Royal Insight Forum

The British Monarchy

Alienor of Aquitania, lived 1122-1204

Alienor 1 (http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y4/JeneeB53/Forum/ALIENOR.jpg)
Alienor 2 (http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y4/JeneeB53/Forum/Eleanor.jpg)
Alienor 3 (http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y4/JeneeB53/Forum/alienor_1.gif)
Alienor's Tomb (http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y4/JeneeB53/Forum/04-Fontevraud.jpg)

The House of Hanover

King George I, Reigned 1714-1727

King George I (http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y4/JeneeB53/Forum/George_i_england.jpg)


King George II, Reigned 1727-1760

King George II (http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y4/JeneeB53/Forum/George_ii_england.jpg)
Statue of King George II (http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y4/JeneeB53/Forum/George_II_statue_1.jpg), located in Golden Square, Soho, London


King George III, Reigned 1760-1820

King George III (http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y4/JeneeB53/Forum/George_III_of_the_United_Kingdom-e.jpg)


King George IV, Reigned 1820-1830

King George IV, (http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y4/JeneeB53/Forum/George_iii_england.jpg) as Prince Regent
Coronation (http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e297/theinternetforum/GeorgeIVCoronation.jpg)
Coronation 2 (http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e297/theinternetforum/GeorgeIV.jpg)
In robes of the Order of the Garter (http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e297/theinternetforum/GIVGarter.jpg)
Coat of Arms (http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y4/JeneeB53/Forum/G3_Arms.png)


King William IV, Reigned 1830-1837

King William IV (http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y4/JeneeB53/Forum/623px-Prince_William2C_Duke_of_Clar.png)
King William IV (http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y4/JeneeB53/Forum/William_iv_england.jpg)
Statue of King William IV (http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y4/JeneeB53/Forum/King_William_IV.jpg), located in Göttingen, Germany


Queen Victoria, Reigned 1837-1901

Queen Victoria (http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y4/JeneeB53/Forum/foto0001.jpg)
Queen Victoria in her Coronation Robes (http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y4/JeneeB53/Forum/Queen_victoria.jpg)
Her Majesty, the Queen (http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y4/JeneeB53/Forum/Queenvictoria.jpg)
A Statue of the Queen (http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y4/JeneeB53/Forum/473px-Victoria.jpg) in Bristol, Enland
Queen Victoria holding Edward VIII, flanked by King Edward VII and King George V (http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y4/JeneeB53/Forum/1894vicedw7geovedw8.jpg) ~Courtesy of EEWC


The House of Windsor, previously the House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha

King Edward VII, Reigned 1901-1910

King Edward VII (http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y4/JeneeB53/Forum/Edward_vii_england.jpg)
King Edward VII, flanked by future King George V, Edward VIII (http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y4/JeneeB53/Forum/1909edw7geo5edw8.jpg) ~Courtesy of EEWC


King George V, Reigned 1910-1936

King George V (http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y4/JeneeB53/Forum/f9e6fa28.jpg)
King George and Queen Mary (http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y4/JeneeB53/Forum/cfeb1b4a.jpg), dressed for the opening of Parliament
Statue of King George V (http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y4/JeneeB53/Forum/e4b95d0c.jpg), outside Westminster Abbey


King Edward VIII, Reigned 1936

King Edward VIII (http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y4/JeneeB53/Forum/Edward-viii-sm.jpg)
Edward VIII (http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y4/JeneeB53/Forum/1916captitalianfront.jpg) ~Courtesy of EEWC
Edward VIII with the Princess of Wales (http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y4/JeneeB53/Forum/1906balmoral.jpg) ~Courtesy of EEWC


King George VI, Reigned 1936-1952

George VI (http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y4/JeneeB53/Forum/67994b01.jpg)
George VI (http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y4/JeneeB53/Forum/92a5e223.jpg), as Duke of York
George VI (http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y4/JeneeB53/Forum/99c868e5.jpg), With President Franklin D. Roosevelt, 1939
Statue of George VI (http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y4/JeneeB53/Forum/293769a5.jpg), at Carlton House Terrace, London


