Moniek Bloks's Blog, page 5

August 31, 2025

Who would be Queen of Bulgaria today?

The Kingdom of Bulgaria existed from 1908 until 1946. The kingdom operated under Salic law, which did not allow for the succession of women. The Queens mentioned are, therefore, consorts and not reigning Queens. Any claimed titles since the end of the kingdom are titular.

The last King of Bulgaria was King Simeon II, who was just six years old when his father died on 28 August 1943. His parents were Boris III of Bulgaria and Giovanna of Italy. His uncle, Prince Kiril, Prime Minister Bogdan Filov, and Lt. General Nikola Mihov were appointed as regents for the young King. In September 1944, the three regents were deposed during a coup. They were executed the following year. Three new regents from the communist regime were appointed while Simeon, his mother and sister Marie Louise remained at the palace in Sofia.

In September 1946, a referendum was held about abolishing the monarchy and declaring a republic. Officially, over 95% voted for the abolishment of the monarchy. The following day, the royal family was exiled from Bulgaria. Simeon still holds the claim to the throne. He even managed to return to Bulgaria and was its Prime Minister from 2001 to 2005.

Simeon married a Spanish aristocrat, Doña Margarita Gómez-Acebo y Cejuela, on 21 January 1962. Margarita would thus be Queen of Bulgaria today. They went on to have five children together, four sons and one daughter.

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Margarita was born on 6 January 1935 as the daughter of Manuel Gómez-Acebo y Modet, 4th Marquess of Cortina and María de las Mercedes Cejuela y Fernández. She had an elder brother, José Luis, who died in 2010. Her parents and maternal grandmother were executed in 1936 by the Communists during the Spanish Civil War. She and her brother were then taken in by a close friend of their father’s and later by their paternal grandmother, until she died in 1940. Later, they were cared for by their paternal uncles, Don Juan Gómez-Acebo y Modet and Don Jaime Gómez-Acebo y Modet.

Margarita and her husband currently live in Vrana Palace in Sofia, which was returned to them by Bulgaria’s Constitutional Court.

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Their eldest son, Kardam, should have followed in his father’s claim upon his eventual death, but tragically, Kardam was in a car accident in 2008. He died of his injuries following many years of being in a coma in 2015. He had two sons with his wife, Miriam, who remarried Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad of Jordan in 2022. Their eldest son, Boris, is not yet married.

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Published on August 31, 2025 21:00

August 30, 2025

Book News Week 36

*contains affiliate links*

Book News Week 36 – 1 September – 7 September 2025

She is But a Woman: Queenship in Scotland 1424–1463 

Paperback – 7 September 2025 (UK)

Women Who Ruled the World: 5000 Years of Female Monarchy

Women Who Ruled the World: 5000 Years of Female Monarchy 

Hardcover – 4 September 2025 (UK)

diana people's princess

Diana: The Life and Legacy of the People’s Princess 

Hardcover – 2 September 2025 (US)

The Stolen Crown: Treachery, Deceit and the Death of the Tudor Dynasty

The Stolen Crown: Treachery, Deceit and the Death of the Tudor Dynasty

Hardcover – 4 September 2025 (UK)

queen salote tupou iii

Queen Sālote Tupou III: Mother of all her people

Kindle Edition & Paperback – 1 September 2025 (US & UK)

poppea sabina

Poppaea Sabina: The Life and Afterlife of a Roman Empress (Women in Antiquity) 

Hardcover – 6 September 2025 (UK)

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Published on August 30, 2025 16:00

August 29, 2025

Empress Wang Fahui – The Drinking Empress

Empress Wang Fahui was the empress consort to Emperor Xiaowu of the Eastern Jin Dynasty. Empress Wang Fahui and Emperor Xiaowu of the Eastern Jin Dynasty had an unhappy marriage.[1] Empress Wang Fahui was known to be a scandalous empress due to her fondness for alcohol.[2] She had to be scolded by her father to change her behaviour.[3]

In 360 C.E., Empress Wang Fahui was born. She was the niece of Empress  Muzhi of the Eastern Jin Dynasty. Her father was Wang Yun.[4] He was said to have outstanding principles.[5] Her mother was Lady Liu. Her brother was Wang Gong.[6] It was said that Wang Fahui was “beautiful and had good character.”[7]

