In 2011, nine-year-old Princess Elisabeth gave her first public speech (in Dutch) at the opening of a children’s hospital named after her, the Princess Elisabeth Children’s Hospital in Ghent, Belgium. Her speech was short, and even giving a speech was very unconventional for young royals. Princess Elisabeth said: “Ladies and Gentlemen, I am very happy that I can give my name to this new children’s hospital today. Together with you, I hope that many children will find help here. I know they can count on your daily commitment. The Princess Elisabeth Children’s Hospital now gets a special place in my heart.”

      Embed from Getty Images

      On July 21, 2013, Elisabeth’s grandfather King Albert II abdicated in favor of her father who became King Philippe of the Belgians. Belgium had changed its succession law in 1991 to absolute primogeniture where the succession passes to the eldest child of the sovereign regardless of gender. Males and females have equal succession rights. This means that Elisabeth is the heir apparent and comes first in the line of succession as the eldest child. She is expected to become the first Belgian Queen Regnant.  Elisabeth automatically became Duchess of Brabant, the title used by the female heirs to the Belgian throne and the wives of male heirs.

      Embed from Getty Images
      July 21, 2013 – King Philippe’s accession to the throne, Elisabeth becomes the Duchess of Brabant, the traditional title for the heir apparent

      Princess Elisabeth attended Sint-Jan Berchmanscollege in the Marolles district of Brussels, the capital of Belgium. The children of Elisabeth’s aunt Princess Astrid attended this school. Instruction is in Dutch. This is the first time that a future Belgian monarch’s education began in a language other than French. Elisabeth is fluent in Dutch, French, German, and English.

      On July 5, 2014, Princess Elisabeth along with her cousin Princess Louise, daughter of Prince Laurent of Belgium, were bridesmaids at the wedding of their cousin Prince Amedeo of Belgium, Archduke of Austria-Este in Rome, Italy.  Prince Amedeo is the son of the princesses’ aunt, Princess Astrid.

      In 2018, Princess Elisabeth enrolled at the United World College of the Atlantic College, a private residential school at St Donat’s Castle in Llantwit Major, Wales, the United Kingdom, completing the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme in May 2020.  In August 2020, Elisabeth began her one-year studies in Social and Military Sciences at the Royal Military Academy, the military university of Belgium, in Brussels, Belgium.

      In 2021, Elisabeth began a three-year program studying History and Politics at Lincoln College, University of Oxford in Oxford, England. In May 2024, the Belgian Royal Court announced that Elisabeth was admitted to the John F. Kennedy School of Government, the school of public policy and government of Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, to study for a two-year master’s degree in public policy. She was also selected for an Honorary Award from the prestigious Fulbright Program.

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      Kingdom of Belgium Resources at Unofficial Royalty

      Prince Guillaume, Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg

      by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2014

      Prince Guillaume, Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg; Credit – Maison du Grand-Duc / Sophie Margue

      Prince Guillaume, Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg (Guillaume Jean Joseph Marie) was born on November 11, 1981, at the Grand Duchess Charlotte Maternity Hospital in Luxembourg City, Luxembourg. He is the eldest of five children of Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg and Cuban-born María Teresa Mestre y Batista-Falla.

      Guillaume has four younger siblings:

      Henri_family

      The Princely Family in 2009; Photo Credit – Zimbio

      Guillaume was christened on December 2, 1981, at the Grand Ducal Palace in Luxembourg City, Luxembourg. His godparents were:

      Prince Guillaume attended Lorentzweiler Primary School in Lorentzweiler, a small town in Luxembourg. He then completed his lower secondary education at Lycée Robert-Schumann Luxembourg in Luxembourg City, the capital of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. Guillaume completed his secondary education at Collège Alpin International Beau Soleil in Villars-sur-Ollon, Switzerland where he passed his French Baccalaureate in 2001.

      From September 2001 until August 2002, Guillaume underwent officer training at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in the United Kingdom. He was commissioned as an officer in the Luxembourg Army in December 2002 and currently holds the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel. In June 2009, Guillaume was awarded a Bachelor’s degree with distinction in Humanities and Languages with a specialization in Political Science at the University of Angers in France. He is fluent in Luxembourgish, French, English, German, and Spanish.