Queen Elizabeth II, Current Monarch

Photo and Information thread for Queen Elizabeth II (http://www.theinternetforum.net/royalforum/index.php?topic=13833.0)

The Spanish Monarchy


King Alfonso XII, Reigned 1875-1885

Alfonso XII (http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y4/JeneeB53/Forum/Alfonso_XII.png)
Monument to Alfonso XII (http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y4/JeneeB53/Forum/800px-Monument-to-Alfonso-XII.jpg),in Parque del Retiro, Madrid


King Alfonso XIII, Reigned 1886-1931

Alfonso XIII (http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y4/JeneeB53/Forum/Alfonso_XIII.jpg)
Alfonso XIII (http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y4/JeneeB53/Forum/Alfonso_XIII_sculpture.jpg), sculpted by Jose Navas-Parejo


Juan de Borbón, Count of Barcelona- Never Ruled

Juan de Borbón (http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y4/JeneeB53/Forum/juan2.jpg)


King Juan Carlos I, Current King of Spain

King Juan Carlos I (http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y4/JeneeB53/Forum/KingJuanCarlosI.jpg)

Marie was the wife of the blind King of Hanover, the son of Scarface, the Duke of Cumberland who had a rather sinister reputation.
Her younger daughter Marie Jnr (to the right of the photo) was born in 1849 and died in her fifties. She never married, though she reputedly twice turned down Queen Victoria's third son, Arthur Duke of Connaught. She and her mother lived together in Paris and Austria. I've often wondered why Marie never married.

@Curryong, When did Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught propose to Princess Frederica?

Quote from: LouisFerdinand on June 03, 2018, 12:00:54 AM
@Curryong, When did Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught propose to Princess Frederica?

Frederika married. Her sister Marie or Mary, never did. This is the sad tale of the unsuccessful pursuit of the young Duke of Connaught and the (slightly older) Marie of Hanover! It's quite interesting, I think, as hardly anything is ever written about Arthur in comparison to several of his siblings.

Royal Musings: Hanover vignettes (http://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2013/01/hanover-vignettes.html)

The author of the above, Marlene Koenig, has written several books on 19th century royalty. She has a blog 'Royal Musings' and a Twitter Page.

Tehre is a giant bio of Arthur D of Connaugth, written I think by Noble Frankland, who was a consultant on the series about WWII.. I suppose it was largely about his military life.  I didn't know he proposed ot Marie of Hanover.  Presumably Marie preferred a single life, or didn't care for Arthur.  Perhaps she didn't wnat to marry a younger son or a British royal?  Art  seems to have been a decent enough man, and to have had a reasonably happy marriage wht Louise of Prussia....
Mm having now read that blog, it seems like Marie 'just wasn't into Arthur" and didn't want to marry unless she had some warm feelings for a man....

Yes, I think you and I have discussed the Noble Frankland book before on another forum. I think Arthur was probably a decent man, a little dull perhaps, and probably quite wrapped up in his army career, which Louise, coming from a Prussian military background probably adjusted to better than Marie would have done.

Even in those days a few mutual interests would have helped a romance along, but obviously Marie and Arthur didn't have too much in common. Perhaps she wanted something a bit more intellectual, or she wasn't physically attracted. These things just can't be faked.

I was quite amused by Queen Victoria's and the Duchess of Teck's reactions to her refusal; 'idiot girl', idiot family' 'How could she have refused him?' 'Why didn't he propose to Lily (Marie's sister) instead?' It truly was a marriage market in those days and Queen Victoria was balked very little in her matchmaking, really.

Still, Marie was one of those that got away. Although she died at only 54 she seems to have been reasonably content in her singledom, living quietly with her mother. Rather intriguing about the 'little affair with a man she couldn't marry' though!

