© Unofficial Royalty 2023

Queen Marie of Romania; Credit – Wikipedia

October 29, 1816 – Birth of Prince Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, King Consort of Portugal, husband of Queen Maria II of Portugal, in Vienna, Austria
Full name: Ferdinand August Franz Anton
Ferdinand was the son of Prince Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and Princess Maria Antonia Koháry de Csábrág.  He was a first cousin of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom and her husband Prince Albert, as well as Leopold II, King of the Belgians and Empress Carlota of Mexico, born Princess Charlotte of Belgium. In 1836, Ferdinand married Queen Maria II of Portugal and they had eleven children. In keeping with tradition, Ferdinand was elevated to King Consort following the birth of their eldest son, the future King Pedro V. In 1853, Queen Maria II died after giving birth to their last child. Ferdinand served as Regent for his eldest son King Pedro V until he became of age. In 1869, Ferdinand married again to Elise Hensler, a Swiss-born American actress. The couple had no children.
Unofficial Royalty: Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, King Consort of Portugal

October 29, 1873 – Death of King Johann of Saxony at Pillnitz Castle in Dresden, Kingdom of Saxony, now in Saxony, Germany; buried in the Wettin Crypt at the Dresden Cathedral
In 1822, Johann married Princess Amalie Auguste of Bavaria. They had nine children including two kings of Saxony. Johann became King of Saxony upon the death of his childless brother King Friedrich August II in 1854. His reign saw much progress within Saxony, including the extension of the railroad network, the introduction of free trade – including a commercial treaty with France – and the establishment of the Judiciary Organization. Under King Johann’s oversight, Saxony became one of the most modern and progressive of the German states. Johann died at the age of 72.
Unofficial Royalty: King Johann of Saxony

October 29, 1875 – Birth of Marie of Edinburgh, Queen of Romania, granddaughter of Queen Victoria, at Eastwell Park in Kent, England
Full name: Marie Alexandra Victoria
Marie was the daughter of Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh and Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna of Russia. She had always been very close with her cousin, the future King George V of the United Kingdom, and the two considered marriage. While Queen Victoria and both of their fathers were very supportive of the match, their mothers were not. Instead, in 1893, Marie married the Crown Prince of Romania. Born Prince Ferdinand of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, he was the heir-presumptive to his uncle, King Carol I of Romania. The couple officially had six children. The two youngest children are believed to have been fathered by Marie’s lover but were formally acknowledged by Ferdinand as his own.
Unofficial Royalty: Princess Marie of Edinburgh, Queen of Romania

October 29, 1900 – Death of Prince Christian Victor of Schleswig-Holstein, a grandson of Queen Victoria, in Pretoria, South African Republic, also known as the Transvaal Republic, now in South Africa, during the Boer War; buried in the Pretoria Cemetery, now in South Africa
Christian was the son of Princess Helena of the United Kingdom and Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein. In 1888, Christian joined the British Army reaching the rank of Major. In 1899, Christian began duty in the Boer War fought between the British Empire and the two Boer Republics. At the age of 33, Christian died of enteric fever during the Boer War in South Africa, having fallen ill with malaria. Although preparations were made to return his body to the United Kingdom, he was buried in a soldier’s grave in Pretoria, now in South Africa, at the wishes of his grandmother Queen Victoria.
Unofficial Royalty: Prince Christian Victor of Schleswig-Holstein

October 29, 1934 – Birth of Richard, 6th Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg, husband of Princess Benedikte of Denmark, in Giessen, Germany
Full name: Richard Casimir Karl August Robert Konstantin
Richard, 6th Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg was the husband of Princess Benedikte of Denmark. In 1919, Germany stopped recognizing the various titles of the nobility and royalty. However, in Germany today former hereditary titles are allowed only as part of the surname. Richard and Benedikte were married in 1968 and they had three children. Richard was active in a number of conservation programs including a project to reintroduce European bison on his 30,000-acre estate. Prince Richard died at his home, Berleburg Castle, in Bad Berleburg, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany on March 13, 2017, at the age of 82.
Unofficial Royalty: Richard, 6th Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg

October 29, 1950 – Death of King Gustav V of Sweden at Drottningholm Palace in Drottningholm, Sweden; buried at Riddarholmen Church in Stockholm, Sweden
Gustav was the eldest of four sons of King Oscar II of Sweden and Norway and Sophia of Nassau. In 1881, he married Princess Viktoria of Baden and they had three sons. In 1907, Gustaf became King of Sweden upon his father’s death. During World War I and World War II, both of which occurred during his 43-year reign, Sweden remained neutral. In 1948, King Gustaf celebrated his 90th birthday, but soon his health began to decline. Already spending the spring months on the French Riviera, he began to have his son the Crown Prince, the future King Gustaf VI Adolf, represent him at official functions. He made his last official appearance at a Cabinet meeting held on October 27, 1950. Two days later, as a result of complications from influenza at the age of 92.
Unofficial Royalty: King Gustav V of Sweden

October 29, 2004 – Death of Princess Alice, Dowager Duchess of Gloucester at Kensington Palace in London, England; buried in the Royal Burial Ground, Frogmore in Windsor, England
Alice was the widow of King George V’s son Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester, aunt of Queen Elizabeth II, and mother of Prince Richard, the current Duke of Gloucester. She was born Lady Alice Christabel Montagu Douglas Scott, the daughter of John Montagu Douglas Scott, 7th Duke of Buccleuch and 9th Duke of Queensberry and Lady Margaret Bridgeman. In 1935, Alice married Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester and the couple had two sons. During the early reign of Henry’s niece Queen Elizabeth II, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester carried out royal engagements including some overseas tours. Princess Alice died peacefully in her sleep at Kensington Palace in London at the age of 102, the longest-lived member of the British Royal Family so far.
Unofficial Royalty: Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester

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.

© Unofficial Royalty 2023

Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein; Credit – Wikipedia

October 28, 1667 – Birth of Maria Anna of Neuburg, Queen of Spain, second wife of King Carlos II of Spain, at Schloss Benrath in Düsseldorf, Duchy of Berg, now in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia
In 1689, Maria Anna married King Carlos II of Spain, developmentally disabled, both physically and mentally, due to the long-time inbreeding of the House of Habsburg. Likely, the marriage was never consummated. Carlos II died in 1700. The Spanish House of Habsburg became extinct and the Spanish throne was inherited by Philippe of France, Duke of Anjou who reigned as Felipe V, King of Spain, the first monarch of the House of Bourbon which still reigns in the Kingdom of Spain today. Due to a political situation, Maria Anna lived in exile in France from 1708 – 1739. In 1739, elderly and in ill health, Maria Anna was allowed to return to Spain. This was probably due to the influence of her niece Elisabeth Farnese, the daughter of Maria Anna’s sister Dorothea Sophie of Neuburg and Francesco Farnese, Duke of Parma, who had become the second wife of King Felipe V of Spain in 1714. Maria Anna was given a home at the Palacio del Infantado in Guadalajara, Spain, where she died on July 16, 1740, at the age of 72.
Unofficial Royalty: Maria Anna of Neuberg, Queen of Spain