      Prince Guillaume is interested in politics, economics, and philosophy. His favorite books
      include biographies and historical novels. He enjoys music, both classical and modern,
      and plays piano and guitar. As a child, he sang in a boys’ choir, the Pueri Cantores Choir of Luxembourg. While in school in Switzerland, he was a singer in the school rock band and participated in several school plays. Guillaume loves sports, particularly football (soccer), tennis, skiing, swimming, and water sports.

      Guillaume became Hereditary Grand Duke in 2000 when his father acceded to the throne upon the abdication of his grandfather, Grand Duke Jean (born 1921).  The Hereditary Grand Duke is a member of the State Council (Conseil d’Etat), composed of twenty-one citizens who advise the Chamber of Deputies, the legislature of Luxembourg, in the drafting of legislation.

      Prince Guillaume participates in the administration and fundraising of the following organizations:

      Guillaume_civil wedding

      The couple exiting Town Hall after the civil marriage; Photo Credit – Wikipedia

      Guillaume_religious wedding

      Photo Credit – Zimbio

      Prince Guillaume first met Countess Stéphanie de Lanoy, (born 1984 in Ronse, East Flanders, Belgium to a Belgian noble family) when they were introduced by friends in Germany eight years before they married. They did not see each other until they met again about five years later and that was when they fell in love. Guillaume proposed to Stéphanie three weeks prior to the announcement of their engagement on April 26, 2012.  The couple was married in a civil ceremony at the City Hall in Luxembourg City, on October 19, 2012. Their religious wedding took place on October 20, 2012, at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Luxembourg City.

      Grand Duke Henri, Grand Duchess Maria Theresa holding Prince François, Hereditary Grand Duchess Stéphanie, Prince Charles, and Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume; Credit – House of the Grand Duke / Sophie Margue

      Guillaume and Stéphanie have two sons:

      Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume being sworn as Lieutenant Representative of Luxembourg on October 8, 2024

      On October 8, 2024, Guillaume was appointed as Lieutenant Representative, assuming a number of his father’s constitutional powers such as the swearing in of ambassadors and the signing of Grand Ducal Decrees. This is traditionally the first step in the abdication process in Luxembourg.

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

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      Grand Duchy of Luxembourg Resources at Unofficial Royalty

      Hereditary Prince Alois of Liechtenstein

      by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2014

      Embed from Getty Images 

      Hereditary Prince Alois of Liechtenstein

      Prince Alois Philipp Maria of Liechtenstein was born on June 11, 1968, in Zurich, Switzerland. He is the eldest son of Prince Hans-Adam II and Countess Marie Aglaë Kinsky of Wchinitz and Tettau. At the time of his father’s accession in 1989, he became The Hereditary Prince of Liechtenstein.

      Alois has three younger siblings:

      Raised at Vaduz Castle in Vaduz, Liechtenstein, Prince Alois attended primary school in Vaduz-Ebenholz and graduated from the Liechtenstein Gymnasium in 1987. He then enrolled in the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst in England. Upon being commissioned as a second lieutenant, he served with the Coldstream Guards in London and Hong Kong for six months. Following his military service, Prince Alois enrolled in the University of Salzburg in Austria, earning his Master’s Degree in 1993. He subsequently worked for an accounting firm in London from September 1993 until May 1996.

      photo: Corbis

      photo: Corbis

      On July 3, 1993, Alois married Duchess Sophie in Bavaria, at the Vaduz Cathedral. Sophie is the daughter of Prince Max, Duke in Bavaria, and Countess Elizabeth Douglas. They have four children:

      • Prince Joseph Wenzel (born 1995)
      • Princess Marie-Caroline (born 1996)
      • Prince Georg (born 1999)
      • Prince Nikolaus (born 2000)

      The couple initially settled in London before returning to Liechtenstein in 1996, where Prince Alois began working for the Prince of Liechtenstein Foundation, which oversees and manages the various assets of the Princely Family.