I remember the Noble F book because many years ago, I worked in a big bookshop and it was just published.  But Ive never read it.  I gather Arthtur was a decent enough bloke but I think that it sounds like Marie really wanted something like love and affection.. whereas many princesses woud have been glad to get married.  I think that some German princesses probably thought that by their standards the BRF wasn't grand enough, or was too democratic.. but it seems like she wanted a real marriage with someone she cared about and wasn't going to marry just for the sake of it.
Whereas Victoria clearly felt that any half decent marriage was better than none and wanted her family (except for a spinster daughter or 2) to be married..

It may also have been a case of one party being much more keen than the other. It appears from that blog that Arthur did quite fancy Marie and was keen. On one occasion he 'had a lot to tell her' etc. He did go and visit her and hang around whereas Marie seems to have been quite coolish. She might have still had feelings for this other man she couldn't wed.

It's an odd little story, but it was nice to stumble on it. These little tales humanise long ago royals, I think. Who knows, people might be reading similar things about royals today in another 100 years. I don't mean about the matchmaking but their feelings about each other.

It is interesting.  I Don't know anything much about the Hanovers, in the 19th C.  Seems that yes Marie may have had a romance with a man she could not marry, because of her status.. Possibly had she been an ENlgish princess, she might have been able to marry him, like Louise with the M of Lorne.. but I suspect in German RF's at the time, it would be a no no if he wasn't a royal.

Perhaps he was a Parisian gentleman, but without a title? The Hanovers did live in Paris for some of the time when they were exiled. Certainly, under the old style German House rules, nothing under a Duke would do.

The German Royal Family had kittens over Louise and the Marquess of Lorne, and there were even more howls of indignation when Beatrice was going to marry Henry Battenberg. They were even quite unhappy about Helena and Christian because of the Schleswig Holstein question. A ridiculous way to live really. 

One of the most worthless individuals that ever sat on a throne.

Quote from: Curryong on July 27, 2018, 01:58:02 AM
One of the most worthless individuals that ever sat on a throne.

@Curryong, Who would have been a better choice to be King of Romania?

It's not really a question of choice. Carol was just a very coarse, irresponsible and self-centred individual from his teenage years, if you examine his life. As the eldest son of King Ferdinand II he was the rightful heir.

However he had a penchant for gold diggers as worthless as himself and contracted an early illegal marriage when he was very young. That having been dissolved he married Princess Helen of Greece and proceeded to make her life a misery, as well as (when he was King,) humiliating and bullying his widowed mother, Queen Marie.

Carol then became embroiled in scandal by parading his mistress Magda Lupesco all over the place. The government decided Carol and Helen's little son Michael would be a better option as King, and he succeeded his grandfather, as Carol renounced his rights due to unwillingness to give up Lupesco. That was in 1927.

However Carol could not keep his sticky mitts off his son's throne, and in 1930 bullied and lied his way back. As King he was an absolute disaster, attempting to appease Russia in WW2 and Germany, and was finally forced to abdicate, going into exile.

If he had been any kind of a worthwhile human being at all he would have helped and supported his young son Michael, (and his brother who was Regent, and Helen.) from the beginning. But no, Carol came first and foremost in his own mind, always.

Quote from: Curryong on July 28, 2018, 03:09:37 AM
It's not really a question of choice. Carol was just a very coarse, irresponsible and self-centred individual from his teenage years, if you examine his life. As the eldest son of King Ferdinand II he was the rightful heir.

However he had a penchant for gold diggers as worthless as himself and contracted an early illegal marriage when he was very young. That having been dissolved he married Princess Helen of Greece and proceeded to make her life a misery, as well as (when he was King,) humiliating and bullying his widowed mother, Queen Marie.

Carol then became embroiled in scandal by parading his mistress Magda Lupesco all over the place. The government decided Carol and Helen's little son Michael would be a better option as King, and he succeeded his grandfather, as Carol renounced his rights due to unwillingness to give up Lupesco. That was in 1927.