In 375 C.E., Emperor Xiaowu of the Eastern Jin Dynasty decided it was time for him to marry.[8] He appointed his regent, Xie An, to arrange his marriage.[9] Xie An learned of Wang Yun’s good character.[10] He visited Wang Yun’s house to examine Wang Fahui.[11] He believed that she was beautiful in appearance and had the virtues of being an empress.[12] Therefore, he decided that Wang Fahui should be the empress.[13]

On 1 October 375 C.E., Wang Fahui married Emperor Xiaowu and was invested as Empress. She was fifteen, and Emperor Xiaowu was thirteen.[14] The marriage would prove to be unhappy.[15] Empress Wang Fahui quickly grew fond of alcohol.[16] She would drink excessively, and she became very haughty.[17] She was also jealous of the imperial concubines in Emperor Xiaowu’s harem.[18] 

In order to fix his marriage and Empress Wang Fahui’s behaviour, Emperor Xiaowu sent for her father, Wang Yun, to scold the Empress.[19] When Wang Yun visited the palace to counsel his daughter, he made a formal apology to the Emperor.[20] Empress Wang Fahui began to change her ways and worked on becoming a virtuous empress.[21] She did not give Emperor Xiaowu a son.[22] On 24 October 380 C.E., Empress Wang Fahui died of illness at the age of twenty-one.[23] She was buried with the funeral rites that befitted an empress. Her posthumous name is Empress Xiaowuding.

Empress Wang Fahui’s father, Wang Yun, was known to be a man of good principles.[24] However, Empress Wang Fahui behaved immorally.[25] Her behaviour ruined her marriage with Emperor Xiaowu of the Eastern Jin Dynasty. Empress Wang Fahui tried to fix her behaviour, but it was too late.[26] It is no wonder why Empress Wang Fahui has been known in history as “The Drinking Empress.”[27]

Sources:

McMahon, K. (2013). Women Shall Not Rule: Imperial Wives and Concubines in China from Han to Liao. NY: Rowman and Littlefield.

Minpu, Y. (12 December 2015).“Emperor Xiaowu: First he was forced to collapse by his wife, and then he was killed by his beloved concubine for saying the wrong thing. [孝武先: 被老婆逼崩溃 后因说错话遭宠妃杀死]”. Yangtze Evening News. Retrieved on December 12, 2024 from https://web.archive.org/web/202404211....

[1] Minpu, December 12, 2015, “Emperor Xiaowu: First he was forced to collapse by his wife, and then he was killed by his beloved concubine for saying the wrong thing. [孝武先: 被老婆逼崩溃 后因说错话遭宠妃杀死]”

[2] McMahon, 2013

[3] McMahon, 2013

[4] Minpu, December 12, 2015, “Emperor Xiaowu: First he was forced to collapse by his wife, and then he was killed by his beloved concubine for saying the wrong thing. [孝武先: 被老婆逼崩溃 后因说错话遭宠妃杀死]”

[5] McMahon, 2013

[6] Minpu, December 12, 2015, “Emperor Xiaowu: First he was forced to collapse by his wife, and then he was killed by his beloved concubine for saying the wrong thing. [孝武先: 被老婆逼崩溃 后因说错话遭宠妃杀死]”

[7] McMahon, 2013, p. 147

[8] McMahon, 2013

[9] McMahon, 2013

[10] McMahon, 2013

[11] McMahon, 2013

[12] McMahon, 2013

[13] McMahon, 2013

[14] Minpu, December 12, 2015, “Emperor Xiaowu: First he was forced to collapse by his wife, and then he was killed by his beloved concubine for saying the wrong thing. [孝武先: 被老婆逼崩溃 后因说错话遭宠妃杀死]”

[15] Minpu, December 12, 2015, “Emperor Xiaowu: First he was forced to collapse by his wife, and then he was killed by his beloved concubine for saying the wrong thing. [孝武先: 被老婆逼崩溃 后因说错话遭宠妃杀死]”

[16] McMahon, 2013

[17] McMahon, 2013

[18] McMahon, 2013

[19] McMahon, 2013

[20] Minpu, December 12, 2015, “Emperor Xiaowu: First he was forced to collapse by his wife, and then he was killed by his beloved concubine for saying the wrong thing. [孝武先: 被老婆逼崩溃 后因说错话遭宠妃杀死]”

