Today in Royalty: June 26

King George IV

Today in royalty…

Anne Catherine of Brandenburg was born in 1575. She went on to become Queen of Denmark as the first wife of King Christian IV, from 1597 until her death in 1612. While little remains known of her today, she is best remembered for her modesty and strong faith.

Johan Josef I, Prince of Liechtenstein, was born in 1760. He ruled over the tiny principality from 1760 until 1736 and was known as the last Prince of Liechtenstein under the Holy Roman Empire.

The infamous King George IV, died in 1830. He served as Prince Regent when his father, King George III, suffered his final bout with mental illness, and reigned from 1820 until his death. Known as "the first gentleman of Europe" for his charm and refined culture, he was nevertheless notorious for his extravagant lifestyle.

Mercedes, Queen of Spain, died in 1872. She was the only daughter of Antoine of Orleans, Duke of Montpensier and Infanta Luisa Fernanda of Spain. The first wife of King Alfonso XII, she was Spain's Queen Consort from 1868 until 1872.

Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna of Russia was born in 1899. She was the third daughter of Czar Nicholas II and Empress Alexandra Feodorovna. Flirtatious and interested in the lives of soldiers, Maria worked as a Red Cross volunteer at the hight of World War I. She suffered the same fate as that of her parents and siblings in the hands of the Bolsheviks.

Albert I, Prince of Monaco, died in 1922. He is best remembered for his pioneering work as an oceanographer and archaeologist. His desire for world peace led him to establish the International Institute for Peace, the predecessor of the League of Nations and the United Nations.

Princess Alexia of the Netherlands was born in 2005. She is the second of the three daughters of King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands.