© Unofficial Royalty 2023

Crown Prince Wilhelm of Germany; Credit – Wikipedia

July 20, 1346 – Birth of Margaret of Windsor, Countess of Pembroke, daughter of King Edward III of England, at Windsor Castle in Windsor, England
In 1359, 11-year-old Margaret married 12-year-old John Hastings, 2nd Earl of Pembroke. After their marriage, Margaret and her husband John remained at the royal court. Sadly, 15-year-old Margaret, Countess of Pembroke died unexpectedly, sometime after October 1, 1361, the last date there is a record that she was living. John Hastings, 2nd Earl of Pembroke was in royal service for the rest of his short life, mostly as a military commander. He died in 1375 at the age of 27.
Unofficial Royalty: Margaret of Windsor, Countess of Pembroke

July 20, 1524 – Death of Claude of France, Duchess of Brittany, Queen of France, first wife of King François I of France and eldest daughter of King Louis XII of France and his second wife Anne, Duchess of Brittany in her own right at the Chateau de Blois in Blois, France; buried at Basilica of St. Denis near Paris, France
Because her parents had no sons, Claude was the heir to her mother’s Duchy of Brittany and she succeeded her mother upon her death. François, Count of Angoulême (the future King François I of France) became the heir presumptive to the French throne and remained the heir throughout Louis XII’s reign due to his lack of sons.  In 1514, François and Claude were married and in 1515, Claude’s father Louis XII died and her husband succeeded as King François I of France. Queen Claude, Duchess of Brittany died at the age of 24. It is suspected that Claude had tuberculosis and contracted syphilis from her husband and certainly seven pregnancies in eight years weakened her health.
Unofficial Royalty: Claude of France, Duchess of Brittany, Queen of France

July 20, 1649 – Birth of William Bentinck, 1st Earl of Portland, favorite of King William III of England, born Hans Willem Bentinck in Diepenheim, Overijssel, Dutch Republic, now in the Netherlands
Bentinck and his first wife Anne Villiers are ancestors of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom through her mother’s family, specifically through her maternal grandmother born Cecilia Cavendish-Bentinck. In 1664, fifteen-year-old Bentinck came to the court of fourteen-year-old Willem III, Prince of Orange, the future King William III of England, as a page. In 1672, Bentinck became Willem III’s chamberlain. Bentinck was an important advisor to Willem III and also had a military career. Bentinck played a key role in the planning and execution of the Glorious Revolution of 1688, which resulted in the deposing of Willem’s uncle and father-in-law King James II of England, and Willem and his wife and first cousin becoming King William III and Queen Mary II of England. Bentinck went to England with William and Mary and was generously rewarded for his service with titles and estates. He remained William III’s closest advisor until William III’s death.  When William III’s wife Mary II died from smallpox, it was Bentinck who carried the nearly insensible William from the room. When William III was on his deathbed, he beckoned Bentinck to his bedside. Bentinck bent down and put his ear to William’s mouth but could only distinguish a few words of William’s incoherent speech. William then took Bentinck’s hand and placed it against his heart. Then William’s head fell back, he closed his eyes, took two or three breaths, and died.
Unofficial Royalty: William Bentinck, 1st Earl of Portland, favorite of King William III of England

July 20, 1835 – Birth of Adelheid of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, Duchess of Schleswig-Holstein, wife of Friedrich VIII, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein, in Langenburg, Principality of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, now in Baden-Württemberg, Germany
Full name: Adelheid Victoria Amalie Louise Maria Konstanze
Adelheid’s mother was Princess Feodora of Leiningen, the elder half-sister of Queen Victoria, and therefore Adelheid was Queen Victoria’s niece. In 1856, Adelheid married the future Friedrich VIII, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein. They had seven children including Princess Auguste Viktoria who married Wilhelm II, German Emperor and King of Prussia.
Unofficial Royalty: Adelheid of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, Duchess of Schleswig-Holstein

 July 20, 1859 – Birth of  Prince Adolf of Schaumburg-Lippe, first husband of Princess Viktoria of Prussia, daughter of Friedrich II, German Emperor, King of Prussia and granddaughter of Queen Victoria, at Schloss Bückeburg in Bückeburg, Principality of Schaumburg-Lippe, now in Lower Saxony, Germany
Full name: Adolf Wilhelm Viktor
In 1890, Prince Adolf married Princess Viktoria of Prussia, known as Moretta, daughter of Friedrich III, German Emperor and Victoria, Princess Royal. After an extended honeymoon in Egypt and Greece, the couple took up residence in the Palais Schaumburg in Bonn. Moretta had a miscarriage early in the marriage and the couple remained childless. Following the death of Woldemar, Prince of Lippe in 1895, Prince Adolf became the Regent for Woldemar’s successor and brother Alexander who was mentally incapacitated. Adolf served as Regent until 1897 when he was replaced by Count Ernst of Lippe-Biesterfeld.
Unofficial Royalty: Prince Adolf of Schaumburg-Lippe

July 20, 1890 – Birth of George II, King of the Hellenes at Tatoi Palace, Greece
Due to unrest in Greece, George was King of Greece twice and forced into exile three times. Also unlucky in marriage, he married his second cousin, Princess Elisabeta of Romania. Their marriage was childless and ended in divorce.
Unofficial Royalty: King George II of Greece

July 20, 1927 – Death of King Ferdinand I of Romania at Pelisor Castle in Sinaia, Romania; buried at the Cathedral of Curtea de Arges in Romania
Ferdinand’s uncle King Carol I of Romania had no sons to inherit the throne, and so the succession passed to his younger brother, Leopold, Ferdinand’s father. When Leopold renounced and his eldest son their rights, Ferdinand became heir-presumptive to the Romanian throne and succeeded to the throne in 1914.  Ferdinand married Princess Marie of Edinburgh, daughter of Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh (and later Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha) and Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna of Russia and a granddaughter of Queen Victoria. The couple officially had six children, however, 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: King Ferdinand I of Romania

July 20, 1933 – Death of Elisabeth of Anhalt, Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz in Neustrelitz in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany; buried in the New Crypt at the Johanniterkirche in Mirow in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany
Elisabeth married the future Grand Duke Adolf Friedrich V of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. Elisabeth used her public profile to bring attention to causes that were near her heart, including nature and flowers. Following her husband’s death in 1914, she remained the first lady of Mecklenburg-Strelitz during the reign of her unmarried son and became very active with the Red Cross during World War I. Following the abolition of the monarchy in 1918, Elisabeth remained in Neustrelitz, taking up residence in the Park House which she had inherited earlier that year after the death of her son. Neustrelitz Palace had been taken over by the government, and she continued to fight for compensation for the loss of the family’s property. Remaining active right up until her death, Elisabeth remained in Neustrelitz, often hosting visits from her daughters and grandchildren, and staying in close contact with various relatives throughout Europe.
Unofficial Royalty: Elisabeth of Anhalt, Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz

July 20, 1951 – Death of Johanna Loisinger, Countess of Hartenau, wife of Prince Alexander of Battenberg, former Prince of Bulgaria, in Vienna, Austria; buried at St. Leonhard Cemetery in Graz, Austria
Johanna was an opera singer, virtuoso pianist, and actress. She sang soprano operatic roles in Prague and Opava (now in the Czech Republic), in Linz, Austria, and at the court theater in Darmstadt in the Grand Duchy of Hesse and by Rhine (now in Hesse, Germany). Johanna was one of the best-known singers of Mozart’s music of her time. She married the former reigning Prince of Bulgaria, born Prince Alexander of Battenberg, (known as Sandro) and they had two children. After her husband’s death, Johanna and her young children moved to Vienna, Austria and she received a pension from Bulgaria. Johanna was active in Viennese musical life and was involved in the building of the Academy Mozarteum in Mozart’s birthplace, Salzburg, Austria. She served as president of the Vienna Mozart Society, the Vienna Concert Association, and the Vienna Symphony Orchestra.
Unofficial Royalty: Johanna Loisinger, Countess of Hartenau

July 20, 1951 – Assassination of King Abdullah I of Jordan at Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem; buried at Royal Cemetery in Amman, Jordan
On July 16, 1951, the former Prime Minister of Lebanon, Riad Bey Al Solh, was assassinated in Amman, Jordan. Four days later, King Abdullah, accompanied by his grandson, the future King Hussein I of Jordan, traveled to Jerusalem to attend Al Solh’s funeral at the Al-Aqsa Mosque. While waiting for Friday prayers to begin, King Abdullah I was approached by a Palestinian activist, Mustafa Shukri Ashu, who fired three shots, hitting the king in the chest and head and killing him instantly. The future King Hussein was also caught in the gunfire, miraculously escaping harm when a bullet ricocheted off a medal he was wearing at his grandfather’s insistence.
Unofficial Royalty: Assassination of Abdullah I, King of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
Unofficial Royalty: King  Abdullah I of Jordan

July 20, 1951 – Death of Crown Prince Wilhelm of Germany, son of Wilhelm II, German Emperor and King of Prussia, in Hechingen, Germany; buried at Hohenzollern Castle in Bisingen, Zollernalbkreis, Germany
Wilhelm was the last Crown Prince of Germany. After World War I, he went into exile in the Netherlands with much of the rest of the German imperial family. Wilhelm and his wife Cecilie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin returned to Germany five years later after promising to remain out of politics. The family was able to retain much of its wealth and even some former residences, allowing them to live a comfortable life in Germany. By this time Wilhelm and Cecilie had separated but did maintain friendly relations and reunited during family events. Wilhelm did not entirely remain out of politics despite his promise, as he met with and supported Adolf Hitler in his early days of power. He did not support Hitler’s activities after 1934 and lived a quiet life. Wilhelm became head of the House of Hohenzollern in 1941, upon the death of his father. After Cecilienhof, the family home in Potsdam, Germany, was seized by the Soviets following World War II, Wilhelm moved to a small house in Hechingen, Germany.
Unofficial Royalty: Crown Prince Wilhelm of Germany

July 20, 1964 – Death of Anna Alexandrovna Vyrubova, lady-in-waiting and favorite of Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, wife of Nicholas II, Emperor of All Russia, in Helsinki, Finland; buried in the Russian Orthodox section of the Hietaniemi Cemetery in Helsinki, Finland
Anna was a lady-in-waiting and a great friend of Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, wife of Nicholas II, Emperor of All Russia. After the arrest of the Imperial Family, Anna was also arrested and was imprisoned for five months in the Peter and Paul Fortress in St. Petersburg on suspicion of espionage and treason and underwent numerous interrogations. Anna lived in obscurity in St. Petersburg, then called Petrograd and later Leningrad but she was re-imprisoned several times. She became friendly with the writer Maxim Gorky who encouraged her to write her memoirs. In 1920, Anna and her mother escaped to Finland, where she spent the rest of her life. Anna did write her memoirs as Maxim Gorky had suggested, Memoirs of the Russian Court, published in 1923 and still available. After World War II, Anna took vows as a Russian Orthodox nun but was permitted to live in her home because of her physical disabilities. In memory of her beloved friend Empress Alexandra, Anna wore the ribbon of a maid of honor until her death.
Unofficial Royalty: Anna Alexandrovna Vyrubova, lady-in-waiting and favorite of Empress Alexandra Feodorovna of Russia

July 20, 1973 – Birth of Crown Prince Haakon of Norway at Rikshospitalet in Oslo, Norway
Full name: Haakon Magnus
Haakon is the second of the two children and the only son and heir apparent of King Harald V of Norway. In 2001, he married Mette-Marit Tjessem Høiby and the couple had two children. The Crown Prince undertakes many official duties, both within Norway and around the world.
Unofficial Royalty: Crown Prince Haakon of Norway

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Philippa of Lancaster, Queen of Portugal; Credit – Wikipedia

July 19, 1415 – Death of Philippa of Lancaster, Queen of Portugal, daughter of John of Gaunt, granddaughter of King Edward III of England, wife of King João I of Portugal, in Sacavem, Portugal; buried at Batalha Monastery in Leiria, Portugal
Philippa married King Joáo I of Portugal in the Cathedral of the Assumption of Our Lady in Porto, Portugal on February 2, 1387, sealing the Anglo-Portuguese Alliance which is still in effect. She is known as the mother of the “Illustrious Generation” of infantes (princes) and infantas (princesses). Philippa died at the age of 55 of the plague which had also probably killed her mother.
Unofficial Royalty: Philippa of Lancaster, Queen of Portugal

July 19, 1543 – Death of Mary Boleyn, mistress of King Henry VIII of England, probably buried at St. Peter Churchyard in Hever, Kent, England
After Mary Boleyn was sent back from France where she had been one of Mary Tudor’s English ladies during her short marriage to King Louis XII of France, her father arranged for her to be a maid-of-honor to Catherine of Aragon, King Henry VIII’s first wife and she married Sir William Carey who served King Henry VIII as a Gentleman of the Privy Chamber. At some point, perhaps even before her marriage, Mary became Henry VIII’s mistress, supplanting Elizabeth Blount, but the starting date and length of the relationship are unknown. Wiliam Carey profited from his wife’s affair as he was granted manors and estates by King Henry VIII. Two children were born during the marriage of Mary and William. Because of Mary’s affair with King Henry VIII, it has been suggested that one or both of the children may have been Henry VIII’s biological children and although there is no proof, this claim has been the continued subject of debate. On June 22, 1528, at the age of 28, William Carey died of the sweating sickness. By the time of William’s death, Mary’s sister Anne had already caught the attention of King Henry VIII.
Unofficial Royalty: Mary Boleyn, mistress of King Henry VIII of England

July 19, 1578 –  Birth of Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor at the Schlossberg in Graz, Duchy of Styria, Archduchy of Austria, now in Austria

Unofficial Royalty: Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor, Archduke of Inner Austria, King of Bohemia, King of Hungary and Croatia (coming soon)