However Carol could not keep his sticky mitts off his son's throne, and in 1930 bullied and lied his way back. As King he was an absolute disaster, attempting to appease Russia in WW2 and Germany, and was finally forced to abdicate, going into exile.

I

but the heading says Carol I of Romania, who was the uncle of Ferdinand?  I gather he was a pretty selfish and cold hearted individual but I am sure there wre much worse royal rulers than him.  Carol II was indeed a bad king and pretty unpleasant, but I thought that the person in the pic was his great uncle Carol I?

My mistake. Wrong thread. Should have put it in the Carol with Michael thread, which was up earlier as well.

I was surpised that you had said that Carol was one of the worst people ever to be a King, since while he was not a likable person,he wasn't THAT bad..  I agree that Carol II was indeed a pretty bad king though there are plenty of bad ones...

@Curryong, amabel was correct. I inquired about King Carol I, not King Carol II.

Queen Victoria Eugenie of Spain, cradling her son Prince Jaime     
Queen Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg, Queen of Spain as husband of Stock Photo: 105374065 - Alamy (http://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-queen-victoria-eugenie-of-battenberg-queen-of-spain-as-husband-of-105374065.html)

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Double post auto-merged: December 17, 2018, 09:37:24 PM

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Queen Draga was a fair few years older than her husband, King Alexander. In a palace coup in 1903 the couple were killed after being found hiding in a cupboard. She died in a hail of bullets apparently and both bodies were thrown out of the palace windows.

Quote from: Curryong on January 09, 2019, 11:46:12 PM
Queen Draga was a fair few years older than her husband, King Alexander. In a palace coup in 1903 the couple were killed after being found hiding in a cupboard. She died in a hail of bullets apparently and both bodies were thrown out of the palace windows.

Gosh it was pretty awful and tragic... I thought it was due to political instability, seems they were assassinated because of his marriage to her...

Yes, this assassination was appalling, even by the standards of the Balkans at that time. King Edward VII immediately withdrew his minister (Ambassador) an action followed by most of the embassies of Europe. Draga was ten years older than Alexander, tried to have a baby smuggled into the palace so she could say she had given birth, a plot that failed and became known. She was in fact barren.

However, there had been a long standing feud going on between two ambitious Serbian families, represented by the King's (whose father Milan had placed him on the throne) and Alexander's successor, who became King Peter. He lasted for a number of years and was King during World War One. His son succeeded to the throne of an expanded Serbia after the War.

We don't know how much of a role this feud played in the murder of the couple, but Draga was certainly extremely unpopular with the Serbian people. It was rumoured that her husband was putty in her hands (Alexander even exiled his own mother after she objected to his wife) and she intended, after her baby scheme failed, to have her brother's declared heirs to the throne. They were in the Palace that night and were also killed.

Quote from: Curryong on January 09, 2019, 11:46:12 PM
Queen Draga was a fair few years older than her husband, King Alexander. In a palace coup in 1903 the couple were killed after being found hiding in a cupboard. She died in a hail of bullets apparently and both bodies were thrown out of the palace windows.

That was a terrible end for Alexander and Draga.

Quote from: TLLK on January 11, 2019, 01:50:37 PM
That was a terrible end for Alexander and Draga.

The assassination of King Alexander and Queen Draga of Serbia       
Assassination of King and Queen of Serbia Stock Photo: 66095031 - Alamy (http://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-assassination-of-king-and-queen-of-serbia-66095031.html)

Quote from: Curryong on January 11, 2019, 12:03:35 AM
Yes, this assassination was appalling, even by the standards of the Balkans at that time. King Edward VII immediately withdrew his minister (Ambassador) an action followed by most of the embassies of Europe. Draga was ten years older than Alexander, tried to have a baby smuggled into the palace so she could say she had given birth, a plot that failed and became known. She was in fact barren.

However, there had been a long standing feud going on between two ambitious Serbian families, represented by the King's (whose father Milan had placed him on the throne) and Alexander's successor, who became King Peter. He lasted for a number of years and was King during World War One. His son succeeded to the throne of an expanded Serbia after the War.