[21] Minpu, December 12, 2015, “Emperor Xiaowu: First he was forced to collapse by his wife, and then he was killed by his beloved concubine for saying the wrong thing. [孝武先: 被老婆逼崩溃 后因说错话遭宠妃杀死]”

[22] Minpu, December 12, 2015, “Emperor Xiaowu: First he was forced to collapse by his wife, and then he was killed by his beloved concubine for saying the wrong thing. [孝武先: 被老婆逼崩溃 后因说错话遭宠妃杀死]”

[23] McMahon, 2013

[24] McMahon, 2013

[25] McMahon, 2013

[26] Minpu, December 12, 2015, “Emperor Xiaowu: First he was forced to collapse by his wife, and then he was killed by his beloved concubine for saying the wrong thing. [孝武先: 被老婆逼崩溃 后因说错话遭宠妃杀死]”

[27] McMahon, 2013, p. 147

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Published on August 29, 2025 21:00

August 28, 2025

Princess Tsuguko’s Tiara

Princess Tsuguko’s Tiara is worn by Princess Tsuguko of Takamado.

She was gifted the tiara for her 20th birthday, the age of majority in Japan. This tiara was made by the jeweller Wako.

Princess Tsuguko(Screenshot/Fair Use)

Princess Tsuguko accompanied her mother to the wedding of Crown Prince Hussein of Jordan and Rajwa Al Saif, where she wore the tiara.

Princess Tsuguko was born on 8 March 1986 as the eldest daughter of Norihito, Prince Takamado, and his wife, Hisako, Princess Takamado. Her two younger sisters, Noriko and Ayako, have married outside of the Imperial family and have thus become commoners.

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Published on August 28, 2025 22:00

August 26, 2025

Royal Wedding Recollections – Prince Pieter-Christiaan of Orange-Nassau & Anita van Eijk

On 27 August 2005, Prince Pieter-Christiaan of Orange-Nassau married Anita van Eijk at the Grote or St. Jeroenskerk, which is currently known as Oude Jeroenskerk, in Noordwijk. Their engagement had been announced on 25 February 2005, at the same time as the engagement of Pieter-Christiaan’s brother, Floris, and his fiancée, Aimée.

Prince Pieter-Christiaan is the third son of Princess Margriet of the Netherlands and Pieter van Vollenhoven. He is thus a cousin of the current King, King Willem-Alexander.

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The civil wedding of Prince Pieter-Christiaan and Anita had taken place two days earlier, on 25 August, in Apeldoorn at the Loo Palace. At the time, Prince Pieter-Christiaan was in the line of succession. However, they did not seek parliamentary approval for this marriage as was required. This meant that he lost his place in the line of succession.

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Anita was accompanied by her father as she entered the church. She was wearing a gown by the Dutch designer Frans Hoogendoorn in a cream colour. The gown was made of satin and lace. Prince Pieter-Christiaan wore the uniform of the Royal Marechaussee, as he was still in active duty at the time. Preacher Henk Leegte led the service.

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Upon marriage, Anita became known as Princess Anita of Orange-Nassau.

The couple went on to have two children: Emma, born in 2006, and Pieter, born in 2008. They do not have any royal or noble titles, nor are they in the line of succession.

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Published on August 26, 2025 21:00

August 24, 2025

Who would be Queen of Albania today?

The 20th-century Kingdom of Albania was founded in 1928 by the Constituent Assembly, and President Ahmet Bej Zogu was declared as King Zog I of Albania. The kingdom operated under Salic law, which did not allow for the succession of women. The Queens mentioned are, therefore, consorts and not reigning Queens. Any claimed titles since the end of the kingdom are titular.

King Zog remained unmarried for the first ten years of his reign. He had been engaged when he became King, but that engagement was broken off. On 27 April 1938, he married the Hungarian-born Countess Géraldine Margit Virginia Olga Mária Apponyi de Nagy-Appony, and their only son, Leka, Crown Prince of Albania, was born the following year.

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Just two days after their son’s birth, Italy invaded the country and the family, in fear for their lives, fled into exile. Albania was declared a protectorate under the King of Italy, Victor Emmanuel III and the Kingdom of Albania was no more.