July 19, 1770 – Birth of Lucia Migliaccio, Duchess of Florida, the morganatic second wife of Ferdinando I, King of the Two Sicilies, in Syracuse, Kingdom of Sicily, now in Italy
Lucia was the daughter of Vincenzo Migliaccio, 8th Duke of Floridia, a Sicilian nobleman, and Dorotea Borgia dei Marchesi del Casale who was from a Spanish noble family. In 1791, Lucia married Benedetto Grifeo, Prince of Partanna, and the couple had seven children. Lucia’s husband died in 1812. In 1814, Maria Carolina, the wife of King Ferdinando I of the Two Sicilies died. Wanting to remarry, the 63-year-old Ferdinando turned his attention to the 44-year-old Lucia, whom he had met frequently at court. Because Lucia was not royal, the marriage caused a considerable scandal. Lucia did not receive the title of queen and any children from the marriage would not be in the line of succession. However, the marriage remained childless. Ferdinando died from a stroke in 1825, and Lucia survived her husband by a little more than a year, dying on April 26, 1826, aged 55.
Unofficial Royalty: Lucia Migliaccio, Duchess of Florida

July 19, 1810 – Death of Luise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, Queen of Prussia, wife of King Friedrich Wilhelm III of Prussia, at Schloss Hohenzieritz in Hohenzieritz, Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, now in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany; buried in the garden at Charlottenburg Palace in Berlin, Kingdom of Prussia, now in Brandenburg, Germany, where a mausoleum was built over her grave
Luise married the future King Friedrich Wilhelm III of Prussia. Luise was wildly popular in Prussia from the start, and descriptions of her from this time speak of her grace, goodness, and beauty. The marriage was a happy one, and the couple raised their nine children rather quietly at Paretz Palace west of Berlin. Friedrich Wilhelm became King of Prussia in 1797. As queen, Luise traveled around Prussia with her husband, becoming more well-known and well-liked. On July 19, 1810, while visiting her father, 34-year-old Luise died in her husband’s arms from an unidentified illness. Her grieving husband later instituted the Order of Louise in her name and her family mourned her death each year on July 19.
Unofficial Royalty: Luise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, Queen of Prussia

July 19, 1821 – Coronation of King George IV of the United Kingdom at Westminster Abbey in London, England
King George IV’s coronation was set for July 19, 1821, but no plans had been made for his estranged wife Caroline of Brunswick to participate. On the day of the coronation, Caroline went to Westminster Abbey, was barred at every entrance, and finally left. Three weeks later on August 7, 1821, Caroline died at the age of 53, most likely from a bowel obstruction or cancer.
Unofficial Royalty: King George IV of the United Kingdom

July 19, 1822 – Birth of Augusta of Cambridge, Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz,  wife of Friedrich Wilhelm, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, at the Palace of Montbrillant in Hanover, Kingdom of Hanover, now in Lower Saxony, Germany
Full name: Augusta Caroline Charlotte Elizabeth Mary Sophia Louisa
Augusta was a granddaughter of King George III of the United Kingdom, first cousin of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom, and aunt of Queen Mary, wife of King George V of the United Kingdom.  Even though Augusta lived in the Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz after her marriage, she and her husband visited London frequently, staying with the Duchess of Cambridge at Kensington Palace,  and Augusta retained close ties with the British Royal Family. Prior to the coronation of King Edward VII of the United Kingdom and his wife Queen Alexandra in 1902, Augusta was consulted on matters of ceremony and attire as she was almost the only person alive who could remember the coronation of King William IV and Queen Adelaide.  Her recollection of Queen Victoria’s coronation also proved invaluable.
Unofficial Royalty: Augusta of Cambridge, Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz

July 19, 1884 – Birth of Prince Charles Edward, Duke of Albany, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, grandson of Queen Victoria, at Claremont House in Esher, Surrey, England
Full name: Charles Edward George Albert Leopold
Charles Edward’s father Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany died three months before he was born. Prince Leopold, who inherited hemophilia from his mother Queen Victoria, had died at age 30 from a fall that caused a cerebral hemorrhage, the injuries having been exacerbated by his hemophilia. At his birth, Charles Edward inherited his father’s title Duke of Albany. In 1900, he became Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha upon the death of his uncle Alfred, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and Duke of Edinburg. In 1905, Charles Edward married Princess Viktoria Adelheid of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg. The couple had five children including Princess Sibylla of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha who married Prince Gustav Adolf of Sweden, Duke of Västerbotten, and is the mother of  Carl XVI Gustaf, the current King of Sweden. At the end of World War I, Charles Edward was deposed and signed a declaration relinquishing his rights to the throne. In 1933, he joined the Nazi Party. After the end of World War II, Charles Edward was placed under house arrest because of his Nazi sympathies. Several times Charles Edward faced trial for his alleged Nazi activities. In 1949, a denazification appeals court classified Charles Edward as a Nazi Follower, Category IV. He was heavily fined and almost bankrupted. Some of the Saxe-Coburg and Gotha properties that were now in East Germany were seized. The family was left with Schloss Callenberg in Coburg, Bavaria, Germany and Schloss Greinburg an der Donau in Grein, Austria. Charles Edward spent the last years of his life in seclusion. He died of cancer on March 6, 1954, at the age of 69 in his apartment on Elsässer Straße (Street) in Coburg, Bavaria, Germany.
Unofficial Royalty: Charles Edward, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha

July 19, 1890 – Birth of King George II of Greece at Tatoi Palace near Athens, Greece
George II was the eldest son of King Constantine I of Greece and Princess Sophie of Prussia. Due to unrest in Greece, George was King of Greece twice (1st reign 1922 – 1924, monarchy abolished; 2nd reign 1935 – 1947)  and forced into exile three times. Also unlucky in marriage, he married his second cousin, Princess Elisabeta of Romania. Their marriage was childless and ended in divorce. His health declining, George was found unconscious in his office at the Royal Palace in Athens, Greece on April 1, 1947. Several hours later, it is announced that he had died of arteriosclerosis.
Unofficial Royalty: King George II of Greece

July 19, 1940 – Birth of  Princess Hitachi of Japan, wife of Prince Hitachi of Japan, born Hanako Tsugaro at her family home in Tokyo, Japan
The wife of Prince Hitachi of Japan, son of Emperor Shōwa (Hirohito), Princess Hitachi is the youngest of the four daughters of Count Yoshitaka Tsugaru and Hisako Mōri. Both her parents were descendants of the Japanese nobility. Prince and Princess Hitachi had no children.  Because her husband was the son and then the brother of The Emperor, Prince and Princess Hitachi were expected to represent Japan internationally and participate in charitable works. As the Prince and Princess got older, these responsibilities lessened.
Unofficial Royalty: Hanako, Princess Hitachi

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Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna of Russia; Credit – Wikipedia

July 18, 1501 – Birth of Isabella of Austria, Queen of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, wife of King Christian II of Denmark, Sweden, and Norway, in Brussels, Duchy of Burgundy, now in Belgium
The daughter of Philip, Duke of Burgundy and Juana I, Queen of Castile and Aragon, Isabella was born an Archduchess of Austria and an Infanta of Castile and Aragon. Isabella’s brother was the powerful Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor who was also King of Spain. Catherine of Aragon, the first wife of King Henry VIII of England, was her maternal aunt, and Catherine and Henry VIII’s only surviving child, Queen Mary I of England was her first cousin. In 1514, Isabella married Christian II, King of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden who was deposed in 1523 causing them to the rest of their lives in exile. In 1524, Isabella, Christian, and their children settled in Lier, Spanish Netherlands, now in Belgium. Isabella’s aunt Margaret of Austria, Governor of the Habsburg Netherlands, provided them with a home and financial support. Even with the support, they had a difficult time, with many worries, and a lack of money. In late 1525, Isabella became seriously ill and she died on January 19, 1526, at the age of 24.
Unofficial Royalty: Isabella of Austria, Queen of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden

July 18, 1552 – Birth of Rudolf II, Holy Roman Emperor, King of Bohemia, King of Hungary and Croatia, Archduke of Austria, Margrave of Moravia, in Vienna, Archduchy of Austria, now in Austria
Rudolf never married. In 1568, as part of the Habsburg marriage policy, sixteen-year-old Rudolf had been betrothed to his first cousin, two-year-old Isabella Clara Eugenia of Spain, the daughter of Rudolf’s maternal uncle King Felipe II of Spain. Isabella Clara Eugenia had to wait for more than twenty years before Rudolf declared that he had no intention of marrying anybody. In 1572, Rudolf’s father Maximilian II passed the crown of Hungary to his son, and in 1575, Rudolf was also granted the crown of Bohemia and the Habsburg hereditary territories. Rudolf was elected King of the Romans in 1575, ensuring that he would succeed his father as Holy Roman Emperor. Rudolf is considered an ineffective ruler whose mistakes directly led to the Thirty Years’ War (1618 – 1648), one of the longest and most destructive conflicts in European history.
Unofficial Royalty: Rudolf II, Holy Roman Emperor, King of Bohemia, King of Hungary and Croatia, Archduke of Austria, Margrave of Moravia, in Vienna, Archduchy of Austria, now in Austria

July 18, 1617 – Execution of Leonora Dori Galigai, favorite of Marie de’ Medici, Queen of France, at at the Place de Grève in Paris, now the Place de l’Hôtel-de-Ville
Leonora Dori Galigai and later, her husband Concino Concini, were favorites of Marie de’ Medici, Queen of France, the second wife of Henri IV, King of France. In late 1600, when Marie traveled to France to marry Henri IV, Leonora was included in her retinue as lady-in-waiting and wardrobe attendant. Also included in Marie’s retinue was Concino Concini, Leonora’s future husband. In 1610, King Henri IV was assassinated and Queen Marie was appointed Regent for their eldest son, the eight-year-old King Louis XIII of France. Leonora exploited her friendship with Queen Marie, encouraging the rapid rise of her husband’s career. Concino became Queen Marie’s most trusted advisor. The behavior and policies of Concino and Leonora caused hatred among the French people. The French nobility had to deal with their power being weakened because Concino and Leonora’s Tuscan followers were given preference in the awarding of positions and privileges. The French common people resented the power of these Tuscans who had become masters of France. Finally, sixteen-year-old King Louis XIII, who detested Leonora and Concino, stepped up and asserted his position as King. In April 1617, he organized a coup d’état that resulted in the assassination of Concino. Soon after her husband’s death, Leonora was arrested, accused of witchcraft, tried, and found guilty. On July 8, 1617, at the Place de Grève in Paris, now the Place de l’Hôtel-de-Ville, Leonora was beheaded, and then her headless body burned at the stake.
Unofficial Royalty: Leonora Dori Galigai, Favorite of Marie de’ Medici, Queen of France

July 18, 1712 – Birth of Karl Friedrich, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen in Meiningen, Duchy of Meiningen, now in Thuringia, Germany
Karl Friedrich’s father died in November 1724, making his elder brother, Ernst Ludwig II, the reigning Duke. As both brothers were underage, their two uncles, Friedrich Wilhelm and Anton Ulrich, oversaw the running of the duchy. Ernst Ludwig II died in 1729, and Karl Friedrich became the reigning Duke. Despite his uncles’ guardianship ending in 1733 when Karl Friedrich reached his majority, he continued to leave the daily running of the duchy to his uncles and his court officials. In poor health, he was unable to walk and had to be carried and driven everywhere, and had little interest in anything which required responsibility.
Unofficial Royalty: Karl Friedrich, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen

July 18, 1793 – Birth of Marie Caroline Gibert de Lametz, Princess of Monaco, wife of Florestan I, Prince of Monaco, in Coulommiers, France
Full name: Marie-Louise Charlotte Gabrielle
Prince Florestan of Monaco attended his half-sister’s wedding celebrations and met Maria Caroline Gibert de Lametz, the half-sister of the groom. Because Florestan’s family did not approve of the marriage, the wedding was quiet and modest. Florestan and Maria Caroline had two children including Charles III, Prince of Monaco. Florestan succeeded his brother Honoré V, who had never married. During Florestan’s reign, the real power lay in the hands of his wife Maria Caroline. She took over the finances of Monaco and ruled Monaco with an iron fist because her indecisive and politically disinclined husband left all affairs of state to her. When Marie Caroline’s son Charles III succeeded his father, she continued to have a role in governing as she was alive for twenty-three years of his thirty-three-year-long reign. The idea of opening a gambling casino in Monaco and developing Monaco into a seaside resort was Maria Caroline’s idea. The Casino de Monte-Carlo, named after Charles III as Carlo is the Italian for Charles (Monte-Carlo = Mount Charles in English), opened in 1865 and saved Monaco from bankruptcy. Fearing that the citizens of Monaco would squander their money on gambling, Maria Carolina had the idea to ban all citizens of Monaco from gambling at the casino. That rule is still in effect.
Unofficial Royalty: Marie Caroline Gibert de Lametz, Princess of Monaco

July 18, 1918 – Execution of Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna of Russia, daughter of Ludwig IV, Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine and Princess Alice of the United Kingdom, and a granddaughter of Queen Victoria, and five other Romanovs in Alapaevsk, Russia; her remains were reburied at the Church of Mary Magdalene in Jerusalem
The day after the execution of Nicholas II, Emperor of All Russia and his family, Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna (age 53) and five other Romanovs, Grand Duke Sergei Mikhailovich (age 59), Prince Ioann Konstantinovich (age 32), Prince Konstantin Konstantinovich (age 28), Prince Igor Konstantinovich (age 24), and Prince Vladimir Pavlovich Paley (age 21) along with Varvara Alexeievna Yakovleva, a nun from Elizabeth’s convent, and Feodor Semyonovich Remez, Grand Duke Sergei Mikhailovich’s secretary, were executed by the Bolsheviks. They were thrown down an abandoned mine shaft that was partially filled with water and then grenades were thrown down the mine shaft.
Unofficial Royalty: Execution of Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna of Russia and five other Romanovs