October 28, 1708 – Death of Prince George of Denmark, husband of Queen Anne of Great Britain, at Kensington Palace in London, England; buried in Westminster Abbey in London, England
Prince George was the son of King Frederik III of Denmark. In 1683, George married Princess Anne of England (the future Queen Anne). George played no part in politics and had no real ambitions. His uncle by marriage, King Charles II, famously said of George, “I have tried him drunk, and I have tried him sober, and drunk or sober, there is nothing there.” Sadly, George and Anne had issues with providing an heir. Anne had 17 pregnancies with only five children being born alive but all five died in childhood. In the spring of 1706, George was seriously ill but seemed to recover. He spent much of the summer of 1708 at Windsor Castle with asthma that was so bad he was not expected to live. When Prince George died at the age of 55, Queen Anne deeply grieved for him. She was desperate to remain with George’s body but reluctantly left after persuasion from her childhood friend and favorite Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough.
Unofficial Royalty: Prince George of Denmark

October 28, 1740 – Death of Anna I, Empress of All Russia; buried at the Peter and Paul Cathedral in St. Petersburg, Russia
Anna was the daughter of Ivan V, Tsar of All Russia and Praskovia Feodorovna Saltykova. Anna had a very short marriage when she and her groom Friedrich Wilhelm, Duke of Courland were both seventeen but Friedrich Wilhelm died two months later and Anna never married again. When 14-year-old Peter II, Emperor of All Russia, grandson of Peter I (the Great), died of smallpox, Anna was chosen to succeed Peter II from the four adult females and one two-year-old male who were candidates for the Russian throne. Anna reigned for ten years. Suffering from an ulcer on her kidney and repeated attacks of gout, 48-year-old Anna was not in good health. On October 16, 1740, Anna sat down to dine with her favorite Ernst Johann von Biron. Suddenly, she felt ill and became unconscious. Doctors deemed her condition to be serious. She died twelve days apparently from gout and a very painful kidney stone.
Unofficial Royalty: Anna I, Empress of All Russia

October 28, 1767 – Birth of Marie of Hesse-Kassel, Queen of Denmark, wife of King Frederick VI of Denmark, in Hanau, Landgraviate of Hesse-Kassel, now in Hesse, Germany
Full name: Marie Sophie Frederikke
Marie was the daughter of Prince Carl of Hesse-Kassel and Princess Louise of Denmark and Norway. Her father was the second son of Friedrich II, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel and Princess Mary of Great Britain, daughter of King George II of Great Britain. Her mother was the youngest child of King Frederik V of Denmark and Norway and his first wife Princess Louisa of Great Britain, daughter of King George II of Great Britain. In 1790, Marie married the future King Frederick VI of Denmark. Frederik and Marie had eight children but unfortunately, six of them, including two boys, died in infancy. Only two daughters survived and both daughters had childless marriages. For the rest of her life, Marie would lament her lack of sons and grandchildren. Injuries from her last childbirth prevented Marie from having any further marital relations and she was forced to accept her husband’s adultery.
Unofficial Royalty: Marie of Hesse-Kassel, Queen of Denmark

October 28, 1914 – Death of Adelgunde of Bavaria, Duchess of Modena and Reggio, wife of Francesco V, Duke of Modena and Reggio, in Munich, Kingdom of Bavaria, now in the German state of Bavaria; buried at the Imperial Crypt in Vienna, Austria
Adelgunde was the daughter of Ludwig I, King of Bavaria and Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen. In 1842, she married the future Francesco V, Duke of Modena and Reggio. The couple had one daughter who died in infancy. In 1859, Adelgunde and Francesco V were forced to permanently flee the Duchy of Modena and Reggio during the Italian unification movement. In 1860, the Duchy of Modena and Reggio was annexed to the Kingdom of Sardinia. Vittorio Emanuele II, King of Sardinia was proclaimed the first King of the new, united Kingdom of Italy in 1861. Adelgunde and Francesco lived the rest of their lives in exile. Adelgunde survived her husband Francesco V, former Duke of Modena and Reggio by thirty-nine years, dying, at the age of 91.
Unofficial Royalty: Adelgunde of Bavaria, Duchess of Modena and Reggio

October 28, 1917 – Death of Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein, husband of Princess Helena of the United Kingdom, at Schomberg House, Pall Mall in London, England; initially interred in the Royal Crypt at St George’s Chapel, Windsor; in 1928, along with the remains of his wife and their son Harald, Christian was re-interred in the newly established Royal Burial Ground at Frogmore in Windsor, England
Christian and Helena first met each other on a visit to Coburg in the Duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. Despite the fifteen-year age difference, they were drawn to each other. They were married in 1866 and made an agreement with Queen Victoria that they would live in the United Kingdom, in close proximity to The Queen. Christian and Helena had five children. In 1916, he and Helena celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary – the first in the British royal family since King George III and Queen Charlotte. Chrisitan died at the age of 86.
Unofficial Royalty: Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein

October 28, 1967 – Birth of Hereditary Princess Sophie of Liechtenstein, wife of Hereditary Prince Alois of Liechtenstein, born Duchess Sophie in Bavaria, in Munich, Germany
Full name: Sophie Elizabeth Marie Gabrielle
Sophie is the eldest of five daughters of Prince Max, Duke in Bavaria and Countess Elizabeth Douglas. In 1993, she married Hereditary Prince Alois of Liechtenstein, the heir to the throne of Liechtenstein. They have four children.  Sophie often accompanies her husband on foreign visits, as well as many events within Liechtenstein. She serves as a patron for many organizations, often relating to children, education, and the arts, and has been the President of the Liechtenstein Red Cross since 2015. Sophie will likely become the Jacobite heir to the British throne after the death of her childless uncle and her father. See the article below for more information on the Jacobite Succession.
Unofficial Royalty: Sophie, Hereditary Princess of Liechtenstein
Unofficial Royalty: The Jacobite Succession – Pretenders to the British Throne

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.