We don't know how much of a role this feud played in the murder of the couple, but Draga was certainly extremely unpopular with the Serbian people. It was rumoured that her husband was putty in her hands (Alexander even exiled his own mother after she objected to his wife) and she intended, after her baby scheme failed, to have her brother's declared heirs to the throne. They were in the Palace that night and were also killed.

but this was all rumours?  I know she was unpopular but was this just because of rivalry or because she was older than him and not royal... she may not have been such a disaster per se.

The main objection the Serbian people had about Draga was that she was known to be masterful and extremely ambitious. She was infertile and in lieu of any heirs from Alexander it was strongly suspected that Alexander intended to announce his brother in law as heir. This was objected to by the majority of the population. Of course the future King Peter's family (who had held the throne earlier in the 19th century) and Alexander and Draga's other enemies would have spread stories about this and other matters, but if there had been no substance to them then there wouldn't have been a coup.

Giovanni Borgia, Duke of Gandia was the son of Pope Alexander VI.   
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/63965257182147246

Princess Elisabeth of Prussia (1815-1885) became Princess Elisabeth of Hesse and by Rhine.   
Elisabetta di Prussia - Wikipedia (https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elisabetta_di_Prussia)

Princess Louise of Baden as Empress Elizabeth Alexeievna of Russia in 1824   
1824 Empress Elizabeth Alexeievna by Henri Benner lunarmaiden10 on Webshots | House: BADEN in 2019 | Pinterest | Portrait, Portrait art and Princess (http://www.pinterest.com/pin/314970567689243393)

Countess Emilia of Nassau (1569-1629) was a daughter of William I, Prince of Orange.   
ca. 1593 Countess Emilia of Nassau by Dani?l van den Queborn (Collection Historical Society of Orange-Nassau - Den? | / Portraits (Tudor/Elizabethan) (http://www.pinterest.com/pin/691724823987100134)

@LouisFerdinand Thank you!  :goodpost:

Infante Gabriel of Spain (1752-1788) was a son of King Charles III of Spain.     
Infante Gabriel de Borb?n, son of Carlos III, King of Spain, by Mengs. | Spanish Royal Family (1700-1833) | Anton, Spain, Painting (http://www.pinterest.com/pin/63894888435782039)

Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaievna, who was the daughter of Tsar Nicholas I of Russia     
Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaievna of Russia Duchess of Leuchtenberg by Franz Xavier Winterhalter - Hand Painted Oil Painting in 2019 | Franz Xaver (http://www.pinterest.com/pin/314126142760390057)

Prince Augustus William of Prussia (1722-1758)   
Prince Augustus William - Antoine Pesne as art print or hand painted oil. (http://www.myartprints.co.uk/a/pesne-antoine/princeaugustuswilliam.html)

Prince William, Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh (1743-1805). He was a brother of King George III of the United Kingdom.   
Portrait of William Henry, Duke of Gloucester | Pompeo Batoni | Painting Reproduction 8616 | TOPofART (http://www.topofart.com/artists/Batoni/art-reproduction/8616/Portrait-of-William-Henry-Duke-of-Gloucester.php)

Elisabeth of France (1602-1644), Queen Consort of King Philip IV of Spain     
Portrait of Elisabeth of France (1602-1644), Queen consort of Spain Stock Photo: 186174071 - Alamy (http://www.alamy.com/portrait-of-elisabeth-of-france-1602-1644-queen-consort-of-spain-image186174071.html)

Elisabeth, Electress of Brandenberg (1485-1555)     
Elisabeth of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, 24.6.1485 - 10.6.1555 Stock Photo: 23531406 - Alamy (http://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-elisabeth-of-denmark-norway-and-sweden-2461485-10611555-electresds-of-23531406.html)