The former King Zog continued as the Head of the House of Zogu until his death in 1961. He was succeeded in his claims by his only son, Leka. He was still unmarried at the time, and he eventually married the Australian-born Susan Cullen-Ward in 1975, making her the titular Queen of Albania. Their only son, also named Leka, was born in 1982.

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Susan predeceased her husband by seven years, dying of lung cancer in 2004. Leka died of a heart attack in 2011, and he was buried alongside Susan.

He was succeeded in his claim to the Albanian throne by his son, Leka. He married his long-time girlfriend, Elia Zaharia, in 2016, making her titular Queen of Albania. The couple had one daughter, Princess Geraldine, in 2020. They were divorced on 25 April 2024, making the position of titular Queen currently vacant.

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Published on August 24, 2025 21:00

August 22, 2025

Princess Yuan – The barren Princess who almost became Emperor Sun Quan of the Eastern Wu Dynasty’s Empress

Princess Yuan was the daughter of the infamous warlord, Emperor Yuan Shu of the Zhong Dynasty. She was also an imperial concubine to Emperor Sun Quan of the Eastern Wu Dynasty. Princess Yuan was barren and did not have any children.[1] However, Emperor Sun Quan admired her character.[2] Princess Yuan almost became Emperor Sun Quan’s empress.[3]

The birthdate of Princess Yuan is unknown.[4] She was from Runan.[5] Her personal name is also unknown.[6] She was the daughter of the infamous Emperor Yuan Shu, who had proclaimed himself Emperor of the short-lived Zhong Dynasty.[7] Her mother was Empress Feng of the Zhong Dynasty.[8] She had a brother named Prince Yuan Yao.[9]

In 199 C.E., Emperor Yuan Shu of the Zhong dynasty died. His death ended the dynasty that he had founded.[10] Prince Yuan Yao and Princess Yuan were forced to flee south to join the warlord Liu Xun.[11] They were later defeated and captured by Sun Ce.[12] Prince Yuan Yao worked in Emperor Sun Quan’s palace as a gentleman.[13] Princess Yuan joined Emperor Sun Quan’s imperial harem and became his imperial concubine.[14] She proved to be infertile and had no children.[15] Imperial Consort Yuan was said to be of good character and was modest and humble.[16] Emperor Sun Quan admired her good character and favoured her.[17] Because Emperor Sun Quan sympathised with her barrenness, he gave Imperial Consort Yuan his children, whom he had with other imperial concubines to raise.[18]

In 238 C.E., Imperial Consort Bu (who would posthumously be made Empress) died. Emperor Sun Quan wished to make Imperial Consort Yuan his empress.[19] However, Imperial Consort Yuan stubbornly refused the Empress position because she had no children.[20] Imperial Consort Yuan’s life afterwards is unknown.[21] Imperial Consort Yuan died in 243 C.E..[22]

Princess Yuan would have been Emperor Sun Quan’s empress.[23] However, she felt that she was not qualified to be empress because of her barrenness.[24] Her refusal to be an empress shows her humility and her good character.[25] It is no wonder why Emperor Sun Quan wanted Princess Yuan to raise his children.[26] Therefore, Princess Yuan’s good character earned Emperor Sun Quan’s respect and admiration.[27]

Sources:

Peirce, J. (n.d.). “Lady Yuan”. Konming Archives. Retrieved on December 2, 2024 from https://kongming.net/encyclopedia/Lad....

Peirce, J. (n.d.). “Yuan Yao, 袁燿”. Konming Archives. Retrieved on December 2, 2024 from https://kongming.net/encyclopedia/Yua....

Chen, S., & Pei, S. (1999). Empresses and Consorts: Selections from Chen Shou’s Records of the Three States with Pei Songzhi’s Commentary. Honolulu: University of Hawaiʻi Press.

[1] Chen and Pei, 1999

[2] Chen and Pei, 1999

[3] Chen and Pei, 1999

[4] Peirce, n.d., “Lady Yuan”

[5] Peirce, n.d., “Lady Yuan”

[6] Peirce, n.d., “Lady Yuan”

[7] Chen and Pei, 1999

[8] Peirce, n.d., “Lady Yuan”

[9] Peirce, n.d., “Yuan Yao, 袁燿”

[10] Peirce, n.d., “Yuan Yao, 袁燿”

[11] Peirce, n.d., “Yuan Yao, 袁燿”

[12] Peirce, n.d., “Yuan Yao, 袁燿”