      On August 15, 2004, Prince Hans-Adam II appointed Alois as his “permanent representative for exercising the sovereign powers due to him, in preparation for his succession to the throne.” Alois now performs all his father’s duties both within the principality and internationally, however, Hans-Adam remains Head-of-State.  (Source: The Princely House of Liechtenstein)

       

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      Principality of Liechtenstein Resources at Unofficial Royalty

      Emperor Naruhito of Japan

      by Scott Mehl and Susan Flantzer   
      © Unofficial Royalty 2014

      Emperor Naruhito of Japan; Credit – Wikipedia

      Emperor Naruhito of Japan was born on February 23, 1960, at the Imperial Household Agency Hospital at the Tokyo Imperial Palace in Tokyo, Japan. He is the elder of the two sons and the eldest of the three children of Emperor Akihito and Michiko Shōda.  Born during the reign of his grandfather Emperor Hirohito, Naruhito was then second in line to the throne.

      Naruhito has a younger brother and a younger sister:

      Naruhito was educated at the Gakushūin (or Peers School) in Tokyo from the age of four and went on to earn his Bachelor’s Degree in History from Gakushūin University in 1982. He then studied at Merton College at Oxford University in the United Kingdom before returning to Gakushūin University, earning his Master’s Degree in history in 1988.

      photo: Imperial Household Agency

      photo: Imperial Household Agency

      In 1986, Naruhito first met Masako Owada at a tea held in honor of Infanta Elena of Spain, and by all reports, was instantly smitten with the beautiful and intelligent Masako. Despite disapproval from the Imperial Household Agency, and Masako leaving Japan for several years to study abroad, the two continued their relationship. Initially, Masako refused Naruhito’s proposals, as it would mean giving up her career and conforming to the stringent guidelines of the Imperial Household. However, he finally convinced her, and she accepted his third proposal in December 1992. Their engagement was announced in January 1993, and the formal engagement ceremony was held that April. Finally, On June 9, 1993, Naruhito and Masako were married in a traditional ceremony at the Imperial Shinto Hall in Tokyo. Following the ceremony, and a change into more contemporary attire, the newly married couple processed through the streets of Tokyo.

      The couple has one daughter:

      Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako, and their daughter Princess Aiko in 2019; Credit – Wikipedia

      Aside from many official duties, during his time as Crown Prince, Naruhito served as Honorary Vice-President of the Japanese Red Cross and Honorary President of the United Nations Secretary-General’s Advisory Board on Water and Sanitation. He also actively supported the World Organization of the Scout Movement. He undertook many official international visits and often represented his father Emperor Akihito at royal weddings and other events. He was very interested in water conservation served on the World Commission on Water for the 21st Century, and is the patron of the Global Water Partnership.

      On December 1, 2017,  Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced that Emperor Akihito would abdicate on April 30, 2019, and that his elder son Crown Prince Naruhito would become Emperor.  In 2016, Emperor Akihito had expressed a desire to abdicate, citing his age. The last abdication occurred 200 years ago when Emperor Kōkaku abdicated in 1817.  Emperor Akihito succeeded to the Chrysanthemum Throne on January 7, 1989, upon the death of his father Emperor Hirohito, now known by his posthumous name Emperor Shōwa.

      On April 1, 2019, it was announced that Naruhito will reign over the Reiwa era. The term for the new era comprises the two characters Rei and Wa. Rei means “commands” or “order” and also “auspicious” or “good”. Wa means “harmony” and is also used in the Japanese word for “peace” – hei-wa.

      Emperor Naruhito at the Enthronement Ceremony; Credit – By 首相官邸 – http://www.kantei.go.jp/jp/98_abe/actions/201910/22sokuirei.html, CC BY 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=83287923

      On May 1, 2019, Naruhito ascended the throne as Emperor of Japan and the Presentation of the Three Sacred Treasures ceremony occurred. Several more ceremonies occurred – October 22, 2019: Enthronement Ceremony (Sokui-Rei) and November 14-15, 2019: Great Thanksgiving Festival (Daijo-sai). See the link below for more information about the accession and enthronement ceremonies.

      There is male-line, male-only succession in Japan which means that Emperor Naruhito’s daughter cannot inherit the throne nor can any of her potential sons inherit the throne. There has been discussion about changing the succession but no action has been taken. Currently, there are only three people in the line of succession: Crown Prince Akishino (born in 1965, brother of Emperor Naruhito), Prince Hisahito, (born in 2005, son of Crown Prince Akishino), and Prince Hitachi (born in 1935, uncle of Emperor Naruhito). Probably, there will not be another person in the line of succession until Prince Hisahito marries and has a son.

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      State of Japan Resources at Unofficial Royalty