Conrad I, Burgrave of Nuremberg     
. English: Conrad I, Burgrave of Nuremberg ???????: ?????? I (???????? ?????????) . 17th century. Unknown Conrad I of Nuremberg Stock Photo: 184961970 (http://www.alamy.com/english-conrad-i-burgrave-of-nuremberg-i-17th-century-unknown-conrad-i-of-nuremberg-image184961970.html)

Archduchess Maria Clementina of Austria (1777-1801) was the daughter of Holy Roman Emperor Leopold II.     
F?ger - Maria Clementina of Austria - Category:Portrait paintings of Archduchess Maria Clementina of Austria - Wikimedia Commons | Austria, Painting, (http://www.pinterest.com/pin/645351821589759753)         

King Laszlo III (Ladislaus III) was King of Hungary between 1204 and 1205.     
Ladislaus III (Laszlo, Ladislav III);c. 1200 ? 1205) King of Hungary Stock Photo: 90857848 - Alamy (http://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-ladislaus-iii-laszlo-ladislav-iiic-1200-1205-king-of-hungry-and-croatia-90857848.html)

Augusta Reuss of Ebersdorf (1751-1831), Duchess of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld   
She was the maternal grandmother of Queen Victoria of England.   
Augusta di Reuss-Ebersdorf, duchessa di Sassonia-Coburgo-Saalfeld Stock Photo: 216598349 - Alamy (http://www.alamy.com/augusta-di-reuss-ebersdorf-duchessa-di-sassonia-coburg-saalfeld-image216598349.html)

Gaston of France, Duke of Orleans, the son of King Henry IV of France     
Portrtait of Gaston of France Stock Photo: 241415343 - Alamy (http://www.alamy.com/portrait-of-gaston-of-france-image241415343.html)

Infanta Maria of Portugal, Duchess of Viseu (1521-1577) was the only daughter of King Manuel I of Portugal and Eleanor of Austria.     
Maria of Portugal, Duchess of Viseu and daughter of Manuel I. - Wikipedia | Duchess, Maria, Daughter (http://www.pinterest.com/pin/542261611385975728)

Yes, her mother Sandra was a younger daughter of Affie Duke of Edinburgh and his wife Pudding Face GD Marie of Russia. Her brother Gottfried married Prince Philip's eldest sister Margerita of Greece.

Quote from: Curryong on June 13, 2020, 02:20:23 PM
Yes, her mother Sandra was a younger daughter of Affie Duke of Edinburgh and his wife Pudding Face GD Marie of Russia. Her brother Gottfried married Prince Philip's eldest sister Margerita of Greece.

@Curryong, It only seems like yesterday that I first inquired who Pudding Face was!  :hmm: :hmm: :hmm: :hmm: :hmm: :hmm:

Ha ha ha!  :P  :thumbsup:

Prince Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg (King Ferdinand II of Portugal)   
Prince Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg (1816-1885), later Fernando II of Stock Photo - Alamy (http://www.alamy.com/stock-image-prince-ferdinand-of-saxe-coburg-1816-1885-later-fernando-ii-of-portugal-169318368.html)

Archduchess Maria Anna of Austria (1610-1655), Electress of Bavaria   
Portrait of Archduchess Maria Anna (1610-1655), Electress of Bavaria - Joachim von Sandrart, circa 1643 Stock Photo - Alamy (http://www.alamy.com/portrait-of-archduchess-maria-anna-1610-1655-electress-of-bavaria-joachim-von-sandrart-circa-1643-image264687861.html)

Prince Luitpold of Bavaria (1821-1912) was Prince regent and de facto King of Bavaria.   
Prince Luitpold of Bavaria . Prince regent and de facto King of... News Photo - Getty Images (http://www.gettyimages.com/license/629601543)

Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll with her mother Queen Victoria   
http://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/lowres-picturecabinet.com/38/main/28/42494.jpg   

David Lascelles, Earl of Harewood with his Honorary Doctorate of Arts from Leeds Beckett University   
David Lascelles, Earl of Harewood, with his Honorary Doctorate of Stock Photo - Alamy (http://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-david-lascelles-earl-of-harewood-with-his-honorary-doctorate-of-arts-87817139.html)   