© Unofficial Royalty 2023

Æthelstan presenting a book to St Cuthbert, the earliest surviving portrait of an English king, circa 930; Credit – Wikipedia

October 27, 939 – Death of Æthelstan, King of the English in Gloucester, England; buried at Malmesbury Abbey in Wiltshire, England
Æthelstan is regarded by modern historians to be the first King of England although he used the style King of the English (Rex Anglorum in Latin). He was the eldest son of Edward the Elder, King of the Anglo-Saxons and the only son of Ecgwynn, the first of Edward’s three wives. He was also a grandson of Alfred the Great. Æthelstan died in Gloucester on October 27, 939 at around the age of 45. Because he was never married, Æthelstan was succeeded by his half-brother Edmund I, King of the English.
Unofficial Royalty: Æthelstan, King of the English

October 27, 1327 – Death of Elizabeth de Brugh, Queen of Scots, second wife of Robert I, King of Scots (Robert the Bruce) at Cullen Castle in Banffshire, Scotland; buried at Dunfermline Abbey in Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland
Born in Ireland around 1284, Elizabeth de Burgh was the second wife of Robert I (the Bruce), King of Scots and his only Queen Consort. Robert the Bruce and King Edward I were constantly battling for control of Scotland in the Wars of Scottish Independence. In 1306, Edward I took Elizabeth, Robert’s daughter Marjorie from his first marriage, his sisters Mary and Christina, and Isabella MacDuff, Countess of Buchan as hostages. He held them until 1314. After Elizabeth’s release, she and Robert had four children. After falling from her horse, Elizabeth died, aged about 43-years-old.
Unofficial Royalty: Elizabeth de Brugh, Queen of Scots

October 27, 1401 – Birth of Catherine of Valois, Queen of England, wife of King Henry V of England, at the Hôtel Saint-Pol, a royal palace in Paris, France
Catherine was the daughter of King Charles VI of France. Most notable of Catherine’s siblings is King Charles VII of France who was the Dauphin helped by Joan of Arc during the Hundred Years War and Isabella of Valois who was the second wife and widow of King Richard II of England. In 1420, Catherine married King Henry V of England. The following year, Catherine gave birth to their only child, the future King Henry VI of England. In 1422, King Henry V died of dysentery, nine days before his 36th birthday and his son King Henry VI at the age of nine months started his 40 years on the throne. Catherine was left a widow at the age of 21. With Catherine being a young widow and with apparently no chance of remarriage, it should not seem unusual that she began an amorous relationship with Owen ap Maredudd ap Tudor, a Welsh soldier and courtier who served in her household. There is much debate as to whether Catherine and Owen married. No documentation of marriage exists and even if they did marry, their marriage would not have been legal due to the act regarding the remarriage of a queen dowager. Owen and Catherine had at least six children, Through their son Edmund Tudor descended King Henry VII of England and the Tudor Dynasty. Through their great-granddaughter Margaret Tudor descended the British royal family and many other European royal families.
Unofficial Royalty: Catherine of Valois, Queen of England

October 27, 1858 – Birth Prince Valdemar of Denmark, son of King Christian IX of Denmark, at Bernstorff Palace in Gentofte, Denmark
Valdemar was the youngest of the six children of King Christian IX of Denmark and Louise of Hesse-Kassel. He was the brother of King Frederik VIII of Denmark, Queen Alexandra of the United Kingdom, King George I of Greece, and Empress Maria Feodorovna of Russia. In 1885, Valdemar married Princess Marie of Orléans. Valdemar and Marie had four sons and one daughter. Three of their sons made unequal marriages and relinquished their position within the Danish Royal Family upon marrying without official consent from the monarch. Valdemar had a lifelong naval career which frequently caused him to be away from home.
Unofficial Royalty: Prince Valdemar of Denmark

October 27, 1868 – Death of Harriet Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, Duchess of Sutherland, Queen Victoria’s Mistress of the Robes 1837–1841, 1846–1852, 1853–1858, and 1859–1861, at Stafford House in London, England; buried in the Sutherland Mausoleum in Trentham, Stoke-on-Trent, England
Born The Honourable Harriet Elisabeth Georgiana Howard, daughter of George Howard, 6th Earl of Carlisle, Harriet did not have an affair with Ernst II, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha as depicted in the television series Victoria. The real Harriet was twelve years older than Ernst and her husband George Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, 2nd Duke of Sutherland did not die until 1861. Harriet and her husband had a successful, loving marriage and had eleven children.
Unofficial Royalty: Harriet Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, Duchess of Sutherland

October 27, 1888 – Death of Helena of Nassau, Princess of Waldeck and Pyrmont, first wife of Georg Viktor, Prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont, in Pyrmont, Principality of Waldeck and Pyrmont, now in Hesse, Germany; buried at the Princely Crypt in Rhoden, now in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany
In 1853, Helena married Georg Viktor, Prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont.  The couple had six daughters and one son. Because of her efforts, the relatively poor House of Waldeck-Pyrmont was linked by the marriages of their children to the richer ruling dynasties of Würtemberg, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. Georg Viktor and Helena are the ancestors of the Dutch royal family through their daughter Emma and the Swedish royal family through their daughter Helena. Their daughter Helena of Waldeck-Pyrmont married the youngest son of Queen Victoria, Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany.
Unofficial Royalty: Helena of Nassau, Princess of Waldeck and Pyrmont

October 27, 1914 – Death of Prince Maurice of Battenberg, grandson of Queen Victoria, killed in action during World War I at Zonnebeke, Ypres, Belgium; buried at the at Ypres Town Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery in Ypres, Belgium
Maurice was the youngest of the four children of Princess Beatrice of the United Kingdom and Prince Henry of Battenberg. On October 27, 1914, Maurice was leading an attack on the German frontline at Zonnebeke near Ypres in the Belgian province of West Flanders when he was mortally wounded by shrapnel. The platoon sergeant tried to offer help to the wounded prince, but Maurice, aged 23, died before his men could bring him to a safer place. Upon hearing the news, King George V who was Maurice’s first cousin, and Queen Mary drove to Kensington Palace to console Princess Beatrice. Lord Kitchener, the Secretary of State for War, offered to have Maurice’s body brought back to England, but Princess Beatrice replied, “No, let him lie with his comrades.” Maurice was buried in the Ypres Town Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery in Ypres, Belgium.
Unofficial Royalty: Prince Maurice of Battenberg

October 27, 1963 – Death of Berthold, Margrave of Baden, Head of the House of Zähringen and Pretender to the former Grand Ducal throne of Baden from 1929 until his death, in Spaichingen, Germany; buried in the Mimmenhausen Cemetery in Salem, Germany
Unofficial Royalty: Berthold, Margrave of Baden

October 27, 2016 – Death of Prince Mikasa of Japan, son of Emperor Taishō and brother of Emperor Shōwa, at St. Luke’s International Hospital in Tokyo, Japan; buried at the Toshimagaoka Imperial Cemetery in Tokyo
In 1941, Prince Mikasa married Yuriko Takagi, daughter of Japanese noble Viscount Masanari, who was known as Princess Mikasa after her marriage. The couple had three sons and two daughters. All three sons predeceased their parents. Prince Mikasa died of heart failure on October 27, 2016, at the age of 100, a little more than a month before his 101st birthday. At the time of his death, he was the world’s oldest royal, the longest-lived member of the Japanese Imperial Family, and the last of the five Japanese princes in the line of succession. (Today, there are only three princes in the line of succession. See The Japanese Succession Crisis) Prince Mikasa lived during the reigns of three emperors: his father Emperor Taishō, his brother Emperor Hirohito, and his nephew Emperor Akihito.
Unofficial Royalty: Prince Mikasa of Japan

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.

