Royalty of 1917: the heirs

Royalty of 1917: the heirs

Comment   

This special series is looking back at the royalty of a century past. One hundred years ago, the regal map of Europe was very different with far more monarchies and ruling houses than we have now. We're beginning our time travel with a glance with a who's who of the dynasties we know today, retrospectives on how the monarchies of 2017 were a whole century ago. We've already seen the rulers and their consorts, now it's time to look at the heirs. They're listed below according to how long they had been heir to their country's throne at the time. Kings to be with sad stories and a powerhouse of a queen regnant in the making follow...here are the heirs of 1917.

Liechtenstein

Heir Prince Franz of Liechtenstein
Full Name Franz de Paula Maria Karl August
Born August 28th 1853, Schloss Liechtenstein, Austria
Son of Prince Aloys II of Liechtenstein and Franziska Kinsky
Heir to his brother, Prince Johann II of Liechtenstein
His time as heir ended with....his succession to the throne of Liectenstein on the death of his brother on February 11th 1929
Own rule February 11th 1929 - July 25th 1938
Died July 25th 1938

Monaco

Heir Prince Louis of Monaco
Full Name Louis Honore Charles Antoine
Born July 12th 1870, Baden
Son of Prince Albert I of Monaco and Lady Mary Victoria Hamilton
Heir to his father, Prince Albert I, from the moment of his accession on September 10th 1889
His time as heir ended with....his succession as Sovereign Prince of Monaco on the death of his father on June 27th 1922
Reigned June 27th 1922 - May 9th 1949
Died May 9th 1949, Prince's Palace, Monaco

Norway

Heir Crown Prince Olav of Norway
Full Name Alexander Edward Christian Frederik
Born July 2nd 1903, Sandringham House, Norfolk as Prince Alexander of Denmark
Son of King Haakon VII and Queen Maud of Norway
Heir to his father, King Haakon VII, from the moment of his accession on November 18th 1905
His time as heir ended with....his succession as King of Norway on the death of his father on September 21st 1957
Reigned September 21st 1957 - January 17th 1991
Died January 17th 1991, The Royal Lodge, Holmenkollen, Oslo

Spain

Heir Alfonso, Prince of Asturias
Full Name Alfonso Pio Cristino Eduardo Francisco Guillermo Carlos Enrique Eugenion Fernando Antonio Venancio
Born May 10th 1907, Palacio Real, Madrid
Son of King Alfonso XIII of Spain and Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg
Heir to his father, King Alfonso XIII, from the moment of his birth in 1907
His time as heir ended with....his father's exile in 1931 and his own renunciation of his rights to the throne in 1933
Died September 6th 1938, Miami, Florida

Sweden

Heir Crown Prince Gustav Adolf of Sweden
Full Name Oskar Frederik Wilhelm Olaf Gustaf Adolf
Born November 11th 1882, Royal Palace, Stockholm
Son of King Gustav V and Queen Victoria of Sweden
Heir to his father, King Gustav V, from the moment of his accession on December 8th 1907
His time as heir ended with....his succession as King of Sweden on the death of  his father on October 29th 1950
Reigned October 29th 1950 - September 15th 1973
Died September 15th 1973, Helsingborg Hospital

Netherlands

Heir Princess Juliana of the Netherlands
Full Name Juliana Louise Emma Marie Wilhelmina
Born April 30th 1909, Noordeinde Palace, The Hague
Daughter of Queen Wilhelmina and Prince Heinrich of the Netherlands
Heir to her mother, Queen Wilhelmina, from the moment of her birth on April 30th 1909
Her time as heir ended with....her succession as Queen of the Netherlands on the abdication of her mother on September 4th 1948
Reigned September 4th 1949 - April 30th 1980
Died March 20th 2004, Soestdijk Palace, Baarn

Belgium

Heir Prince Leopold III, Duke of Brabant
Full Name Leopold Philippe Charles Albert Meinrad Hubertus Maria Michel
Born November 3rd 1901, Brussels
Son of King Albert I and Queen Elisabeth of the Belgians
Heir to his father, King Albert I, from the moment of his accession on December 23rd 1909
His time as heir ended with....his succession as King of the Belgians on on the death of his father on February 17th 1934
Reigned February 17th 1934 - July 16th 1951
Died September 25th 1983, Woluwe-Saint-Lambert, Belgium