The story of Lady Arbella Stuart | National Trust (https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/hardwick-hall/features/the-story-of-lady-arbella-stuart)

400 years ago a princess lay dying in the Tower of London, recalling her childhood at Hardwick Hall in north Derbyshire and reflecting on a life that could have been so different.  The story of Lady Arbella Stuart is one of those ?what if? moments in Scottish and English history; if Queen Elizabeth I of England had been succeeded by Queen Arbella and not by James VI of Scotland would the union of England and Scotland have taken place the way we know it? Would the lines of succession of monarchs down to the present Elizabeth II have been the same?  It is a surprise, therefore, that so few people have heard of Lady Arbella Stuart.

Why would Arbella have been made Queen after Elizabeth? She was Mary Queen of Scots niece not her daughter. If she had been a daughter and James not existed she may have been accepted as sovereign in England after Elizabeth?s death, or maybe not.

It?s pretty clear that poor old Arbella led one of those ?hostage to fortune? lives that those who were on the throne viewed a threat. It wasn?t a good thing to be born too near to a throne if you had no power of your own. There were several cases throughout history (British and otherwise) of people in Arbella?s position being imprisoned, forbidden to marry and, more to the point, prevented from having children who could represent a challenge to the monarch and his offspring.

The question of succession was a complex one due to Henry 8s will and Edwards will.  Elizabeth herself changed back and forth, not wanting to declare. 

Arabella was half English where James was the King of a foreign country.  By today?s understanding, he was the more senior heir but the laws then were different.  Arabella as a Englishwoman, the descendant of Princess Margaret, raised at Hardwick and a frequent visitor to court was seen as a natural heir. 

Yes Elizabeth never wanted to be tied down, that was part of her nature. However, following the death of Mary Queen of Scots, Elizabeth and her Chief Minister Robert Cecil, began a secret, sometimes coded correspondence with the young James VI of Scotland. These letters show a growing agreement between them and then Elizabeth?s tacit agreement that he would become King of England on her death. This correspondence actually began when she was 51, well beyond childbearing age,  and James was 19.

There is no evidence anywhere that Elizabeth had any sort of correspondence with Arbella Stuart in which Elizabeth agreed to Arbella?s succession to the throne after her.

https://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/periods/tudors/royal-succession-under-elizabeth

Mary Queen of Scots was Elizabeth?s nearest living relative on her father?s side who had a claim to the English Throne. Mary?s next of kin after the deaths of her husbands was her son James. Not a nephew, not a niece. Her son. His claim, a legitimate one, came through his mother. And when Elizabeth finally died there was no ambiguity about who the heir was. Ambassadors began riding for the Scottish border pretty well immediately.

?I will that a king succeed me and who but my kinsman the king of Scots.? 

Queen Elizabeth of Portugal (1271-1336)   
Saint Elizabeth of Portugal (1271-1336). Queen consort of Portugal. Colored engraving. 19th century Stock Photo - Alamy (http://www.alamy.com/saint-elizabeth-of-portugal-image220226295.html)

King Albert I of Belgium with Baby in 1904   
King Albert I of Belgium Holding Baby | Filmes (http://www.pinterest.com/pin/8796161759405967)

Grand Duke Dimitri Pavlovich of Russia, his aunt Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna and cousin Grand Duchess Victoria Feodorovna   
Grand Duke Dmitri Pavlovich ? Grand Duke Dmitri Pavlovich, his aunt Grand... (http://swwsws.loveempirerussia.tumblr.com/post/151891140672/grand-duke-dmitri-pavlovich-his-aunt-grand)

Infante Antonio Pascual of Spain was a son of King Charles III of Spain.   
Engraving depicting Infante Antonio Pascual of Spain (1755-1817) Infante Antonio Pascual Francisco Javier Juan Nepomuceno Aniello Raimundo Silvestre (http://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-infante-antonio-pascual-of-spain-90842513.html)

Prince Olav, the future King Olav V of Norway, conversing with naval officers in 1908   
Prince Olav (1903-1991), the future King Olav V of Norway, conversing with naval officers, 1908.Artist: Queen Alexandra Stock Photo - Alamy (http://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-prince-olav-conversing-17642260.html)

That is a very handsome man and the picture shows his kindness from his expression.