© Unofficial Royalty 2023

Princess Beatrice of the United Kingdom; Credit – Wikipedia

October 26, 899 – Death of Alfred the Great, King of the Anglo-Saxons; initially buried at the Old Minster in Winchester, England, in 903, Alfred’s remains were moved to the New Minster, in 1110, his remains were moved to Hyde Abbey in Winchester which was destroyed in 1539 during the Dissolution of the Monasteries during the reign of King Henry VIII
Alfred the Great was King of Wessex and later styled himself King of the Anglo-Saxons. Alfred and Cnut, King of England, Denmark, Norway, and parts of Sweden are the only British monarchs to be given the epithet “the Great”. Alfred spent several years fighting Viking invasions. In 878, he won a decisive victory in the Battle of Edington and made an agreement with the Vikings, creating what was known as the Danelaw in the north of England. During Alfred’s reign major administrative and military reforms were introduced, creating lasting change in England. Alfred had long suffered from a mysterious illness with periodic painful attacks. Alfred’s contemporary biographer, the Welsh monk Asser, gave a detailed description of his symptoms and modern doctors suspect that he had either Crohn’s disease or hemorrhoidal disease. However, Alfred’s grandson King Eadred also suffered from ill health all his life. He had symptoms similar to the symptoms Alfred had. A genetic disease such as porphyria, which King George III may have had, is also a possibility.  Alfred died at around the age of 50 from unknown causes.
Unofficial Royalty: Alfred the Great, King of Wessex, King of the Anglo-Saxons

October 26, 1580 – Death of Anna of Austria, Queen of Spain, fourth wife of King Felipe II Spain, in Badajoz, Spain; buried at the Monastery of San Lorenzo El Real in El Escorial, Spain
Anna was the daughter of Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor, King of Hungary and Croatia, Archduke of Austria and Maria of Spain. In 1570, she married her uncle King Felipe II of Spain, becoming his fourth wife. They had five children including Felipe III, King of Spain who succeeded his father. Anna died from influenza at the age of 30, on October 26, 1580, eight months after giving birth to her youngest child.
Unofficial Royalty: Anna of Austria, Queen of Spain

October 26, 1717 – Death of Catherine Sedley Colyear, Countess of Dorchester, Countess of Portmore, mistress of King James II of England, in Bath, England; initially buried in Bath, in 1729 her remains were reinterred in the new Portmore vault at St. James’ Church in Weybridge, Surrey, England
Catherine was appointed a maid of honor to Maria Beatrice of Modena, Duchess of York, the second wife of James, Duke of York, the future King James II of England. She caught the eye of James and became his mistress. Catherine and James had three children. In 1685, when James became king, Catherine was created Countess of Dorchester and Baroness of Darlington in her own right for life. After James was deposed and fled to France in 1688, Catherine remained in England. She married Sir David Colyear and they had two sons. In 1714, at the coronation of King George I, Catherine met Charles II’s mistress Louise de Kérouaille, Duchess of Portsmouth, and William III’s mistress Elizabeth Hamilton, Countess of Orkney, and exclaimed “God! Who would have thought that we three whores should meet here.” When Catherine died, aged 59, her life peerage became extinct.
Unofficial Royalty: Catherine Sedley, Countess of Dorchester, mistress of King James II of England

October 26, 1802 – Birth of King Miguel I of Portugal at the Queluz National Palace in Lisbon, Portugal
Full name: Miguel Maria do Patrocínio João Carlos Francisco de Assis Xavier de Paula Pedro de Alcântara António Rafael Gabriel Joaquim José Gonzaga Evaristo
Miguel was the son of King João VI of Portugal who reigned until his death in 1826. At that time, João VI’s elder son succeeded to the throne as King Pedro IV. Pedro was king for only two months, abdicating in favor of his daughter Queen Maria II of Portugal. Maria Antonia’s father Miguel served as regent for his niece Maria II. As regent, Miguel claimed the Portuguese throne in his own right. This led to a difficult political situation, during which many people were killed, imprisoned, persecuted, or sent into exile, finally culminating in the Portuguese Liberal Wars. Ultimately, Miguel was deposed in 1834 and lived the last thirty-two years of his life in exile.
Unofficial Royalty: King Miguel I of Portugal

October 26, 1862 – Death of Marie Luise of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Duchess of Saxe-Altenburg, wife of Georg, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg, at the Elisabethenburg Palace in Meiningen, Duchy of Meiningen, now in Thuringia, Germany; buried in the Ducal Mausoleum in the Altenburg cemetery, in the Duchy of Saxe-Altenburg, now in Thuringia, Germany, in 1974, all the remains were removed from the mausoleum and reburied elsewhere in the cemetery
Marie Luise was the wife of Friedrich, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg. The couple had three children. While Duchess of Saxe-Altenburg, Marie Luise did much charity work. Through her Marie Foundation, she founded a woman’s association, several schools, and the Lutheran missionary society in Altenburg. Marie Luise died at the age of 59.
Unofficial Royalty: Marie Luise of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Duchess of Saxe-Altenburg

October 26, 1897 – Death of Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge, Duchess of Teck, in London, England; buried in the Royal Vault at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle in Windsor, England
The daughter of Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge, Mary Adelaide was a male-line grandchild of King George III of the United Kingdom, a first cousin of Queen Victoria, and the mother of Mary of Teck, wife of King George V. Through her daughter Queen Mary, Mary Adelaide is the great-grandmother of Queen Elizabeth II and an ancestor of the members of the House of Windsor. Mary Adelaide married Prince Francis of Teck and the couple had three sons and one daughter. devoted her life to charity, serving as the first royal patron of Barnardo’s, a charity still in existence, founded by Thomas Barnardo in 1866 to care for vulnerable children and young people. Barnardo’s has a long history of royal patrons and presidents including Queen Alexandra, Queen Mary (Mary Adelaide’s daughter), Queen Elizabeth II, Diana, Princess of Wales, and The Duchess of Cornwall. Mary Adelaide died at the age of 63 from heart failure, two hours after an emergency operation.
Unofficial Royalty: Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge, Duchess of Teck