United Kingdom

Heir Prince Edward, the Prince of Wales
Full Name Edward Albert Christian George Andrew Patrick David
Born June 23rd 1894, White Lodge, Richmond, Surrey
Son of King George V and Queen Mary of the United Kingdom
Heir to his father, King George V, from the moment of his accession on May 6th 1910
His time as heir ended with....his succession as King of the United Kingdom on the death of his father on January 20th 1936
Reigned January 20th 1936 - December 11th 1936
Died May 28th 1972, Paris

Luxembourg

Heir Charlotte, Hereditary Grand Duchess of Luxembourg
Full Name Charlotte Adelgonde Elisabeth Marie Wilhelmine
Born January 23rd 1896, Berg Castle, Luxembourg
Daughter of Grand Duke William IV and Grand Duchess Marie Anne of Luxembourg
Heir to her sister, Grand Duchess Marie-Adelaide, from the moment of her accession on February 25th 1912
Her time as heir ended with....her succession as Grand Duchess of Luxembourg on the abdication of her sister on January 14th 1919
Reigned January 14th 1919 - November 12th 1964
Died July 9th 1985, Fischbach Castle, Fischbach, Luxembourg

Denmark

Heir Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark
Full Name Christian Frederik Franz Michael Carl Valdemar Georg
Born March 11th 1899, Sorgenfri Palace, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
Son of King Christian X and Queen Alexandrine of Denmark
Heir to his father, King Christian X, from the moment of his accession on May 14th 1912
Her time as heir ended with....his succession as King of Denmark on the death of his father on April 20th 1947
Reigned April 20th 1947 - January 14th 1972
Died January 14th 1972, Amalienborg Palace, Copenhagen

Royalty of 1917: the consorts

Royalty of 1917: the consorts

Comment   

It is another time, all of its own. The royal scene of 1917 is so different from now it may as well be another world. Europe was dominated by monarchies whereas now they are in the minority. Over August, I'm going to look back on the blog at the royalty of 1917 and it's starting with the shape of the dynasties that still exist today. Yesterday was all about the sovereigns who ruled the royal houses that remain in 2017. This part looks at their consorts. We've got a smattering of princesses turned queens and a very determined duke here. Settle back and enjoy the consorts of 1917....

Monaco

Consort Princess Alice of Monaco

Full Name Marie Alice

Born Marie Alice Heine on February 10th 1858, New Orleans, Louisiana

Daughter of Michel Heine and Amelie Marie Celeste Miltenberger

Married Albert I of Monaco on October 30th 1889

Consort from the moment of her marriage on October 30th 1889

Length of rule in 1917....28 years although the couple had separated judicially in 1902

Time as consort came to an end....with Albert's death on June 26th 1922

Died December 22nd 1925, Paris

Netherlands

Consort Heinrich,  Prince of the Netherlands

Full Name Heinrich Wladimir Albrecht Ernst

Born Heinrich Wladimir Albrecht Ernst of Mecklenberg-Schwerin on April 19th 1876, Schwerin, Germany

Son of Frederick Francis II, Grand Duke of Mecklenberg-Schwerin and Marie of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt

Married Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands on February 7th 1901 in The Hague

Consort from the moment of his marriage on February 7th 1901

Length of rule in 1917....16 years

Died July 3rd 1934, The Hague

Time as consort came to an end....with his death on July 3rd 1934

Died December 22nd 1925, Paris

Norway

Consort Queen Maud of Norway

Full Name Maud Charlotte Mary Victoria

Born Princess Maud of Wales on November 26th 1869, London

Daughter of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra

Married Haakon VII of Norway, then Prince Carl of Denmark, on July 22nd 1896, Buckingham Palace

Consort from the moment of her husband's election as King of Norway on November 18th 1905

Length of rule in 1917....12 years

Died November 20th 1928, Sandringham, Norfolk

Time as consort came to an end....with her death on November 20th 1938

Spain

Consort Queen Victoria Eugenie of Spain

Full Name Victoria Eugenie Julia Ena

Born Princess Ena of Battenberg on October 24th 1887, Balmoral Castle

Daughter of Prince Henry of Battenberg and Princess Beatrice of the United Kingdom

Married King Alfonso XIII of Spain on May 31st 1906, Madrid

Consort from the moment of her marriage on May 31st 1906

Length of rule in 1917....11 years

Time as consort came to an end....with her husband's exile on April 14th 1931

Died April 15th 1969, Lausanne, Switzerland

Sweden

Consort Queen Victoria of Sweden

Full Name Sophie Marie Viktoria

Born Victoria of Baden on August 7th 1862, Karlsruhe, Baden

Daughter of Grand Duke Frederik I of Baden and Princess Louise of Prussia

Married King Gustav V of Sweden, then Crown Prince of Sweden, on September 20th 1881, Karlsruhe