[13] Peirce, n.d., “Yuan Yao, 袁燿”

[14] Chen and Pei, 1999

[15] Chen and Pei, 1999

[16] Chen and Pei, 1999

[17] Chen and Pei, 1999

[18] Chen and Pei, 1999

[19] Chen and Pei, 1999

[20] Chen and Pei, 1999

[21] Chen and Pei, 1999

[22] Peirce, n.d., “Lady Yuan”

[23] Chen and Pei, 1999

[24] Chen and Pei, 1999

[25] Chen and Pei, 1999

[26] Chen and Pei, 1999

[27] Chen and Pei, 1999

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Published on August 22, 2025 21:00

Book News Week 35

*contains affiliate links*

Book News week 35 – 25 August – 31 August 2025

women of the scottish wars of independence

Women in the Scottish Wars of Independence 1296–1357

Hardcover – 28 August 2025 (US)

tudor princes and princesses

Tudor Princes and Princesses: The Early Lives of the Children of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York 

Hardcover – 30 August 2025 (US)

tudor power couples

Power Couples of the Tudor Era: Influential Duos that Shaped the History of their Time 

Hardcover – 30 August 2025 (US)

raising the tudors

Raising the Tudors: Motherhood in Sixteenth-Century England 

Hardcover – 25 August 2025 (US)

queen marie antoinette

Marie Antoinette: Teen Queen to Guillotine 

Hardcover – 30 August 2025 (UK)

honor lisle

Henry VIII’s Controversial Aunt, Honor Lisle: Her Life, Letters and influence on The Tudor Court 

Hardcover – 30 August 2025 (UK)

race for elizabeth's throne

The Race for Elizabeth I’s Throne: Rival Tudor Cousins 

Hardcover – 30 August 2025 (UK)

queen emma

The Documentary Politics of Conquered England’s Queens: New Translations of the “Encomium of Queen Emma” and the “Life of King Edward” (Foundations) 

Hardcover – 31 August 2025 (US & UK)

voyage around the queen

A Voyage Around the Queen

Paperback – 28 August 2025 (UK)

tales from the tower of london

Tales from the Tower of London 

Paperback – 28 August 2025 (UK)

killing monarchs

Killing Monarchs

Hardcover – 30 August 2025 (UK)

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Published on August 22, 2025 21:00

August 21, 2025

The Pearl Sunburst Tiara

The Pearl Sunburst Tiara belonging to the Japanese Imperial family seems to have been made in the 20th century.

The first person to be seen wearing it was the future Empress Michiko when she was still Crown Princess. She also wore a matching brooch and necklace. She wore the tiara during Japan’s state visit to the United States in 1960 and the United States’s state visit to Japan in 1983.

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When Michiko became Empress, the Pearl Sunburst Tiara was set aside for pieces reserved for the Empress, and the next wearer would be Michiko’s daughter-in-law, Masako.

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Masako tended to wear the Pearl Sunburst tiara for state visits as well, such as the 2014 visit of the Dutch King and Queen.

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Published on August 21, 2025 21:00

August 19, 2025

Women who were passed over – Spain

The Kingdom of Spain operates on male-preference primogeniture, which means that a younger brother will take precedence in the line of succession over any elder sisters. So, how many women missed out on becoming Queen of Spain because of this?

We will look at Spain’s history from the dynastic union of King Ferdinand II of Aragon and Queen Isabella I of Castile, which laid the foundation for the current Kingdom.

Eleanor of Austria

eleanor of austria(public domain)

Eleanor of Austria was born on 15 November 1498 as the eldest daughter of Joanna, Queen of Castile, and Philip I, King of Castile, by right of his wife. Joanna had become the heir of her mother, Queen Isabella I, following the deaths of her brother, John, and sister, Isabella, and her sister’s son, Miguel. Joanna also succeeded her father as Queen of Aragon. Joanna and Philip had six children, and Eleanor was pushed back in the succession by the births of brothers Charles (later King of Spain and Holy Roman Emperor) and Ferdinand (later Holy Roman Emperor). Eleanor first married King Manuel I of Portugal, with whom she had one surviving daughter, Maria. She was widowed in 1521 and married King Francis I of France in 1530. They had no children together. She died on 25 February 1558.