October 26, 1944 – Death of Princess Beatrice of the United Kingdom, last surviving child of Queen Victoria, at Bantridge Park in Balcombe, Sussex, England; buried at St. Mildred’s Church in Whippingham, Isle of Wight, England
The youngest of the nine children of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, by the time she was three years old, Beatrice was an aunt twice over.  Only four and a half when her father died, Beatrice had lost one of her principal role models. Because of her mother’s prolonged grief and mourning, Beatrice’s life would forever be shaped by her father’s death. She became a great solace to her mother, and as the years progressed Queen Victoria hoped that Beatrice would always be her constant companion. Beatrice finally got her mother’s permission to marry Prince Henry of Battenberg after promising that Henry would renounce his military career, nationality, and home and agree to live with Beatrice and the Queen. Beatrice and Henry had three sons and one daughter. Through their daughter, they are ancestors of the Spanish royal family. Beatrice was a hemophilia carrier. Her son Leopold was a hemophiliac and her daughter Victoria Eugenie was a carrier. Beatrice’s youngest Maurice was killed in action during World War II. Beatrice, rather infamously, edited her mother’s journals, deleting two-thirds of the original content. As she aged, Beatrice became very infirm with arthritis and needed to use a wheelchair. She died at the age of 87, the last surviving child of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. Her funeral was held at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle. Queen Elizabeth, the wife of King George VI, Beatrice’s great-nephew, led Queen Victoria Eugenie of Spain, Beatrice’s daughter, to the open vault in the choir where they both curtsied. Behind them in the choir stalls stood a young woman dressed in black, 18-year-old Princess Elizabeth, the future Queen Elizabeth II.
Unofficial Royalty: Princess Beatrice of the United Kingdom

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.

© Unofficial Royalty 2023

King Alexander I of Greece, Credit – Wikipedia

October 25, 1154 – Death of King Stephen of England at Dover Castle in Kent, England; buried at Faversham Abbey in Kent, England; Henry FitzEmpress ascends to the throne as King Henry II, the first of the Angevin Kings of England
King Stephen was born Stephen of Blois, the son of Stephen II, Count of Blois and Adela of Normandy and England, a daughter of King William I of England (the Conqueror). After his uncle King Henry I of England died, Stephen seized power. Stephen and his first cousin Matilda, the only surviving legitimate child of King Henry I of England, fought a long civil war known as The Anarchy between 1135 and 1153. In 1153, a treaty was signed that allowed Stephen to keep the English throne until his death but forced him to recognize Matilda’s son Henry FitzEmpress, as his heir. Stephen died the following year of appendicitis. Matilda’s son began his reign as King Henry II of England, the start of a line of fourteen Plantagenet kings who ruled until 1485.
Unofficial Royalty: King Stephen of England

October 25, 1692 – Birth of Elisabeth Farnese of Parma, Queen of Spain, second wife of King Felipe V of Spain, at Palazzo della Pilotta in Parma, Italy
After the death of his first wife, Felipe V of Spain married Elisabeth in 1714. Elisabeth and Felipe V had six children. Felipe V experienced episodes of manic depression. During several periods, he was unable to handle government affairs and Elisabeth became the de facto ruler. As he grew older, Felipe V’s mental issues worsened and Elisabeth became the permanent de facto ruler of Spain. In 1746, Felipe V had a stroke and died a few hours later. Elisabeth’s stepson Fernando VI, King of Spain reigned for thirteen years. Fernando’s marriage was childless so upon his death in 1759, Elisabeth’s elder surviving son succeeded his half-brother as King Carlos III of Spain. On July 11, 1766, aged 73, Elisabeth died at the Royal Palace of Aranjuez in Aranjuez, Spain.
Unofficial Royalty: Elizabeth Farnese of Parma, Queen of Spain

October 25, 1743 – Birth of Friedrich Karl August, Prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont in Zweibrücken, County Palatinate-Zweibrücken, now in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany
In 1763, Friedrich Karl August’s father died and he succeeded him as reigning Prince of Waldeck-Pyrmont. However, his mother Christiane Henriette served as Regent of the Principality of Waldeck-Pyrmont until 1766. After a visit to England in 1775 to learn about ways to modernize Waldeck-Pyrmont, Friedrich Karl August instituted plans for road construction, improvements to agriculture, production of wool and linen, and the mining of iron. The education system was improved and a gymnasium, the term for a German secondary school was constructed in Korbach. Friedrich Karl August died at age 68 and because he was unmarried, his brother Georg succeeded him.
Unofficial Royalty: Friedrich Karl August, Prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont 

October 25, 1759 – Birth of Sophie Dorothea of Württemberg, Empress Maria Feodorovna, Empress of All Russia, second wife of Paul I, Emperor of All Russia, in Stettin, Kingdom of  Prussia, now in Poland
Full name: Sophia Marie Dorothea Auguste Luise
In 1776, less than six months after the death of Paul’s first wife and child in childbirth, 17-year-old Maria Feodorovna and 22-year-old Paul Petrovich were married. The couple had a happy marriage for many years. Maria Feodorovna and Paul had ten children including two Emperors of All Russia. Maria Feodorovna promoted the arts, painted watercolors, designed cameos, and created ivory artworks. She was a gifted musician, played the harpsichord, and arranged for plays to be performed at her court. Maria and Paul were particularly interested in German and French literature and created an extensive library of German works at Gatchina Palace where writers, artists, and scholars frequently gathered.
Unofficial Royalty: Sophie Dorothea of Württemberg, Maria Feodorovna, Empress of All Russia

October 25, 1760 – Death of King George II of Great Britain at Kensington Palace in London, England; buried at Westminster Abbey in London, England
On October 25, 1760, King George II woke up early at Kensington Palace and had his usual cup of chocolate. He asked about the direction of the wind as he was anxious about receiving his overseas mail, and then he entered his water closet. A few minutes later, his valet heard a crash and found George lying on the floor. He was put into bed and asked for his favorite daughter Princess Amelia, but he died before the princess reached him. An autopsy showed that he died of a ruptured aortic aneurysm. King George II was buried in Westminster Abbey, the last monarch to be buried there. He was succeeded by his grandson, King George III.
Unofficial Royalty: King George II of Great Britain

October 25, 1874 – Birth of Bertha Louise of Hesse-Philippsthal-Barchfeld, Princess of Lippe, the first of the two wives of Leopold IV, the last Prince of Lippe, in Burgsteinfurt, a city under the control of the noble Bentheim-Steinfurt family, now in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia
In 1901, Bertha Louise married the future Leopold IV, Prince of Lippe. The couple had five children. Alexander, Prince of Lippe, the last of the Lippe-Detmold line, died in 1905. With the extinction of the Lippe-Detmold line, the throne of the Principality of Lippe went to Bertha Louise’s husband who reigned as Leopold IV and would be the last reigning Prince of Lippe. Following the German Empire’s defeat in World War I and the German Revolution of 1918-1919, Leopold IV was forced to renounce the throne. However, Leopold negotiated a treaty with the new government that allowed his family to remain in Lippe.
Unofficial Royalty: Bertha Louise of Hesse-Philippsthal-Barchfeld, Princess of Lippe