Consort from the moment of her husband's accession on December 8th 1907

Length of rule in 1917....10 years

Died April 4th 1930, Rome

Time as consort came to an end....with her death on April 4th 1930

Belgium

Consort Queen Elisabeth of the Belgians

Full Name Elisabeth Gabriele Valerie Marie

Born Duchess Elisabeth in Bavaria on July 25th 1876, Possenhofen Castle, Bavaria

Daughter of Karl-Theodor, Duke in Bavaria and Maria Josepha of Portugal

Married King Albert I of the Belgians, then second in line to the throne, on October 2nd 1900

Consort from the moment of her husband's accession on December 17th 1909

Length of rule in 1917....8 years

Time as consort came to an end....with her husband's death on February 17th 1934

Died November 23rd 1965, Brussels

United Kingdom

Consort Queen Mary of the United Kingdom, Empress of India

Full Name Victoria Mary Augusta Louise Olga Pauline Claudine Agnes

Born Princess Mary of Teck on May 26th 1867, Kensington Palace

Daughter of Prince Francis, Duke of Teck and Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge

Married King George V, then second in line to the throne, on July 6th 1893, St James Palace, London

Consort from the moment of her husband's accession on May 6th 1910

Length of rule in 1917....7 years

Time as consort came to an end....with her husband's death on January 20th 1936

Died March 24th 1953, London

Denmark

Consort Queen Alexandrine of Denmark

Full Name Alexandrine Augusta

Born Alexandrine, Duchess of Mecklenberg-Schwerin on December 24th 1879, Schwerin, Germany

Daughter of Frederick Francis III and Grand Duchess Anastasia Mikhailovna of Russia

Married King Christian X of Denmark, then second in line to the throne, on April 26th 1898, Cannes, France

Consort from the moment of her husband's accession on May 14th 1912

Length of rule in 1917....5 years

Time as consort came to an end....with her husband's death on April 20th 1947

Died December 28th 1952, Copenhagen

Royalty of 1917: the monarchs

Royalty of 1917: the monarchs

Comment   

A century ago, the royal world looked very different. There were a lot more of them to start off with. In a world riven by war, the ancient dynasties that had held power were holding on but sometimes only just. This month, I'm taking a look back at the royal world of a summer a century ago and it all starts with the people in charge of the dynasties we still know today. There will be another post soon looking at the rulers of monarchies that have long gone. But first here are the sovereigns of 1917, in order of reign length starting with the one who had been ruling the longest by 1917....

Liechtenstein

Europe's longest reigning sovereign in 1917

Sovereign Prince Johann II
Full name Johann Maria Franz Placidus
Born October 5th 1840, Lednice, Czech Republic (then Eisgrub, Moravia)
Son of Prince Aloys II of Liechtenstein and Countess Franziska Kinsky of Wchinitz and Tettau

Ascended November 12th 1858 on the death of his father, Prince Aloys II
Length of rule in 1917 59 years
Died February 11th 1929, Valtice, Czech Republic (then Czechoslovakia)
Rule would end....with his death on February 11th 1929
Reigned November 12th 1858 - February 11th 1929
Known for....his nickname, Johann the Good, never living permanently in Liechtenstein and ending up as the second longest reigning sovereign in European history

Spain

Alfonso XIII, reigned May 17th 1886 - April 14th 1931

Sovereign King Alfonso XIII

Full name Alfonso Leon Fernando Maria Jaime Isidro Pascual Antonio

Born May 17th 1886, Madrid

Son of King Alfonso XII of Spain and Maria Christina of Austria
Ascended May 17th 1886, the day of his birth, his father having died six months earlier

Length of rule in 1917 31 years

Rule would end....with his flight into exile on April 14th 1931

Reigned May 17th 1886 - April 14th 1931

Died February 28th 1941, Rome

Known for....being born as a king and losing his throne after a 45 year reign

Monaco

Sovereign Prince Albert I
Full name Albert Honore Charles
Born November 13th 1848, Paris
Son of Prince Charles III of Monaco and Antoinette de Merode

Ascended September 10th 1889 on the death of his father, Charles III
Length of rule in 1917 28 years
Died June 26th 1922, Paris
Rule would end....with his death on June 26th 1922
Reigned September 10th 1889 - June 26th 1922
Known as....the oceanographer prince and a peacemaker