July 18, 1920 – Death of Prince Joachim of Prussia, son of Wilhelm II, German Emperor and King of Prussia, at Villa Leignitz in Sanssouci Park in Potsdam, Germany; first buried in the Friedenskirche in Sanssouci Park in Potsdam before being moved to the nearby Antique Temple in 1931
After World War I and the fall of all the German monarchies, Prince Joachim struggled to accept his status as a commoner and became greatly depressed. On the evening of July 18, 1920, he shot himself with a revolver at Villa Leignitz in Sanssouci Park in Potsdam, Germany. He was found by his elder brother August Wilhelm and taken to the Saint Joseph Hospital in Potsdam, where he died the following day.
Unofficial Royalty: Prince Joachim of Prussia

July 18, 1938 – Death of Marie of Edinburgh, Queen of Romania, wife of King Ferdinand I of Romania, granddaughter of Queen Victoria, at Peles Castle, Sinaia in Romania, buried at the Monastery of Curtea de Arges, Romania
Marie was the daughter of Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh and Grand Duchess Marie Alexandrovna of Russia. Just after the beginning of World War I, her husband’s uncle King Carol I of Romania died and Ferdinand ascended the Romanian throne. Drawn quickly into the war, Queen Marie threw herself into her charitable work, rallying support for the war effort, and serving tirelessly as a nurse. In 1919, after the war, she represented Romania at the Paris Peace Conference, replacing the Romanian delegation which had left due to extreme conflict with the French prime minister. Marie is often credited with smoothing the situation and helping to bring about Romania’s huge gains at the end of the conference.
Unofficial Royalty: Marie of Edinburgh, Queen of Romania

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On floor: Tsarevich Alexei; Seated: Grand Duchess Maria, Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, Emperor Nicholas II, Grand Duchess Anastasia; Standing: Grand Duchess Olga, Grand Duchess Tatiana – 1913; Photo Credit – Wikipedia

July 17, 924 – Death of Edward the Elder, King of the Anglo-Saxons at the royal estate of Farndon-on-Dee in Mercia now in Chesire, England; buried in the New Minster in Winchester, England, later moved to Hyde Abbey Church which was destroyed in 1539 during the Dissolution of the Monasteries in the reign of King Henry VIII
According to Asser, the Welsh monk who was Alfred the Great’s contemporary biographer, Edward was brought up with his youngest sister Ælfthryth. They were educated at court by tutors and read ecclesiastical and secular works in English. Edward was a child throughout the wars his father fought with the Danes and was more of a soldier than a scholar like his father. By 892, he was commanding part of the Anglo-Saxon army, and upon his father’s death in 899, the Anglo-Saxons were prepared to accept him as their leader. Edward was crowned on June 8, 900 by Plegmund, Archbishop of Canterbury at Kingston-upon-Thames, where the ancient coronation stone can still be seen.
Unofficial Royalty: Edward the Elder, King of the Anglo-Saxons

July 17, 1645 – Death of Robert Carr, 1st Earl of Somerset, favorite of King James I of England; buried at St. Paul’s Churchyard in London, England
In 1607, probably thanks to the influence of Thomas Overton, Robert participated in a tournament attended by King James I and attracted the king’s attention by breaking his leg. King James I immediately took a liking to nineteen-year-old Robert, got him some medical treatment and decided to improve his education. Robert did not have great intellectual gifts, however, he was good-looking, had a good temperament, and had good character and this must have been enough for King James who knighted him and kept him under his wing. Robert Carr is best known for being implicated with others in the murder of his friend Thomas Overbury. Read about it in the link below.
Unofficial Royalty: Robert Carr, 1st Earl of Somerset, favorite of King James I of England

July 17, 1762 – Assassination of Peter III, Emperor of All Russia at Ropsha, Russia; first buried without honors in the Alexander Nevsky Monastery in St. Petersburg, Russia; reburied by his son Paul, Emperor of All Russia at Peter and Paul Cathedral in St. Petersburg, Russia; Peter’s wife succeeds him as Catherine II (the Great), Empress of All Russia
Peter III, Emperor of All Russia was born Karl Peter Ulrich of Holstein-Gottorp. His father was Karl Friedrich, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp. His mother was Grand Duchess Anna Petrovna of Russia, daughter of Peter I (the Great), Emperor of All Russia. Peter III’s life dramatically changed when his unmarried maternal aunt, his mother’s younger sister, Elizabeth, Empress of All Russia, declared him her heir and brought him to St. Petersburg, Russia. He married his second cousin, Sophie of Anhalt-Zerbst (later Catherine II the Great). Peter succeeded his aunt in 1762. A conspiracy to overthrow Peter was planned and centered around the five Orlov brothers with Grigory, Catherine’s favorite, and Alexei being the main conspirators. Peter III, Emperor of All Russia died at the age of 34 on July 17, 1762, at Ropsha Palace, a country estate outside of St. Petersburg, Russia. He was probably murdered but the circumstances of his death remain unclear. His wife became the Empress of All Russia and is known as Catherine the Great.
Unofficial Royalty: Assassination of Peter III, Emperor of All Russia
Unofficial Royalty: Peter III, Emperor of All Russia

July 17, 1771 – Death of Count Alexei Grigorievich Razumovsky, lover of Elizabeth, Empress of All Russia, at Anichkov Palace in St. Petersburg, Russia; buried in the Annunciation Church of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra in St. Petersburg, Russia
Alexei’s singing brought him to the Russian court where he joined the Court Choir. His beautiful singing and good looks earned him the interest of Tsesarevna Elizabeth Petrovna, daughter of Peter I (the Great), Emperor of All Russia, the future Elizabeth, Empress of All Russia  In 1732, Elizabeth made Alexei a member of the choir in her private chapel. Soon, he had a room near her apartments. Alexei had personality qualities that made him a good choice to be Elizabeth’s favorite and lover. He was a simple and decent person and well-liked for his kindness, good nature, and tact. He had no ambition and never interfered in politics. Alexei survived Empress Elizabeth and was one of the people at her bedside when she died in 1762. Shortly after Elizabeth’s death, Alexei submitted his resignation from his various positions and moved from the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg to the nearby Anichkov Palace which Empress Elizabeth had built for Alexei.
Unofficial Royalty: Count Alexei Grigorievich Razumovsky, lover of Elizabeth, Empress of All Russia

July 17, 1859 – Death of Stephanie of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, Queen of Portugal, wife of King Pedro V of Portugal, in Lisbon, Portugal; buried at the Monastery of São Vicente de Fora in Lisbon, Portugal
After a visit to the town of Vendas Novas, Stephanie fell ill with diphtheria and died at the age of 22. Her husband, King Pedro V, was greatly saddened by his wife’s death and fell into a deep depression. He died of typhoid fever just two years later and was succeeded by his brother, King Luís I.
Unofficial Royalty: Stephanie of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, Queen of Portugal