October 25, 1920 – Death of King Alexander of Greece from blood poisoning caused by a monkey bite, at the Royal Palace in Athens, Greece; buried at the Royal Cemetery at Tatoi Palace in Greece
On October 2, 1920, King Alexander was bitten by a monkey while walking on the grounds of Tatoi Palace. Not thinking it was serious, he had the wound cleaned and dressed, but it soon became infected. He soon developed septicemia and became delirious with fever. Despite his pleas for his mother to be at his bedside, the government would not allow either of his parents to return to Greece. They did, however, allow his grandmother, Queen Olga, to come to Athens. King Alexander died on October 25, 1920, at the Royal Palace. Delayed by bad weather, Queen Olga did not arrive until two hours after his death.
Unofficial Royalty: King Alexander of Greece

October 25, 1921 – Birth of King Mihai (Michael) of Romania in a chalet on the grounds of Peleş Castle  in Sinaia, Romania
Mihai was the only child of King Carol II of Romania and his second wife, Princess Helen of Greece. He was the last King of Romania, reigning from 1927 to 1930 and again from 1940 until his forced abdication in 1947. In 1947, Mihai married Princess Anne of Bourbon-Parma. The couple had five daughters. Their eldest daughter Margareta is the current Custodian of the Crown of Romania. Mihai was banned from Romania for 43 years. In 1997, the Romanian government restored Mihai’s citizenship and in the following years, several properties were returned to the royal family.
Unofficial Royalty: King Michael of Romania

October 25, 1942 – Birth of Archduke Leopold Franz of Austria at Leutstetten Castle, near Starnberg, Bavaria, Germany
Archduke Leopold Franz of Austria was the Pretender to the former Grand Ducal throne of Tuscany from 1984 until he renounced his rights in favor of his son in 1993.
Unofficial Royalty: Archduke Leopold Franz of Austria

October 25, 1951 – Death of Amélie of Orléans, Queen of Portugal, wife of King Carlos I of Portugal, at Château de Bellevue, Le Chesnay, France; buried at the Monastery of São Vicente de Fora in Lisbon, Portugal
In 1886, Amélie married the future King Carlos I of Portugal. They had three children including King Manuel II, the last King of Portugal. As Queen, Amélie took great interest in the well-being of the Portuguese people, establishing hospitals, sanatoriums, pharmacies, kitchens, and nurseries. On February 1, 1908, King Carlos I was shot and killed by two gunmen while riding in an open carriage in Lisbon, Portugal. The king’s elder son and heir, Luís Filipe, Prince Royal, was also killed in the attack. The younger son Manuel was injured. Remarkably, Queen Amélie was unharmed and is credited with likely having saved the life of her younger son. In October 1910, the monarchy was deposed during the Republican Revolution. Amélie went into exile along with her son Manuel, and mother-in-law, settling in Twickenham, London. In 1912, Amélie moved to the Château de Bellevue, Le Chesnay, France where she died in 1951 at the age of 86.
Unofficial Royalty: Amélie of Orléans, Queen of Portugal

October 25, 1980 – Death of Philipp, Landgrave of Hesse, Head of the Electoral House of Hesse-Kassel and Head of Grand Ducal House of Hesse and by Rhine, in Rome, Italy; buried in the family cemetery at the former Schloss Friedrichshof (now Schlosshotel Kronberg) in Kronberg im Taunus, in the German state of Hesse
Philipp became head of the Electoral House of Hesse (also known as Hesse-Kassel) in 1940. In 1968, upon the death of his childless distant cousin, Prince Ludwig of Hesse and by Rhine, Philipp inherited the headship of the former Grand Ducal House of Hesse and by Rhine as well. This reunited the last two remaining branches of the historic House of Hesse, which had been divided in 1567.
Unofficial Royalty: Philipp, Landgrave of Hesse

October 25, 2001 – Birth of Princess Elisabeth of Belgium, Duchess of Brabant, daughter and heir apparent of Philippe, King of the Belgians, at Hôpital Erasme in Anderlecht, Brussels, Belgium
Full name: Elisabeth Thérèse Marie Hélène
Belgium 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.
Unofficial Royalty: Princess Elisabeth, Duchess of Brabant

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.

© Unofficial Royalty 2023

Jane Seymour, Queen of England, Credit – Wikipedia

October 24, 1503 – Birth of Isabel of Portugal, Queen of Spain, Holy Roman Empress, wife of King Carlos I of Spain (Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor), in Lisbon, Portugal
The daughter of Manuel I, King of Portugal and his second wife Infanta Maria of Aragon, Isabella was the wife of her first cousin Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor who was also King of Spain, Archduke of Austria, Lord of the Netherlands, Duke of Burgundy, among many other titles. Charles and Isabella had five children but only three survived to adulthood. Their son Felipe would become King of Spain, King of Portugal, King of Naples and Sicily, Duke of Milan, Lord of the Seventeen Provinces of the Netherlands, and jure uxoris (by right of his wife) King of England and Ireland during his marriage to his second wife Queen Mary I of England from 1554 until Mary’s death in 1558. In 1539, during the third month of Isabella’s seventh pregnancy, she developed a fever causing her to miscarry. The fever caused her condition to worsen and Isabella died two weeks later in Toledo, Spain, on May 1, 1539, aged thirty-five. Charles never recovered from her death, dressed in black for the rest of his life, and despite being only thirty-nine, never remarried.
Unofficial Royalty: Isabel of Portugal, Queen of Spain, Holy Roman Empress

October 24, 1537 – Death of Jane Seymour, Queen of England, third wife of King Henry VIII of England, from childbirth complications at Hampton Court Palace in Richmond, England; buried at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle in Windsor, England
On May 30, 1536, King Henry VIII was married to Jane Seymour, his third wife, in a private ceremony held in the Queen’s Closet at Whitehall Palace. On October 12, 1537, Jane gave birth to Henry VIII’s long-awaited male heir. Jane’s labor had been long, two days and three nights. Three days later, the baby was christened Edward after Edward the Confessor. On October 17, 1537, Jane’s condition deteriorated and she was given the last rites. She died on October 24, 1537, most likely from puerperal fever or childbed fever, a bacterial infection.
Unofficial Royalty: Jane Seymour, Queen of England

October 24, 1723 – Death of Praskovia Feodorovna Saltykova, Tsaritsa of All Russia, wife of Ivan V, Tsar of All Russia, in St. Petersburg, Russia; buried at the Alexander Nevsky Monastery in St. Petersburg, Russia in the crypt of the Annunciation Church
Praskovia Feodorovna Saltykova was the wife of Ivan V, Tsar of All Russia and the mother of Anna I, Empress of All Russia. Ivan V was physically and mentally disabled and co-reigned with his younger half-brother Peter I (the Great), Emperor of All Russia. Praskovia and Ivan had five daughters. Ivan died in 1696 at the age of 29. Praskovia had great respect for her brother-in-law Peter I and often served as the first lady, welcoming visitors to the Russian court. She understood the need for the changes Peter was making in Russia, raised her daughters, and held her court in a modern Western manner, which made her well-regarded by Peter. Praskovia’s health began to suffer towards the end of her life and she suffered from several ailments. She died the day after her 59th birthday.
Unofficial Royalty: Praskovia Feodorovna Saltykova, Tsaritsa of All Russia