Quote from: LouisFerdinand on May 14, 2023, 09:46:33 PM

King Carlos I of Portugal   
HM King Carlos I of Portugal (1863-1908). ?I like him very much, and so do we all.? ~Queen Victori? | Hist?ria de portugal, Monarquia portuguesa, (http://www.pinterest.com/pin/29695678767250127)

Poor King Carlos was later assassinated. Queen Victoria no doubt like the Portuguese monarch as well because he had Saxe Coburg Gotha connections and was related to both the dead Prince Albert and herself.

Quote from: LouisFerdinand on May 15, 2023, 10:18:30 PM

Were any of Queen Victoria's granddaughters considered as a possible spouse for King Carlos I?

I know Viktoria, the daughter of Friedrich and Vicky, Crown Prince and Princess of Prussia, was proposed as a possible wife for Carlos but because Bismarck was behind it I don?t think her parents were enthusiastic. I don?t believe it got as far as a formal proposal from Carlos. Viktoria was the one who pined for years over her lost love Alexander (Battenberg) of Bulgaria. Religious questions would have proved another barrier.

^^^

Grand Duke Dimitri was a first cousin of Prince Philip

A documentary hosted by Professor Kate William dedicated solely about ''Christmas at Sandringham'' since the first one 1862 Queen Victoria to 2023 King Charles III.

Sandringham: The King At Christmas, Saturday, 8.25pm, Channel 5.


Sandringham has been a feature of royal life since 1862 when Queen Victoria bought the estate as a gift for her son, the future Edward VII, who was turning 21 that year and was soon to marry. It was during Victoria's reign that Christmas evolved into the festival we know today, sparked by an 1848 newspaper image of the Queen, Prince Albert and their children standing round a Christmas tree.

'The public loved it, and the modern Christmas was born,' says historian Professor Kate Williams, who features in the documentary.

Thanks for the history lesson, that is really interesting how the holidays now celebrated in the UK came about.  I need a book now on Sandringham.  Glad to see that the history and heritage are alive and well in the UK.   

Empress Sissi's christening gown displayed recently. Remarkable that such an historic item has survived through tumultuous times for about 186 years now in such good condition. Some discolouration due to age of course, but still intact and with decorative pieces attached.

 https://queenoftheamazons1837.tumblr.com/post/174797031616/empress-sissis-christening-gown-displayed-by-the

Quote from: LouisFerdinand on September 11, 2024, 10:49:13 PM

Prince Andrew of Greece 
He is the father of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.   
http://www.maryevans.com/history/12097762

Besides the sad fact that Prince Andrew died quite young I think it's a great pity that Andrew sort of drifted off to the South of France with a mistress after Prss Alice became so ill and his daughters married.

As a result of this, and of course WW2, Pr Philip had a non-existent relationship with his father really, from his childhood on. Andrew apparently found it acceptable that his daughters, sons in law and his estranged wife's family should take over the responsibility of his son and make decisions regarding his future with little input from himself.

They all loved him of course but I do think that Philip missed having a close relationship with his father (and in some ways his mother as well)

Quote from: LouisFerdinand on February 17, 2025, 08:48:50 PM

Prince Leopold, The Duke of Brabant asd an Eton student     
http://www.lookandlearn.com/history-images/M166213

Well, Leopold was only studying at Eton (though he had private tutorials not ordinary lessons ) because in 1915, and for several more years, the Germans had invaded Belgium and war was raging in much of his homeland. I doubt that King Albert and Queen Elizabeth would have chosen an English education for their children otherwise, though I suppose it was (as an incidental) a good way of learning the language.