July 17, 1917 – House of Windsor established by royal proclamation
By 1917, during World War I, anti-German sentiment had reached a fevered pitch in the United Kingdom. The British Royal Family’s dynastic name had gone from one German name to another, the House of Hanover to the decidedly more Germanic-sounding, House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. Many British people felt that this implied a pro-German bias. King George V’s  Private Secretary Arthur Bigge, 1st Baron Stamfordham came up with the House of Windsor. When Wilhelm II, German Emperor, a grandson of Queen Victoria and a first cousin of King George V, received the news, he smiled, got up from his chair, and said in his perfect English that he was off to the theater to see Shakespeare’s play The Merry Wives of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. A number of King George V’s relatives who had Germanic titles and were British subjects exchanged their old names and titles for new English-sounding ones.
Unofficial Royalty: July 17, 1917: The Birth of the House of Windsor
Unofficial Royalty: House of Windsor Index

July 17, 1918 – Execution by firing squad of Nicholas II, Emperor of All Russia and his family along with three of their most loyal servants and the court doctor in Yekaterinburg, Siberia, Russia; buried on July 17, 1998, the 80th anniversary of their deaths, in St. Catherine Chapel at the Peter and Paul Cathedral in St. Petersburg, Russia
The family had been in exile in the Ipatiev House in Yekaterinburg, Siberia, Russia since the previous spring. The residence was also known as The House of Special Purpose, as the Bolsheviks had wanted to eventually bring Nicholas to trial. At the time of the family’s execution, the Bolshevik Red Army controlled Yekaterinburg with the anti-communist White Army gaining strength in the surrounding area. To prevent the family from possible escape into White Army hands, the decision was made to execute them.
Unofficial Royalty: Execution by firing squad of Nicholas II, Emperor of All Russia and his family
Unofficial Royalty: Nicholas II, Emperor of All Russia
Unofficial Royalty: Alix of Hesse and by Rhine (Empress Alexandra Feodorovna of Russia
Unofficial Royalty: Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaevna of Russia
Unofficial Royalty: Grand Duchess Tatiana Nikolaevna of Russia
Unofficial Royalty: Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna of Russia
Unofficial Royalty: Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna of Russia
Unofficial Royalty: Tsesarevich Alexei Nikolaevich of Russia

July 17, 1945 – Birth of Alexander, Crown Prince of Serbia, current pretender to the former Serbian throne, at Suite 212 of Claridge’s Hotel in Brook Street, London, England
Crown Prince Alexander II of Serbia is the son of King Peter II of Yugoslavia and Princess Alexandra of Greece and is the current pretender to the former Serbian throne. He was born in Suite 212 of Claridge’s Hotel in London, England where his parents were living in exile. Under the orders of Prime Minister Winston Churchill, the British government ceded sovereignty of the suite to Yugoslavia for the day so the new Crown Prince could be born on Yugoslav soil.
Unofficial Royalty: Alexander, Crown Prince of Serbia

July 17, 1947 – Birth of Queen Camilla of the United Kingdom, second wife of King Charles III of the United Kingdom, born Camilla Rosemary Shand at King’s College Hospital in London, England
Alice Keppel, Camilla’s great-grandmother, was the mistress of King Edward VII, King Charles III’s great-great-grandfather, from 1898 until King Edward’s death in 1910. Camilla, along with Diana, Princess of Wales and Sarah, Duchess of York, is a descendant of King Charles II of England through one of his illegitimate children, Charles Lennox, 1st Duke of Richmond, son of Charles II and his mistress Louise de Kérouaille, Duchess of Portsmouth. In addition, Camilla is the great-great-great-granddaughter of Sir Allan MacNab, who was Premier of the Province of Canada before Confederation in 1867.
Unofficial Royalty: Queen Camilla of the United Kingdom

July 17, 1963 – Birth of Letsie III, King of Lesotho at Scott Hospital in Morija, Lesotho
Letsie III is the current King of Lesotho, located in Africa. In April 2006, King Letsie’s brother, Prince Seeiso and Prince Harry formed a charity called Sentebale to support organizations working with Lesotho’s disadvantaged young people and children, particularly those orphaned as a result of HIV and AIDS.
Unofficial Royalty: Letsie III, King of Lesotho

July 17, 2004 – Death of Susan Cullen-Ward, Crown Princess of Albania, wife of Crown Prince Leka I of Albania, pretender to the Albanian throne, in Tirana, Albania; buried at Sharra Cemetery in Tirana, Albania, in 2012, her remains were moved to the newly rebuilt Royal Mausoleum in Tirana, along with the remains of her husband and his parents
After living in exile, the royal family was invited to return to Albania in June 2002. Arriving with her husband, son, and mother-in-law Queen Geraldine, Susan continued her work for improving conditions for the Albanian people and remained steadfast in her unyielding support for her husband’s efforts. Sadly, just two years later, she died after having been diagnosed with lung cancer.
Unofficial Royalty: Susan Cullen-Ward, Crown Princess of Albania

July 17, 2020 – Wedding of Princess Beatrice of York and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi in a private ceremony at the Royal Chapel of All Saints, on the grounds of Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park in Windsor, England
The wedding was scheduled to take place on May 29, 2020, at the Chapel Royal at St James’s Palace in London, England, followed by a private reception in the gardens of Buckingham Palace. However, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the wedding was postponed.  The wedding was rescheduled and new arrangements were made. In line with British government guidelines for COVID-19, all social distancing measures were followed. After July 4, 2020, weddings with up to 30 attendees were allowed to take place. It is known that there were approximately twenty guests including the bride and groom’s parents and siblings, and the bride’s paternal grandparents Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Prayers were said but in accordance with British government guidelines for COVID-19, no hymns were sung, but a selection of music was played. The National Anthem was played but not sung.
Unofficial Royalty: Wedding of Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi

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Anne of Cleves, Queen of England; Credit – Wikipedia

July 16, 1377 – Coronation of King Richard II of England at Westminster Abbey in London, England
Richard became king at the age of 10 upon the death of his grandfather Edward III. His coronation was held a month later. Richard was so exhausted after the coronation that he had to be carried to Westminster Hall for the banquet. Richard’s first wife Anne of Bohemia was crowned on January 22, 1382. His second wife Isabelle of France was crowned on January 8, 1397.
Unofficial Royalty: King Richard II of England

July 16, 1517 – Birth of Lady Frances Brandon, Duchess of Suffolk, daughter of Mary Tudor, Queen of France, Duchess of Suffolk and niece of King Henry VIII, at Hatfield House in Hertfordshire, England
The second child of the four children and eldest daughter of Mary Tudor, daughter of King Henry VII of England, and Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk, Lady Frances Brandon was born on July 16, 1517, at Hatfield House in Hertfordshire, England. At the time of her birth, Hatfield House belonged to the Bishop of Ely. Her mother was making a pilgrimage to the shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham in Norfolk, England when she unexpectedly went into labor, so she stopped at Hatfield House to have her baby. Lady Frances married Henry Grey, 3rd Marquess of Dorset and they were the parents of the ill-fated Lady Jane Grey.
Unofficial Royalty: Lady Frances Brandon, Duchess of Suffolk