October 24, 1829 – Death of Luise of Hesse-Darmstadt, Grand Duchess of Hesse and by Rhine, wife of Grand Duke Ludwig I of Hesse and by Rhine, at the summer residence Fürstenlager in Auerbach now in Hesse, Germany; buried in the Darmstadt Stadtkirche until 1910, when her remains were moved to the Altes Mausoleum in the Rosenhöhe in Darmstadt
In 1777, Luise married her first cousin, the future Grand Duke Ludwig I of Hesse and by Rhine. The couple had six children. Luise’s husband Ludwig succeeded his father in April 1790 as Ludwig X, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt. After the fall of the Holy Roman Empire, Hesse-Darmstadt was raised to the Grand Duchy of Hesse, with Ludwig becoming its first Grand Duke, Ludwig I. In 1816, at the Congress of Vienna, he was forced to cede his Westphalian territories, but in return was given the Rheinhessen region which included the city of Mainz. It was then, that the Grand Duchy of Hesse became the Grand Duchy of Hesse and by Rhine. Luise died at her summer residence at the age of 68.
Unofficial Royalty: Luise of Hesse-Darmstadt, Grand Duchess of Hesse and by Rhine

October 24, 1887 – Birth of Victoria Eugénie of Battenberg, Queen of Spain, wife of King Alfonso XIII of Spain and granddaughter of Queen Victoria, at Balmoral Castle in Scotland
Full name: Victoria Eugénie Julia Ena
Known as Queen Ena of Spain, she was the daughter of Princess Beatrice of the United Kingdom and Prince Henry of Battenberg. The current Spanish Royal Family are her descendants. In 1906, Ena married King Alfonso XIII of Spain. The couple had seven children and Ena passed on hemophilia to two of her sons. She threw herself into her new role as Queen and began working with charities that supported the poor, promoted education, and took a particular interest in nursing and hospital care. Following the establishment of the Second Spanish Republic in 1931, the family went into exile and Ena and Alfonso soon went their separate ways. In February 1968, Ena returned to Spain for the first time since going into exile in 1931 to serve as godmother to her new great-grandson, the future King Felipe VI of Spain. After she returned to her home in Switzerland, and soon her health began to fail. Ena died, aged 87, at her home in Lausanne, Switzerland, surrounded by her family.
Unofficial Royalty: Victoria Eugénie of Battenberg, Queen of Spain

October 24, 1895 – Birth of Count Pierre de Polignac, after his marriage, Prince Pierre of Monaco, Duke of Valentinois, at the Château de Kerscamp in Hennebont, Britanny region,  France
Pierre was the husband of Princess Charlotte of Monaco, the daughter of Louis II, Prince of Monaco, and the father of Rainier III, Prince of Monaco. Once Pierre had produced a male heir, he was no longer necessary. His father-in-law Prince Louis II disliked him and Charlotte became unhappy shortly after the marriage. In the mid-1920s, the couple unofficially separated. Pierre and Charlotte were legally separated by a French court in 1930. On February 18, 1933, they were divorced by the ordinance of Prince Louis II, and the divorce was confirmed by a French tribunal in December 1933. During the reign of his son Prince Rainier III, Pierre lived in a villa near the Prince’s Palace in Monaco. Pierre Prince Pierre died of cancer on November 10, 1964, and was buried at the Chapelle de la Paix in Monaco where his former wife Princess Charlotte, his daughter Princess Antoinette, and her deceased children have also been buried.
Unofficial Royalty: Count Pierre de Polignac, Prince Pierre of Monaco, Duke of Valentinois

October 24, 1921 – Birth of Princess Gina of Liechtenstein, born Countess Georgina von Wilczek, wife of Prince Franz Josef II of Liechtenstein, in Graz, Austria
Full name: Georgina Norberta Jane Marie Antonie Raphaela, called Gina
In 1943, Gina married Franz Josef II, Prince of Liechtenstein. They had five children including the present Prince of Liechtenstein, Hans-Adam II. During World War II, Princess Gina, like her mother, had concerns for prisoners of war. In 1945, she founded the Liechtenstein Red Cross and was president from 1945 to 1984. Gina died in 1989, in a hospital in Grabs, Switzerland, six days before her 68th birthday after a long battle with cancer. Her husband Franz Josef died 26 days later.
Unofficial Royalty: Countess Gina von Wilczek, Princess of Liechtenstein

October 24, 1947 – Birth of Prince Nikolaus of Liechtenstein, son of Prince Franz Josef II, brother of Prince Hans-Adam II, in Zurich, Switzerland
Full name: Nikolaus Ferdinand Maria Josef Raphael
In 1982, Prince Nikolaus married Princess Margaretha of Luxembourg, daughter of Grand Duke Jean of Luxembourg. Their marriage would be the last between two reigning royal houses in Europe. Nikolaus worked for the International Red Cross in Geneva, and later as a consultant in Liechtenstein’s Office of International Relations. From 1979-1989, he served as Permanent Representative to the Council of Europe. In 1986, he was appointed the first non-resident Ambassador to the Holy See, a position which he held until July 2017. In addition, he served as Ambassador to Switzerland from 1989-1996, and Ambassador to Belgium and the European Union from 1996-2010.
Unofficial Royalty: Prince Nikolaus of Liechtenstein

October 24, 1951 – Death of Prince Carl of Sweden, Duke of Västergötland, son of King Oscar II of Sweden, in Stockholm, Sweden; buried in the royal cemetery in Haga Park, Solna, Sweden
In 1897, Carl married Princess Ingeborg of Denmark, daughter of King Frederik VIII of Denmark. Despite the fact that neither was the heir to a throne, the prospect of another Danish-Swedish royal union was an exciting one to the families of the couple and citizens of their respective countries. Carl and Ingeborg are ancestors of the current Belgian royal family, Luxembourg grand ducal family, and Belgian royal family. Belgian Kings Baudouin and Albert II, Norwegian King Harald V, and Grand Duchess of Luxembourg Josephine-Charlotte are all grandchildren of Carl and Ingeborg. Carl exhibited excellent skills of diplomacy and was later sought to help mediate peace talks and arrange the release of political prisoners. He distinguished himself as the President of the Swedish Red Cross, earning several Nobel Peace Prize nominations for his work with prisoners of war. Carl died on October 24,  1951, in Stockholm, Sweden at the age of 90.
Unofficial Royalty: Prince Carl of Sweden, Duke of Västergötland

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.