Isabella Clara Eugenia of Spain

(public domain)

Isabella Clara Eugenia of Spain was born on 12 August 1566 as the first surviving daughter of King Philip II of Spain and his third wife, Elisabeth of Valois. King Philip had a son, Carlos, from his first marriage to Maria Manuela of Portugal, and so she was not initially “passed over” in the line of succession. However, Carlos died at the age of 23 in 1568, and Isabella moved to being first in the line of succession. Following her mother’s death in 1568, King Philip remarried to his niece, Anna of Austria. Anna provided Philip with four sons and a daughter. One son survived to adulthood and he took precedence over Isabella and eventually became King Philip III. Isabella married Albert VII, Archduke of Austria, in 1599, and her father ceded the Spanish Netherlands to them. They had no children together, and Isabella died on 1 December 1633.

Anne of Austria

(public domain)

Anne of Austria was born on 22 September 1601 as the eldest daughter of King Philip III of Spain and Margaret of Austria. She was overtaken in the line of succession by her younger brother, the future King Philip IV. Anne married King Louis XIII of France, and after many years, they went on to have two sons together. Anne was regent for her eldest son for eight years. She died on 20 January 1666.

Maria Theresa of Spain

(public domain)

Maria Theresa of Spain was born on 10 September 1638 as the eldest surviving daughter of King Philip IV of Spain and Elisabeth of France. She had an elder brother, Balthasar Charles, who was the Prince of Asturias until his death in 1646 at the age of 16. This made Maria Theresa the heir presumptive. Her mother died in 1644, and her father remarried to his niece, Maria Anna of Austria, in 1649. She gave birth to two daughters and three sons, of whom one daughter and one son would survive to adulthood. Her younger half-brother became King Charles II of Spain. Maria Theresa married King Louis XIV of France in 1660, and they had six children together, of whom one survived to adulthood. Following the succession crisis after King Charles II died childless, her grandson eventually succeeded as King Philip V of Spain.

Carlota Joaquina of Spain

[image error](public domain)

Carlota Joaquina of Spain was born on 25 April 1775 as the eldest daughter of King Charles IV of Spain and Maria Luisa of Parma. An elder brother had died at the age of three before she was born. Several more brothers and sisters followed, including the future King Ferdinand VII of Spain. She married the future King John VI of Portugal at the age of ten, and they eventually had nine children together. One of her daughters would marry her brother, King Ferdinand VII. Carlota Joaquina died on 7 January 1830.

Infanta Isabel of Spain

[image error](public domain)

Infanta Isabel of Spain was born on 20 December 1851 as the eldest surviving child of Queen Isabella II of Spain and Francisco de Asís, Duke of Cádiz. She was Princess of Asturias until 1857, when her brother, the future King Alfonso XII of Spain, was born. In 1868, she married Prince Gaetan, Count of Girgenti. She was widowed three years later, and they had not had any children together. After the accession of her brother, she again became Princess of Asturias. In 1880, she lost the title again when her brother became a father to María de las Mercedes. Isabel died on 22 April 1931.

María de las Mercedes

Mercedes, Princess of Asturias(public domain)

María de las Mercedes was born on 11 September 1880 as the eldest child of King Alfonso XII of Spain and his second wife, Maria Christina of Austria. A sister followed in 1882. Tragedy struck in 1885 when her father died at the age of 27. Mercedes should have been Queen had it not been for her mother’s pregnancy. If the unborn child turned out to be a boy, he would immediately become King. The following year, her brother was born, and he became King Alfonso XIII. Mercedes returned to her position as heiress presumptive. She married Prince Carlos of the Two Sicilies in 1901, and they had three children together before Mercedes’ early death at the age of 24. Her eldest son took her place as heir presumptive until the King had a child in 1907.

Infanta Elena, Duchess of Lugo

infanta elena duchess of lugoBy Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED) – CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Infanta Elena was born on 20 December 1963 as the eldest child of the future King Juan Carlos I and Sophia of Greece and Denmark. Her father was restored to the Spanish throne in favour of his father in 1975. When this happened, she had a younger sister and a younger brother. Her brother, Felipe, was named as Prince of Asturias in 1977. So technically, Elena was never heiress presumptive but she was passed over for her younger brother. He became King in 2013 when their father abdicated. Elena married Jaime de Marichalar, Lord of Tejada, in 1995, and they had two children together.

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Published on August 19, 2025 21:00