July 16, 1557 – Death of Anne of Cleves, Queen of England, fourth wife of King Henry VIII of England, at Chelsea Old Palace in London, England; buried at Westminster Abbey in London, England
Anne of Cleves is often considered the most fortunate of Henry VIII’s wives. Henry was terribly disappointed by his new bride. He found Anne humorless and boring. She looked unimpressive in her German costume, acted shy, and did not speak English. Six months after the marriage, Anne was informed that Henry wanted to end the marriage and Anne agreed to an annulment which was finalized on the grounds of non-consummation. Henry gave her a generous settlement and the use of Richmond Palace and Hever Castle. Anne was frequently at court, had a cordial relationship with Henry and his children, and was referred to as “the King’s Beloved Sister.” Anne of Cleves survived Henry and all his wives. Her last public appearance was at the coronation of her stepdaughter Queen Mary I. As the third lady in the land, she rode behind the new queen beside Mary’s sister Elizabeth.
Unofficial Royalty: Anne of Cleves, Queen of England

July 16, 1672 – Birth of Lady Barbara FitzRoy, acknowledged by King Charles II of England as his child by Barbara Palmer, 1st Duchess of, at Cleveland House in St. Martin in the Fields, London, England
After giving birth to an illegitimate son, Barbara became a Benedictine nun. Her son was raised by her mother.
Wikipedia: Lady Barbara FitzRoy (Unofficial Royalty article coming soon.)

July 16, 1740 – Death of Maria Anna of Neuburg, Queen of Spain, second wife of Carlos II, King of Spain, at the Palacio del Infantado in Guadalajara, Spain; interred in Chapel IX of the Pantheon of the Infantes at the Royal Basilica of San Lorenzo de El Escorial in San Lorenzo de El Escorial, Spain
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 Neuburg, Queen of Spain

July 16, 1764 – Murder of Ivan VI, Emperor of All Russia at the Fortress of Shlisselburg in Russia; buried at the Fortress of Shlisselburg
The story of Ivan VI and his family is one of the most tragic stories in royal history. Ivan VI, Emperor of All Russia (Ivan Antonovich) succeeded to the throne in 1740 at the age of two months. A little more than a year later, Ivan was deposed by Elizabeth Petrovna, the only surviving child of Peter I the Great, Emperor of All Russia, and spent the next 23 years imprisoned before being murdered in 1764 during the reign of Catherine II (the Great), Empress of All Russia. Ivan’s parents spent the rest of their lives imprisoned and with the exception of his sister Catherine, all his other siblings were born while their parents were imprisoned. His siblings remained imprisoned until 1780 when they were released into the custody of their maternal aunt, born Juliana Maria of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, but then the Queen Dowager of Denmark.
Unofficial Royalty: Assassination of Ivan VI, Emperor of All Russia
Unofficial Royalty: Ivan VI, Emperor of All Russia

July 16, 1782- Death of Louisa Ulrika of Prussia, Queen of Sweden, wife of King Adolf Frederik of Sweden, at Svartsjö Palace in Svartsjö, Sweden; buried at Riddarholm Church in Stockholm, Sweden
Upon her wedding in 1744, her father-in-law King Fredrik I gave Louisa Ulrika the ownership of Drottningholm Palace, not too far from the Swedish capital of Stockholm. During Louisa Ulrika’s ownership of Drottningholm Palace, the interior of the palace was redecorated in a more sophisticated French rococo style. On Louisa Ulrika’s 33rd birthday, her husband Adolf Fredrik presented her with the Chinese Pavillion, located on the grounds of Drottningholm Palace. Louisa Ulrika was also responsible for having the Drottningholm Palace Theatre rebuilt after the original building burned down in 1762.
Unofficial Royalty: Louisa Ulrika of Prussia, Queen of Sweden

July 16, 1879 – Death of Maria Teresa of Savoy, wife of Carlo II Ludovico, Duke of Parma, at the Tenuta Villa Maria in San Martino, Vignale in the hills, just north of Lucca in Italy; buried in the Chapel of the Dominican Order at the Verano Cemetery in Rome, Italy
In 1820, Maria Teresa married the future Carlo II Ludovico, Duke of Parma. The couple had two children but the marriage was a mismatch. Maria Teresa was very religious and a secular member of the Dominican Order. Carlo Ludovico lived for his own pleasure and preferred entertainment and travel to prayer. Eventually, Maria Teresa left her husband’s court and surrounded herself with priests and nuns, and dedicated her life to religion. After 1840 she lived in complete religious seclusion. Maria Teresa of Savoy died on July 16, 1879, aged 75. Her funeral was held on July 23, 1879, at Saint Romano Church in Lucca, Italy. Her body, dressed in a Dominican nun’s habit, was taken by train to Rome, Italy where it was buried in the Chapel of the Dominican Order at the Verano Cemetery.
Unofficial Royalty: Maria Teresa of Savoy, Duchess of Savoy

July 16, 1884 – Birth of Anna Alexandrovna Vyrubova, lady-in-waiting and favorite of Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, wife of Nicholas II, Emperor of All Russia, in Oranienbaum, Russia
Anna became a maid of honor at the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg in 1903, serving various female members of the Romanov family. In 1905, Anna was summoned to Tsarskoye Selo, the town containing residences of the Imperial Family located 15 miles south of St. Petersburg, to fill in for a lady-in-waiting to Empress Alexandra who became ill. Thus began her longtime relationship with Empress Alexandra. The position of lady-in-waiting was rotating – one month on duty, one month at home. Anna became a close friend of Empress Alexandra, was close to the Imperial Family for many years, accompanied them on many trips, and attended private family events.
Unofficial Royalty: Anna Alexandrovna Vyrubova, lady-in-waiting and favorite of Empress Alexandra Feodorovna of Russia

July 16, 1946 – Death of Charlotte of Schaumburg-Lippe, Queen of Württemberg, 2nd wife of King Wilhelm II of Württemberg, at Schloss Bebenhausen, in Bebenhausen,  Baden-Württemberg, Germany; buried in the Old Cemetery on the grounds of Ludwigsburg Palace in Ludwigsburg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
At the end of World War I, when the German monarchies all came to an end, Charlotte’s husband King Wilhelm II of Württemberg negotiated with the new German state to ensure that he and his wife would receive an annual income, as well as a residence for life, Schloss Bebenhausen. The two retired to Bebenhausen, now in the German state of Baden-Württemberg. where Wilhelm died in 1921. Queen Charlotte remained there, going by the title Duchess of Württemberg, for another 25 years. Two years before her death, Charlotte suffered a stroke that confined her to a wheelchair. In addition to having been the last Queen of Württembeg, Charlotte held the distinction of being the last living Queen from any of the German states.
Unofficial Royalty: Charlotte of Schaumburg-Lippe, Queen of Württemberg

July 16, 1956 – Death of Irene Mountbatten, Marchioness of Carisbrooke, born Lady Irene Denison, daughter of William Denison, 2nd Earl of Londesborough and wife of Queen Victoria’s grandson Alexander Mountbatten, Marquess of Carisbrooke, in London, England; she was cremated and ashes were interred at St. Mildred’s Church in Whippingham, Isle of Wight, England
Irene married Alexander Mountbatten, Marquess of Carisbrooke, the eldest son of Princess Beatrice of the United Kingdom and Prince Henry of Battenberg. Irene and Alexander lived at King’s Cottage, overlooking Kew Gardens, one of the grace and favor houses at the disposal of the Sovereign. They spent their last years living in apartments at Kensington Palace.
Unofficial Royalty: Irene Mountbatten, Marchioness of Carisbrooke