© Unofficial Royalty 2023

Alexander of Battenberg, Prince of Bulgaria; Credit – Wikipedia

October 23, 1636 – Birth of Hedwig Eleonora of Holstein-Gottorp, Queen of Sweden, Regent of Sweden, wife King Karl X of Sweden, at Gottorp Castle at Schleswig, in the Duchy of Schleswig, now in the German state of Schleswig-Holstein
Hedwig Eleonora married King Karl X of Sweden in 1654, the day after her eighteenth birthday.  They had one son. Karl died at the age of 37 in 1660 from influenza and pneumonia, leaving his four-year-old son to succeed him as Karl XI, King of Sweden. Hedwig Eleonora was to be Regent of Sweden and her son’s guardian until he reached his majority. Even after her son married Ulrika Eleonora of Denmark, Hedwig Eleonora remained the first lady of the court. Foreign ambassadors always paid their respects to Hedwig Eleonora first, and then to Ulrika Eleonora. After the death of her husband, Hedwig Eleonora was the dowager queen for 55 years. She survived her husband by fifty-five years and her son by eighteen years.
Unofficial Royalty: Hedwig Eleonora of Holstein-Gottorp, Queen of Sweden

October 23, 1664 – Birth of Praskovia Feodorovna Saltykova, Tsaritsa of All Russia, wife of Ivan V, Tsar of All Russia
Praskovia Feodorovna Saltykova was the wife of Ivan V, Tsar of All Russia and the mother of Anna I, Empress of All Russia. Ivan V was physically and mentally disabled and co-reigned with his younger half-brother Peter I (the Great), Emperor of All Russia. Praskovia and Ivan had five daughters. Ivan died in 1696 at the age of 29. Praskovia had great respect for her brother-in-law Peter I and often served as the first lady, welcoming visitors to the Russian court. She understood the need for the changes Peter was making in Russia, raised her daughters, and held her court in a modern Western manner, which made her well-regarded by Peter.
Unofficial Royalty: Praskovia Feodorovna Saltykova, Tsaritsa of All Russia

October 23, 1715 – Birth of Peter II, Emperor of All Russia in St. Petersburg, Russia
In 1725, Peter I (the Great), Emperor of All Russia died at the age of 52 from a bladder infection without naming a successor. A coup arranged by Prince Alexander Menshikov proclaimed Catherine, Peter’s second wife, the ruler of Russia. Catherine I’s reign was only two years and even before her death, it was clear that the inheritance of Peter the Great’s grandson Peter could not be denied. Menshikov began to see this during the end of Catherine I’s reign. Through his efforts, Peter was named Catherine’s heir apparent, even though Catherine had two daughters of her own. In 1727, 43-year-old Catherine I, Empress of All Russia died of tuberculosis and 11-year-old Peter became Emperor of All Russia.  On a frigid day, Peter II attended a parade. When he returned to the palace, he had a fever that developed into smallpox.  On January 30, 1730, the delirious Peter ordered his sleigh to be readied so he could go see his sister Natalia who had died a little more than a year earlier. Fourteen-year-old Peter died a few minutes later.
Unofficial Royalty: Peter II, Emperor of Russia

October 23, 1849 – Birth of Sir James Reid, 1st Baronet, Queen Victoria’s Resident Physician 1881 – 1889 and Physician-in-Ordinary 1889 – 1901, also Physician-in-Ordinary to King Edward VII and King George V
Unofficial Royalty: Sir James Reid, 1st Baronet

October 23, 1893 – Death of Alexander of Battenberg, Prince of Bulgaria from 1879 – 1886, at his home Villa Hartenau in Graz, Austria; buried at the Battenberg Mausoleum in Sofia, Bulgaria
Alexander was the son of Prince Alexander of Hesse and by Rhine and Countess Julia von Hauke. He was the brother of Prince Ludwig (Louis) of Battenberg who married Princess Victoria of Hesse and by Rhine, and Prince Henry of Battenberg who married Princess Beatrice of the United Kingdom. Alexander often visited Russia where his paternal aunt Marie of Hesse and by Rhine was married to Alexander II, Emperor of All Russia. Bulgaria became a principality of the Ottoman Empire under the terms of the Treaty of Berlin in 1878. Alexander II proposed Alexander for the newly created throne, and he was unanimously elected as Prince of Bulgaria. After a contentious seven-year- reign, often caught between the conflicting goals of the Bulgarian politicians and the Russian Emperor, Alexander fell victim to a military coup and was forced to abdicate. In 1889, Alexander married opera singer Johanna Loisinger, at which point he assumed the title Count von Hartenau, which he used for the remainder of his life. The couple had two children. The couple lived in Graz, Austria where Alexander held a post in the Austrian Army.  He died unexpectedly at the age of 36 and was initially buried in Graz, Austria. Later, under the direction of the new Prince Ferdinand of Bulgaria, his remains were returned to Bulgaria and a state funeral was held and he was buried at the newly built Battenberg Mausoleum.
Unofficial Royalty: Alexander of Battenberg, Prince of Bulgaria

October 23, 1897 – Death of Agnes of Anhalt-Dessau, Duchess of Saxe-Altenburg, wife of Ernst I, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg at Schloss Hummelshain in the Duchy of Saxe-Altenburg, now in Thuringia, Germany; initially buried in the Ducal Mausoleum in Altenburg Cemetery in the Duchy of Saxe-Altenburg, now in Thuringia, Germany, later her remains were moved to the Duchess Agnes Memorial Church built in Altenburg in her honor
In 1853, Agnes married the future Ernst I, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg, and the couple had two children. A few months after their marriage Ernst’s father died and he succeeded to the throne. Agnes became very involved in charity work, particularly in the area of nursing and education. Agnes died at the family’s summer residence, Schloss Hummelshain at the age of 73.
Unofficial Royalty: Agnes of Anhalt-Dessau, Duchess of Saxe-Altenburg

October 23, 1991 – Birth of Mako Komuro, formerly Princess Mako of Akishino, daughter of Crown Prince Akishino of Japan, at the Imperial Household Agency Hospital  in Tokyo, Japan
After a three-year delay, Mako married Kei Komuro on October 26, 2021. Mako, like her paternal aunt, Sayako, Princess Nori, and other princesses who married commoners, formally lost her title and became a commoner upon marriage as required by Imperial Household Law.  She announced that she would forego the Japanese government’s taxpayer-funded payment of approximately $1.3 million given to royal women upon leaving the Imperial Family. Mako lives in the United States with her husband Kei Komuro, who received a law degree from Fordham University in New York City in 2021 and is employed by the New York-based law firm Lowenstein Sandler LLP.
Unofficial Royalty: Mako Komuro, formerly Princess Mako of Akishino

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.