Netherlands

Sovereign Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands
Full name Wilhelmina Helena Pauline Maria
Born August 31st 1880, The Hague
Daughter of King Willem III of the Netherlands and Emma of Waldeck and Pyrmont

Ascended November 23rd 1890 on the death of her father, King Willem III

Length of rule in 1917 27 years

Rule would end....with her abdication on September 4th 1948

Reigned November 23rd 1890 - September 4th 1948
Died November 28th 1962, Het Loo Palace, Apeldoorn

Known for....her support for the resistance in World War Two, her considerable fortune and being the longest ever reigning Dutch monarch

Norway

Sovereign King Haakon VII of Norway
Full name Christian Frederik Carl Georg Valdemar Axel
Born August 3rd 1872, Charlottenlund Palace, Denmark as a Prince of Denmark
Son of King Frederik VIII of Denmark and Louise of Sweden

Ascended November 18th 1905 on his election as King of Norway

Length of rule in 1917 12 years
Died September 21st 1957, Royal Palace, Oslo

Rule would end....with his death on September 21st 1957

Reigned November 18th 1905 - September 21st 1957

Known for....being Norway's first king following the dissolution of the union with Sweden and his resistance during World War Two, becoming a national hero for his defiance of the Nazis

Sweden

Sovereign King Gustav V of Sweden
Full name Oscar Gustav Adolf
Born June 16th 1858, Drottningholm Palace, Stockholm
Son of King Oscar II of Sweden and Sofia of Nassau

Ascended December 8th 1907 on the death of his father, King Oscar II

Length of rule in 1917 10 years
Died October 29th 1950, Drottningholm Palace, Stockholm

Rule would end....with his death on October 29th 1950

Reigned December 8th 1907 - October 29th 1950

Known for....the rise of parliamentary rule in Sweden, his love of sport and being Sweden's oldest ever monarch

Belgium

Sovereign King Albert I of the Belgians
Full name Albert Leopold Clement Marie Meinrad
Born April 8th 1875, Brussels
Son of Prince Philippe, Count of Flanders and Princess Marie of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen

Ascended December 23rd 1909 succeeding his uncle, King Leopold II of the Belgians

Length of rule in 1917 8 years
Died February 17th 1934, Marche-les-Dames, Namur

Rule would end....with his death on February 17th 1934

Reigned December 23rd 1909 - February 17th 1934

Known for....being a hero king during World War One and supporting universal suffrage

Great Britain

Sovereign King George V of the United Kingdom, Emperor of India
Full name George Frederick Ernest Albert
Born June 3rd 1865, London
Son of King Edward VII of Great Britain and Alexandra of Denmark

Ascended May 6th 1910 on the death of his father, King Edward VII

Length of rule in 1917 7 years
Died January 20th 1936

Rule would end....with his death on January 20th 1936, Sandringham House, Norfolk

Reigned May 6th 1910 - January 20th 1936

Known for....creating the House of Windsor, his love of the sea and always putting clocks forward

Luxembourg

Sovereign Marie-Adelaide, The Grand Duchess of Luxembourg
Full name Marie-Adelaide Therese Hilda Wilhelmine
Born June 14th 1894, Berg Castle, Luxembourg
Daughter of William IV, Grand Duke of Luxembourg and Marie Anne of Portugal

Ascended February 25th 1912 on the death of her father, Grand Duke William IV

Length of rule in 1917 5 years

Rule would end....with her abdication on January 14th 1919

Reigned February 25th 1912 - January 14th 1919
Died January 24th 1924, Schloss Hohenberg, Germany

Known for....being the first female regnant of Luxembourg and her perceived pro-German sentiments inWorld War One despite her country's neutrality, an attitude which led to her abdication

Denmark

The newest monarch in Europe in 1917

Sovereign King Christian X of Denmark
Full name Christian Carl Frederik Albert Alexander Wilhelm
Born September 26th 1870, Charlottenlund Palace, Denmark
Son of King Frederik VIII of Denmark and Louise of Sweden

Ascended May 14th 1912 on the death of his father, King Frederik VIII

Length of rule in 1917 5 years
Died April 20th 1947, Amalienborg Palace, Copenhagen

Rule would end....with his death on April 20th 1947

Reigned May 14th 1912 - April 20th 1947

Known for....the Easter Crisis of 1920 and his resistance to Nazi rule during World War Two