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© Unofficial Royalty 2023

Franz Friedrich Anton, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld; Credit – Wikipedia

July 15, 1445 – Death of Lady Joan Beaufort, Queen of Scots, wife of James I, King of Scots at Dunbar Castle in Scotland; buried at the Carthusian Charterhouse of Perth in Scotland
After the assassination of her husband James I, King of Scots, Joan married Sir James Stewart, known as the Black Knight of Lorne. Due to the many intrigues of the Scottish nobles, Joan was at Dunbar Castle for her protection. After a ten-month siege of Dunbar Castle, Joan died at around 41 years of age. She was buried beside her first husband James I, King of Scots in the Carthusian Charterhouse of Perth, which he had founded. On May 11, 1559, following a sermon by John Knox, a leader of the Scottish Reformation and the founder of the Presbyterian Church of Scotland, the Carthusian Charterhouse in Perth was attacked by a mob of Protestant reformers. Everything was destroyed including the royal tombs and remains.
Unofficial Royalty: Lady Joan Beaufort, Queen of Scots

July 15, 1685 – Execution of James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth, 1st Duke of Buccleuch, an illegitimate son of King Charles II Of England by Lucy Walter, for treason at Tower Hill in London, England; buried at the Chapel Royal of St. Peter ad Vincula, Tower of London in London, England
James was the eldest of Charles II’s illegitimate children. Sarah, Duchess of York, Princess Alice of Gloucester, and Diana, Princess of Wales are among the descendants of the Duke of Monmouth.  James was convicted of treason for leading a rebellion against his uncle King James II of England. Apparently, he groveled at the feet of his uncle, begging for his life.  James was sent to the Tower of London and beheaded on Tower Hill on July 15, 1685.
Unofficial Royalty: James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth

July 15, 1750 – Birth of Franz Friedrich Anton, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld in Coburg, Duchy of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, now in Bavaria, Germany
Franz Friedrich Anton was the grandfather of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. In 1777, Franz married Augusta Reuss of Ebersdorf. They had nine children including Franz’s successor and Prince Albert’s father Ernst I, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Queen Victoria’s mother Victoria, and Leopold who was the first King of the Belgians. In 1775, he began a print collection that ultimately consisted of 300,000 prints. The collection can be visited at the Veste Coburg. Because of Franz, the family’s library had an extensive collection of books. Franz conducted an extensive renovation of the family castles. Walls, ditches, and towers were demolished and replaced by gardens and other green areas. In 1805, Franz bought back Schloss Rosenau which the family had been forced to sell in 1704 due to debts.
Unofficial Royalty: Franz Frederick, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld

July 15, 1823 – Birth of Prince Alexander of Hesse and by Rhine, son of Ludwig II, Grand Duke of Hesse and by the Rhine, in Darmstadt, Grand Duchy of Hesse and by Rhine, now in Hesse, Germany
Full name: Alexander Ludwig Georg Friedrich Emil
The Battenberg/Mountbatten family descends from Alexander and his morganatic wife Countess Julia von Hauke. Alexander had fallen in love with Julia Hauke, a lady-in-waiting to his sister Marie who had married the future Alexander II, Emperor of All Russia. Although forbidden by Nicholas I, the current Emperor of All Russia, to marry, the couple married anyway as Julia was already pregnant with their first child. The marriage forced the couple to leave Russia, but the two were allowed to settle in the Grand Duchy of Hesse and by Rhine. The marriage was viewed as morganatic which removed any future children from the Hesse and by Rhine line of succession. Julia was granted the title of Countess of Battenberg, a castle in Hesse and by Rhine. Eventually, the two regained some of their favor in Russia and Hesse and Hesse and by Rhine. Alexander and Julia had five children.  Through their son Louis, they are the ancestors of the British Royal Family and through their son Henry, they are ancestors of the Spanish Royal Family.
Unofficial Royalty: Prince Alexander of Hesse and by Rhine

July 15, 1837 – Birth of Stephanie of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, Queen of Portugal, wife of King Pedro V of Portugal, in Krauchenwies, Principality of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, now in Baden-Württemberg, Germany
Full name: Stephanie Josepha Friederike Wilhelmine Antonia
In 1858, Stephanie married King Pedro V of Portugal. The marriage lasted a little more than one year. 22-year-old Stephanie died from diphtheria on July 17, 1859. Her husband, King Pedro V, was greatly saddened by his wife’s death and fell into a deep depression. He died of typhoid fever just two years later and was succeeded by his brother King Luís I.
Unofficial Royalty: Stephanie of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, Queen of Portugal

July 15, 1911 – Death of Louisa Montagu, Duchess of Manchester, Queen Victoria’s Mistress of the Robes 1852–1853, then Louise Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire, after suffering a seizure during the races at the Sundown Park Race Course in Esher, Surrey, England; buried in the churchyard at St. Peter’s Church in Edensor, England, the traditional burial site of the Dukes of Devonshire and their families
Born Luise Friederike Auguste, Countess von Alten, the daughter of Karl Franz Viktor, Count von Alten, Louisa first married William Montagu, 7th Duke of Manchester. After his death, she married Spencer Cavendish, 8th Duke of Devonshire.
Unofficial Royalty: Louisa Montagu, Duchess of Manchester

July 15, 1946 – Birth of Hassanal Bolkiah, Sultan of Brunei in Brunei Town, now called Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei
On October 4, 1967, upon his father’s abdication, Hassanal Bolkiah became the 29th Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan (Head of State) of Brunei. He resides at Nurul Iman Palace, a massive place with nearly 1,800 rooms. According to Guinness World Records, it is the largest residential palace in the world, and the largest single-family residence ever built.
Unofficial Royalty: Hassanal Bolkiah, Sultan of Brunei

July 15, 1949 – Birth of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Emir of Dubai in Al Shindagha, Dubai, Trucial States, now in the United Arab Emirates
Sheikh Mohammed became the Emir of Dubai in 2006 after the death of his brother Sheikh Maktoum. In 2004, Princess Haya of Jordan, daughter of King Hussein and sister of King Abdullah II, became the junior wife of Sheikh Mohammed.  In February 2019, Sheikh Mohammed divorced Princess Haya under Sharia Law but he did not inform Haya. In the early summer of 2019, Princess Haya took her two children and fled to London where she sought political asylum and a divorce. Haya now lives in London and as an envoy of the Embassy of Jordan, she is able to remain in the United Kingdom and was granted diplomatic immunity and protection under the Geneva Convention. In March 2020, the High Court in London ruled that Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum inflicted “exorbitant” domestic abuse on his wife and granted Princess Haya sole custody of their children. In 2021, Haya was granted full custody of her children by a British court. In March 2022, the British High Court declared that Haya had been a victim of “domestic abuse”, and she was announced as the sole person in charge of the children’s schooling and medical care.
Unofficial Royalty: Rulers of the United Arab Emirates

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